Q & A and Funny Stuff

Q & A

1. Why are you in Brazil?
      I have been dreaming of coming back since the last time I was here. It feels like a second home for me, and I can't really describe it. Many of you know that I have just come through a very difficult time in my life, and part of that difficulty was being unable to travel. But God is good, and He brought me through. This trip is my proof that He is able to provide financially, emotionally, and relationally. He has showed me that I am not powerless. The second reason is to help out with a church mission trip. The last two weeks of my stay, I will be traveling with a group of people from my church, working and translating for them.

2. What are you doing while you are there?
     I have some really good Brazilian friends that I met in Dallas, and they are hosting me and taking me places. For the most part, I'm just "being a Brazilian." I have my own little room in my friend's apartment because her sister is currently studying in Dallas. I wake up every morning and have breakfast with Daniela, and then she goes to work. From there, I have been hanging out with some of her other friends, including the cute little kids whose picture I posted on Facebook. I've been tirelessly working on my Portuguese so that by the time the mission group arrives, I'll be able to do whatever they need from me.

The Funny Stuff

Conversations I have had: the making of maple syrup, pancakes, Title 9 (why it's mostly women playing collegiate soccer), bipartisan politics, HOV lanes, "No, I don't just 'kind of' live in the desert. I live in the actual desert," the difference between a canyon and a valley, Justin Bieber and One Direction, Paula Dean and the "n" word, public schools and uniforms, snow, track and field, whether or not Pretty Little Liars and Gossip Girl count as soap operas, and can I please bring back a play-do machine the next time I come.

Trouble with greetings: Here, you greet with a kiss. It's simple enough. I have known that for years. I've visited before. And still, there are situations I have no idea how to navigate. For instance: in a car between people in the front seat and the back seat, when the other person is at a distance, if the other person is wet from rain, or getting into a car. To complicate matters, the locals try to be considerate of the fact that Americans don't typically greet with a kiss, and a 23-year-old habit of shaking hands is hard to break. So when I go to greet someone new, it's almost guaranteed to be awkward in some way or another. I have gotten my arm all twisted around, been kissed on the forehead, had to crane my neck really far to reach the other person, and once, I ended up in an awkward combination of the manly handshake/hug/pat-the-back ritual and a kiss. Lucky for me, nobody really seems to care.

Things I have learned:  

Dogs can be trained to sneeze on command.
The Portuguese word for "charge" as in "charge a phone" is dangerously close to a curse word. Oops.
Brazilians will, in fact, be honest with you once you get to know them.
Someone falling on their face is funny in both languages.
There is a place called the "Museo da Lingua Portuguesa." (Museum of the Portuguese Language) In case you were wondering, the answer is yes. I am most definitely going. Be jealous.

The Adventure Begins

I'm riding in the car with my friend's dad. He and Daniela came to pick me up from the airport, but she has gone to work, and I am headed to the apartment to get settled in and take a nap. It's drizzling outside the car, and I'm lost in thought. I am a little afraid to speak for fear of making a mistake. Sometimes it's just easier not to try to make conversation because the only outcome is confusion. But then he asks me, "What are you thinking?"

"I'm just trying to get accustomed to the differences," I respond. "Everything is different. The trees are different, the weather is different, the language is different, the buildings are different, the streets are different, the clothing is different, and even the smells are different." It's perfect. 

The first thing worth noting is trees: massively tall and flourishing with jungle green leaves; some have bright, pink and purple flowers, and they're everywhere. When streets get narrow and there isn't a lot of space for cars, there are still trees on the sidewalk. Everything seems to be green, right up to the cloudy, gray sky. It has been raining since I landed: a nice, steady drizzle.

Buildings are made of stucco and full of color. They're lime green or orange or sky blue. The sidewalks are paved with dark gray brick. The cars are tiny in comparison to our Texas edition trucks, and the lanes in the road don't matter as much here as they do in the states. People just sort of go wherever their car will fit. Every building has a gate in the front wall and kind of a built-in porch/carport behind it. The language is like Spanish, but with a hint of French and German. There aren't many people with blue eyes, but it's difficult to see a difference in skin-tone. There are european descendants and Afro-brazilian descendants, so the majorty of the genetic make-up is really similar to the states. It's a common misconception that Brazilians look hispanic. 

It's winter here in the southern hemisphere, but São Paulo isn't far enough south to really make a difference in temperature. When it rains, it gets a little chilly for Amarillo standards, but for the people here, it's like a blizzard just hit. They're always worried that I am cold! They also worry that I am hungry. Americans are not used to having to decline many times in a row. Here, it would be rude for them not to ask more than once (or two or three or four times) just to be sure I couldn't possibly want even just one more bite. In the states, if someone asks twice, we think they weren't listening when we answered the first time, and it's difficult to remember that this is not the case here. Last night, I looked to Daniela and said, "I don't know how to say, 'no.'" And we laughed.

People here are patient, which is wonderful for language learners. If I don't know how to say a word, I can describe it, and they will listen even if it takes five minutes just to discover that single word. They're also genuinely hospitable. If I need anything, they are quick to get it for me. "Mae" and "Pae" insist that I refer to them as such (that's Mom and Dad). Last night they gave me a guitar to play and you might have thought I was Katy Perry the way they went on about it.

The food is wonderful. Ham and cheese are expected at breakfast along with bread and various creamy toppings, which include Nutella, butter, and a form of cream cheese that has the consistency of yogurt. For lunch, rice and beans are the staple, but there is always meat at the meal. They will always add a variety of interesting things to the meal. Yesterday, it was a mild vinegar-based pico de gallo (they call it vinagrette) for the bread, and french fries. Dinner is similar to lunch. Coffee is served everywhere all day long, and it is strong. It is always served with an exorbitant amount of sugar. Snack cookies (made by Nestle) are readily available pretty much everywhere along with the coffee.

Toilets (because I have to include something funny) are not capable of flushing toilet paper. Everything else is fine - goes down just like you would expect. For the record, they flush counter-clockwise. But you are supposed to throw the paper away in the trash. I always mess that up at least once, so I took care of making that mistake yesterday. Oops!

Words I have confused:
confuso/confundo/confundida - confusing, confuse, and confused (but it's also possible that one of those is not actually a word)
teto/teta - roof/breast (it doesn't help that a group of local protesters call themselves "roof-less"...)
shocada/coshada - shocked/having one's legs intertwined with someone else's
engrasada/gracioso - funny/gracious (because of Spanish)
atirar/tirar - to throw/to take (in Spanish, tirar means to throw)
pegar - in Spanish, this means to hit, but in Portuguese it means to get or grab

Today is slow, so I had some time to write. Later on today, I plan to meet Daniela's friends, and after that, I can't promise I will have much time for many more of these. We've got plans to go to the movies, to visit the aquarium, to go dancing, shopping, and swimming at the beach!