a couple of nights ago, Rach and i decided we were sick of the brasilian food we tried to make ourselves, so we went out to get crepes. our fav crepe place is in a mall not too far from our house. as we walked in the mall, Rachel commented, "sometimes when we sit in the house all day watching Gilmore Girls, i forget that when i go outside, i am going into a Portuguese-speaking world and i won't know anything that is going on." i agreed (Gilmore Girls is really messing up our perception) and we decided that even though we still don't understand anything, at least we expect it and don't feel weird about it anymore.
so we go up to the crepe counter and start ordering. we've done it a couple of times at this place, so it shouldn't be that hard. Rach ordered some pepperoni-cheese extravaganza and i ordered a yummy chicken-corn salad with some sort of crunchy-thing crepe. we noticed before we paid that there was a little side of a dessert crepe you could order for only R$3.90 (~$2). good deal. so, we thought we ordered a chocolate strawberry (morengo e chocolate) dessert crepe to go along. the order girl went back and forth with us a couple of times, making sure our order was right. we appreciated her double-checking since, you know, our Portuguese is sketchy. we sat down to wait for our order, pleased. i said, "we are really getting better at least with the simple things."
a couple minutes later a girl brings out the crepes. mine was a big thing covered in strawberry syrup with a couple scoops of chocolate ice cream. Rach asks where my meal crepe is. i say that surely it is coming, maybe they had to make the salad so they brought the ice cream out first so it wouldn't melt. and, by they way, did i order ice cream? Rachel, unconvinced, turns the crepe around with bad news. the chicken salad crepe was what was infront of me, just topped with dessert. actually, covered in the dessert.
so we're not quite as good at the simple things as we'd given ourselves credit for.
we've got a ways to go.
by the way, the strawberry sauce-covered chicken corn salad crepe wasn't too bad. i just pretended it was strawberry chicken from the Blue Bird in Logan. the chocolate ice cream melted in sort of killed it, though.
speaking of the Gilmore Girls, watching it makes us crave all this American junk food. list below. most of these things would make me gag in real life.
macaroni and cheese
real American cheeseburger
chili cheese fries
pop tarts
licorice
mallow mars
marshmallows
pancakes and eggs (all of the time)
omelets
butter nut squash soup (i could actually make this, but am sick of dealing with squash, as will be understood from a post forthcoming)
lots of pizza
chocolate muffin
chocolate chips
chocolate in general
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
Procrastination
I am starting to lose my good habits of blogging. I can already feel it, and I've only been a consistent blogger for about a month.
I keep putting it off because there are so many things that I need to post, that I think too much about what's next instead of just doing it. The times I can actually wait for things to load are pretty few and far between as well, since the computer I use is shared by many.
But a few things from lately: I accidentally contributed to Brazilian crime today, as my friends Fernando and Gabi made sure I was aware. I needed yet another watch because the last one I bought at the Paraguayan market stopped working after being immersed in water one too many times. When I told this to Taiza, she had no sympathy and chastised me for thinking I could by any sort of electronic item in Brazil. She said that everyone knows you get these kinds of things in the States. Today, Rach and I took a new route downtown and walked by this little old man selling watches. I had no intention of buying but peeked just because, well, ya never know. I found one that was obviously used, but it was sort of cute, looked like it worked, said it was water proof, and was only ten reais. So, I got it. Rachel said it was probably stolen, but I could feel good about it because the money would probably feed the man dinner. Later, Gabi and Fernando were both quite stern about how not good it was to buy anything from little old men on the street, even cute and hungry-looking ones, because it was supporting theft and enabling the problem.
After buying the watch, I hurried and washed it to get the second-hand grime off. I was doing this happily thinking I could soak it and it would be fine because it is water resistant. Well, it is obviously not water-proof, as the face has been foggy ever since.
I just can't win!
We watched our first Brazilian futebol game last night with Erico and Mindu, both of whom are quite fanatics about the Flamencos. Anyone know of this team?
