Annaray- Outbound to Brazil
October 2, 2012
“If you're brave enough to say goodbye, life will reward you with a new
hello.” I recently came across this quote by Paulo Coelho online and when I
Googled the name, I couldn't help but smile when I learned that he's the all
time best-selling Portuguese language author, born in Rio de Janeiro.
Today marked 5 weeks here in Brazil. My time here is simultaneously flying
by and feeling like forever. It moves quickly because time flies when you're
having fun, and I am definitely doing that! But it also feels slow because
I've done so much, learned so much, and met so many people that it doesn't
seem possible to have done it all in just 5 weeks.
Let me just get this out of the way: I love it here. I love not knowing what
I'm doing tomorrow, I love my host family, I love being surprised, I love
learning something about Brazilian culture everyday, I love not being able
to fit the thoughts, feelings, and events of a day on less than two pages of
my journal every night, I love the feeling I get when I say something right
in Portuguese, I love my new friends, I love being close enough to walk to
any type of store, I love teaching people something unique about the United
States, I love the way everyone is so friendly and welcoming. I love Brazil.
I started school just 3 days after I got here but then I got sick and stayed
home until the next Monday. School is very different. I can't say it's my
favorite thing but I don't hate it. High school is 3 years in Brazil and I
study in the second year. I can't understand the teachers yet so I mostly
just read, write, draw, and study my Portuguese books at school. I pay
attention in English and Spanish class though. I can actually learn
something from those. Something different about school is that I stay in one
class with the same students all day and the teachers change rooms. I like
that I finish before 12:20!
A few weeks ago, I got to go to a language school and teach kids about the
United States! I showed them books, shared American candy, and taught them
some English slang. It was really fun and the students loved everything I
taught them.
Brazilians are so fun! That's the thing I noticed quickly and liked
immediately. They always make time to have fun with friends. At least once a
week, we've gone to a churrasco (barbecue) or had one at our house. Friends
are part of the family. Speaking of family, mine is wonderful. My host mom
and dad, Tamara and Marcos, are both really young, nice, welcoming, and
understanding. They don't speak English so communication is difficult
sometimes but we're patient with each other and it works out. My host
sister, Emily, is so cool and nice. We get along really well. I'm glad to
have a girl my age since I only have brothers! She speaks English very well
so she teaches me a lot of Portuguese and I teach her a lot of English!
They're such a beautiful family!
The kids in my class at school are really friendly too. On the first day, so
many people asked me so many strange questions! Everyone asked if I have a
boyfriend and still don't know why, but a lot of people asked me if I like
cowboys and rodeos. And everyone asks me if I like Brazilian boys haha.
Brazilians also like to (try to) teach me how to dance.
I thought food would be problematic for me because I'm a vegetarian and here
in Brazil, they eat a lot of beef. But it hasn't really been an issue. My
family eats rice, beans, and lots of vegetables in their meals so I have
plenty to eat! The meals are different. To me, it seems like everything is
one meal ahead. They eat foods that I would call lunch food, like grilled
cheese sandwiches for breakfast, dinner food like rice, beans, vegetables,
plenty of meat, and salad for lunch, and breakfast food like eggs and
smoothies for dinner! I love how everyone comes home for an hour or so in
the middle of the day for lunch. I think the only strange things I've eaten
were quail eggs and a little pastry called “cueca virada” which means
“inside-out underwear”!
The first Rotary orientation was the weekend after I got here. It was a lot
of fun meeting and getting to know the other inbounds and learning about the
amazing trips we can take later in the year! I think there are 30 exchange
students in my district and they're all pretty cool. I've been to two Rotary
meetings so far which are, of course, in Portuguese so I didn't understand
much but I got to meet the Rotarians and they're very welcoming. At the
second meeting, I had to stand up and introduce myself in Portuguese!
If you're interested in going on exchange, please just apply! I know at this
time last year when I first heard about it, I was immediately interested but
I still thought, "What about college? What about my family? What if it's
dangerous? What if they don't like me?" but I took the chance anyway and now
I live in BRAZIL. I know I'd regret it if I had let those worries hold me
back, so don't let yours! Where could you be in 365 days?!
