We’ve now been here a month and I am absolutely loving Brazil. I started making flash cards a few days before I got here and since then I’ve memorized around 250. I still have a lot to learn but now I think that I’m in better shape to talk about a wider variety of things. I still find myself struggling so I guess I still need to work at things. Becca just got a B on her first big test and is very happy about that.
Since our trip to Rio de Janeiro we’ve been to Campinas, a little town of 1 million that’s North West of São Paulo, and a lot of little fairs in São Paulo itself. There’s a little neighborhood called Embu that has the most amazing shops. Becca and I bought some really cool stuff like leather purses and cool little statues. I think she and I will end up going back. We went to the Meseu da Língua Portuguesa which has lots of information about the history, influences and authors of the Portuguese language. I really liked it and could go back. The São Paulo Zoo is a decent size and almost all of the animals were right up front in very visible spots.
Tuesday morning we’re heading off for an eight day trip to see the largest waterfalls in the world and then tour Southern Brazil. I’m stoked! About 100 years ago the Brazilian government tried to make their country whiter and heavily encouraged European immigration. Most of them settled in Southern Brazil so we’ve been told that we’re going to see a lot of really white people and little German looking towns. They’re big ranchers down there so I’m hoping to buy some cool leather art work and eat some great steak.
There’s a line behind me to use the computer so I’m going to end things here saying that I am overwhelmed by the faith and diligence that I have seen from the Brazilians here in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Campinas. They love the Lord Jesus and work hard to establish His kingdom on the Earth by loving and serving their neighbor. That’s true Christian conviction.
Oh yeah! Congradulations to my cousin Derrick who just got married last week and to my cousin Laurel who will soon be getting married as well.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
QUICK NOTE FROM RIO DE JANEIRO
I’m a lone man right now. We got back from Rio de Janeiro yesterday so Becca and some other girls from the program are getting their nails done to feel girly. We took the scenic route back to São Paulo, leaving from Copacabana Beach at 7:00am and arriving home at about 9:00pm. Most of that time was spent on the bus so I guess the girls want to freshen up a bit.
Rio is GORGEOUS. We went up to Christ the Redeemer which is a huge statue of Jesus Christ that was built on the top of a very tall hill in Rio. I think that there were more foreigners up on that hill when we went there than there were Brazilians. Becca took a short video of the view which I will eventually learn how to post on the blog.
If any of you go to Rio, something that I highly recomend, then I suggest that you go to Ipanema Beach. Leme and Copacabana have dirty water but the beaches themselves are gorgeous. We played in the waves one afternoon and Becca and I took a romantic stroll on Sunday evening. It was my first time in the Atlantic Ocean and Becca’s second time to a beach that you could actually have fun in without a boat. We’re supposed to go to one more beach before we go back to the USA and I’m really looking forward to it.
I hope that you are all doing well and that your summer is not too hot. Here, we are suffering through a blazing winter of 75 degrees during the day and about 55 during the night time. Till next time.
Rio is GORGEOUS. We went up to Christ the Redeemer which is a huge statue of Jesus Christ that was built on the top of a very tall hill in Rio. I think that there were more foreigners up on that hill when we went there than there were Brazilians. Becca took a short video of the view which I will eventually learn how to post on the blog.
If any of you go to Rio, something that I highly recomend, then I suggest that you go to Ipanema Beach. Leme and Copacabana have dirty water but the beaches themselves are gorgeous. We played in the waves one afternoon and Becca and I took a romantic stroll on Sunday evening. It was my first time in the Atlantic Ocean and Becca’s second time to a beach that you could actually have fun in without a boat. We’re supposed to go to one more beach before we go back to the USA and I’m really looking forward to it.
I hope that you are all doing well and that your summer is not too hot. Here, we are suffering through a blazing winter of 75 degrees during the day and about 55 during the night time. Till next time.
Monday, July 02, 2007
FIRST WEEK
Although it’s now only been just over a week since we’ve been in Brazil it feels as though we’ve been here for two! At first I felt very soutsive of my comfort zone while getting around a new city, trying not to broadcast the fact that I’m not Brazilian and finding a sort of routine and rhythm in general but now Becca and I have seen enough and been to enough places to feel comfortable walking around without a group.
Becca will talk a little about our daily routine. I am pleased to be getting back into an “early to bed, early to rise” routine. We’ve been so busy that I haven’t gotten a lot of sleep since I’ve been here. Thursday we head out to Rio de Janeiro and I am really looking forward to that. Hopefully we will meet up with some people we know there.
I’ve bought a two volume Portuguese/English Dictionary and a Spanish/Portuguese dictionary. That stuff is hard to fine in the USA. Our time is running out on the computer, we’re at the mall, so I’d better turn things over to Becca.