We had stake conference this past Sunday, and it was really nice to be there. We sat toward the back (when do you ever sit anywhere else for stake conference?) and I liked seeing the sea of dark hair. Excepting, of course Rachel and the occiasional fake blonde. I wish I could adequately describe the social mannerisms of the Brasilians. I love watching them. They are so full of open affection for each other. Best displayed in big groups. Elder Didier and his wife came, and I tried to listen for Elder Didier's French accent in his Portuguese. He definitely sounded more like a true speaker than the Americans do. Despite his great accent, I lost concentration about halfway through and ended up playing dots with Erico and having him point out to me what kinds of girls are pretty in Brazil. Rachel, however, got a lot out of the conference because she is more attentive to spiritual things in general, and she is getting really good and detecting Portuguese words in church like, Yes, no, and very good. She actually is quite good and understanding phrases, which is helpful to both of us. For once, I am not the one doing all the talking.
On the way home, I drove for my first time in Brazil and got a ticket. Blast. What are the odds? There is basically no speed limit enforcement here, except at the one place I happened to go through a bit too fast. I hope the ticket arrives before I leave so that I can keep it.
We are both starting to look for jobs for when we have to come back and start our real lives again. Keep us in mind if you see anything you think we'd like!
I keep putting it off because there are so many things that I need to post, that I think too much about what's next instead of just doing it. The times I can actually wait for things to load are pretty few and far between as well, since the computer I use is shared by many.
But a few things from lately: I accidentally contributed to Brazilian crime today, as my friends Fernando and Gabi made sure I was aware. I needed yet another watch because the last one I bought at the Paraguayan market stopped working after being immersed in water one too many times. When I told this to Taiza, she had no sympathy and chastised me for thinking I could by any sort of electronic item in Brazil. She said that everyone knows you get these kinds of things in the States. Today, Rach and I took a new route downtown and walked by this little old man selling watches. I had no intention of buying but peeked just because, well, ya never know. I found one that was obviously used, but it was sort of cute, looked like it worked, said it was water proof, and was only ten reais. So, I got it. Rachel said it was probably stolen, but I could feel good about it because the money would probably feed the man dinner. Later, Gabi and Fernando were both quite stern about how not good it was to buy anything from little old men on the street, even cute and hungry-looking ones, because it was supporting theft and enabling the problem.
After buying the watch, I hurried and washed it to get the second-hand grime off. I was doing this happily thinking I could soak it and it would be fine because it is water resistant. Well, it is obviously not water-proof, as the face has been foggy ever since.
I just can't win!
We watched our first Brazilian futebol game last night with Erico and Mindu, both of whom are quite fanatics about the Flamencos. Anyone know of this team?
We had stake conference this past Sunday, and it was really nice to be there. We sat toward the back (when do you ever sit anywhere else for stake conference?) and I liked seeing the sea of dark hair. Excepting, of course Rachel and the occiasional fake blonde. I wish I could adequately describe the social mannerisms of the Brasilians. I love watching them. They are so full of open affection for each other. Best displayed in big groups. Elder Didier and his wife came, and I tried to listen for Elder Didier's French accent in his Portuguese. He definitely sounded more like a true speaker than the Americans do. Despite his great accent, I lost concentration about halfway through and ended up playing dots with Erico and having him point out to me what kinds of girls are pretty in Brazil. Rachel, however, got a lot out of the conference because she is more attentive to spiritual things in general, and she is getting really good and detecting Portuguese words in church like, Yes, no, and very good. She actually is quite good and understanding phrases, which is helpful to both of us. For once, I am not the one doing all the talking.
On the way home, I drove for my first time in Brazil and got a ticket. Blast. What are the odds? There is basically no speed limit enforcement here, except at the one place I happened to go through a bit too fast. I hope the ticket arrives before I leave so that I can keep it.
We are both starting to look for jobs for when we have to come back and start our real lives again. Keep us in mind if you see anything you think we'd like!
