my schedule for school looks a little like this:
Segunda-feira:
filosofia (philosophy)
química (chemistry)
sociologia (sociology)
história (history)
português (portuguese)
biologia (biology)
Terça-feira:
matemática (math)
química (chemistry)
educaçao física (gym)
física (physics)
física (physics)
química (chemistry)
Quarta-feira:
geografia (geography)
geografia (geography)
matemática (math)
matemática (math)
biologia (biology)
física (physics)
Quinta-feira:
história (history)
história (history)
matemática (math)
arte (art)
biologia (biology)
física (physics)
Sexta-feira:
português (portuguese)
português (portuguese)
química (chemistry)
inglês (english!)
highlights from the week:
getting sick on the city bus; having no idea what was being said at two rotary meetings; walking 5km with my father; getting a ring put on my finger from a cute boy; having a teacher eat chalk and jokingly yell at me; riding on a motorcycle (twice) and deciding im coming back a biker chick, tatoo sleeves, helmet hair and alllll; understood a total of 3 portuguese conversation out of 1000; found out that you cant escape american music esp lady gaga and beyonce; saw monkeys in their natural habitat at the country club (basically completed my life)!! constantly getting strange looks from children like, "look, she doesnt speak portuguese;" fell in love with brasilian accents; didn't understand my english class; taking mulitple naps in the afternoon; meeting many people with many kisses; having a wonderful first week in Ipatinga :D
tchau!
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
being the new kid
of course, part of being an exchange STUDENT, you have to go to school.
i kinda of down played this whole daily involvment.
like "oh yeah, i do have to go to school where its taught in portuguese, no biggie though"
but when i had to go, it was no biggie.
after being in brasil for just two short days, i had to go to my new school, Colégio São Francisco Xavier. The night before, all i could do was toss-and-turn in bed:
"what if they dont like me?"
"what if there's this huge language barrier?"
"what happens if i need to go to the bathroom and i cant say it?"
"what if i try to speak portuguese and they just laugh at me?"
etc..
my mother took me to school, to sign more papers and put me in a class. I would be a "second year" basically a jr in high school.
I am really nervous. Like reallly reallly nervous.
I have never been the "new kid" so i had no idea what to expect. They find a classroom for me, making sure someone there could speak English (thankyou!) out comes a girl with spider-long eye lashes, Luana, "Hi! How are you?! (kiss, kiss, kiss)" nerves are slowly fading..
Luana takes me into the classroom where the class is having chemistry, around 35 kids. everyone, i mean everyone, is yelling, screaming, talking, whistling, laughing, all trying to get my attention. i hear, "BOM DIA!" and i yell it back.
(gasp)
everyone is shocked that i could speak some portuguese. surprise! hah..thats like all i can say. ..teasing.
i sit next to Luana while the chemistry teacher finishes his lesson, or at least tries to. no one is paying attention. everyone is staring at me, getting their binoculars out, and definatly not being shy.
after class, everyone, i mean everyone in the class, comes up to me and introduces themselves.
"Hi Ariana" kiss kiss kiss
"My name is ..." kiss kiss kiss
"How are you?" kiss kiss kiss
i am literally pressed up against the wall because they are all so close.
the rest of the day is the same. kisses and hugs, introductions and names that i cant remember. sooooooooooooooooooooooooo many people.
i have no idea why i was so nervous. knowing the brasilian culture, i should have known that they would welcome me with warm smiles and embracing hugs.
more about the school: we stay with the same kids, in the same classroom all day. only the teacher moves between the classes. (i think that is a good thing here cause these kids are way to crazy to have more responsiblity)
I have to wear a uniform, unflattering ugly green and white uniform. eww
school day is 715 (way way too early) until 12:15
i have a bus ride of about half and hr where my bus driver is crazy, like everyone else hah
let's just say i am enjoyine being the new kid, the american :D
i kinda of down played this whole daily involvment.
like "oh yeah, i do have to go to school where its taught in portuguese, no biggie though"
but when i had to go, it was no biggie.
after being in brasil for just two short days, i had to go to my new school, Colégio São Francisco Xavier. The night before, all i could do was toss-and-turn in bed:
"what if they dont like me?"
