i turned 30 in a musty and dim Brazilian nightclub with Pirates as servers. At midnight, my friends surrounded me giving me hugs and kissing my cheeks with congratulations. it really was perfect.
someone in the band announced, "Happy Birthday to Heacher from United States!" and then i got hit on by two different twenty-year-olds. (dude, i don't care how cute your accent is, you're 20. hasta.) nonetheless, i'm taking it as a sign of luck.
por favor, tell me your favorite birthday stories!
Friday, October 31, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Halloween
we've noticed being in Brazil is like jetting back to being kids. this is not because we have 0 responsibility right now, but because since we can't speak we always need someone to help us do simple things. we also seem to be immaturing.
last week we went to a Halloween dance. i was an angel and Rach was a devil. isn't this fitting?
cara was our costume consultant and make-up artist. first reason of the night to feel like kids: playing dress up. although i must admit that i still love dress up, which is why Halloween is my favorite holiday.
randy drove us to the dance. in a fit of adolescent self-consciousness, we refused to get out of the car until he went in the building, checked out the dance, and reported back to us. we wanted to make sure we weren't the only ones decked out. bring back memories of high school, anyone?
once we survived the arrival, we luckily found our friends just as dressed up as we.
Fernando (Duck), Gabi, Louis (Mindu), Rach, H, Erico
Beautiful Taiza
Leo
we quickly realized that along with speaking Portuguese to make it in Brazil, we also need to know how to dance the Forro'. can i just say, these boys have hips! mastering this dance will probably take just as long as learning the language, but we'll see what we can do.
since were pretty pathetic at this dance, even after several tries, we decided to teach the Brazilians how to have a hoe-down. here ya go:
last week we went to a Halloween dance. i was an angel and Rach was a devil. isn't this fitting?
cara was our costume consultant and make-up artist. first reason of the night to feel like kids: playing dress up. although i must admit that i still love dress up, which is why Halloween is my favorite holiday.
randy drove us to the dance. in a fit of adolescent self-consciousness, we refused to get out of the car until he went in the building, checked out the dance, and reported back to us. we wanted to make sure we weren't the only ones decked out. bring back memories of high school, anyone?
once we survived the arrival, we luckily found our friends just as dressed up as we.
Fernando (Duck), Gabi, Louis (Mindu), Rach, H, Erico
Beautiful Taiza
Leo
we quickly realized that along with speaking Portuguese to make it in Brazil, we also need to know how to dance the Forro'. can i just say, these boys have hips! mastering this dance will probably take just as long as learning the language, but we'll see what we can do.
since were pretty pathetic at this dance, even after several tries, we decided to teach the Brazilians how to have a hoe-down. here ya go:
Wake Up!
this is the cute cute cute little face i wake up to if ever i fall asleep anywhere besides my bedroom.
heather. heather. heeeathheeerrrr! ummm....what do you want to talk about?
it really is so cute.
heather. heather. heeeathheeerrrr! ummm....what do you want to talk about?
it really is so cute.
Primary Party
Rach and I helped out at the ward's primary (children's organization at church) party last Saturday. we blew up a thousand balloons, hung them up, and then helped the children make ghost suckers. the kids made a few other crafts and then went swimming. it was so cute. the primary is a mix of Brazilian children from here in Brasilia and English speaking children from all over, of US Embassy families. we're thinking it might be easier to learn Portuguese from the kids. easier sentence structure. and the little Brazilians are so dang cute!
here is Rachel teaching the kids how to make spooky ghosts.
this little girl is obviously impressed with her Portuguese.
this is my favorite little girl, Karol. she is so pretty and sweet. i was pleased to see that she remembered me at church the next day and waved to me across the room.
check out this backyard. isn't it beautiful?
it's so funny to see Halloween decorations on a summer lawn.
rach with some Brazilian candied apples. well, i'm not sure if they're Brazilian or just made by a Brazilian. they are like fist-sized jawbreakers. none of that whimpy carmel for us!
here is Rachel teaching the kids how to make spooky ghosts.
this little girl is obviously impressed with her Portuguese.
this is my favorite little girl, Karol. she is so pretty and sweet. i was pleased to see that she remembered me at church the next day and waved to me across the room.
check out this backyard. isn't it beautiful?
it's so funny to see Halloween decorations on a summer lawn.
rach with some Brazilian candied apples. well, i'm not sure if they're Brazilian or just made by a Brazilian. they are like fist-sized jawbreakers. none of that whimpy carmel for us!
