No Brazilian To Marry Yet. . .

Oi (hey) all,

        I'm actually here! I seriously can't believe it. I definitely hit me when I was the only white, English speaking person on the plane from Miami!

        I got off the plane and didn't even have to go through customs and was met by Heather and her son David, who is the same age as me.  Caleb's plane got there 2 hours after mine so we decided to chill and get milkshakes (milkeyshakey in Portuguese lol) while David filled me in on Brisilian culture. Anyway, then we had steak burgers and I was thinking the food might not be such an issue! However, I was wrong.  I really never thought I was picky but I don't like much of the food, especially when I have to plan meals for myself but that's nothing new! I know it will get better when school starts and lunch is provided.  I already had a taste of that food Sunday after church and it is goooooood!

        It is really green and beautiful here! However, I live downtown and it is not so down here.  It is really dirty and very cramped. There is trash lining the streets and a smell that I can only describe as Brazil (or a mixture of poop, spices, meat, and bread)   Actually, it's just pure insanity down here.  There are people walking everywhere, cars trying not to hit them, motorcycles everywhere in-between, and on top of that there are cars with a layer of speakers as long as the car on top that drive around playing music and advertisements.  Some bikes even have a speaker on front and on back.  Its really amusing and loud but mostly amusing.  VW buses are everywhere and only cost 1 real (hayi) but they seriously cram you in there like sardines.  Normally if you take a combie (vw bus) then you have someone on your lap or are on someones lap.  It makes for an amusing ride!

I decorated my room the best I could! It feels much more homey! Living situations here are different.  There's a gate to get into the building, a gate to get to your door, and no complete closing off.  The windows are not covered with glass but are just open holes.  The windows in my room are wood holes I can open that open out into the hallway of the apartment complex.  There is no heating or air conditioning but I have a lovely fan!            

Unfortunately, that fan broke on me last night and I had a wee bit of a dramatic moment and considered my own death but I made it through and into a cold shower first thing this morning!

Speaking of showers, I have already electrocuted myself twice but being the air head that I sometimes am I did not realize that was what was happening until later.  The shower head is plugged in right above it and has a switch for turning the hot water on.  Thus there is electricity flowing through.  I have a terrible habit of rinsing my hand off as close to the shower head as I can get it.  Well, the first time my whole hand felt all tingly and I thought maybe I slept weird or held it in a funny position but when I went to do it again and my other hand had the same reaction I had another dramatic moment and panicked that the cyst in my spinal cord was acting up. But upon pondering and using my brain I realized what I had done and have since avoided getting in close proximity to the head of the shower.

          I have been down to the school everyday this week and the closer my classroom is to finished the more excited I get!  We have had meetings and have been working at getting the school all ready all week and I am so ready to start teaching! I have 4th -5th grade and 7th, 8th, and 9th grade English and Workshops (which are hour long classes teaching whatever subject I choose) with 4th-9th grade.  As well as playtime with 1st-2nd! Monday is just around the corner and I will shadow Emily (my roommate) and Lindsey (next store neighbor) for a week and then I am on my own!

      Church was interesting.  They sang all the songs we do only in Portuguese and then spoke for an hour or so.  I obviously didn't get much out of that. But it seemed fairly normal. Afterwords, the church served this amazing lunch with chicken, beans, rice, and some kind of Brasilian coleslaw. Super yummy!  Not to mention coke! Coke is made with real sugar and cinnamon here and I can't tell you how much better it tastes!

     We went to a town called Paldiho (paldye-o) and it was really beautiful! We learned all kinds of history and saw amazing scenery, buildings, and food! We had a blast and it's only a 20 minute bus/combie ride away!

      I am really wishing I knew more Portuguese! I want to connect with everyone so badly but I can't.  However, there are lots of people around the school who either speak English fluently or well enough to communicate! I know my students will be able to do at least basic communication and definitely connect! I am picking up slowly on Portuguese and I am so ready to start teaching!

      Random Facts:  cleavage ain't no thang here but if your shorts are too short it's super slutty (all rules go out the window at the beach).  there is no certain type of look for a Brisilian.  I've seen anything from Africa to Mexican to Eastern Indian to i don't even know!  Brasilians don't eat with their hands ever. Never drink out of cans. Love pizza. Never put their purses on the floor (still trying not to do that) and drink the weirdest milk!  Also, r is pronounced as h. ricardo is hicado.

      Well, thats all I have for now! I don't have the cord to load pics from my camera so that will have to wait until I get back but I can take a few with my phone so I'll send what I can! If you want to know anything just let me know!

      I love you and miss you all!

Love, your white, redheaded (kinda), green eyed girl,

Brittney