I am feeling better from the trip to Brazil. Vovó (grandma) Maria has this Portuguese herb called Cidreira. We cannot find an English name for it...but it is fabulous!!!!! I want to smuggle a little...lol. Monday-Friday we walk to class at 8am, arrive around 8/8:20, have a devotional at 8:30 and start class at nine. That is, if everyone gets there on time. We don´t start till everyone gets there. The air quality is HORRIBLE here in Sao Paulo. It gives me a headache, and I feel like I am going to pass out sometimes (especially when 2-3 public busses go by, and you can´t help but breath the exaust. The Sky hasn´t been a real color of blue yet. Mainly grey or yellow. The air is so bad, that even after a day and a half of rain, it doesn´t smell any fresher!!!! Luckily, we were able to go to Campos do Jordao (Fields of Jordan). It is basically the Switzerland of Brazil, and has excelent air quality. Infact, it is known for curing Paulistas (Sao Paulo residents) of turberculosis!!!! People used to get tuberculosis just by breathing too much in Sao Paulo!!!! If you are rich, you can go to Campos do Jordao and breath for once in your life! I tried to get as much clean air as I could. Pray that I don´t catch anything, because my body´s defenses are down. We aren´t in Provo anymore...and it is obvious while walking down the streets.
Our day trip to Campos was lots of fun. We went horse back riding, chocolate and sweater shopping (two things this place is known for doing really well), took a ski lift type thing up to a higher point to get a look at the whole city, bout the most amazing concord grape juice, saw cute waterfalls, and got ripped off at a churascarria (Brazilian steak house). We ended up paying about as much as we would have in the stares at the stake house, but got less food. Oh well, it was a good experience, and a very nice place. I will explain more later.
There isn´t too much sun since it is their winter. But the sun is still high up in the sky. It is the nicest winter I have ever experienced! I stick out like a sore thumb, and there is nothing I can do about it. Everyone knows I am American at first glance. The other 3 in our little group family can get away with being Brazilian...I couldn´t even if I dyed my hair dark brown.
I received a massage at the mall because I was sooooooo sore from the plane ride and not getting enough restful sleep. It was wonderful, and cheep. I am usually really picky, but he did a good job.
I am not really picking up the language, although everyone speaks to me as though I am. Iis frustrating to tell them I don´t understand. I know very few phrases and key words. It is really hard!!!! My class is a 201, and I am no where near a 101 class. It is taught in Portuguese, so I have a headache after from concentrating so hard, and getting almost nothing out of it. They are a supportive group, and think I am cute for trying...but I still feel bad that I slow things down.
Our grandma who is the woman giving us her bedroom cooks and prepares us amazing meals with what seems little to no effort. We are alway soooo thrilled with everythig she puts on the table. She is an old fashioned Portuguese grandma, so if it seems to her that we haven´t eaten enough, she thinks we don´t like it, when in reality we shovel it in quickly. We have noticed that it is just her fishing for complements. Which we freely give. She loves to serve us, and any chance she gets to smother us she does...ie- baked goods, fresh medicinal teas. She prefers to set the table and put everything away. We have tried helping her to show thanks, but it is a different culture. She likes being the host and allowing us to just dine and enjoy ourselves. We are really lucky to have us. She is a super sweet old lady. The other day she fell off her stool in the kitchen while trying to get something from a high cupboard and was embarrased that Ryan and I found her flat on the ground. She wouldn´t except help, and was limping all day, but stil insisted on serving us our meals. When she thought we weren´t listening she would let out noises of pain. We were all so sad. I asked god for a miracle that night to take away her pain...and she is doing much better. She already doesn´t have bursa sacs in her knees and has to take pain killers for it(the liquid cusion sac in knees), so we were all quite sad that she was suffering. I would love it if somehow you could meet her. She is amazing.
We are going to Rio de Janeiro this weekend for like 3 days or so. OH...we went to an Italian Opera in one of the downtowns of Sao Paulo...yes, there are many down towns...in fact, if you go to a lookout on the top of a higher building...all you see is city as far as the eye can see in all directions. It is a crazy big city. The opera was too long, and the words at the top were in Portuguses...so of course I naver has a chance at understanding anything.
Oh, almost all the sidewalks are slanted and on hills, so I have been getting really bad shin splints, and the tendons around my ankles aren´t taking the awkward pressure well. This is a place, that you really can say you walked to school up hill both ways!!!!! No joke....
...Up and down, up and down walking slanted all the way...
We have gotten hit up for money 2 or 3 times. Ryan played a stupid turrist who didn´t speak Portuguese, and the drunk didn´t know what to do with that. He concentraded really hard (took alot of effort on his part being drunk and stupid) and said `three´´, and ryan said no like 5 times, and the bum finally walked away. It has only happend down town.
Becca will talk a little about our daily routine. I am pleased to be getting back into an “early to bed, early to rise” routine. We’ve been so busy that I haven’t gotten a lot of sleep since I’ve been here. Thursday we head out to Rio de Janeiro and I am really looking forward to that. Hopefully we will meet up with some people we know there.