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
The Pink Marine Happy Hour
in effort to explore everything Brasilia has to offer, we went to a Marine Happy Hour with Cara and Randy. turns out it was a fundraiser for Breast Cancer Awareness.
we thought this was amusing. i'd have guessed they'd be fund raising for emphysema or laser tattoo removal or the JROTC. Or Obama. but, there was enough pink pizazz to make it quite clear that they were in very full support of breast cancer. there ya go with my assumptions.
Randy and the girls.
i was starving so i got chicken with pink sweet and sour sauce. Rach was excited.
there was even a bake sale. no skimping anywhere.
we thought this was amusing. i'd have guessed they'd be fund raising for emphysema or laser tattoo removal or the JROTC. Or Obama. but, there was enough pink pizazz to make it quite clear that they were in very full support of breast cancer. there ya go with my assumptions.
Randy and the girls.
i was starving so i got chicken with pink sweet and sour sauce. Rach was excited.
there was even a bake sale. no skimping anywhere.
Not bugs but...
lizards.
these are all over, darting in and out of hiding places. we had one visiting us in our bathroom for a while. by his pale skin, you can see that he was probably pretty sick. he must've tried some of my green banana curry. he is gone now, and Rachel is on Lizard Patrol.
these are all over, darting in and out of hiding places. we had one visiting us in our bathroom for a while. by his pale skin, you can see that he was probably pretty sick. he must've tried some of my green banana curry. he is gone now, and Rachel is on Lizard Patrol.
The South American Table
I've decided to learn how to make some South American dishes. I'm a bad cook, but Randy and Cara have a great cookbook, The South American Table, The Flavor and Soul of Authentic Home Cooking from Patagonia to Rio de Janeiro. I figure with such descriptions I could not go wrong.
First, I made the traditional Rice and Beans.
They were pretty good. I think it was because of this serious-business garlic paste that was made first. A week later, I can still smell garlic whenever I put my hands anywhere near my face. I'll have to figure something out for that problem.
Our yard had a huge banana tree. The gardener chopped it down the other day, not sure why, but he left us with a big ol' bunch of bright green bananas.
So, I made green banana curry.
Peeling the bananas was quite a chore. They were so new that they could only be peeled like potatoes, with a knife. A sap-like substance was seeping out of the skins that stayed on my hands throughout the day until I finally soaked them with vegetable oil. I can't tell you which kind of veg, as I've yet to learn that set of vocabulary.
Then I just curried them up, pureed lots of onions, tomatoes, and of course garlic, and finally added some coconut milk.
I like the bottle. It's cute.
Then end product made me a bit sick to my stomach, but everyone else liked it. It was probably because I could still smell my hands.
Yesterday I made Kiveve. It's a Paraguayan dish with winter squash and cornmeal.
It's really yummy. I don't think it's supposed to be as good as it is. This is because it calls for cornmeal, and I bought what I thought was cornmeal, but when I opened up the package, it was obviously not. Rather than being plain, it was very sweet smelling and powdery. I think it was a kind of pudding mix. So, I really made squash dessert instead of squash dinner.
Next week will be a whole array of new things. Poor Rachel.
I want to cook Thanksgiving Dinner for our Brazilian friends. They are happy about this, and maybe will keep us around a while now. I've heard that turkey is quite difficult to find here. Yesterday at the store I came across a good frozen one--who'd guess?! Cara told me I better snatch it up because I probably wouldn't see that again. So I did. Imagine me, the procrastinator, already with a turkey for Thanksgiving!
First, I made the traditional Rice and Beans.
They were pretty good. I think it was because of this serious-business garlic paste that was made first. A week later, I can still smell garlic whenever I put my hands anywhere near my face. I'll have to figure something out for that problem.
Our yard had a huge banana tree. The gardener chopped it down the other day, not sure why, but he left us with a big ol' bunch of bright green bananas.
So, I made green banana curry.
Peeling the bananas was quite a chore. They were so new that they could only be peeled like potatoes, with a knife. A sap-like substance was seeping out of the skins that stayed on my hands throughout the day until I finally soaked them with vegetable oil. I can't tell you which kind of veg, as I've yet to learn that set of vocabulary.
