24 days
I went to school and accidentally left early when people went to get a drink of water. Pedro asked me, "Para onde você vai menina?" (where are you going girl?) and I just responded by asking the same thing. I thought he was joking. But then I realized once I was outside and nobody else from my class had left what I had done. I had forgotten we had an extra class. I was too embarassed to go back in. Lol. Instead I talked to some younger kids who were really funny. This boy named Pedro (different one) and a girl named Caroline. It was hilarious talking to them, especially Caroline because everytime she laughed she threw her head back and opened her mouth wide. Which in turn just made me do the same thing. So we had a chain of laughing fits. :)
23 more days
Today I woke up early and Helena picked me up at 6:30 am to go to a Rotary meeting. I was a little bummed at first because I was not able to open my Canada presentation on the computer and also they did not have a projector for me to show it even if I did. Because today I had to present about Canada. So I was sad because I would just have to talk about Canada without any accompaniment. I was also thinking about the fact that this means it was one of the last meetings I would attend. But then I decided to be happy. Because at the start at every Rotary meeting they pass around a basket and each person puts in some money along with saying why they are happy. For example, "I am happy because..." but in Portuguese it is, "Eu estou feliz porque..." I realized why I was happy and put the money in. I am happy simply to be alive and to wake up to spend one more new day here in Brazil. So then when they came to give me my Rotary allowance I put in R$50.00 because I really was just happy. I got up and talked all about Canada and it went really well.
I told them basic things like how Canada has roughly 33 million people, which is not that much more than the population of São Paulo here in Brazil. A small number considering Canada is the second largest country in the world. I told them how Calgary has about one million and that it is close to the Rocky Mountains and gets to -30 degrees in the winter and positive 30 in the summer. I mentioned the Stampede and the free Canadian breakfasts. Considering they eat mainly buns in the morning they wer shocked to hear about all the friend, eggs, hash browns, sausages, pancakes etc. I talked about how Canada is unique because people come from all over the world to live there and become Canadian while still keeping their original culture. So Canada has a lot of diversity. Many people have their roots based in some of the first people who came to Canada including French, Irish, English etc. Also the Aboriginals there. I told them that my ancestory came from all those different roots. I also mentioned how it is funny that Canadians have many different chilled drinks such as slurpees, ice caps, booster juice. While here in Brazil people drink steaming coffee in +40 weather! I also told them about my family etc.
I discovered how to open my presentation on the computer just now so have decided to film it and then I will be able to show it on the T.V that Rotary has!! So they will get to see it after all :)
I am going to eat lunch and then go to dance afterwards. Bye for now.
Remember: The decision to be happy is yours no matter where you are.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
The days keep passing by....
27 Days
I went to school today and even wrote a letter to the editor in "Redação" class in Portuguese. I got Andressa to check it and there were not very many mistakes.
I tried on some of my host mom's dresses when I got home to pick out one to use for my friend's birthday party on Saturday. I still wasn't sure.
I went to Helena's (my second host mom) and taught dance and filmed the little girls dancing. When I came home my family was all there. I was able to figure out how to solve a trick of my father's where you need to separate two pieces of metal. I did it!
Then I went and had a shower because Mateus said I was a smelly, sweaty, monkey. It is a joke between us, he calls me a monkey and I call him a pigeon or "pomba". Kids at school call him that as well as a nickname.
26 Days
I went shopping for a present for Ester (my friend whose birthday it was) and bought her chocolate flavored lip gloss from this really nice shop. I accidentally slammed the car door on my thumb! It is a nice shade of purple. I didn't cry but started having difficulty breathing and almost fainted from the pain. Boy there are a lot of nerve-endings in fingers! I also went to a Roteract meeting, ate ice cream, and saw baby Pedro Olympio (nephew of my first host parents), walking back with my two friends from Roteract; Annabelle and Polly. I wore a borrowed red dress of my host mom's to the party. It probably clashed with the purple of my smashed thumb but other than that I think it looked alright. The party went really well. Ester looked very beautiful in her white dress as she danced with all the suited boys. I don't think I have ever been to a birthday party like that before in my life. It was her fifteenth birthday which is like sweet sixteen here in Brazil. It is a tradition, like debutante, that she gets "presented" to society. There are young men that she picked who each danced with her in turn. It was very fancy, there was even a chocolate fountain......you know I liked that. :) We left at around 4:30 am.
25 Days left
I remarkably woke up at 11:00am. I watched T.V then Mateus got up. Carla (my first host mom) phoned and said she would pick me up for lunch so I showered. We met Matteus (my first host brother) for lunch and also brought Eduardo (the brother of Pedro Olympio) who brought his rollerblades. We went back to the house and I showed them what I filmed from my Rotary trips but it was very long and Matteus was tired from the night before so he fell asleep. Then we watched "Blood Diamond". Afterwards their friend from Belo Horizonte (another city) showed up and they talked and then she drove me home. I had made friends with her family before they moved.