I’ve bought a two volume Portuguese/English Dictionary and a Spanish/Portuguese dictionary. That stuff is hard to fine in the USA. Our time is running out on the computer, we’re at the mall, so I’d better turn things over to Becca.
I am feeling better from the trip to Brazil. Vovó (grandma) Maria has this Portuguese herb called Cidreira. We cannot find an English name for it...but it is fabulous!!!!! I want to smuggle a little...lol. Monday-Friday we walk to class at 8am, arrive around 8/8:20, have a devotional at 8:30 and start class at nine. That is, if everyone gets there on time. We don´t start till everyone gets there. The air quality is HORRIBLE here in Sao Paulo. It gives me a headache, and I feel like I am going to pass out sometimes (especially when 2-3 public busses go by, and you can´t help but breath the exaust. The Sky hasn´t been a real color of blue yet. Mainly grey or yellow. The air is so bad, that even after a day and a half of rain, it doesn´t smell any fresher!!!! Luckily, we were able to go to Campos do Jordao (Fields of Jordan). It is basically the Switzerland of Brazil, and has excelent air quality. Infact, it is known for curing Paulistas (Sao Paulo residents) of turberculosis!!!! People used to get tuberculosis just by breathing too much in Sao Paulo!!!! If you are rich, you can go to Campos do Jordao and breath for once in your life! I tried to get as much clean air as I could. Pray that I don´t catch anything, because my body´s defenses are down. We aren´t in Provo anymore...and it is obvious while walking down the streets.
Our day trip to Campos was lots of fun. We went horse back riding, chocolate and sweater shopping (two things this place is known for doing really well), took a ski lift type thing up to a higher point to get a look at the whole city, bout the most amazing concord grape juice, saw cute waterfalls, and got ripped off at a churascarria (Brazilian steak house). We ended up paying about as much as we would have in the stares at the stake house, but got less food. Oh well, it was a good experience, and a very nice place. I will explain more later.
There isn´t too much sun since it is their winter. But the sun is still high up in the sky. It is the nicest winter I have ever experienced! I stick out like a sore thumb, and there is nothing I can do about it. Everyone knows I am American at first glance. The other 3 in our little group family can get away with being Brazilian...I couldn´t even if I dyed my hair dark brown.
I received a massage at the mall because I was sooooooo sore from the plane ride and not getting enough restful sleep. It was wonderful, and cheep. I am usually really picky, but he did a good job.
I am not really picking up the language, although everyone speaks to me as though I am. Iis frustrating to tell them I don´t understand. I know very few phrases and key words. It is really hard!!!! My class is a 201, and I am no where near a 101 class. It is taught in Portuguese, so I have a headache after from concentrating so hard, and getting almost nothing out of it. They are a supportive group, and think I am cute for trying...but I still feel bad that I slow things down.
Our grandma who is the woman giving us her bedroom cooks and prepares us amazing meals with what seems little to no effort. We are alway soooo thrilled with everythig she puts on the table. She is an old fashioned Portuguese grandma, so if it seems to her that we haven´t eaten enough, she thinks we don´t like it, when in reality we shovel it in quickly. We have noticed that it is just her fishing for complements. Which we freely give. She loves to serve us, and any chance she gets to smother us she does...ie- baked goods, fresh medicinal teas. She prefers to set the table and put everything away. We have tried helping her to show thanks, but it is a different culture. She likes being the host and allowing us to just dine and enjoy ourselves. We are really lucky to have us. She is a super sweet old lady. The other day she fell off her stool in the kitchen while trying to get something from a high cupboard and was embarrased that Ryan and I found her flat on the ground. She wouldn´t except help, and was limping all day, but stil insisted on serving us our meals. When she thought we weren´t listening she would let out noises of pain. We were all so sad. I asked god for a miracle that night to take away her pain...and she is doing much better. She already doesn´t have bursa sacs in her knees and has to take pain killers for it(the liquid cusion sac in knees), so we were all quite sad that she was suffering. I would love it if somehow you could meet her. She is amazing.
We are going to Rio de Janeiro this weekend for like 3 days or so. OH...we went to an Italian Opera in one of the downtowns of Sao Paulo...yes, there are many down towns...in fact, if you go to a lookout on the top of a higher building...all you see is city as far as the eye can see in all directions. It is a crazy big city. The opera was too long, and the words at the top were in Portuguses...so of course I naver has a chance at understanding anything.
Oh, almost all the sidewalks are slanted and on hills, so I have been getting really bad shin splints, and the tendons around my ankles aren´t taking the awkward pressure well. This is a place, that you really can say you walked to school up hill both ways!!!!! No joke....
...Up and down, up and down walking slanted all the way...
We have gotten hit up for money 2 or 3 times. Ryan played a stupid turrist who didn´t speak Portuguese, and the drunk didn´t know what to do with that. He concentraded really hard (took alot of effort on his part being drunk and stupid) and said `three´´, and ryan said no like 5 times, and the bum finally walked away. It has only happend down town.
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