Then I just curried them up, pureed lots of onions, tomatoes, and of course garlic, and finally added some coconut milk.
I like the bottle. It's cute.
Then end product made me a bit sick to my stomach, but everyone else liked it. It was probably because I could still smell my hands.
Yesterday I made Kiveve. It's a Paraguayan dish with winter squash and cornmeal.
It's really yummy. I don't think it's supposed to be as good as it is. This is because it calls for cornmeal, and I bought what I thought was cornmeal, but when I opened up the package, it was obviously not. Rather than being plain, it was very sweet smelling and powdery. I think it was a kind of pudding mix. So, I really made squash dessert instead of squash dinner.
Next week will be a whole array of new things. Poor Rachel.
I want to cook Thanksgiving Dinner for our Brazilian friends. They are happy about this, and maybe will keep us around a while now. I've heard that turkey is quite difficult to find here. Yesterday at the store I came across a good frozen one--who'd guess?! Cara told me I better snatch it up because I probably wouldn't see that again. So I did. Imagine me, the procrastinator, already with a turkey for Thanksgiving!
Friday, October 24, 2008
time warp
i am completely thrown off with dates, days, time. i couldn't even right now tell a person what the date is. this blog doesn't help matters, as it shows that posts are published two days before they actually are. who knows? and who cares? that is the point of being on vacation.
we are at least four or five hours ahead of Colorado and Utah time. so, that means i am living each day ahead of most of you. isn't that weird?
a few days ago, Rach and i were thinking that my birthday was this Saturday. this is because there are two Halloween functions we are going to, and for some reason...i don't know. so realizing that it is actually not for a few more days has given me a week more of youth. it's kind of nice.
i do, however, know what time it is. this is because i finally bought a watch. i haven't worn one for years and years. it's sort of an identity change. really. i'm suddenly a watch person.
just not a date person.
we are at least four or five hours ahead of Colorado and Utah time. so, that means i am living each day ahead of most of you. isn't that weird?
a few days ago, Rach and i were thinking that my birthday was this Saturday. this is because there are two Halloween functions we are going to, and for some reason...i don't know. so realizing that it is actually not for a few more days has given me a week more of youth. it's kind of nice.
i do, however, know what time it is. this is because i finally bought a watch. i haven't worn one for years and years. it's sort of an identity change. really. i'm suddenly a watch person.
just not a date person.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
the bikes
rach and i rode cara and randy's bikes to the school we're going to be volunteering at, to check out how to get there. it wasn't very safe.
first of all, we're in brazil.
second, one of the bikes was a road bike and we weren't exactly on road bike material some of the time. actually not any of the time. sidewalks are just a little more of a rough terrain here. we rode through a couple of fields (by necessity) that were filled rocks and myriads of other sharp objects. i was thinking that my road bike friend would spit if he was aware of what i was riding over on such dainty tires.
we then had to cross a major highway that was nigh unto impossible. much easier to this while not lugging heavy bikes.
the worst part was crossing a the bridge over the lake. we were riding on a platform that was about 3 feet higher than the road. it was about two feet wide, made of cement slabs placed together two-wide. the edges of the slabs were not flush, and once in a while a slab would be damaged, leaving a gaping hole. on one side of this platform is a lake. on the other side is a steady stream of cars speeding by incredibly fast with drivers who aren't too impressed with us because we can't speak Portuguese. to top it off, intermittent poles were place along this little platform, that we had to carefully steer around with out falling off. no joke, i wondered if this falling off this thing would be how i'd go. even rachel was scared and she is pretty hard-core.
we're thinking about walking to the school. it might take a little longer, but we'll be much more likely to each arrive in one piece.
first of all, we're in brazil.
second, one of the bikes was a road bike and we weren't exactly on road bike material some of the time. actually not any of the time. sidewalks are just a little more of a rough terrain here. we rode through a couple of fields (by necessity) that were filled rocks and myriads of other sharp objects. i was thinking that my road bike friend would spit if he was aware of what i was riding over on such dainty tires.
we then had to cross a major highway that was nigh unto impossible. much easier to this while not lugging heavy bikes.
