Best Song Ever

In the last few days I have heard this song so much! It has become a song of memories and friendship among a small group of us ETAs, and I wanted to share it with you! Fui Fiel

Embrace the Suck!

My journey of a lifetime started five days ago. Not knowing Portuguese or much about Brazil, I boarded a plane to Brasilia. After checking into the hotel, I realized there wasn’t much around our hotel besides a mall across the street. Unlike the U.S., Brasilia was built in sectors. I was in Sector Hoteleiro Sul (South Hotel Sector), and that meant we had to eat in a food court. Later, I came to find out the city was created less than 60 years ago, when it was decided that the capital should move. To represent development (or so I have been told), the city was built in the shape of a plane. This plane shape with sectors was making my cultural experience very limited!

The next day began our orientation. At this point I still wasn’t sure what in the world I was going to be doing. However, by Wednesday we finally had some idea. We were working with Ingles sem Fronteras (English Without Borders) to increase the English ability of students that would be taking the TOEFL test and hopefully studying abroad in the U.S., Australia, and England. But 90 people going to orientation together made things long and difficult.

Throughout our 10 hour days, we were given two “coffee breaks”. Coffee breaks meant a table of food, juice, coffee, and tea. The food was typical Brazilian food, and there was always something that tasted amazing. And lunch the first two days were magnificent. But imagine fitting 90 English Teaching Assistants (ETAs) and several government officials in a restaurant or an open reception area for lunch and coffee breaks. It was hard to navigate around all of the people. By the last day, I was still seeing new faces.

Still, meeting the Ambassador of the U.S. in Brazil and officials from IIE, the U.S. State Department, the U.S. consulate in Brazil and officials from the Brazilian government was slightly intimidating. Yet, every person that spoke with us was full of energy and excited that we were there.

As I reflect on the last few days I remember all of the new friends I made and the memories we share. One of the U.S. officials explained that sometimes being abroad isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. His advice, no matter what, “embrace the suck!” This has since become the motto of the 2014 ETAs working with Ingles sem Fronteras. (We haven’t met the other 30 ETAs working with the English departments.)

Additionally, Monday night I was invited to dinner by another ETA, Rueben. (Who looks so much like another friend of mine that I have had problems remembering his name and calling him by the right name). He had couch surfed his first night in Brasilia and was meeting up with his Brazilian host, Caesar. A small group of us ETAs met Caesar and three of his friends. By the end of the night we had formed relationships that were amazing. Caesar ended up inviting the four of us over for dinner the following night because he had had fun on our “roof party”. The roof party happened every night when the ETAs got together on the roof of the hotel by the pool and got to spend time together before being dispersed all over Brasil.

The last night in Brasilia took the cake, though. Caesar set up an incredible dinner and experience for Kelsey, Rueben, Craig and me. After not crashing on the way there, we entered a beautiful backyard with a pool, Jacuzzi, bar, outside sitting area with TV and a table that was beautifully set. I don’t know if I have ever been to a dinner that looked fancier with the champagne flutes, red wine glasses, another glass that I am not quite sure what it was for, and the napkins in napkin holders decorated by a flower. Rueben’s alter ego Rueben Pedroso, was one of the best things that we walked away with. I can’t thank Caesar enough for all that he did for us, including driving me to the airport and helping me check in.

However, as I write this on the plane to Porto Alegre, I am aware of the issues I am going to face in the next few weeks with my limited Portuguese. I know I will begin learning it, but travelling to the hostel alone tonight shall be interesting…

Life is Full of Surprises

In 2012, I decided to apply for a 2014 Fulbright ETA Scholarship to Guatemala. I had just gotten married, was about to graduate, and I wanted to give back to the country that meant so much to me. After an October interview and months of waiting, I was offered the opportunity to concurrently apply to Brazil. In preparation for the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics, Brazil had decided to increase their number of ETA grants from 30 to 120. Since I was still awaiting a response from Guatemala, I decided there was no harm in writing a cover letter explaining my interest in going to Brazil. However, as June 2013 rolled around, I was named an alternate for both Brazil and Guatemala. Trying to get my life in order, I began to look for a big girl job. By chance, I was offered a job that was grant funded. Within two months, I was informed the grant no longer existed and began the job search again. For those who have gone through the tedious task of applying for jobs, I do not have to go into how irritated I was. As I previously stated, life is full of surprises.

On the morning of December 4, 2013, I was informed there was an opening for an ETA grant to Brazil and I was the next name on the alternate list. If I was interested, the position was mine. I responded immediately, then realized I should talk to my husband about the opportunity. Of course he told me to accept the position and we would figure out the logistics as we went. Let's just say, the following month was a roller coaster of events.

Excited, I began to make lists of everything that needed to be done. Number 1 was to get a new passport. After getting married in 2012, I never applied for a name change renewal passport. However, the next day, my husband's birthday, we found out my grandma was very ill. On top of the stress of having just over two months to prepare for a nine month placement on the opposite side of the equator and not receiving any other information on the grant, the next two weeks were spent figuring out what was going on and getting my siblings to Michigan. (All three of them go to school out of state.)

After the memorial service, I was like a ping pong ball bouncing back and forth between everything that had to be done. I had accidentally sent a notarized copy of my marriage certificate to the passport agency and they only accepted the original document. Therefore, I had to overnight my marriage certificate to New Hampshire. Since my husband went back to school in January, right after Christmas was the only time we would be able to drive over three hours to Chicago to apply for our visas, wait three business days and pick them up before heading back home. (The consulate only accepts applications Monday thru Friday from 9am to 11am, and they can only be picked up from 12pm to 1pm.) In addition, I realized I should start studying Portuguese when my in-laws gave me several Portuguese language learning books for Christmas. It didn't help my confidence in learning Portuguese in time when a Brazilian friend listed of words/phrases and I thought  "oi" was day. ("hoy" is Spanish for day, and pronounced almost the same).

The day after Christmas my passport came and we were ready to drive to Chicago, only to realize I didn't have my Terms of Award. Since the program grew so quickly, the Commissioner was working quickly, but with an understaffed team. So, he asked me to call him. He explained that my placement was switched from the northern coast of Brazil to the southern most tip of Brazil. He was very helpful and informed me he was very impressed by my host professor. In addition, I received my Terms of Award. (Yet, now I will have to switch my plane ticket home.) So, at 5pm we had everything we needed for our visas except my husband's plane tickets, which we bought late that night.

The next morning was hectic. With little sleep, we drove to a metra train station to take a train into downtown Chicago. We decided to walk the mile or so from Union Station to the consulate in the cold (thankfully before the terrible winter storm that came two weeks later), only to be told the consulate does not accept bank money orders. Since my husband is not a Fulbright Student, we had to rush six or so blocks to find a nearby post office to get a USPS money order and make it back before 11am. We had less than an hour. Finally, a week later (due to New Years) we had our visas.

Now all that is left is to pack up our apartment and our bags...

~~~

Lastly, I would like to thank the other ETA's who helped me during December by forwarding me all of the documents/emails that contained Fulbright information and my co-ETA for taking the time to plan teaching ideas with me. Also, I would like to thank several friends who are from Brazil and have enlightened me with jokes about chocolate covered cockroaches and helpful tips about weather and things to do and see.

(My alma mater ran a short article about the award! See it here: http://www.gvsu.edu/gvnow/?articleId=E7D3FF3F-A1CA-CE7D-F92DAB1EDB98AE7E)