It's June...?

Wow! It's already June. The last month has flown by, and a windy, humid cold has started to settle in. Coming from Michigan, I thought maybe I would be able to handle it. I was wrong!

The weather fluctuates between cold and freezing, which is intensified by our non-insulated house with no inside heating. We finally got heaters, but because of the lack of insulation, the rooms don't really stay warm unless the heater is on, meaning we live in a house that stays between 55-65 degree Fahrenheit. The rain also makes it colder. The colder it is, the harder it is to dry clothes and everything else.

Jake and Catherine both didn't believe that it got cold here. Jake didn't bring a winter coat, even though I told him it would be freezing, if not drop below, during the month of July (since the seasons are reversed). So, Catherine and I have been on multiple expeditions to find warm clothes. For some reason, it is harder than it seems. We've made our way to the mall in Pelotas, and walked around Porto Alegre.

Other than that, work has been great! My students are amazing, and they seem to be enjoying the conversational class and are motivated to learn English.

Additionally, I have started to take Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) classes, as well. I am thinking of even starting a research project looking into Deaf culture here in Brazil.

Jake has also made a new friend. The friend does not really speak English, and Jake has only been learning Portuguese for about a month. Yet, somehow, the two are constantly talking about something or another. The met on a Thursday night, went running together on Saturday, and then had an impromptu churrasco. By the end of next month Jake will be speaking Portuguese and his friend will be speaking English at this rate.

Work Hard, Play Hard

After a week of classes, working, and little time for a social life, we finally were going to have time to relax and hang out with friends. Friday was one of our friend’s birthday, so after some chimarrão and work, we headed over to our old living accommodations, the hotel, to say happy birthday and celebrate. It turned into amazing pizza (the second day in a row, because I made homemade pizza the night before), and Happy Birthday being sung in three languages, five different ways. After, we headed to the store to buy ingredients for sobremesas (desserts).

Catherine and I had been craving desserts all week, so I decided that chocolate fondue with fruit was in order. However, this is not exactly what came out. Instead, as some friends met us at our house, I made chocolate and coconut covered bananas to eat with our vihno tinto. Chocolate and wine, the best combination ever. In addition, we played some music and ended up dancing bachata, which I had been missing a lot.

Chocolate and coconut covered bananas.

The next day was spent relaxing before heading out to celebrate our friend’s birthday again. We went to watch several bands play forro, and had a blast! However, as Catherine and I were tired we decided to head home. About an hour later, Catherine received a phone call and life got crazy.

Catherine comes to my room and explains we had 7 guests on their way over. We frantically starting counting beds and figuring out where everyone was going to sleep. By the time everyone arrived, we were all set to go, only to find out half decided to head home and there were only 4 guests.

Sunday was relaxing once again, and I decided I needed to read. We felt bad that we were unable to see our friend that had just returned from break (a week into the semester), but due to timing, we hung out at home, and I stayed up till 7am Monday morning reading. Obviously, that hadn’t been the plan. So, Monday was a little more difficult to work than I had anticipated. But, I started and finished two books. So, maybe it was worth it…

By the time we made it to campus, it was lunch time. We ran into our friend and ended up following him to the mechanical engineering office. (Yes, most of our friends are studying mechanical engineering.) Surprisingly, the office was fun. We hung out and I ended up seeing Wesley’s project, a go-kart that he is building. Also, he made sure that I received one of the best gifts from his mom! After being made fun of for putting hot sauce on everything in Maceió (and apparently more in one sitting than anyone they know), she made me my own bottle of hot sauce! We have to wait to try it, but I cannot wait!

See all the peppers? So excited!

At the end of the day, I was exhausted, and passed out for a while before having the strength to go home. When we arrived home at 10:30ish, we decided it was a good time for bauru. Earlier in the week, we found an amazing bauru place at the beginning of our road. Let’s just say, if we don’t watch it, we are going to get fat quickly. 

Bauru Number Two!

Finally Home!

The day after I returned to Rio Grande, Catherine and I moved into an amazing house in Cassino (a suburb of Rio Grande). Although it is a little far from campus, we could not be happier with our living situation! The house is set up so that there is a small house connected to a large house by a patio. The owners, a Brazilian woman and her Taiwanese husband, live in the small house. Catherine and I have a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom house, with each bedroom having at least one queen bed and one twin bed. However, we are not planning on filling any of the twin beds. They are being left for guests, of which we have had plenty. The best part, besides the owners, is the restaurant kitchen off of the patio…

Our first guests were our ETA-brethren from Pelotas. The day after we moved in, on Saturday, they came to visit and stayed overnight. We also had a churrasco that was amazing! The owner’s son-in-law cooked the meat, and it was amazing.

