Days 19-25 in Brazil

We spent the weekend doing family things and going bbq’s. During the week I had a new instructor. My fourth and final Portuguese professor didn’t speak any English but she was very nice and class  went at a more relaxed pace. on Monday we did some sightseeing and historical things, going to museums and hanging out with the instructors from GCC. We went out to Santa Barbara, a nearby town. The museums were fun, it’s very interesting to see how much of an impact the U.S. had on the local history. It’s interesting how relaxed the museums were compared to the ones in the U.S.  Here in Brazil, people were touching the artifacts, opening things….In the U.S. if you  breathe too close to an object security will yell at you. The museums we went to may not have been as grand as some of the ones you might find in the States, but still, it was a very pleasant way to pass an afternoon.

Almost every evening I go with Jess to English class. I spend time studying and talking with the students and the teachers from Fatec. I feel like I’ve met a lot of wonderful people doing this. Sometimes, I skip. I get tired and I need a break, but I like going and talking to some of the new friends I’ve made. I’ve also been helping make the coffee during break, so I’ve been at the very least, a little helpful.

On day 24, it was cold!  After class, we were going out shopping. It was raining and really cold and Fatima and Jess insisted on dressing me up. I brought mostly ripped jeans to Brazil, as an American ripped jeans are completely normal, in Brazil not so much.( at least I haven’t see them anywhere!) If left up to Fatima and Jess I would’ve been dressed in a winter coat, wearing a pair of pants from Fabiana, Fabiana’s sweater, a scarf, gloves, and a pair of boats from Jess. Basically, I would have had on enough clothes to go out and build a snowman. I ended up agreeing to a compromise: Fabian’s sweater, my jeans (with tights underneath them, due to the rips) my sneakers, a scarf, and gloves. Jess still insisted I would be cold. But I can be just as stubborn as she can and I insisted that I was a New Yorker, and therefore from the land of MUCH snow, a little bit of rain wasn’t enough to make me put on winter boots. After class that night a bunch of us from school went out to get some food and drinks, it was another late night, but it was the final night to all hangout before the English instructors from GCC would be leaving so of course, we needed one last night out.

Day 25

It was a bittersweet day. I had my final Portuguese class. My last instructor was really very sweet, and I enjoyed the time I spent with her, but like any kid who just gets let out of school…you can’t help but want to celebrate;) Unfortunately, the end of Portuguese classes also marked the end of English classes and that meant, it was time to say goodbye. I had made a lot of wonderful friends in the two weeks of class and I knew it was going to be really emotional and sad to see it all come to an end. It was really really hard. They planned a sort of farewell evening for everyone. There were presentations from each of the classes, and later, a ton of food! A lot of people swore they would be coming to visit me in the states and I really hope they do! I really did meet so many awesome people; I feel really blessed.  I keep saying this: the best part of my trip to Brazil were the people<3 If any of you guys are reading this, thank you, and I love you all!:)

Day 11 in Brazil

Between my cough and my sore body from my bike injury, I had a rough night of sleep! Exhausted and feeling under-prepared for a test in Portuguese, I trudged rather glumly along to class. Elisete assured me the test would be easy; it wasn’t. I was tired and cranky and stressed out! After correcting the test with me she took me to the mall for coffee and to buy a dictionary. Bless Elisete for having compassion on the cranky American student who was slowly but surly discovering she was about as good at Portuguese as she was at math! I’m constantly amazed by the kindness of the people I meet, and I wish I was a better Portuguese student! I get out of class some days and I don’t want to try and learn anymore, I’m tired and grumpy and as much as I want to make everyone happy, I don’t want to speak Portuguese because it’s embarrassing to have everyone stare at the foreign girl as she clumsily butchers the most basic Portuguese phrase. And what”s worse, the only way to keep from being lonely is to talk to someone, and I can’t do that in Portuguese. I keep feeling like I’m not trying hard enough. Try harder, study more, those are my options. The way I see it I could curl up in a ball and feel sorry for myself, or I could work my butt off and practice my Portuguese until something finally clicks in my brain! I’m not a person who is easily defeated, I get discouraged and I may want to give up, but I hate quitting, I hate feeling like I’ve been beat. I’m representing my school, my community, my scholarship foundation, and my country, you better believe I’m not going to throw in the towel and call it quits!

Later, the family was taking us to a classical concert. I was excited because I didn’t have to understand Portuguese to understand and appreciate what I was hearing. We saw Maestro Joao Carlos Martins and the Bachina Filarmonica. But before we went, the director of Fatec (the school I’m studying at) introduced himself and welcomed me to the program. They are excited that I’m here, and expanding their program to include bringing students here. After the concert we went out and got some food with another one of Jessica’s friends. It was a nice night out, and I was happy that I could sleep in the following day!