Here's just a few interesting cultural differences:
There are speed bumps on highways.
Church is way more casual. We wear jeans and once there was a dog under the
pew!
School is also more casual. The uniform at my school is basically a
tracksuit and teachers wear jeans.
Hall's cough drops are candy!
They eat french fries with a fork.
There are no screens on windows and air conditioning is rare.
There are stray dogs everywhere and no one pays any attention to them.
Milk comes in a box and juice comes in a bag at school.
They hug and kiss on the cheek to greet.
They always wear shoes in the house.
Less diversity. Almost everyone in this part of Brazil is Caucasian.
VW Bugs are everywhere but almost all of them are 60s models.
They always eat with a fork and knife and push the food onto the fork with
the knife.
Before I left, I was asked many times by Rotarians what I want out of this
year and I don't think I really had the answer yet. Besides the obvious
things like making friends, having fun, and learning a new language, I've
decided what I want out of this year. I want as many moments of just pure
happiness as possible. Those perfect “I love my life!” moments. And so far,
Brazil is giving me those moments and I know there are many more to come.
Annaray- Outbound to Brazil
Three months in Brazil! Time has not slowed down for me yet, as much as I
beg it to. The last two months have been just as good as the amazing first
one since I wrote my last journal entry. I've had opportunities to travel
and have gotten so much closer to the other exchange students here.
On Oct. 19, I traveled to Iguaçu Falls with four other exchange students.
We stayed for three days and did so much! Plus I made an amazing new friend
from Australia who I miss already! On Friday we visited the Three Boarders
landmark where the Paraná River and Iguaçu River meet and divide Brazil,
Argentina, and Paraguay. On Saturday, we spent the whole day at the Falls
which were just breathtaking and something I wish everyone could see. We
even got to ride a speedboat into one of the waterfalls, then go whitewater
rafting and swim in the Iguaçu River! On Saturday night we had a delicious
meal at a nice restaurant while enjoying an amazing live show about Latin
American culture. I saw dances and heard music representing Mexico, Bolivia,
Argentina, Paraguay, and many different parts of Brazil. On Sunday we went
to Parque das Aves, or Bird Park. There were so many beautiful birds and
other animals. The craziest thing happened to me! A toucan bit my face!
After the bird park, we went to the Itaipu bi-national hydroelectric dam. It
was so big and impressive!
A few weeks ago, I went to Paraguay with my host family! Brazilians go
there to shop because it's much cheaper and a nice surprise for me was
American food! There were so many foods and candies there that I was missing
that aren't in Brazil!
Speaking Portuguese is still difficult but I understand so much more.
People have finally started to realize that they can actually speak
Portuguese with me and that I understand more than just “Hi, how are you?”
When I don't know how to say what I want, it's tempting to just say nothing,
but I try to remind myself to just try; making mistakes is how I'll learn.
About a month ago, I started reading Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
in Portuguese! Even though I only read it during class, I'm still only on
chapter five! It's a very strange feeling when I read a word, understand it,
but can't think of the equivalent in English! While my Portuguese has
improved, I think my English is suffering. One day I actually Googled the
word “been” because it looked and sounded wrong! There have also been times
that I've totally blanked on the simplest words, like “inconvenient” and
“specialty.” I'v e also realized that I'm getting very used to simplifying
my grammar. But I also get annoyed with myself when I speak English out of
habit. I keep catching myself blurting out “sorry”, “thanks”, or “yeah”
because those are the types of things we say without thinking.
It's funny, I always thought things like “ow!” were universal. It doesn't
seem like the type of thing we're taught. But here they say “ai!” when
they're hurt, “nossa!” instead of “wow!”, “ups” instead of “oops”, and “oi?”
instead of “huh?”
I'm still enjoying the food here. Last week I asked my friend how they
don't get bored of rice and beans everyday and he said, “Well, in the US you
eat bread with almost every meal. Do you get bored of it?” Haha I never
thought of that! I've also started to prefer coffee with just milk because
from what I've tasted, coffee is either without any sugar or with so much
that it's sicky sweet.
