Saturday, September 22, 2007

2 months today

Oh jeez, I really need to be more frequent about these entries.
What have I been up to lately...
I am still Just going to school on the week days, 7 to 12. I come home, usually sleep a little..
On Tuesday through Thursday I have classes at the public art school. I'm doing guitar of course and also singing.
The guitar is difficult, because I have to learn to play in the classical style, in a different position, and now I'm learning to read music, which is really difficult when you have no one to explain it to you. But I've started to understand how it works, now I just have to memorize every location of mi fa sol la si and do. agh.
I'm learning a samba piece now, it's fun to play, but the rhythm is really strange.
Singing is hard too, but I have already felt a difference in my range. Now I can get a bit louder. Its strange, because I didn't think there was so much to singing. But the breathing and control is really precise.
The art school is neat though. Sometimes I stay there after my class, and play guitar with whoever is around. I've met a bunch of cool people, so it's good that I am going there.

My family is getting better and better all the time. I like them a lot.
Right now, my host dad is in the other room playing guitar and singing, trying to teach my younger host brother to play and sing too. super cool.
We keep having these really sweet family moments, all sitting around the dinner table, laughing and having a good time. I am moving families in 2 months, or less, and I hate to think about it. I want to stay here for the whole year.
My host mom is a little cold, but she can be really sweet too, and I like her a lot. My host dad is extremely intelligent, and my host brother is hilarious. Ah, I don't want to leave here.
But I suppose that I will learn to adapt really well by moving families.
If there is one thing I will learn from this exchange, it will be to adapt. Adapt to a new culture, a new house, family, country, language, school, population, climate, food...everything.
I still think I'm so crazy for doing this.

Today is 2 months here in Brazil. Strange. Time feels so weird here. It feels like I have been in Brazil for a year, and away from home forever. It's like I'm suspended in time.
I think that finally, things here have become normal, so time is passing normally, but I have already gone through this crazy period of complete time confusion, so my reference to everything is a mess.

I was walking around my house yesterday, and realized that it has become my home. I don't hesitate to do anything anymore.
I'm accustomed to school now too, but that makes it all the more boring. Man, its boring. Honestly, I just sit there for 5 hours. Sometimes I joke around with the kids in my class, or talk to them, and I used to read a book, but I finished it, and now...ah. I just study Portuguese, or try to understand the class, but after about an hour of trying, and succeeding some of the time, I tire, and return to the boredom of solitude. But the language is getting better all the time...logically.
I can talk with people fluidly upon meeting them. Because those things are normal. Always the same questions. Where are you from? How is it different? Do you like Brazil...ext..

In the beginning I was saying after 2 months, I would speak mostly, and understand everything...well those were high hopes, but I'm doing fairly well.
I really had no idea what I was getting into. I thought the language would be a lot easier.
I think/really really hope that in one more month I will be understanding mostly everything, and speaking for the most part, because now that I am starting to speak, it is so much better. I'm getting friends, and bonding with my family, and I think I can get around alone in the city now just fine. So it's good. Things are going well.

I still need to take some photos of my city, and if you haven't already seen, I have a photo site set up with pictures of my house and life here so far. The link is http://picasaweb.google.com/sommerbrazil

I will try to write more frequently, and be more descriptive of my life here, daily activities...not just my emotions. :p

1 comment:

Maggie Macnab said...

Hi Sweetheart,
you are doing so fine and we are all so proud of you. A young warrior goddess personified, if I may so descriptive! I'm putting together a care package for you. All sorts of goodies you miss and stuff for your family too. I consider them my family now, sight unseen, because they are taking such good care of you, for which I am eternally grateful.

Love, love, love you!
Mom