"what if there's this huge language barrier?"
"what happens if i need to go to the bathroom and i cant say it?"
"what if i try to speak portuguese and they just laugh at me?"
etc..
my mother took me to school, to sign more papers and put me in a class. I would be a "second year" basically a jr in high school.
I am really nervous. Like reallly reallly nervous.
I have never been the "new kid" so i had no idea what to expect. They find a classroom for me, making sure someone there could speak English (thankyou!) out comes a girl with spider-long eye lashes, Luana, "Hi! How are you?! (kiss, kiss, kiss)" nerves are slowly fading..
Luana takes me into the classroom where the class is having chemistry, around 35 kids. everyone, i mean everyone, is yelling, screaming, talking, whistling, laughing, all trying to get my attention. i hear, "BOM DIA!" and i yell it back.
(gasp)
everyone is shocked that i could speak some portuguese. surprise! hah..thats like all i can say. ..teasing.
i sit next to Luana while the chemistry teacher finishes his lesson, or at least tries to. no one is paying attention. everyone is staring at me, getting their binoculars out, and definatly not being shy.
after class, everyone, i mean everyone in the class, comes up to me and introduces themselves.
"Hi Ariana" kiss kiss kiss
"My name is ..." kiss kiss kiss
"How are you?" kiss kiss kiss
i am literally pressed up against the wall because they are all so close.
the rest of the day is the same. kisses and hugs, introductions and names that i cant remember. sooooooooooooooooooooooooo many people.
i have no idea why i was so nervous. knowing the brasilian culture, i should have known that they would welcome me with warm smiles and embracing hugs.
more about the school: we stay with the same kids, in the same classroom all day. only the teacher moves between the classes. (i think that is a good thing here cause these kids are way to crazy to have more responsiblity)
I have to wear a uniform, unflattering ugly green and white uniform. eww
school day is 715 (way way too early) until 12:15
i have a bus ride of about half and hr where my bus driver is crazy, like everyone else hah
let's just say i am enjoyine being the new kid, the american :D
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
first weekend, first thoughts
when we are walking from the aeroporto to the carro, i first notice that its outside, we are standing outside without walking through doors. this is very common in brasil, everything is placed outside, like my school, because it is nice all year round. why not be outside?
we drive to my grandmother's house, (rogerio's mother) to spend the night there (ipatinga is four hours away from belo horizonte)
in one word, brasilains drive like crazy people! optional: stop (para) signs, hey if you don't need to stop, don't have to. speed limits, i know mph is different that kph, but i saw my father driving over 100, did not feel safe at the time. yeilding to pedistrans. if you walk in front of a car, you better walk fast.
anyway, at my grandmother's house (who does not speak english) she feeds us a huge lunch which is baked chicken, beans, rice, salada, and fruit. let's just say, my first brasilain meal was more than delicious.
after lunch, my mother tells me to go rest, considering i was running on maybe two hours of sleep from the plane ride. i saw my bed and i have never hit my pillow so hard. i woke up two hours later and i heard strange sounds from the kitchen and i instantly think "where the heck am i? what the heck am i doing here?" then i quickly realize that i am in brasil and those strange noises are my family speaking portuguese. instant headache.
my aunts, uncles and cousins come over and everybody is talking around me and all i hear are noises, sounds and a few words that i can make out, very few. then my cousin caroline turns to me and says, "ariana, would you like to go to a party with me tonight?"
first of all, i had no idea she could speak english and her words sounded so beauitful to my ears, exactly what i needed to hear. second of all, i am dead tired with a pounding headache.
what do i say?
"i would love to come with you, caroline :D"
i questioned what to wear. i would be around teenagers, beauitful beauitful brasilains and i have on a tee-shirt and jeans. sweet, ariana.
we eneter the party and i instantly notice, everyone is in fabulous fabulous clothing, stuff you wear to a freaking homecoming. wow, i look outta place. why don't we just write "foreginer" across my forehead in black ink. ooh wait, thats not needed.
but everyone comes up to me and kisses me, without asking my name. strange. the boys drink and the girls dance. lemme tell, they do not dance like us. very very sexy and with confidence.
me? i usually just drop it like it's hot.
me and caroline talk about what else?
