Aniversarios e Mais

Since the inbound weekend, I haven't done too many overly exciting things. I went to a bunch of birthday things with my host sister this past weekend and those were fun. 

I also went swimming in the pool here the other day for the first time the other day. Unless you count the time I fell off the raft thing because my host sister and her friend made me laugh. But actual swimming was a bit more fun. It's getting hotter and hotter and I'm beginning to appreciate the cold a lot more than I ever thought possible.

Today we finally applied for our temporary stay licenses with the federal police which is probably a good thing considering we only have 30 says to do so without some pretty drastic potential reprecussions like getting kicked out of the country. It wasn't that exciting. They took a bunch of fingerprints and the lady spelled Chicago like Chigaco and I didn't correct here but that's about it. But speaking of this, it's so weird to think that I've been here almost 30 days and if every month passes this quickly then I'll feel as though I haven't been here for hardly any time. 

There are things that I miss, like quality cheese and familiarity but it's so much less stressful here, even when I remember that I have to college applications like everyone else. But I like this language, despite how little I speak of it. And the people here are crazy. In the best way possible. Well, some of them are a little intimidating but I really like them. Honestly, Brazilians like to talk so much about themselves and about each other. But not like gossiping. Mostly they just like to know and share things for the sake of everyone having lots of information. They're not so judgemental; like they make fun of people but not to be cruel. It's interesting.

Also, on a completely unrelated note, last Thirsday I went with two of my friends from school and watched a muay thai class that they usually take. Then we went and ate hot dogs. Hot dogs here are sooooooo much better than in the US; I don't think I can ever eat another one of those after having eaten them here. But it was super cool getting to hang out with people besides my host sister, just because I have other friends besides her and her friends.

I forget everything else I did, but it's been pretty fun.

Esqueci

Evidently I'm not too great at keeping a blog but as it happens, everytime I'm in the mood to write something, the wifi is out. I don't think that's a coincidence. Whatever. I have now been to two churrascos and those were fun. 

Also, we got cards for a sport club like 10 minutes away that's super nice and I can finally exercise. Also, today my YEO and second host dad took me to a karate place in this city and I'm gonna watch a class on Wednesday and maybe try one out on Friday or something. More on martial arts, I am going with one of my friends from school on Thursday to watch her muau thai class, which I don't really understand yet because I don't understand quite that much Portuguese.

But, speaking of Portuguese, we had out Inbound Orientation for my Rotary district this weekend and that was cool but it was mostly all in English. It was interesting to see how varied people's levels were and I was pretty proud of my Portuguese considering I didn't really study before coming and I'd only been here two weeks then. But it was pretty cool; we had this weird talent show thing so I kinda did kai men, but also it was kinda not of a very high quality but whatever, I won a Brazilian flag and some other thing from it and that was pretty cool.

I'm already starting to forget the things I've done that I haven't written down and I can't decide whether that's bad or good. Because I kinda like just living life and rememberibg what I remember without feeling the need to document every hour of my year here, but also, I really don't want to forget things that I know I will since I'm two weeks into a nine or ten month journey. We'll see.

I don't know what else to write now either. Maybe I'll add more later. For now, até mais.

Aii, Desculpa

Oops, I didn't write for awhile because we didn't have wifi for a few days and then the normal internet went out too but also I kinda was just having fun not writing, though I know I'll regret that later when I look back and can't remember some of the cool things I've done. 

Anyways, we went to a Rotary meeting on Tuesday or Wednesday and that was kinda fun. It's a really small club but also not many people were at that meeting. They had us go up and talk about our cities and that was a challenge considering I'd been there all of three days. It was fun though. And that night and the next I stayed at my second host family's house with the other exchange student because my family went to São Paulo to get a Mexican visa for my host brother who leaves tomorrow.

Also we have been going to school and all the kids are still into the picture taking and facebook adding, but then they like to also chat on facebook... This is weird but kind of nice. At least it was til this one kid told me I write like a six year old. First, I don't know the kid. Second, is that a compliment, an insult, or a fact?? Whatever.

Also, yesterday we went to Monte Libano, which is a sport club that's pretty fancy and had a churrasco and lots of family and other people were there including some of these crazy girls who like to obsess over the mexican exchange student so that was funny because we learned that he was the background of one of their phones, but also we did the cup song thing and that was nice; connecting without needing Portuguese.