Friday, November 21, 2008
Social Graces
here in Brazil, the simple kiss given to say hello can be complex. while merely a greeting, there are rules behind it that are important to understand.
i learned this during our first week here in Brasilia. we went to a show at a club with Taiza, whom we'd met at institute. there we met her brother, Erico, who'd taught us Sunday school a few days before, and then all of his friends, who are now ours. in greeting Erico, he kissed us each on one cheek and gave a hug. then we were introduced to the drummer of the band we were there to see. the greeting with him was quite different. at first i just kissed him on one cheek. after that there was this weird awkwardness as this very tall man was obviously doing something different than i was doing. i realized he was going in for the other cheek, but since i was expecting Erico-style, i was confused. so, the tall guy snippet-kissed me on the other cheek, and suddenly people around us were chuckling. i am socially astute enough to at least know i'd left something out, so in effort to not be rude i kissed him back. except somehow it didn't end up being the cute little greeting kiss, but a full fleged kiss (on the cheek). right after that he got a weird look on his face and went immediately over to his girlfriend and grabbed her hand. it was embarrassing. rachel and i seriously laughed in the corner by ourselves for about five minutes. i blame it on the techno blasting in my ear, the strobe light, and the height.
here is a pic of all of us from that night. L-R: the drummer and girlfriend, Gabi, Fernando, Erico, Taiza, Mindu, me, Rach.
so here is what was going on. since i'd already met Erico, his greeting was a one kiss and a hug. upon meeting someone new, the greeting is the two snippet kisses on either cheek. i've noticed that greeting someone's mother also involves the two kisses, no matter how well you already know them. which i like, because moms are always cute.
i really like the kissing-greetings of most of the rest of the world besides the U.S. Cami and i started discussing the issues around this a couple years ago after watching the movie, Keeping the Faith. in it, friends greeted each other with kisses. it was not big deal, and we liked it. Cam served her mission in the Netherlands, so she got accustomed to kissing as well, though there one is greeted with three kisses on alternate cheeks. we decided that even though we liked it, we couldn't really keep up such a custom here, likely because such things seem to freak out Mormon boys. they tend to get the wrong idea about one's intentions when physical interaction occurs. probably because it is just not common enough.
no offense to all of my Mormon guy friends. but you have to admit that i am right.
case in point: one time a friend of mine and i decided we would defy our own cultural customs and kiss-greet each other. this friend served his mission somewhere in South America and is a pretty reasonable, astute person. he basically knows what is meant behind such actions. so, for a while we would give the quick cheek kiss when we'd say good-bye or hello. it was cool. eventually i started dating someone. one night as we were saying bye, my friend stiffened and said, "Uh, do you think the new boyfriend would appreciate it if he knew you were kissing another guy?"
it was then that i realized that ya just can't kiss-greet in the States with out it being taken the wrong way. sigh.
here are some other pics from that night:
i learned this during our first week here in Brasilia. we went to a show at a club with Taiza, whom we'd met at institute. there we met her brother, Erico, who'd taught us Sunday school a few days before, and then all of his friends, who are now ours. in greeting Erico, he kissed us each on one cheek and gave a hug. then we were introduced to the drummer of the band we were there to see. the greeting with him was quite different. at first i just kissed him on one cheek. after that there was this weird awkwardness as this very tall man was obviously doing something different than i was doing. i realized he was going in for the other cheek, but since i was expecting Erico-style, i was confused. so, the tall guy snippet-kissed me on the other cheek, and suddenly people around us were chuckling. i am socially astute enough to at least know i'd left something out, so in effort to not be rude i kissed him back. except somehow it didn't end up being the cute little greeting kiss, but a full fleged kiss (on the cheek). right after that he got a weird look on his face and went immediately over to his girlfriend and grabbed her hand. it was embarrassing. rachel and i seriously laughed in the corner by ourselves for about five minutes. i blame it on the techno blasting in my ear, the strobe light, and the height.