One of my favorite things is making and sharing American food with my
Brazilian family and friends! I was worried that I would be homesick on
Thanksgiving this year, so I decided to keep myself busy and host
Thanksgiving dinner here! I stayed home from school and cooked all day. I
made fruit salad, deviled eggs, apple pie, and sweet potatoes! Sweet
potatoes here are white, not orange, and marshmallows are rainbow colored,
not white, so I had very colorful, strange looking potatoes! I also invited
the other exchange students in my city. Before we ate, we all said what we
were thankful for in Portuguese. I'm thankful for my families (natural and
host), their love and support, for Rotary and the opportunity they gave me,
the friends I have to lean on in hard times, and for my health, safety, and
happiness!
I changed host families last week, a bit earlier than expected. I love my
new host family! Now I have a 12 year old host brother and another brother
on exchange in Florida. They were so helpful and excited about Thanksgiving
and have been so welcoming towards me and having my friends over. And while
I didn't mind sharing a room with my last host sister, it's nice that I have
my own bedroom and bathroom here. Moving host families is difficult. It's
almost like starting at the beginning of my exchange again because it brings
all the same emotions. The excitement of starting somewhere new, worrying if
they'll like me, the stress of packing, having to say goodbye to home again;
it's bittersweet. No one in this family speaks much English so it's more
difficult, but I'm already learning and speaking much more Portuguese.
I know when I was reading last year's students' journal entries, the most
interesting part was always the cultural differences! So here's some more:
- Leftovers are usually stored in the oven or the microwave, not the
fridge.
- They iron everything! Even towels and socks!
- There's less class participation. There's never class discussions
and the students don't even ask questions very often.
- Every house is fenced and has a gate. They think it's dangerous that
we don't have gates and my friend was shocked when I said we don't even
lock our front door at night.
- Maids are very common.
- When you're walking on the sidewalk, people don't move out of the
way for each other. It's normal to bump into other people all the time.
- Alcohol can be sold anywhere. I still do a double take when I see
beer in the food court and movie theater at the mall!
- A “mop” is usually a rag wrapped around a water squeegie thing. And
really, what more do you need? A $25 Swiffer now seems ridiculous to me.
- It's not rude for a caller to ask who's speaking before identifying
themselves.
- Teachers touch and hug students. This still kinda freaks me out.
I want to give a huge congratulations to the outbound class of 2013-2014!
I can't believe that was me one year ago! Right now, you're all going crazy
wondering what country you'll be placed in. I know the feeling! Rotary loves
to keep us waiting! You all should be proud of yourselves. Parabéns! You're
in for an amazing next two years!
I've learned so much here. Obviously about Brazil, but also about the
United States and about myself. I've learned that Americans take a lot for
granted, like education and the diversity of our country, and we spoil
ourselves on things we don't need. I've learned that a smile can sometimes
get you a lot further that words. I've learned what I can pull myself
through, what helps me stay sane, and that time won't stop for anyone. I've
learned that maybe my little brother isn't so bad after all; I miss that
kid! I've learned that distance doesn't have to mean so much. I've learned
what three months can do. I've learned to challenge myself. I've learned how
much I still have to learn and I can't wait to keep doing just that. Até
mais! Beijos!
Speedboat ride in Iguaçu Falls!
Swimming in the Iguaçu River
April 20, 2013
So much has happened since the last time I wrote. Tuesday marks eight
months in Brazil. These journals get harder and harder because it seems
impossible to put everything into a few paragraphs.
If the world had ended last year on December 21, I would have spent my last
night on Earth on an 11 hour drive to the beach with my host family, the
whole time in a torrential downpour that would have made Noah nervous. I
spent the next 20 days in a condo right on the beach in Barra Velha, Santa
Catarina with my host parents, brother, grandparents, aunt, and cousin. The
last time I wrote, I had just changed families, and while I liked them right
away, it was on the beach that we really stated to bond.