Later me and the other exchange student and my host sister went to a churrasco for a guy in out class at school and it was super fun because I got to talk to some of my classmates that I don't talk to as much in school.

Today we had churrasco here and lots of people came over aka the grandmother and aunt and uncles and cousins on my host mom's side of the family and also some neighbors and my host sibling's friends and at one point when the family was leaving, everyone was crying except me, the neighbors, and the other exchange student and let's just say that was awkward.

But whatever, it's been fun and after tomorrow I guess my Portguese will have to improve because there will be no more English speakers. This, however, is for the better.

Ok, tchau tchau.

Day Two of 15 Minutes of Fame

Okay so first, I lied; this school starts at like age two or something. Instead of most classes we went around and introduced ourselves to all the younger kids and answered their questions. On the bright side, this meant that I knew every class I was in because it was basically only math, more math, and English. 

In English the teacher lady studied abroad and she made us come talk about ourselves in English and now she thinks we don't speak any Portuguese which is fine with me, I guess. Oh, but when we were going around to the classes, the person who I presume is the principal kept telling the kids they could come talk to us and they didn't have to giggle and stare from a distance anymore. I also saw my host aunt and cousins except for one because he's in one of the only two non-high school classes we didn't go to.

In other news, I have come to realize that of everyone, the only person I never understand is my host mother. This is unfortunate. Last night she told me to get a coat because today would be cold and it took about 15 minutes for me to understand and their neighbor just kinda sat there and watched our interaction amusedly.

Also though, I stayed at my second host family's house last night so my host mom and brother could go to São Paulo so my brother could get a Mexican visa but I didn't really understand that either for quite some time. On the bright side, that got cleared up.

Tonight we go to a Rotary meeting. Haha, too bad I forgot to grab nice shoes before I left last night. But the again, also too bad I didn't understand what was going on for most of last night. Also there are lots of mosquitos and I have so many bug bites which is fine, whatever, but the one making my eye swollen is mildly annoying. 

Oh, I also finally learned the word for "slow" so this is a plus in terms of communication.

K, tchau!

A Casa

A Escola

Today I went to school, in this place called Coopem on the other side of the town and there are lots of kids from probably like kindergarten or something all the way through the third (and last) year of high school. Basically, we were like celebrities there and everyone of all ages knew who we were and would come up and say hi in Portuguese or English and want to talk a lot. 

I was in the second year of their high school with the Mexican exchange student and we had like our 15 minutes of fame except it was actually a lot of hours. Honestly, so many kids sleep that I probably learned as much as they did and I don't speak Portuguese. Also everyone talks the entire time and basically the teacher either teaches to those who are listening or doesn't really teach much at all. I have yet to figure out what the first hour was today.... And Mondays have way too much physics.

But I made some friends, whose names I don't know but that's not particularly relevant. They also were major fans of origami and my pencil spinning habits. Also Arabic. They were nice and spoke really slow Portuguese except in some cases where they realized I was never going to understand them and they made one of their friends translate for me.

All in all, I like going to school because the people are cool and I don't have the stress of needing to do well...or do anything, really. And we left before some biology class started, so that was another plus. Also the dog named Hanna really likes the swimming pool. She swam all day yesterday, which is more than anyone else thus far.

Primeiro Domingo

Today I woke up at like 8:30 which is weird because that's like 6:30 in the US and breakfast was bread or something that starts with an m with mayo and cheese that was in that thing that's kinda like a grill. As it turns out, getting food early was good because I'm pretty sure the dog ate the rest of the bread food that starts with an m.

Then I went with my host parents and brother to the store and bought food and also havianas. Afterwards, we drove around and went to my host mother's sister's house and I met an uncle and aunt and grandparents and also a bunch of cousins and that was fun, but I didn't know what they were saying; only that they were talking about me.

Then I think we drove around and looked to see if their friends were home but they weren't so we came home and ate lunch.  Then I took a nap for like an hour but that was unintentional. 

I hung out with my host sister and her friends and probably understood three words in like two hours and that was because she looked at me and spoke super slowly but they were all nice and one probably speaks better English than I do.

Dinner was more lasagna and lettuce that tasted like olives and salt and rice. 

Okay well I got bored yesterday and didn't finish writing anything but the cousins et al came over and that was fun because they're all younger kids and they're cool. I forgot some of my random revelations from yesterday but it was good.