the worst part was crossing a the bridge over the lake. we were riding on a platform that was about 3 feet higher than the road. it was about two feet wide, made of cement slabs placed together two-wide. the edges of the slabs were not flush, and once in a while a slab would be damaged, leaving a gaping hole. on one side of this platform is a lake. on the other side is a steady stream of cars speeding by incredibly fast with drivers who aren't too impressed with us because we can't speak Portuguese. to top it off, intermittent poles were place along this little platform, that we had to carefully steer around with out falling off. no joke, i wondered if this falling off this thing would be how i'd go. even rachel was scared and she is pretty hard-core.
we're thinking about walking to the school. it might take a little longer, but we'll be much more likely to each arrive in one piece.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
talk to me
we are in an advanced state of illiteracy. i cannot flip through the pages of my Lonely Planet Brazilian Portuguese phrasebook quickly enough to accomplish anything. Que? Quanto custa? Que horas sao? Voce poderia falar mais devagar, por favor? Nao, nao entendo, nao!
our first major outing was to the grocery store, Carrefour. it was like being a little child playing house. nothing looked familiar except Dove shampoo, and everything else was in very small packages labeled in Greek. Rach and i picked items solely based on their pictures and prices. i figured mid-range was safe. in a state of sensory-overload, i checked out my groceries in the "under-ten-item-only-get-in-this-line-if-you-are-extremely-efficient lane".
later we went to the feria (market) in Guara' for fruits and vegetables. luckily, you do not need a dictionary to recognize a tomato. i did, however, need Cara (our hostess) to distinguish the zucchini (shaped like a mallet), sugar, maracuja, and a few other very large vegetables. that tomato i mentioned and purchased is as big as my head. i don't have a very big head, but still. at the vegetable stand, i was very pleased to find an ability to navigate the purchase of all of the veggies with a sweet, elderly woman, even to the extent of asking for only half of a bunch of scallions. i also recognized that she asked me if i was a French girl, and was amazingly able to answer, "No."
my new-found confidence ended minutes later at the pasteleria, where we stopped to get snacks. a "pastel" is a common Brazilian treat. it is a deep-fried pocket (big pocket) filled with any myriad of insides: could be bananas, cheese, and cinnamon; meats and spices; hearts of palm; eggs---lalala. rachel got a pastel dripping with cheese and a dash of chicken. i ordered a carne with tomato and oregano in very-broken Portuguese, "...ahhh, um pastel com carne, aaaa...tomate, e' oregano, por favor??" the woman on the other end of exchange wasn't as sweet and patient. in fact, she was one of those tough girls. with her raised eyebrow and smirk, she looked at me like i was a pathetic idiot. she didn't weaken with my giggle and apologetic smile, but at least she gave me a very delicious pastel. when she asked me if i wanted a straw (canoto, sounds like noodle) and i had no idea what she was talking of, i thought she was going to throw something at me. thank goodness Cara stepped in for some translation. i was discouraged at the failure at such a simple exchange, but not too much about the girl. tough girls never like me at first, anyway.
rach and i stopped in to another grocery store to grab a few forgotten items. when we got in line, a middle-aged woman leaned in from behind us and said in a beautiful accent, "i know you are not from Brazil, because you are in the Pregnant and Old Woman Line." we started laughing and explained that we were so focused on staying out of the express lane that we noticed nothing else. she assured us it was okay and that we were still welcome in the country.
since basically every country except the United States uses the metric system, Brazilian measurements are also foreign to me. at a restaurant yesterday where we paid for our food based on the weight on the plate, i was completely unable to read signs posted around. after i paid and left the restaurant, i noticed i'd been short-changed 6 reais (pronounced "hay-eyes" sort of; equivalent to 3 dollars). i felt awkward paying, not understanding anything, so didn't double check my change as i normally would in my world where i know what is going on. i didn't go back to fix anything, how would i have explained or had any sort of authority to speak of money?
to not understand language, read signs and information, value money, or comprehend customs---all very new to me and quite exasperating to me. what a disadvantage is illiteracy on so many levels! (and mine still such a privileged lack of skill.) it is so easy to be taken advantage of, to be made to feel foolish, to be intimidated and not expect equal or respectful treatment. good to experience this, it's a great motivation for improvement.
our first major outing was to the grocery store, Carrefour. it was like being a little child playing house. nothing looked familiar except Dove shampoo, and everything else was in very small packages labeled in Greek. Rach and i picked items solely based on their pictures and prices. i figured mid-range was safe. in a state of sensory-overload, i checked out my groceries in the "under-ten-item-only-get-in-this-line-if-you-are-extremely-efficient lane".