boys and gossip and school. my portuguese and her english.
it was a wonderful time with her and i felt very much at home in her prescene.
the next morning, my father takes me around BH. we walk and we walk, everywhere. he tells me words in portuguese and i repeat like a child, slowly learning. i have a very strong connection with my father, a connection i didnt expect. él amo.
later, we drive the long distance to ipatinga and i see my new home. beauitful home. ipatinga is so different, it's so large that i haven't even seen half of it.
we drive to my grandmother's house, (rogerio's mother) to spend the night there (ipatinga is four hours away from belo horizonte)
in one word, brasilains drive like crazy people! optional: stop (para) signs, hey if you don't need to stop, don't have to. speed limits, i know mph is different that kph, but i saw my father driving over 100, did not feel safe at the time. yeilding to pedistrans. if you walk in front of a car, you better walk fast.
anyway, at my grandmother's house (who does not speak english) she feeds us a huge lunch which is baked chicken, beans, rice, salada, and fruit. let's just say, my first brasilain meal was more than delicious.
after lunch, my mother tells me to go rest, considering i was running on maybe two hours of sleep from the plane ride. i saw my bed and i have never hit my pillow so hard. i woke up two hours later and i heard strange sounds from the kitchen and i instantly think "where the heck am i? what the heck am i doing here?" then i quickly realize that i am in brasil and those strange noises are my family speaking portuguese. instant headache.
my aunts, uncles and cousins come over and everybody is talking around me and all i hear are noises, sounds and a few words that i can make out, very few. then my cousin caroline turns to me and says, "ariana, would you like to go to a party with me tonight?"
first of all, i had no idea she could speak english and her words sounded so beauitful to my ears, exactly what i needed to hear. second of all, i am dead tired with a pounding headache.
what do i say?
"i would love to come with you, caroline :D"
i questioned what to wear. i would be around teenagers, beauitful beauitful brasilains and i have on a tee-shirt and jeans. sweet, ariana.
we eneter the party and i instantly notice, everyone is in fabulous fabulous clothing, stuff you wear to a freaking homecoming. wow, i look outta place. why don't we just write "foreginer" across my forehead in black ink. ooh wait, thats not needed.
but everyone comes up to me and kisses me, without asking my name. strange. the boys drink and the girls dance. lemme tell, they do not dance like us. very very sexy and with confidence.
me? i usually just drop it like it's hot.
me and caroline talk about what else?
boys and gossip and school. my portuguese and her english.
it was a wonderful time with her and i felt very much at home in her prescene.
the next morning, my father takes me around BH. we walk and we walk, everywhere. he tells me words in portuguese and i repeat like a child, slowly learning. i have a very strong connection with my father, a connection i didnt expect. él amo.
later, we drive the long distance to ipatinga and i see my new home. beauitful home. ipatinga is so different, it's so large that i haven't even seen half of it.
Monday, August 23, 2010
começo novo
I`M HERE! I`M HERE! I`M HERE!
ahh so so much to tell, so i must start at the beginning.
Before i left, i felt strangely calm, so relaxed (very unusual for my nervous-self) i said goodbye to my family with just a few tears (i held back many) when i got on my first flight in pittsburgh to DC, i vividly remember rounding the corner to take off and i saw a huge empty stretch of land. i thought to myself, i am rounding a corner in my new life, that is completely blank; it´s up to me to do whatever i wish with that stretch of land, make it ``colorful``
at DC, as soon as i got off the plane, three other rotary exchanges, yell at me (they recoginze my blazer full of pins) and we eat dinner and talk a lot of our homes and future homes in brasil. over time, we found two other girls, making our small little family six. our plane was delayed two hours, so what do we do? explore DC aeroporto and laugh and giggle with one another. unfortunatley, we were not going to live by each other in brasil but exchanged business cards, very professional ;D
On my flight down to saó paulo, i sat next to a man who lived there and i had my first conversation with the ``famous brasilain welcome and friendly behavior.`` when he would laugh at my awful portuguese (because it is very awful) his face would get very small, such a kind face. he directed me and helped me in customs and imigiraton (which was very easy)
i will never forget how helpful he was to me.