While we were there, we celebrated Christmas and New Year's! The main
difference of how Christmas is celebrated here is that they stay up until
midnight on Christmas Eve and give gifts at midnight. I missed having a
Christmas tree, but even if we did, it would have been artificial because
Christmas trees don't grow here. I loved sharing a special family tradition
with them, lighting a bayberry candle that I had brought from the US on the
night of Christmas Eve, just like my whole family does every year bringing
us together no matter where we are. On New Year's Eve, we wore white clothes
to bring peace for the new year. There were fireworks and after midnight, we
went down to the beach and jumped over seven waves and made a wish! My New
Year's Day wasn't the best since I ended up in the emergency room with a
virus. Fortunately, that's been no indication of how the rest of 2013 will
go.
At the end of January, I went to São Paulo, the largest city in Brazil
and the seventh largest in the world. I only stayed for two days but I'm
glad I got to see a bit of the city. School started back the first week of
February, then the next week was CARNAVAL! I went with a group of twelve
exchange students to Florianópolis, Santa Catarina and loved every second of
it. What's not to love about spending a week with cool people, going to a
different beach every morning and street parties every night? Oh yeah, maybe
the being-fried-like-bacon on the first day of the trip. That wasn't so
lovable. Note to self: Sunscreen!
I changed families last month. It was so hard to leave my last family and
I miss them so much. They were more than just hosts; I now have a Brazilian
mom, dad, and little brother. I have two brothers in my new family, ages
fifteen and nineteen. The older one, Mateus, went to Florida on exchange
last year and the younger, Tiago, will start his exchange to the US in
August. My host father is a dentist and my host mother works in a
courthouse. I spent Easter on a “rancho,” a house in a rural condominium
that many families have to go to on the weekends. Instead of chocolate
bunnies, here they give big chocolate eggs! In all the stores, the eggs are
hung on overhead racks, turning the aisles into dark tunnels of shiny,
colorful foil-wrapped eggs.
My Portuguese has taken leaps and bounds in the last five months, and I
can't believe I thought I was doing well back in November. Looking back, I
really hadn't learned anything until I changed families, proving that
families without English speakers are blessings in disguise. I finished the
Percy Jackson & the Olympians series in Portuguese and have started a new
series! Reading no longer feels like Portuguese practice; now it's just like
regular leisure reading. In January, I started dreaming in Portuguese. It's
only happened about three times and it's cool but not as thrilling as I
thought it would be. But maybe that's just me.
I changed schools last week and so far it's been a big improvement. I was
having a hard time at my last school so I'm glad to be in the new one where
I have more friends.
Cultural Differences:
Everyone writes in cursive and they learn it before print.
They put their hands at their sides instead of on their heart for the
national anthem.
There's no mindset like Americans have with the “American Dream.” They're
not encouraged to pursue dreams or passions, and half of everyone wants to
be a doctor or engineer just because those are the best jobs.
It's not at all uncommon for adults to have braces.
Hyphens are used in place of quotation marks for dialogue in books.
An attendant pumps the gas for you.
No one puts a Brazilian flag in front of their house.
Nutrition labels are more exact.
Ripped jeans are not a thing. If you're a future outboud to Brazil, leave
them at home.
The coins don't have names; they're just called by their amounts.
There's no tipping for anything.
Next week I'll have my trip to the Amazon! I'm crazy excited! And hopefully,
I'll also have a trip to Rio de Janeiro next month! But unfortunately, that
one's not set in stone yet. I'm really starting to feel like I'm in the home
stretch of my exchange because other exchange students in my city are going
home soon! Speaking of going home, my return date is set for July 20! Just
like everything else with exchange, this comes with mixed feelings. I'll see
my family! I'll see my friends! American food! My horses and my cats are
waiting for me! I'll get my driver's license! But on the other hand... When
will I see these amazing people again? My closest friends will be spread all
over the world in just a few short months. I'll go back to normal life. Will
it feel like this year never happened? I know one thing; even if I'm
thousands of miles away, there will be pieces of my heart with my friends in
Mexico, Finland, Germ any, Belgium, Australia, and of course there will
always be a part of me in Brazil.
Sandboarding in Florianópolis. Or maybe "Faceplanting in Florianópolis"
is more accurate.
SO many people on the streets enjoying Carnaval
The six Apucarana intercambistas!
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