Brasil Brasil Brasil!

  It has been more than a week since my last post! Where to begin? I have done so much in the past week, that this post probably won’t do it justice. We do SO MUCH here every day that it seems like I have been here a month and a half, but it has only been about three weeks. Time flies when you’re having fun, (or have extremely long days like…wake up at 6:30 and go to bed at midnight).  

            But really, where to begin this post? Maybe the overarching thought in my mind, that this program is really hard physically, mentally (intellectually?) and emotionally. I literally go to bed every night completely exhausted and it doesn’t really matter if I was in the forest all day or at school for classes. Either way I can barely keep my eyes open past eleven, (or 23:00). Trying to understand Portuguese (and then even thinking about responding) is quite taxing, as is remembering which bus stop I need to get on and off at. Little tasks that I can do in my sleep at home are greatly amplified here. Also, I miss the ease of home and Gustavus and my family and friends. But amid all those little stresses, having fun here is also exhausting. We have been wandering around school and the mall and market nearby fairly often. So much walking and taking in of new sights and smells have been so fun, but has made me so excited for the comfort of my bed every night.

            What have I been doing lately? Well…I’ve been in Portuguese classes many/most of the days since my last post, which I wish I could say have been helping, but, I am still pretty terrible at Portuguese. With my French/Spanish background, I can get the conjugations and understand the sentence structures and such, but pronunciation and understanding people is next to impossible! Portuguese sounds like a mix of Spanish, German and Italian and people speak it VERY fast and leave off endings and abbreviate whatever they please and mush all their words together. For a beginner, that is not super helpful, but slowly I’m able to understand more and more. My family is much happier now that I’ve learned some and we can converse a little easier (though it is still pretty rough). I have my first prova (test) tomorrow, so we’ll see how much I’ve actually learned. When I’m not in class I’ve been hanging out at my house or meeting up with friends and exploring. One night last weekend, my friend Christa’s host brother Ygor took us out to a pretty casual bar to meet and talk with a couple of his friends. It was fun to sit and chat (in broken English) about Brazilian life and American life and perceptions and politics over some drinks (specifically Caipirinhas, the national drink of Brazil). Christa and I were dressed up and looking good..but mostly because Brazilian women wear heels EVERYWHERE and we didn’t want to stick out too badly. OH, we also went to the market called Ver-o-Peso for a “Portuguese Challenge” and were taught Capoeira (a dance/fight that descended from the African slaves that were brought to Brazil. They invented it so that it looked like they were just dancing, but really were training to revolt). We looked pretty ridiculous due to the fact that we were all dancing/fighting on a random public sidewalk next to the birth site of Belém, but I think everyone had fun.

            Last Wednesday, the 15^th, through the 17^th, we were in an area called São Francisco do Pará, about three hours from Belém. There, we were out in the field looking at primary forests and learning about the ramifications of slash and burn agriculture. The next day was spent back out into the forest, where we broke off into groups to do mini independent study projects. My group, which was soo fantastic and fun, was out looking at gaps in the forest, (where trees have fallen and let in light from the canopy. They drastically change the area below.). We were to come up with a question of sorts and try to figure out how to measure or answer our question. Team Gap, as we liked to call ourselves, ended up walking more than any other group, but had so much fun exploring and singing and laughing. We might not have so much fun when we actually have to write the paper but…we’ll see when that time comes. The third day we met with a group that is looking at alternatives to slash and burn, primarily the process of chop and mulch. It ends up being way better for regrowth and reduces emissions and a whole bunch of great stuff. We spent the day looking at different fields where chop and mulch had been implemented and talked to the farmers who had made the switch, which was super interesting. Then we drove home. Although we complained through much of it (our group is quite good at complaining about things: bugs, humidity, hunger, heat), it was a really good trip.

            This weekend I met up with some friends and bought some supplies that I realized I was lacking for our next trip (on Monday!). We also got Cairu. I have not talked about Cairu yet, but it is pretty much the only thing we can talk about. Cairu is this amazing ice cream shop that has a million flavors of ice cream. Our goal is to get through all the flavors (or at least try them, since some of the flavors include cheese and corn). Cairu brings us all such joy and I will actually miss it immensely when I go home. Today I went out with my host sister, Paula, and her boyfriend for breakfast (café-de-manhña) and then we went out and walked around the Praca de Republica, where there were little tents and shops set up all around it, selling random trinkets and food and souvenirs. The rest of the day was spent doing laundry, packing, studying and skyping, for tomorrow evening, we leave again! We are flying to Manaus, a city in Northeast Brazil, where we will (at some point) get on a boat and float down the river for ten days. We’ll also be staying with a rural, non-English speaking host family (frightening) and exploring the forest. We will be out of Belém for a total of nineteen days (so sorry, no post during that time), which will bring me into October! 

            I’ve been having such a good time with everyone here, even despite a few homesick spells. I’m WAY nervous about living with a new family for a couple days and being FORCED to use my Portuguese to live, but I’m sure I’ll survive this too. This post got a little long, but I thought a good update was in order. 

