Que Coisas, expectativas!

Este fim de semana eu aprendi uma coisa importante sobre a vida— a vida nunca vai virar como você acha. Este fim de semana foi o perfeito exemplo mostrando isso. Foi muito óbvio e tão clássico.

Na sexta-feira, teve uma banda se chama “The RU” (é uma banda local da UFSC) que “deveria ser muito bom”. O CCE esteve fazendo essa festa/show. Então estive muito empolgada pra presenciar a festa! Quando eu cheguei, eu só respirava maconha e também a música foi demais alta. Não gostei da festa muito...mas foi uma experiência interessante. A banda foi cantando uma mescla da música brasileira e americana. (também não têm um sotaque bom haha!)

Fui demais empolgada pra sábado porque meu amigo esteve fazendo uma festa na casa dele. Ele mora numa república com 5 outros brasileiros. (Ele é americano). Esta festa seria muito legal. Também eu fui informada que teria churrasco também! Que bom, né? Churrasco, amigos e um bom dia! Cat e eu encontramos e fomos perdidas indo lá. Por duas horas nós fomos procurando pra essa casa! Mas nós não desistimos porque no final, vamos ter churrasco! Vamos comer coração de frango! Vamos beber cervejinhas! Seria legal! Graças de deus que um brasileiro nos viu que nós estivemos perdidas e nos ajudou! Finalmente, depois de duas horas de procurando, estivemos com fome e sede...nós chegamos! O que aconteceu?

Onde está a comida? Vamos comer agora!

Que? Não temos comida. Só cerveja e outras bebidas! Mas temos uma banda ao vivo logo!

Realmente, não teve churrasco. Só cerveja e gummy (suco com vodka). Que vergonha. Nós não comemos quase nada por o dia inteiro, esperando para o churrasco! Então nós bebemos. muito. haha!

E domingo. Hoje. Tivemos planos pra fazer sand board numa praia...Acordei cedo, fui muito empolgada também. Talvez hoje os planos vão dar certo! Vamos sand board! Eu falei com meu pai brasileiro sobre isso e ele foi empolgado pra mim também. Que legal! Eu nunca fiz sand board e não sei quase nada sobre isso esporte. Mas fui disponível para aprender! A primeira coisa: a Angela organizou para um ônibus privada para nos leva. Legal! Também tem outros estudantes que vão conosco! O dia é melhor. E o dia estava ótimo. Melhor ainda!
Nós chegamos e não fizemos sand board. Aparentemente, o motorista esteve confuso e nos levou para outro local—outra praia! Em vez disso, fizemos uma trilha que foi muito legal.

A lição desse fim de semana...não ter expectativas pra fins de semanas porque eles sempre mudam!

Minha primeira peça brasileira

I went to my first Brazilian play tonight! It was a comedy called A Farsa do Advogado Pathelin and I surprisingly understood a lot of it! I didn't expect to understand the least bit of the play...and I came out understanding more than half of it!! (low expectations ROCK!) I went with my padrinho, Michel who is really cool and super knowledgeable! I'm really grateful to have him as a padrinho cos he's been so helpful.

The beer party last night wasn't as fun as I thought it would be. There were A LOT of people there! For the first hour or so, Brenna and I were looking for the rest of the group because we got separated ordering drinks. I had vodka and maracuja juice--which was okay but strong. They played all sorts of weird music--from Jeannie Ortega (yeah, who knew Brazilians liked Jeannie Ortega) to classic samba music...anyway, it was just supremely crowded. More guys than girls...so there were definitely a lot of stares at us. Apparently there was a guy following me...how creepy! So we somehow all met up and just chatted for a while. This Brazilian girl we met showed me an "alternative" bathroom--which was peeing by the side of a building...yeah, not for me. She was so drunk that she didn't even care! I wasn't that drunk...! I actually haven't been super drunk since probably at Midd...

I don't know what to think of the party scene here at UFSC...but it's definitely nothing like at Midd. I don't feel as safe being drunk here because the fact is that I could be in some serious trouble for being belligerent. and that's a risk I don't want to take.

So it's Friday night. I'm going to watch the Simpsons, have snacks and go to sleep. and I'm perfectly content with this.

cafezinho

My host parents are home!!! They're back from Rio! I just had cafezinho with them and it was so great to catch up with them. I never really liked coffee before I came to Brazil. I always associated coffee as a source of energy to stay awake during finals week. But ever since I've been in Brazil, I've really been enjoying the taste of coffee. (It could also be that coffee here is a lot better.) The aroma, the aftertaste--it's such a good drink! For me, it was definitely an acquired taste...just like beer.

