I think that the next interesting/major event to occur was Carnaval. My host sister was working every day of Carnaval, so my family planned to stay here in Mirassol with her, so she wasn't alone. For this, my host parents arranged for me to go the beach with my host mom's relatives, where they always spend Carnaval. This was incredibly nice, and it was great that they offered to take me, and as ungrateful as it sounds, I did not enjoy Carnaval as much as I had thought I would.
First, I had to go to my relatives house a weekend before they were going to leave because both of my host parents work, so I stayed with my host grandmother, which is like two blocks from my host aunt's house. I must admit, that I love my host grandmother. She's 88 years old, but I would have guessed mid seventies at the most. She's spunky and crazy and if she doesn't want to do something, either she won't do it, or she'll complain the entire time. But so, I have two host cousins, one is 17 and I think I have exchanged fewer words with him in my life than I have with the average stranger on the street. He isn't much for conversation. I also have a nine year old cousin, who basically spends her life begging her mother for things, which she always receives. It's like teaching a dog to beg; it just keeps doing it. I didn't really have anything at all to do in their city, called São Joaquim da Barra, because I didn't know anyone and it's really, really small, so like, I stayed in my host cousins' house while they went to school, or in their light store, which is next to their house. There is an exchange student there, who I had technically met twice, once at Maracanã, and the other time in São Carlos and Brotas, but I didn't know that. I went out with him and his host sister and their friends once, but he had school and other things to do. Then, after my host cousin got home from school it was kind of expected that I would spend all of my time with her doing what she wanted to do, when she wanted to do it. This being said, I got pretty tired of her pretty quickly.
Because of this, I was tired of her before we go to the beach, where she informed me that, while I was there to have fun, my main purpose was to be company for her and essentially follow her around and stick to her side as like a personal babysitter who doesn't get paid. But aside from this, the beach was really, really pretty and clean. The apartment in which we stayed was right on the water, and it was huge. There were three bedrooms, and three bathrooms and a porch that looked out onto the beach. There were pools, one that was warm and one that was a hydro-massage, as well as a work-out space and a game room.
The beach was good for walking, though the sun was hot. They like to get in their cars and drive around to look at pretty houses here in Brazil. And there are a lot, especially here on beaches that are frequented by the more wealthy. So, basically every afternoon, we got into the car and drove around for a while.
At night, my host cousin and his friend went out every night, but I only went with them once, partly because it was three guys and no girls, which makes it harder, and partially because they spent like 80 reais per night to go out. The nice thing about this vacation is that they paid for things for me. I wasn't expected to buy my food, or pay for my hotel, as it was in previous situations.
Anyways, after I got back, I went to a wedding of my neighbor who grew up with my host sister, my host brother got back from the US, and left immediately to go back to college, life returned to normal, as in school and karate and going to the club to work out or go swimming or go to the sauna.
First, I had to go to my relatives house a weekend before they were going to leave because both of my host parents work, so I stayed with my host grandmother, which is like two blocks from my host aunt's house. I must admit, that I love my host grandmother. She's 88 years old, but I would have guessed mid seventies at the most. She's spunky and crazy and if she doesn't want to do something, either she won't do it, or she'll complain the entire time. But so, I have two host cousins, one is 17 and I think I have exchanged fewer words with him in my life than I have with the average stranger on the street. He isn't much for conversation. I also have a nine year old cousin, who basically spends her life begging her mother for things, which she always receives. It's like teaching a dog to beg; it just keeps doing it. I didn't really have anything at all to do in their city, called São Joaquim da Barra, because I didn't know anyone and it's really, really small, so like, I stayed in my host cousins' house while they went to school, or in their light store, which is next to their house. There is an exchange student there, who I had technically met twice, once at Maracanã, and the other time in São Carlos and Brotas, but I didn't know that. I went out with him and his host sister and their friends once, but he had school and other things to do. Then, after my host cousin got home from school it was kind of expected that I would spend all of my time with her doing what she wanted to do, when she wanted to do it. This being said, I got pretty tired of her pretty quickly.
Because of this, I was tired of her before we go to the beach, where she informed me that, while I was there to have fun, my main purpose was to be company for her and essentially follow her around and stick to her side as like a personal babysitter who doesn't get paid. But aside from this, the beach was really, really pretty and clean. The apartment in which we stayed was right on the water, and it was huge. There were three bedrooms, and three bathrooms and a porch that looked out onto the beach. There were pools, one that was warm and one that was a hydro-massage, as well as a work-out space and a game room.
The beach was good for walking, though the sun was hot. They like to get in their cars and drive around to look at pretty houses here in Brazil. And there are a lot, especially here on beaches that are frequented by the more wealthy. So, basically every afternoon, we got into the car and drove around for a while.
At night, my host cousin and his friend went out every night, but I only went with them once, partly because it was three guys and no girls, which makes it harder, and partially because they spent like 80 reais per night to go out. The nice thing about this vacation is that they paid for things for me. I wasn't expected to buy my food, or pay for my hotel, as it was in previous situations.
Anyways, after I got back, I went to a wedding of my neighbor who grew up with my host sister, my host brother got back from the US, and left immediately to go back to college, life returned to normal, as in school and karate and going to the club to work out or go swimming or go to the sauna.