The Rio Grande and Pelotas ETA's getting ready to eat stir-fry
that the owner of the house made for us. She is amazing!

Everyone eating at the churrasco. We even had veggies!

We even had an amazing bartender for the event!

I might have even tried chicken heart, with chopsticks, of course.

As Monday rolled around, Catherine and I finally started to realize we were going to have to start working. We began planning our classes, and started to get excited about what we could do with our classes. I might have even turned into a workaholic for a little while; anxious to work, antsy when I wasn’t, and working late into the night once or twice. Being far from our friends didn’t really help.

Since we moved, it has become a 30min at least trek to see our friends that live on campus. Our friends are great. So, sometimes it really sucks being that far away, or having to leave early to make sure we get home safely. The one night we were on campus late, we walked to the bus stop around 10pm and, while waiting for the next bus, decided it was easier and safer to stay the night at our friend’s house. However, when our other friend returns, this won’t work because there won’t be enough places to sleep for everyone. 

Yet, the good far outweighs the bad. The owner of the house is amazing. She is constantly making food and bringing it over, or asking us to join her and her family for meals. Most of the time she makes this salad she makes that is light on lettuce and includes apples and mangos. I have always hated fruit and veggies together in a salad, but this is amazing. Additionally, I finally have a hot shower, and feel at home. And, anything we could need is usually available in the restaurant kitchen for us to use!

Wait...What?

“Hi! What is your name?” A boy, about 9 years old, asked as Luan and I waited at the bus stop. Luan and I were on our way to Cassino to look at some potential houses, and we were discussing the prospects in English. After telling the boy our name, and finding out his was Wesley (I tried really hard not to laugh at this because I was thinking of our friend Wesley), the boy asked me for an autograph (which I though Luan was joking about), and if Luan would take him to the US.

“But, you are her husband,” the boy responded, as he gave Luan a strange look.

“No, we are just friends,” Luan laughed.

“But, you are in love with her. I can see it in your eyes,” was the response we received. Luan was laughing so hard that he couldn’t translate the comment. At the same moment the mother turned and yelled something about respecting others at her son. Of course, the next question we got involved me knowing origami. What a strange question and funny kid!

After getting on the bus and being told to follow him, Luan and I took our time paying the fare and sitting down. Still laughing, Luan explained some of the comments the boy had made, saying, “See, you are kind of like a famous person here.” And, apparently, I needed to give the boy an autograph. I ended up writing always follow your dreams on a piece of paper and handed it to him as we got off the bus.

Seeing the houses was another story. The first place we saw was amazing, minus the location. It used to be a variety of business before being turned into a house. And, we would have access to everything, including the restaurant kitchen and all the appliances inside (you should have seen my face when I saw it), a fire/stone pizza oven, a churrasqueira, a bar area, and then everything in our respective house. The lady was amazing and told us, even if we didn’t rent the house, we should go over there and have a churrasco. Her husband spoke Chinese, and she is teaching him Portuguese (she doesn’t speak Chinese by the way). It was an amazing experience! The second house was horrible, and I never want to go back. However, today ended with a plethora of stories that I am sure I will never forget!

On a serious note:

Today the ETA's were sent an email about remembering to be safe. In the last month, several crimes involving ETA's in Brasil had occurred. Hearing about this made me realize that anything is possible, and realize how grateful I am to have the friends I have here, and the life that has been given to me in this southern city. My friends always walk Catherine and me home at night, take bus rides with us early morning or late at night, help us find housing, etc., just to make sure we are safe. We are picked up all over town and sometimes I take for granted the kindness and generosity we are shown. Moreover, I hope that all the ETA's that have been victims of crimes in Brasil are doing better!

No Sleep for You

I have realized that going to bed early is a foreign concept now. Catherine and I have gotten no more than 6 hours of sleep each night for the past week. We aren’t sure how this happens, but it does. Last night, Catherine and I made a deal to go to bed by midnight. Instead, we went to Cassino for a pre-Carnaval celebration and were out past 2am. We might have looked a little like tourists taking pictures of the town, but the lights and decorations were quite unique.

Decorations for Carnaval!

The King Chicken!!

I also saw my first penguin!!!!

See? There are penguins near the beach in Brazil!

Since it was the first time we had been to Cassino, we made our way to the beach (even though it was already dark out). The beach in Cassino is the longest beach in Brazil. And at night, you can see the star shining brightly and just enjoy the sound of the ocean hitting the shore. I could have stayed there all night. (But a bonfire would have been nice.) However, the time at the beach was cut short by a phone call to meet another friend downtown: the Carnaval festivities had begun.

We also found out it is legal to walk down the street with open alcohol containers. There was even a store selling beers through a metal gate.

Once we got home, Catherine reminded me of the deal me made. Once again we failed!