Also. I want to update pictures..but it is ACTUALLY taking forever. I will figure it out later.

Belém!

Last night we met our homestay families at a little function that SIT put on. We were all so so nervous driving to the location, all chattering about the butterflies in our stomachs. When we got there, many families were already there, while others, like myself, had to wait in even MORE anticipation. Finally part of my family came for me: Paula and Paulo, the daughter of my host parents and her husband. What I expected to be the usual awkward first meet and greet was even MORE awkward due to my terrible Portuguese skills and their lacking English ones. We got a couple phrases and facts about ourselves out before we decided to head on home. At first I didn’t understand who these people were. Yes, my host family, duh, but I didn’t understand their place in the family. I guess I assumed they were my parents, but knew they weren’t. It was a very strange feeling. When I got to their apartment, I met my actual host father, Paulo, and was shown around. It’s a very nice place. I have my own room with a very nice view of part of Belém and share a bathroom. I’ve never lived in an apartment, so it is a change. After staying up for HOURS trying to get some conversation going with our failing Portuguese/English, my host brother, Alexandre, came home who speaks almost perfect English (Thank God!). That was such a relief. Really. We chatted for a while and then talked a little about riding the bus (eek!) to school the next day. FINALLY I took a shower, (they take 2 or 3 a day here due to the heat and humidity) and got to bed where I slept like a rock.

This morning went on without a hitch. We found the bus, got off at the right stop and got to school on time. Really, by school I mean we got to the office of SIT where we have our Portuguese and Seminar classes. When we arrived she asked, with the help of my Portuguese professor Luanna, if I could get myself home. Tentatively, I said “Oh yeah..I’ll figure it out,” which then made me nervous the rest of the day. Brazilians eat their largest meal at lunch and most people generally go home to eat it with their families. Since I was scared to ride the bus and didn’t really want to go home to spend the day, possibly alone, at the apartment, a group of us adventured around the office and found a restaurant to eat at. After satiating ourselves with rice, noodles, chicken, fish, ham and beer, we went back to the office, hung out and did homework. A group went to the police station today to register with them, which ended up taking HOURS. I’ll have to do that tomorrow, ugh. I successfully managed to convince one of the guys who takes the same bus as me to leave at the same time so we could figure it out together. Buses in Belém aren’t very convenient. There are no bus schedules, no obvious bus stops and their streets are named few and far between. I thought I knew maybe where I had initially gotten on the bus, but I didn’t really. Luckily one of the women at the office printed a map off for me and labeled my apartment. Without that, OH MAN I would not be here to type this probably. The bus ride that took me 20 minutes to get to school took at least an hour to get back home. I may find a different route tomorrow. But alas, I arrived home to an empty house, took the time to put all my clothes away, take a shower and write up this post. I should for SURE practice my Portuguese tonight and look at our schedule. Alexandre (my host brother), told me we have wireless and told me the password, but I can’t quite figure it out. What a pain, but oh so fortunate that I even have internet.

            Even though today was FULL of nervousness, I am enjoying myself and look forward to more experiences in the next couple of months. Everyone in the group gets along so well and have been making this so awesome. We even all get sad when we are done with class and have to separate from one another for the evening. This weekend is “free time” with my family, but I am SOO nervous for that. While I know they have a “country house” they like to go to, the mother isn’t home so I’m not sure what they’ll end up doing. I’d really like to explore Belém with the group, but I know I should definitely try to do some activities with the family so we can build a good relationship. Oy veh. I’ll figure it out.

PS: For years I have complained when people have called me “Michelley” but here, that’s how it sounds when Brazilians say my name, haha. It is taking some getting used to, but all you out there that have always wanted to call me that obnoxious name…I might now respond to you. (Although, it doesn’t sound obnoxious when Brazilians say it..)

PPS: Courtney...my host dad sounds almost EXACTLY like Grandpa…if Grandpa knew Portuguese. It is a comforting sound, even though I don’t understand him. :] 

Internet!

I've been here a full week and finally my mac has been removed from my backpack. The first full week we stayed out in the country at a farm, just orientating ourselves to Portuguese and the way of life and adventuring. First off, the rainforest is AWESOME and in a week, I've only gotten like..six mosquito bites, how about that? [This has to be quick because we're running late for a meeting, whoops]. Second, its REALLY hot here. Like, incredibly warm and humid. I have probably never sweat so much. It is astonishing. Third, the people in my group are AMAZING. What awesome people. FOURTH, I got VERY sunburned..our proximity to the equator really takes a toll. Fifth, I'm meeting my host family tonight and I am very nervous due to my lack of Portuguese knowledge and sixth, I hate lists like this so I'll probably stop. Next time I get a chance I'll write a better post, but I'm having a great time, seeing amazing things and experiencing so much. I miss you all! Hope you're having fun with school and work and chores while I'm chilling in Brazil. :]