here is a pic of all of us from that night. L-R: the drummer and girlfriend, Gabi, Fernando, Erico, Taiza, Mindu, me, Rach.so here is what was going on. since i'd already met Erico, his greeting was a one kiss and a hug. upon meeting someone new, the greeting is the two snippet kisses on either cheek. i've noticed that greeting someone's mother also involves the two kisses, no matter how well you already know them. which i like, because moms are always cute.
i really like the kissing-greetings of most of the rest of the world besides the U.S. Cami and i started discussing the issues around this a couple years ago after watching the movie, Keeping the Faith. in it, friends greeted each other with kisses. it was not big deal, and we liked it. Cam served her mission in the Netherlands, so she got accustomed to kissing as well, though there one is greeted with three kisses on alternate cheeks. we decided that even though we liked it, we couldn't really keep up such a custom here, likely because such things seem to freak out Mormon boys. they tend to get the wrong idea about one's intentions when physical interaction occurs. probably because it is just not common enough.
no offense to all of my Mormon guy friends. but you have to admit that i am right.
case in point: one time a friend of mine and i decided we would defy our own cultural customs and kiss-greet each other. this friend served his mission somewhere in South America and is a pretty reasonable, astute person. he basically knows what is meant behind such actions. so, for a while we would give the quick cheek kiss when we'd say good-bye or hello. it was cool. eventually i started dating someone. one night as we were saying bye, my friend stiffened and said, "Uh, do you think the new boyfriend would appreciate it if he knew you were kissing another guy?"
it was then that i realized that ya just can't kiss-greet in the States with out it being taken the wrong way. sigh.
here are some other pics from that night:
Monday, November 17, 2008
Come-a-what?
this video is dedicated to Juan Perez, Dugway High School mid-nineties. Yeah Baby!
along with teaching me the words to this song, Juan played a few other vital roles in my growing up.
the night i got my driver's license, i took my very own car, a 1978 red Ford Torino (sweet) to our town's Teen Center. i was scared about backing out in front of people, so two of my friends, Laura Dawn and Camilla, and i left fifteen minutes before the TC closed so that no one would see. well, my wish for inconspicuousness failed as i flooded the engine and got the car stuck in the middle of the parking lot so that no one get out. i remember Lar and Cam and i in a panic, trying to push the boat, as everyone started spilling out of the building at 11. Juan got control of the situation as he told me to put the car in neutral and pushed me home with his mom's mini-van. the rest of the TC peeps were running along side of the car holding on to the the open doors on each side. LD and Cam and i were all on the bench seat stifling hysterical laughter. my dad was very amused when i got home and told him i'd already ruined the car and a mini-van had to push me home.
fast forward a few years to my freshman year at USU, springtime. one day, The Boy I Loved came to me and said that some girl had just told him she had feelings for him, wanted to be his girlfriend, and he asked if i had anything to say about that. i said No. later that night Juan came over to visit Mary Ann and I after he got off work at Matrix. we used to sit around talking on our used couch in our little Bridgerland apartment until odd hours of the night. when i told him the news of the day, Juan was horrified at my sissy-ness and he kicked my butt out the door in the middle of the night to go and tell The Boy how i really felt.
it was a good night.
here is a picture of a car just like mine. it was voted the ugliest car in the school. but it didn't matter, because man could we pack a lot of people in there!
along with teaching me the words to this song, Juan played a few other vital roles in my growing up.
the night i got my driver's license, i took my very own car, a 1978 red Ford Torino (sweet) to our town's Teen Center. i was scared about backing out in front of people, so two of my friends, Laura Dawn and Camilla, and i left fifteen minutes before the TC closed so that no one would see. well, my wish for inconspicuousness failed as i flooded the engine and got the car stuck in the middle of the parking lot so that no one get out. i remember Lar and Cam and i in a panic, trying to push the boat, as everyone started spilling out of the building at 11. Juan got control of the situation as he told me to put the car in neutral and pushed me home with his mom's mini-van. the rest of the TC peeps were running along side of the car holding on to the the open doors on each side. LD and Cam and i were all on the bench seat stifling hysterical laughter. my dad was very amused when i got home and told him i'd already ruined the car and a mini-van had to push me home.