later we went to the feria (market) in Guara' for fruits and vegetables. luckily, you do not need a dictionary to recognize a tomato. i did, however, need Cara (our hostess) to distinguish the zucchini (shaped like a mallet), sugar, maracuja, and a few other very large vegetables. that tomato i mentioned and purchased is as big as my head. i don't have a very big head, but still. at the vegetable stand, i was very pleased to find an ability to navigate the purchase of all of the veggies with a sweet, elderly woman, even to the extent of asking for only half of a bunch of scallions. i also recognized that she asked me if i was a French girl, and was amazingly able to answer, "No."
my new-found confidence ended minutes later at the pasteleria, where we stopped to get snacks. a "pastel" is a common Brazilian treat. it is a deep-fried pocket (big pocket) filled with any myriad of insides: could be bananas, cheese, and cinnamon; meats and spices; hearts of palm; eggs---lalala. rachel got a pastel dripping with cheese and a dash of chicken. i ordered a carne with tomato and oregano in very-broken Portuguese, "...ahhh, um pastel com carne, aaaa...tomate, e' oregano, por favor??" the woman on the other end of exchange wasn't as sweet and patient. in fact, she was one of those tough girls. with her raised eyebrow and smirk, she looked at me like i was a pathetic idiot. she didn't weaken with my giggle and apologetic smile, but at least she gave me a very delicious pastel. when she asked me if i wanted a straw (canoto, sounds like noodle) and i had no idea what she was talking of, i thought she was going to throw something at me. thank goodness Cara stepped in for some translation. i was discouraged at the failure at such a simple exchange, but not too much about the girl. tough girls never like me at first, anyway.
rach and i stopped in to another grocery store to grab a few forgotten items. when we got in line, a middle-aged woman leaned in from behind us and said in a beautiful accent, "i know you are not from Brazil, because you are in the Pregnant and Old Woman Line." we started laughing and explained that we were so focused on staying out of the express lane that we noticed nothing else. she assured us it was okay and that we were still welcome in the country.
since basically every country except the United States uses the metric system, Brazilian measurements are also foreign to me. at a restaurant yesterday where we paid for our food based on the weight on the plate, i was completely unable to read signs posted around. after i paid and left the restaurant, i noticed i'd been short-changed 6 reais (pronounced "hay-eyes" sort of; equivalent to 3 dollars). i felt awkward paying, not understanding anything, so didn't double check my change as i normally would in my world where i know what is going on. i didn't go back to fix anything, how would i have explained or had any sort of authority to speak of money?
to not understand language, read signs and information, value money, or comprehend customs---all very new to me and quite exasperating to me. what a disadvantage is illiteracy on so many levels! (and mine still such a privileged lack of skill.) it is so easy to be taken advantage of, to be made to feel foolish, to be intimidated and not expect equal or respectful treatment. good to experience this, it's a great motivation for improvement.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
How sharp are your eyes?
After 23 hours of travel, we are finally here in Brasilia. Our flights were inconsequential, except for being incredibly L-O-N-G. Here we are in the Sao Paulo Airport, awaiting our final leg. How many differences can you detect in the two pictures below? Winner gets a prize.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
30 Presents for Brazil--Click Here
It's good to have Chad around.
He gives us presents, like these sweet rain jackets for our trip. These will be especially useful since we are going to the rainy season.
We like it when he doesn't have a girlfriend so that he can spend all his money on us.
We like it when he doesn't have a girlfriend so that he can spend all his money on us.
Halloween Cupcakes
Rachel, Chad and I decorated cupcakes for the family Halloween party/Our going away party/My birthday party.
Which is cuter?
Chad, intent on making the best cupcakes.
Chad makes cupcakes like a girl.
And for some reason everyone was making fun of mine.
The Daring Bakers.
Which is cuter?
Chad, intent on making the best cupcakes.
Chad makes cupcakes like a girl.
And for some reason everyone was making fun of mine.
The Daring Bakers.
Salsa
This salsa seriously made me like onions. That's a feat. Well, at least I like them in this. 'Not sure what the recipe is, but you can probably figure it out by following the pictures.
Brrrr in Denver
As you can see, Rach and I are leaving Denver COLD. 'Can't be too sad about that.
Cold weather calls for steamed milk. With hazelnut.
Cold weather calls for steamed milk. With hazelnut.
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