because our flight was delayed in DC, i arrived two hours later in saó paulo, meaning i had little over an hour to get my bags, check in my bags, find my gate and get on my plane. all in a different country with a different language i know very little. i met another brasilian who was going on my flight and she helped me through EVERYTHING. she took me under her wing and help me communicate through the airport.
all the words that i studied before i left (which was not many) the ones i needed, i didnt know. like excuse me, because with all my bags, 4bags, i kept running over people´s toes and i felt awful so i would just mumble excuse me. haha
somehow, someway, i made my flight and i was on my way to BH where i would finally (FINALLY) met my famíla. they stood with a sign saying SEJA BEM VINDA ARIANA (welcome ariana) and took my picture. ahh, words cannot express how much i love them and how affection they are to me.
i will contiune with my first brasilain weekend later (with constants of festa festa festa ;D)
ahh so so much to tell, so i must start at the beginning.
Before i left, i felt strangely calm, so relaxed (very unusual for my nervous-self) i said goodbye to my family with just a few tears (i held back many) when i got on my first flight in pittsburgh to DC, i vividly remember rounding the corner to take off and i saw a huge empty stretch of land. i thought to myself, i am rounding a corner in my new life, that is completely blank; it´s up to me to do whatever i wish with that stretch of land, make it ``colorful``
at DC, as soon as i got off the plane, three other rotary exchanges, yell at me (they recoginze my blazer full of pins) and we eat dinner and talk a lot of our homes and future homes in brasil. over time, we found two other girls, making our small little family six. our plane was delayed two hours, so what do we do? explore DC aeroporto and laugh and giggle with one another. unfortunatley, we were not going to live by each other in brasil but exchanged business cards, very professional ;D
On my flight down to saó paulo, i sat next to a man who lived there and i had my first conversation with the ``famous brasilain welcome and friendly behavior.`` when he would laugh at my awful portuguese (because it is very awful) his face would get very small, such a kind face. he directed me and helped me in customs and imigiraton (which was very easy)
i will never forget how helpful he was to me.
because our flight was delayed in DC, i arrived two hours later in saó paulo, meaning i had little over an hour to get my bags, check in my bags, find my gate and get on my plane. all in a different country with a different language i know very little. i met another brasilian who was going on my flight and she helped me through EVERYTHING. she took me under her wing and help me communicate through the airport.
all the words that i studied before i left (which was not many) the ones i needed, i didnt know. like excuse me, because with all my bags, 4bags, i kept running over people´s toes and i felt awful so i would just mumble excuse me. haha
somehow, someway, i made my flight and i was on my way to BH where i would finally (FINALLY) met my famíla. they stood with a sign saying SEJA BEM VINDA ARIANA (welcome ariana) and took my picture. ahh, words cannot express how much i love them and how affection they are to me.
i will contiune with my first brasilain weekend later (with constants of festa festa festa ;D)
Thursday, August 19, 2010
ate mais tarde..
the day has finally come, the day that I have been trying to put together in my mind, the day i say goodbye for 10months, a day that i thought would never come..
once again, i am sitting on my bed, looking around at my room, at my small little world, a world that, beginning tomorrow, will grow very quickly. my room, to sum it up nicely, is a disaster. suitcases are laying open, things are thrown in and out, trying to make my luggage smaller and smaller, but it's not working. paperwork is getting into their correct places and my post-it notes are still growing, even though i have only one day to complete them. (sorry momma that my room is left like this)
now i have to say my farewells, not goodbye, as i like to see it.
more of a "see ya later."
To my Lord Jesus, Praise be to God.
To my parents, I know you have been stressing about this day as much as i have, or more. But your precious daughter is going into good hands. you have taught me everything i know and so now, you have to let me go into this world and let me grow into the person i am meant to be.
To my sisssssys, yall are nuts. absolutey, one hundred percent crazy. but you are both my best friends and it is gonna be so weird to have brothers!
To Taylor and Kristi, you two are my closest friends and i am not even going to begin to describe how much you two mean to me, because that would take long long time. but know this, you got something coming your way ;D
To my Rotary loves, keep in touch. if you're ever on facebook, be prepared to get an aim chat from me because we are the only ones to truly know what this crazy expereince feels like.
