Exame de faixa

Well, i found something to do with my free time, sort of. These past two weeks I've been going to karate and training the afternoon to prepare for the exam that was yesterday. This was kind of cool because there's a part of the exam that consists of applications of the forms, or katas, so I trained with a friend of mine, which made it more interesting and fun. 

Anyways, the system of testing and belts is different here, it's almost like the kung fu school's new system that's actually not really new anymore I guess. But anyways, for the curious, the order is white, orange, blue, blue with black stripe, purple, purple with black stripe, green, green with black stripe, brown with white stripe, brown, and brown with black stripe, then come the series of dans and black belts. But anyways, so the younger kids have a whole lot more leeway, and often go in the order listed above. Adults, and older kids however, pften skip belts. For example, no one in the older class ever gets and orange belt; they just go right to blue. However it's also possible to jump higher. For example, my friend and I ended up earning purple. There are just different requirements for each one. Maybe his makes absolutely no sense, and maybe it makes some, but here ya are. 

Oh, and also, when they say that martial arts trains the mind and body, they weren't kidding. Here there is also a knowledge test. For example, the code of karate-do has seven parts and there are five principles. For this test, there was a written portion in which we had to write all of the code and the principles. It was kinda cool to see the emphasis on not just the physical aspects. Also everyone except for me was required to sing the national anthem of brasil, so it's really focusing on you being a good person and being aware of who and where you are.

Also, you don't learn what belt you've earned until later. There was bonekai, or a little party today, they say after, where the Shihan announced all the results. Talk about suspense, haha. 

On a completely unrelated note, it was pretty interesting because today a friend asked me if I think in Portuguese or English. And honestly, aside from the conversations I have in English, I think in portuguese. and sometimes I'm conversing in English and realize how much easier it is to communicate what I want to say on Portuguese and have to reverse translate. So that was a pretty cool revelation, actually.

Unfortunately I have little more to say as my life has been pretty much karate lately. But oh, in January my third host mom is taking me to some beach. I am spending Christmas with my cousins' cousin's family and New Years at some ranch with my third host family. Then in February I am going to Rio for a few days and in May I am going on an Amazônia trip. So I'm getting some traveling on, which I'm super excited about.

This is all I can think of for now, so tchau tchau, até mais tarde.