Actually, the second half of last week cooled down to VERY comfortable temperatures and stormed for a full day which was much needed! Still, though... Its been wonderful even when cloudy, I barely remember the snow ;).
I have been meaning to post, and I have been storing things in my head for this very time. I have attempted to write down some thoughts so I dont forget them, but I have been so exhausted by the end of each day that I didnt even have energy for that! I remember this exhaustion well, in Costa Rica it was often that I would find myself not so gracefully flopping into my bed at the end of each day. This is all due to learning a new language while being surrounded by it along with learning a new culture. You are so much more observant and self conscious, even worse than when you were in High school but that may just be me. But you are watching hand gestures, expressions, tones, body language- which you detect in conversations in your own language in culture without realizing but you also know the words theyre saying. When youre learning a new language its completely amplified because those things help you decipher what that person is saying and help draw conclusions to words and meanings. This is something that exhausts you mentally and physically in ways that have surprised me. At least in Costa Rica I had a background to the language having taken Spanish in school and such things. Here I can recognize words but most things seem to blend into each other because of vowel placement. Since this past week I can now pick more words out but itll be difficult for me until I can get a good foundation.
I have found the people here to be very genuine and very warm. I instantly felt at home with the Dos Santos family, they are loud, hilarious and big story tellers. I have enjoyed every time we have gotten together with them. In June there is a marathon relay and there are 4 of us that are going to do it, 8 kilometers per person which comes to about 6.5 miles each? Cake. Maybe I should start running more often?
Since last week was Carnival, a holiday for all of Brazil, yesterday and today were holidays because it marks the end of Carnival. So most businesses were closed and the church, Primeira Igreja Presbiteriana had a picnic that combined the church in Itajai and Picarass and I believe other churches from the surrounding cities. We had a short message delivered by John and then lots of singing. And of course Brazilian barbecue which was sooo delicious and a very typical meal. There is always lots of meat choices, beef, chicken and sausage. And potato salad, which isnt your normal American potato salad but still very good and tasty! There was also a manioc root which is served either fried or plain and is almost a staple in most Brazilian households. Its almost powdery in texture but will stick and tastes very good.
I also had it in a solid form at a fair we visited which reminded me of polenta in shape and texture. The picture above is what the root looks like, and the most typical form it takes in Brazilian cuisines. With the solid form I had it with sea food, clams and fish and whatever else they had put in it with a tomatoey sauce. That dish I guess was something the fisherman used to eat quite often as a meal on a typical day, it was very delicious and I even finished Bethanys for her since she turned a little green at the sight of it ;). The history behind this root alone is incredibly interesting being a drought resistant root that feeds millions of South American families and is most common along side rice and maize (corn). One of my big interested in culture (and every day life) is the food. I love trying new things and I will eat anything (almost) at least once. Especially something with such great and extensive history among the continent! So dont be surprised if I gush more about the new things I have tried here.
Its been a long day of Portuguese with many more to come, better rest before that happens.
Bom Noite!
Heather
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