Speaking of beer, there's a beer party tonight...R$15 (roughly USD$7) for all you can drink beer...I'm not that into it but everyone is going, so why not?

can't sleep

Since I had to wake up at 6AM to be at the Receita de Policia Federal at 7, I was tired by noon. I took a wonderful nap, woke up and had cereal for lunch. I'm going to miss my honey nut cheerios once it's gone!! I can't believe they don't have honey nut cheerios here! I guess I'll have to find a Brazilian cereal to be nuts about. so yeah--because I took a nap in the afternoon, I'm having a hard time falling asleep. I'm so restless. I could study some Portuguese--I could write--I could read the news--but I'm just not in the mood to. I'm also worried about S. I wish I could do something to help but I'm so far away and honestly, I don't know what else to do but to hope that everything will be okay in the end. everything will be okay in the end, right?

My family seems to be doing well. I never thought I'd actually enjoy Skyping with my mom, but it's actually a lot of fun. I think the technology amuses her as well. She brushes her hair and makes sure that she's wearing a nice shirt before she video chats with me and makes a fuss that she's on camera--it's so cute, I miss my mom!!

What else? I went on Orkut to find this girl who was in my class before I dropped it when I realized that Midd probably wouldn't give me credit for a social service course...and I had no idea how Orkut works. It's supposed to be the Brazilian version of facebook, but it's so confusing to navigate...and I also discovered that it keeps track of who's been to your profile. So when I sign in, I can see a list of people that have been on my profile! yea--imagine if facebook did that...it would be the end of facebook stalking! (or maybe not. but it'd be interesting to see who's been to your profile) Anyways, I found her on Orkut--and she's my first Brazilian friend on Orkut (yay!) It'd be great to make more Brazilian friends. Speaking of Brazilian friends, I talked with Felipe and Aline (who are my padrinho's Brazilian friends) for 4 hours straight on Saturday at this pizzeria. It was so amazing! I was seriously on a high from the conversation! I think at some point Portuguese was on automatic in my brain because I didn't realize I could talk in Portuguese for 4 hours straight!

Anyways, I think I'll try to get some sleep now...it's Tuesday.

knock you down

Brazil has really knocked me down. I've encountered so many difficulties here and therefore learned so many lessons in my short three weeks here.

1) Never.Ever.EVER send electronics to Brazil--or South America in general. They tax an arm and a leg. Seriously!
**But the care package from Randy, Lisa and my mom was really sweet! So it was worth the $800. It was the most I've ever spent on Madeline's, Ramen, chips, gum, mint etc. but it really made me happy. :)

2) Don't sit on a rock with a cell phone in the back pocket. The screen will crack. true story. It's the worst feeling in the world, especially if the phone isn't even a month old. But hey, at least you have a great photo.

3) Don't flush toilet paper (papel higiênico) it may get stuck in the toilet.

4) Somehow when bacteria gets on your eyelid, you develop a tresol which is like a little bump on your eyelid...it's so weird! I have no idea how this happened.

5) Pizza can be a dessert. And it's so good!

6) Brazilian men are aggressive. Cat can attest to this! haha! But when they want you, they have this sly move where they walk by you and grab your hand "innocently". It's hilarious when it fails.

7) 7 of the top 10 hits in Brazil are by American artists. This is not the best thing when you want to find new Brazilian music. But it's great when you are nostalgic for the U.S of A.

I can't think of any more, but I'll remember to add to this list when I do. It's just been so overwhelming.


I wish I could have blogged about how exciting it was to be in Brazil...how awful my accent is...how I'm like 1 in 30 Asians here etc. but that window has passed...I'm settling in and just enjoying Brazil for what it is. I came to Brazil with a contrived image of the country and I was having a hard time adjusting, especially with all the bumps on the road. But everything happens for a reason, right? During my time without my laptop (which was like for two weeks!) I just journaled a lot and reflected till I didn't even want to listen to myself any more. I'd like to say that I know myself a little better now.

Anyways, I've been in panic mode cos I have no idea what classes to take and I have to matriculate by Friday. I haven't done any homework. Apparently, I won't have classes Thursdays and Fridays (four day weekend?!!!) and I have an internship to figure out. I have no idea how to organize my life right now. Hopefully, things will just sort themselves out.