Remember: The water really does go down the drain in the opposite direction here.
I went to school today and even wrote a letter to the editor in "Redação" class in Portuguese. I got Andressa to check it and there were not very many mistakes.
I tried on some of my host mom's dresses when I got home to pick out one to use for my friend's birthday party on Saturday. I still wasn't sure.
I went to Helena's (my second host mom) and taught dance and filmed the little girls dancing. When I came home my family was all there. I was able to figure out how to solve a trick of my father's where you need to separate two pieces of metal. I did it!
Then I went and had a shower because Mateus said I was a smelly, sweaty, monkey. It is a joke between us, he calls me a monkey and I call him a pigeon or "pomba". Kids at school call him that as well as a nickname.
26 Days
I went shopping for a present for Ester (my friend whose birthday it was) and bought her chocolate flavored lip gloss from this really nice shop. I accidentally slammed the car door on my thumb! It is a nice shade of purple. I didn't cry but started having difficulty breathing and almost fainted from the pain. Boy there are a lot of nerve-endings in fingers! I also went to a Roteract meeting, ate ice cream, and saw baby Pedro Olympio (nephew of my first host parents), walking back with my two friends from Roteract; Annabelle and Polly. I wore a borrowed red dress of my host mom's to the party. It probably clashed with the purple of my smashed thumb but other than that I think it looked alright. The party went really well. Ester looked very beautiful in her white dress as she danced with all the suited boys. I don't think I have ever been to a birthday party like that before in my life. It was her fifteenth birthday which is like sweet sixteen here in Brazil. It is a tradition, like debutante, that she gets "presented" to society. There are young men that she picked who each danced with her in turn. It was very fancy, there was even a chocolate fountain......you know I liked that. :) We left at around 4:30 am.
25 Days left
I remarkably woke up at 11:00am. I watched T.V then Mateus got up. Carla (my first host mom) phoned and said she would pick me up for lunch so I showered. We met Matteus (my first host brother) for lunch and also brought Eduardo (the brother of Pedro Olympio) who brought his rollerblades. We went back to the house and I showed them what I filmed from my Rotary trips but it was very long and Matteus was tired from the night before so he fell asleep. Then we watched "Blood Diamond". Afterwards their friend from Belo Horizonte (another city) showed up and they talked and then she drove me home. I had made friends with her family before they moved.
Remember: The water really does go down the drain in the opposite direction here.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
25 daysss..I think?
I WILL UPDATE THIS TOMORROW!! LOL
Sorry for not keeping my word and posting daily, I really am trying though!
Just busssyy :)
Sorry for not keeping my word and posting daily, I really am trying though!
Just busssyy :)
Thursday, June 18, 2009
28 days.... second blog entry
Just a thought: Why do they shower so much when the showers electricute them sometimes to turn them on? You would think they would want to shower less because of this...hmmm...interesting.
28 days
I went to school today, I spent some of it reading my textbooks out loud but directly translating them into English to see if I could do it. It worked! Even Rafael came and listened to make sure it was correct.
Right now Mateus is brushing his teeth and reading this. He is telling me to take a shower. I guess I should. And then sleep. I think this has got to be the shortest blog entry ever. Cool.
Remember: People like to shower a lot here. I guess I am a dirty Canadian. :)
Right now Mateus is brushing his teeth and reading this. He is telling me to take a shower. I guess I should. And then sleep. I think this has got to be the shortest blog entry ever. Cool.
Remember: People like to shower a lot here. I guess I am a dirty Canadian. :)
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
29 days
I managed to sleep in because my alarm didn't go off. I got out of bed around 12:20, just around when school was ending. I will make sure my alarm is set for tomorrow. I can1t lie here though, it was delicious to be able to sleep in.
I ate lunch and then went to buy some more silm for my camera. I want to film my city before I leave. As well as lots of people, my house, dance class etc. I saw Carol in her video store on my way to the town center. I stopped to talk to her. She said to pass by again on my way back.
When I came back we talked for a bit and then she invited me to go to the super market with her. So I waited for her to get off. We snacked and then went. We stopped by her mother's work in a clothing store. I checked out the outfits for little baby girls. I am thinking for buying some for my new niece in Canada! I also stopped to look at some flipflops to see if they had a pair to fit my brother Max's enormous hobbit feet. Unfortunately they didn't, apparently all the bigfooters had already been and snatched them all, but they said they would get some in.
When we got back from the store we ate. Then Carol's mom came home and Carol's little sister woke up. Her name is Ana Flavia and she is turning three on Sunday. I had a fun time teaching her some English. She was so excited when she would get it right and clapped her hands! It was very cute. Her little dog Bia was sitting with us too. She is just a little ball of fur.