fast forward a few years to my freshman year at USU, springtime. one day, The Boy I Loved came to me and said that some girl had just told him she had feelings for him, wanted to be his girlfriend, and he asked if i had anything to say about that. i said No. later that night Juan came over to visit Mary Ann and I after he got off work at Matrix. we used to sit around talking on our used couch in our little Bridgerland apartment until odd hours of the night. when i told him the news of the day, Juan was horrified at my sissy-ness and he kicked my butt out the door in the middle of the night to go and tell The Boy how i really felt.
it was a good night.
here is a picture of a car just like mine. it was voted the ugliest car in the school. but it didn't matter, because man could we pack a lot of people in there!
Update
I need a serious update on The Office.
Anyone?
How did Angela break up with Andy? Is Pam falling for some guy in NYC and screwing up her thing with Jim? Did Jan's baby end up looking like Michael? I haven't seen anything since the Thursday before October 14. I don't mind knowing the end of things before I watch them, so you aren't going to blow anything for me.
Kaylee? Tiff? Stanley? Kyle? Meg? Info!
Anyone?
How did Angela break up with Andy? Is Pam falling for some guy in NYC and screwing up her thing with Jim? Did Jan's baby end up looking like Michael? I haven't seen anything since the Thursday before October 14. I don't mind knowing the end of things before I watch them, so you aren't going to blow anything for me.
Kaylee? Tiff? Stanley? Kyle? Meg? Info!
Friday, November 14, 2008
no one appreciates my taste in sunglasses.
.JPG)
they were kidding, i was not.
more evidence, this note from a friend who i once bought some sweet sunglasses for:
"You will be pleased to know that I plan on using your sunglasses tonight for Halloween. Or maybe you will be angry to think I am using them for Halloween, and not for everyday use. I am going as Kever Federline, or something like that. I'll post a pic on facebook."
such a shame, such a shame.
Monday, November 10, 2008
A Few Sights Around Brasilia
pretty flowers everywhere.
this is a fruit called Açai, made into a sort of pudding. it comes from palm trees, or from the center of palm trees, or from plants that grow by palm trees, something. it's a very new taste. the teacher i help, Miss Denise (pronounced Denizee), brought me some the other day to class. true to the form of a multiple-intelligence teacher, she not only gave it to me to eat, she wrote the word and pronunciation on the board, and then looked up some facts on Wikipedia about the fruit. i obviously didn't read the article she brought up, 'else i'd be able to tell you more about this interesting little gritty purple thing. don't tell her.
here it is with granola.
bridges are my favorite architectural structures. this is seriously the most beautiful i've ever seen. more pics to come of this, as soon as we ride our bikes there to take some.
futbol at the school. the principal asked us to watch third grade recess to see if we could figure out why the kids were fighting. then she suggested we give the teachers some tips on discipline. yeah, right. the last thing i'd ever do is come prancing in to a new school and tell the teachers how to keep their kids in check. that is like going into a woman's kitchen and telling here where to put the dishes. you just don't do it.
payphone. these are everywhere, residential and commercial streets. kind of like Starbucks in the States, but cheaper.
