Diante da acirrada disputa no mercado de trabalho, experiências no exterior como um intercâmbio passaram a ser por demais valorizadas pelos RHs da vida. Claro que quem tem bala na agulha vai fazer intercâmbio na Nova Zelândia, Alemanha, Inglaterra... Eu estou indo pros Estados Unidos, o estino escolhido por quem determinou o programa e criou o concurso de bolsas.
- Estados Unidos é intercâmbio de pobre.- Mas pobre não faz intercâmbio!- Faz sim, se tiver ganhado uma bolsa como eu!
Por isso, estou deixando família, amigos, faculdade, estágio pelo período máximo de 1 ano. Vou fazer parte de outra família. Estou partindo rumo à terra do Bush, do McDonalds, do country e de Hollywood. Não quero fazer a América nem deixar ela me fazer. Quero iluminação, amadurecimento, cultura, histórias pra contar, um melhor currículo, um punhado de dólares e eletrônicos mais em conta! Nessa ordem.
Mas não se preocupem. Nas palavras de Jesus e Schwarzenneger: Eu voltarei!
De Bonsucesso para o mundo:
Natalia Weber tem 21 anos e é estudante de jornalismo da UFF (RJ). Parece uma americana, mas é brasileiríssima. É suburbana com orgulho e está prestes a adentrar nos Estados Unidos. Ela nunca viajou de avião, nunca arrumou uma mala tão grande, detesta McDonalds. Vai ser Au Pair numa família muito boa e com (graças a Deus!) uma criança. Uma criança linda, fofa e maravilhosa. Espera ter bastante tempo pra estudar e espera encontrar bons cursos pra fazer e complementar seu currículo. Espera também aprender a dirigir bem rápido pra se mover lá. Espera conhecer Nova York. Por livre e espontânea pressão, tem a possibilidade de visitar a Disney, mas se não conseguir se livrar dessa, promete enviar uma foto esganando o Mickey! Ela está com muitas saudades dos pais e amigos, por isso espera que eles venham sempre aqui.
I still cannot believe how somebody like you came into my life. How was it possible to find someone that share so much with me, someone so alike. And yet, our differences help keeping a perfect balance. How come we can never run out of things to talk, how come we can understand what we are feeling, even thought those are things words can't even try to explain. We're on the same boat, and had a very similar background. So we ended up joining forces against what was constantly trying to keep us down. Only we know deep down what we wanted to scream about.
We're alike, but somehow we've found so much we could teach one another. And while you're stressed but wiser, and I'm sillier but open-heartead, we could manage to find a common ground where both could grow. You learn how to let your laughter run loose, and to breath before acting, and to find a crazy bright side out of everything. And I watched you grow and learned from you, how you managed to overcome all the hits you had the past year. I did what I could to make you feel better at those times. And I hope I could help. I didn't mind at all being your personal clown. As you were my partner at so many adventures. I was just so glad to have someone like you by my side.
And althought we took a long time to start, we had a great run. Full of fall leaves, cherry blossoms, ol' people's cruises, miles and miles by foot. And a million stories we told one another. For one thing, you helped me not to lose myself. It's so hard to forget about yourself when you're out of your center, of your safe harbor, away from all that makes you to be you... I was almost forgetting. Who would hear me? Who would care to know who I am? You listened, you listened to everything I told you, even if it probably was nothing you'd care about. You heard all the songs I sent you, all the silly Youtube videos, all the movies I recommended, and books. Because after a while, I found out I didn't have to go all the way to find out what you liked or not. The answer was within me already.
I could not wait to meet you and tell you about anything. And yet, you never seemed bored or not interested. Wow, I admire you so much... what did I do to get that much friendship? Your trust is the most precious thing. You were beside me all the time, during my confessions, during my hard times and happy times, during my drama queen attacks. And you never quit. Thanks you, so so much...
And when I say you were the perfect au pair of 'em all, I mean it!!! And you're coming back with the same amount of luggage you brought one year ago. That's amazing in itself. But there's more, for sure. The fact that you lived the whole experience of diving into another culture, totally different people, having to put up with things that normally would drive you mad, getting yourself in the middle of so many twisted stories. Seeing so many wrong things happening and knowing how to control yourself. If you say you have no patience, dear, you must have grown it inside of you. Enough to can it and sell! The life you lived here, the things you had to overcome, it is amazing to look back and contemplate. How could you do it? I couldn't be more proud of you, of everything you did on your own.
And don't come and tell me that you were stupid or something like this... I know what you mean, maybe more than anyone, but remember: we can't help giving what we know other people need and might like, even though we don't get recognition or anything in return. Is giving that matters, because if we don't take it away, it will suffocate ourselves, we won't forgive ourselves. We choose to jump in, even though it's hard to keep going. You know what this is called? It's simply LOVE.
Remember that text in the Bible that everybody uses all the time? Can you see through the lines what it really means?
"(4) Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. (5) It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. (6) Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. (7) It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (8) Love never fails." (1 Corinthians 13)
Would it be better if you chose not to live this love? I don't think so.
Just think that every time you give this kind of love a new star will appear in the sky, or a deer will be born, or a gazelle... Got it??
Now that you're heading back, it's with nothing but happiness in my heart that I declare you graduate from the "Weber Private School of Monkey Business". You are ready to go and purchase many monkeys wherever you go. I'm also happy for all you accomplished, because I know that will make a huge difference in everything you do. I just know that you will be alright. You have as many tools you need to succeed, and the wisdom to use them.
I'm also sad to see you go, but our friendship will go on, and we'll see each other again, somewhere out in this big world. And inside our hearts we will always be able to find the love that brought us together.
Walk on. It will be alright. And I always will be by your side.