My host Dad came and said that he would pick me up in a bit on his way back from his Rotary meeting. We got a movie from their video store and watched it. Then my pai came and picked me up.
Now I need to sleep. Because I actually have to go to sleep tomorrow.
Remember: How most houses here have jars of biscuits, and there are many different kinds. Like that type with cheese that is kinda hard and crunchy.
I ate lunch and then went to buy some more silm for my camera. I want to film my city before I leave. As well as lots of people, my house, dance class etc. I saw Carol in her video store on my way to the town center. I stopped to talk to her. She said to pass by again on my way back.
When I came back we talked for a bit and then she invited me to go to the super market with her. So I waited for her to get off. We snacked and then went. We stopped by her mother's work in a clothing store. I checked out the outfits for little baby girls. I am thinking for buying some for my new niece in Canada! I also stopped to look at some flipflops to see if they had a pair to fit my brother Max's enormous hobbit feet. Unfortunately they didn't, apparently all the bigfooters had already been and snatched them all, but they said they would get some in.
When we got back from the store we ate. Then Carol's mom came home and Carol's little sister woke up. Her name is Ana Flavia and she is turning three on Sunday. I had a fun time teaching her some English. She was so excited when she would get it right and clapped her hands! It was very cute. Her little dog Bia was sitting with us too. She is just a little ball of fur.
My host Dad came and said that he would pick me up in a bit on his way back from his Rotary meeting. We got a movie from their video store and watched it. Then my pai came and picked me up.
Now I need to sleep. Because I actually have to go to sleep tomorrow.
Remember: How most houses here have jars of biscuits, and there are many different kinds. Like that type with cheese that is kinda hard and crunchy.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
One Month Count Down!!!
One month from today I will be returning to Canada. I have decided to start a daily blog until the day I leave. I will put anything I think is important in them. Like things that I want to remember about Brazil etc. They are probably going to be different than my previous entries, they are going to be completely random. It will just be an inside view for you about how things are winding down for me.
So today I went and bought some keychains at "the house of culture". It is this store in a really old building. I will bring them back to Canada as souvenirs. I went there after my Jazz dance class. I also bought some "brigadeiro" which was yummy. I have to remember to bring back some "toddy" to make it. Haha you are probably lost in reading this if you don't know what any of this food is. All you have to know is that it all makes for chocolaty-goodness. lol.
School was somewhat interesting. I have stopped sleeping in class. I have learned how to harness the willpower to stay awake. It is quite impressive actually. I think it all started after the time where I accidentally fell asleep during literature where my teacher had been talking about a woman who got tortured. In my dream I was hooked up to a machine and getting electricuted. I was zapped awake, and strangely after that have not been able to drift off again. Maybe it was some psychological thing.
I watched some Billy Elliot today and helped my host brother Mateus (new Mateus, not the other Matteus) with his English. Then Filipe came and I walked with him to his English course. Gosh, a lot of English today, I didn't go to the class though. I met a boy named Lucas there. He did not believe that I was from Canada.
When I came home mamãe had returned from work. Then my Dad came and we ate some soup. Then I went on the computer. I also petted Rufus (their labrador dog) for a bit. That is about it for now. Everything is just pretty serene.
Oh yeah, I finally finished writing in my first journal that I brought here! It has 256 pages, if you can believe it!
Remember this: how some showers in Brazil will give you an electric shock when you turn them on, use a towel!
So today I went and bought some keychains at "the house of culture". It is this store in a really old building. I will bring them back to Canada as souvenirs. I went there after my Jazz dance class. I also bought some "brigadeiro" which was yummy. I have to remember to bring back some "toddy" to make it. Haha you are probably lost in reading this if you don't know what any of this food is. All you have to know is that it all makes for chocolaty-goodness. lol.
School was somewhat interesting. I have stopped sleeping in class. I have learned how to harness the willpower to stay awake. It is quite impressive actually. I think it all started after the time where I accidentally fell asleep during literature where my teacher had been talking about a woman who got tortured. In my dream I was hooked up to a machine and getting electricuted. I was zapped awake, and strangely after that have not been able to drift off again. Maybe it was some psychological thing.
I watched some Billy Elliot today and helped my host brother Mateus (new Mateus, not the other Matteus) with his English. Then Filipe came and I walked with him to his English course. Gosh, a lot of English today, I didn't go to the class though. I met a boy named Lucas there. He did not believe that I was from Canada.
When I came home mamãe had returned from work. Then my Dad came and we ate some soup. Then I went on the computer. I also petted Rufus (their labrador dog) for a bit. That is about it for now. Everything is just pretty serene.
Oh yeah, I finally finished writing in my first journal that I brought here! It has 256 pages, if you can believe it!
Remember this: how some showers in Brazil will give you an electric shock when you turn them on, use a towel!
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