Gabi and her lovely mother.
strong opinions of foreign leaders.
street entertainment.
check all the kinds of mangoes!
this is a fruit called Açai, made into a sort of pudding. it comes from palm trees, or from the center of palm trees, or from plants that grow by palm trees, something. it's a very new taste. the teacher i help, Miss Denise (pronounced Denizee), brought me some the other day to class. true to the form of a multiple-intelligence teacher, she not only gave it to me to eat, she wrote the word and pronunciation on the board, and then looked up some facts on Wikipedia about the fruit. i obviously didn't read the article she brought up, 'else i'd be able to tell you more about this interesting little gritty purple thing. don't tell her.
here it is with granola.
bridges are my favorite architectural structures. this is seriously the most beautiful i've ever seen. more pics to come of this, as soon as we ride our bikes there to take some.
futbol at the school. the principal asked us to watch third grade recess to see if we could figure out why the kids were fighting. then she suggested we give the teachers some tips on discipline. yeah, right. the last thing i'd ever do is come prancing in to a new school and tell the teachers how to keep their kids in check. that is like going into a woman's kitchen and telling here where to put the dishes. you just don't do it.
payphone. these are everywhere, residential and commercial streets. kind of like Starbucks in the States, but cheaper.
Gabi and her lovely mother.
strong opinions of foreign leaders.
street entertainment.
check all the kinds of mangoes!
Romeo and Juliet
we recently attended the Romeo and Juliet Ballet. not sure who put it on, a Brazilian national dance theater group of some sort with kids.
it actually wasn't that great. but it's easier to understand Shakespearean dance than it is Portuguese, so that was nice.
the best was the Latin flair to some of the costumes.
Cara, me, Rach, Gab
Earrings
(picture forthcoming. we decided the original is gross.)
here are Rach and I with our new earrings we found in a little shop downtown one day after visiting Gab at work. these are worth mentioning because shopping for them involved an important lesson on Brazilian culture.
one day, we were with Gabi visiting the Paraguayan Market and we found these sweet hoop earrings that we both liked. they were on the big side. Gabi sternly informed us that we could only buy and wear such earrings if we were planning on implying that we were not interested in our chastity. whoa. okay. so we passed on the earrings. such little Brazilian between-the-lines facts are important for us to know.
another way one could imply they were interested in being more than just friends with a guy is waving at them. yeah, that's right. waving.
again, we were with Gabi. the three of us had been swimming at a lake and as we were leaving i noticed three guys also heading out. when we were pulling off in the car, i saw that they were watching us, so i just gave them a little wave. not even like a flirtatious wave; merely one that acknowledged that i saw three guys staring at three girls. it just seemed socially appropriate.
little did i know the gesture is a green light.
Gabi said, "Heather, did you wave at them?"
"yeah."
"oh great. here we go."
then ensued a game of bumper cars/chase/please-let-me-swerve-around-on-the-road-to-show-the-girls-how-cool-we-are game. i guess this is the way two parties meet up and exchange digits. luckily Gabi kept her cool and it ended without incident and without any phone numbers given out. as if i knew my phone number, anyway.
so, i'm not too pleased with the fact that left to my own devices, i could be a Brazilian hooch. luckily Gabi is around to keep everyone in line.
here are Rach and I with our new earrings we found in a little shop downtown one day after visiting Gab at work. these are worth mentioning because shopping for them involved an important lesson on Brazilian culture.
one day, we were with Gabi visiting the Paraguayan Market and we found these sweet hoop earrings that we both liked. they were on the big side. Gabi sternly informed us that we could only buy and wear such earrings if we were planning on implying that we were not interested in our chastity. whoa. okay. so we passed on the earrings. such little Brazilian between-the-lines facts are important for us to know.
another way one could imply they were interested in being more than just friends with a guy is waving at them. yeah, that's right. waving.
again, we were with Gabi. the three of us had been swimming at a lake and as we were leaving i noticed three guys also heading out. when we were pulling off in the car, i saw that they were watching us, so i just gave them a little wave. not even like a flirtatious wave; merely one that acknowledged that i saw three guys staring at three girls. it just seemed socially appropriate.
little did i know the gesture is a green light.
Gabi said, "Heather, did you wave at them?"
"yeah."