To my family, you are indescribable. i think we have the most unique family EVER and you can't imagine how much i treasure my time with each and every single one of you. love &miss you!
To my church family, you are all so WONDERFUL! i couldn't ask for a better "family" than you all. so so supportive
To Wilmington Seniors, be the best.
To Jenna Eppinger, you are probably checking out this post as soon as it is published so to my biggest follower: I LOVE YOU! ahah and i felt like you would feel honored to have your name mentioned ;D
thank-you all for being so supportive in this beginning process, i truly appreciate it.
next post will be from ipatinga :D
once again, i am sitting on my bed, looking around at my room, at my small little world, a world that, beginning tomorrow, will grow very quickly. my room, to sum it up nicely, is a disaster. suitcases are laying open, things are thrown in and out, trying to make my luggage smaller and smaller, but it's not working. paperwork is getting into their correct places and my post-it notes are still growing, even though i have only one day to complete them. (sorry momma that my room is left like this)
now i have to say my farewells, not goodbye, as i like to see it.
more of a "see ya later."
To my Lord Jesus, Praise be to God.
To my parents, I know you have been stressing about this day as much as i have, or more. But your precious daughter is going into good hands. you have taught me everything i know and so now, you have to let me go into this world and let me grow into the person i am meant to be.
To my sisssssys, yall are nuts. absolutey, one hundred percent crazy. but you are both my best friends and it is gonna be so weird to have brothers!
To Taylor and Kristi, you two are my closest friends and i am not even going to begin to describe how much you two mean to me, because that would take long long time. but know this, you got something coming your way ;D
To my Rotary loves, keep in touch. if you're ever on facebook, be prepared to get an aim chat from me because we are the only ones to truly know what this crazy expereince feels like.
To my family, you are indescribable. i think we have the most unique family EVER and you can't imagine how much i treasure my time with each and every single one of you. love &miss you!
To my church family, you are all so WONDERFUL! i couldn't ask for a better "family" than you all. so so supportive
To Wilmington Seniors, be the best.
To Jenna Eppinger, you are probably checking out this post as soon as it is published so to my biggest follower: I LOVE YOU! ahah and i felt like you would feel honored to have your name mentioned ;D
thank-you all for being so supportive in this beginning process, i truly appreciate it.
next post will be from ipatinga :D
Friday, August 13, 2010
finalmente
at exactly 11:43a.m this morning, I had my visa :D
and at exactly 12:17p.m this morning, I had my traveling date :D :D
wowowowowow, i cannot believe this!
my date: Friday, August 20
at Pittsburgh, I leave at 5pm, travel to DC where I have a red-eye to Sao Paulo, then from Sao Paulo I travel to my final destination at Belo Hortizonte at 1pm on Saturday where my wonderful host family will be waiting for me with "open and loving arms."
man, i thought for sure with all the Visa complications, Brasil would never let me in their country. With delayed paperwork, to lost fingerprints, now they just need to lose my luggage to top it all off. (don't worry, I just knocked on wood, just in case)
my emotions are all out of wack. I have everything from happy to relieved, excited, anxious, ridiculously content. Everything besides nervous.. I don't understand how I'm missing that one.
so now, when i get asked that imfamous question, "so ari, when are you leaving?" i can finally (FINALLY) give them an answer. "I'm leaving next Friday" :D
and at exactly 12:17p.m this morning, I had my traveling date :D :D
wowowowowow, i cannot believe this!
my date: Friday, August 20
at Pittsburgh, I leave at 5pm, travel to DC where I have a red-eye to Sao Paulo, then from Sao Paulo I travel to my final destination at Belo Hortizonte at 1pm on Saturday where my wonderful host family will be waiting for me with "open and loving arms."
man, i thought for sure with all the Visa complications, Brasil would never let me in their country. With delayed paperwork, to lost fingerprints, now they just need to lose my luggage to top it all off. (don't worry, I just knocked on wood, just in case)
my emotions are all out of wack. I have everything from happy to relieved, excited, anxious, ridiculously content. Everything besides nervous.. I don't understand how I'm missing that one.
so now, when i get asked that imfamous question, "so ari, when are you leaving?" i can finally (FINALLY) give them an answer. "I'm leaving next Friday" :D
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