"oh great. here we go."
then ensued a game of bumper cars/chase/please-let-me-swerve-around-on-the-road-to-show-the-girls-how-cool-we-are game. i guess this is the way two parties meet up and exchange digits. luckily Gabi kept her cool and it ended without incident and without any phone numbers given out. as if i knew my phone number, anyway.
so, i'm not too pleased with the fact that left to my own devices, i could be a Brazilian hooch. luckily Gabi is around to keep everyone in line.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
The Plunge
when you're looking up a big ol' rock above a pretty little calm patch of water, it seems perfectly reasonable to jump off it. can't be too bad, especially when your friend flies off it like it's nothin'.
i don't think i'm afraid of heights, though i am usually only in them attached to a harness or in a plane. however, it's unnerving to be looking down into water that is far, far away and that you know will take too long to hit after you leap for it. the perspective at the top of the rock is definitely different than at the bottom.
such were my realizations when standing on the edge of reason, willing my legs to stop shaking so i didn't lose all choice and simply fall of the blasted rock.
i turned to my friend, "Erico, I am going to die."
he said, "You will not die. But give me your earrings."
well i finally jumped. rach jumped first, and she came up, so i figured it must not be too bad. check this awesome picture.
it wasn't so bad.
after a while, we decided it was so easy that we might as well do it again, together.
it was just as bad as the first time. worse, maybe, because i realized my fear had not lessened and therefore i was right back where i started.
climbing.
climbing.
deliberating.
neither of us had the leisure of freaking out, since if we didn't jump together both efforts would be in vain. it is, after all, all about the picture.
Victory!
much to my chagrin, my watch was lost in the plunge. fortunately, my bathing suit was not.
i don't think i'm afraid of heights, though i am usually only in them attached to a harness or in a plane. however, it's unnerving to be looking down into water that is far, far away and that you know will take too long to hit after you leap for it. the perspective at the top of the rock is definitely different than at the bottom.
such were my realizations when standing on the edge of reason, willing my legs to stop shaking so i didn't lose all choice and simply fall of the blasted rock.
i turned to my friend, "Erico, I am going to die."
he said, "You will not die. But give me your earrings."
well i finally jumped. rach jumped first, and she came up, so i figured it must not be too bad. check this awesome picture.
it wasn't so bad.
after a while, we decided it was so easy that we might as well do it again, together.
it was just as bad as the first time. worse, maybe, because i realized my fear had not lessened and therefore i was right back where i started.
climbing.
climbing.
deliberating.
neither of us had the leisure of freaking out, since if we didn't jump together both efforts would be in vain. it is, after all, all about the picture.
Victory!
much to my chagrin, my watch was lost in the plunge. fortunately, my bathing suit was not.
POÇO AZUL
The Lonely Planet asks the question: "Which is more wild in Brazil, the people or the animals?"
here you can see that the answer is probably our friends. Saturday we went swimming somewhere in the middle of nowhere. it was a very beautiful place called Poco Azul. i wish i had access to Portuguese alphabet changes here, so you could see how it is really written. imagine that C with a little tail on it, looking like an up-side-down peach.
in a case of Lost in Translation, i thought we were going to a little town for lunch or something, and then to see a waterfall. i imagined a Brazilian version of one of those quaint little ski or mining towns up the canyon off Denver (Beau Joe's, anyone?). luckily, i double checked the night before to know if we needed bathing suits, since my original understanding of what the day was was completely off.
early saturday morning we all piled, literally, into Taiza's car and headed off for an adventure. Poco Azul is very beautiful. better than Beau Joe's.
these fabulous pictures were taken by our good friend Fernando, as well as the movie.
thanks Duck!
here you can see that the answer is probably our friends. Saturday we went swimming somewhere in the middle of nowhere. it was a very beautiful place called Poco Azul. i wish i had access to Portuguese alphabet changes here, so you could see how it is really written. imagine that C with a little tail on it, looking like an up-side-down peach.
in a case of Lost in Translation, i thought we were going to a little town for lunch or something, and then to see a waterfall. i imagined a Brazilian version of one of those quaint little ski or mining towns up the canyon off Denver (Beau Joe's, anyone?). luckily, i double checked the night before to know if we needed bathing suits, since my original understanding of what the day was was completely off.
early saturday morning we all piled, literally, into Taiza's car and headed off for an adventure. Poco Azul is very beautiful. better than Beau Joe's.
these fabulous pictures were taken by our good friend Fernando, as well as the movie. thanks Duck!
Election
today of all days i wish i was still the teacher to my Philadelphia students. i would love to be talking to them about this historic win. Obama's election is a victory of many levels for our country, and i am especially happy for the triumph it is for my students.
Hooray!
Rachel and i went to an Election Night Embassy Gala last night. we haven't been around so many Americans for weeks, and it was actually really odd to hear English as the background murmur instead of Portuguese. the refreshments were all mini-American food: tiny hotdogs, hamburgers, french fries, cotton candy, pizzas, movie popcorn. i'd never realized that stereotypical American food is all junk! it was amusing to me that along with all the attempts at Americana, the non-alcoholic drinks available were papaya and mango juice. at least the Brazilians provide nutrition. there was a pretty good jazz band playing in the background, and after they were finished, of course, the music changed to Elvis and Bruce Springsteen.
Hooray!
Rachel and i went to an Election Night Embassy Gala last night. we haven't been around so many Americans for weeks, and it was actually really odd to hear English as the background murmur instead of Portuguese. the refreshments were all mini-American food: tiny hotdogs, hamburgers, french fries, cotton candy, pizzas, movie popcorn. i'd never realized that stereotypical American food is all junk! it was amusing to me that along with all the attempts at Americana, the non-alcoholic drinks available were papaya and mango juice. at least the Brazilians provide nutrition. there was a pretty good jazz band playing in the background, and after they were finished, of course, the music changed to Elvis and Bruce Springsteen.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Election Day
when i'm around Portuguese speakers, i listen in over-drive, trying to pick out any sounds, gestures, words that are familiar. yesterday the ESL students i'm helping with came into the classroom after recess chanting in their sweet accents, "oooo--baah--maaah, ooo--baah--maah" over and over. i began listening my hardest, attempting to make out what Portuguese word they were saying.
ha, ha. not Portuguese. Obama! Sim, meninos. Obama.
ha, ha. not Portuguese. Obama! Sim, meninos. Obama.
Monday, November 3, 2008
BOOday
there is not much to easily compare with my last two birthday celebrations: my philly babies going crazy singing to me in packed hallways at school, making cards, writing cute messages on the board (that was likely the only day i let them write on my board), bringing funny little teacher mugs and parents dropping off treats. there are a lot of times that i miss my students.
this year was a different good. no stress.
we started out with L. reminding me that she let me sleep in.
then Rach made Rachel's Surprise Spooky Birthday Smoothies out of watermelon, mango, and these cute little tiny bananas.
it was quite the cooking day for her. then, she made a cake.
we later went and got manicures and pedicures, and then took the girls trick-or-treating at the Embassy. Cara made these amazing costumes.
later that night, we hit up the ward party. let me tell you, ward parties in Brazil are quite different from those back home. more food, more music, more dancing, more hours into the night. it was fun.
Taiza and her boyfriend, Allan from Sao Paulo, who surprised her with a birthday visit.
finally was the birthday party at Erico's and Taiza's home. Taiza and i share a birthday, which was a sweet realization when we first met. Gabi and Mindu made feijao mexicano and we ate Rachel's birthday cake, which turned out fabulous.
with the birthday cake, came the Brazilian tradition of giving speeches. luckily, they let me give it in English.
it really was a great day. i love the celebratory manner of our sweet Brazilians. would've been a perfect day if only my mom could have done her usual call at the break of dawn to sing me happy birthday in her sleepy voice. that's my favorite. i'll make her pretend it's my birthday some random day in January.
Thank you for all of your birthday wishes!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)