We traveled to a small tourist town called Lambari, famous for its natural mineral water springs and park of old trees.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Lambari
Sunday, October 31, 2010
3 Months!!
I've been in Brazil for exactly 93 days, on the last day of my 3rd complete month here- the 31st of October. I'm at the roca with my brother and grandparents with an old notebook in my hands and I decided it was time to try and start a journal again, and to take a minute to look back at everything I have done and all the things that I have gained so far from this exchange.
3 Months - the time the time when most exchange students are supposed to have finally settled down and adjusted into their new life, family, and language. But for me, it is allready more than halfway through my experience (if I do leave in January) and I am definetely not looking forward to leaving, but I think I was able to (aproveitar) my first few months because of my quick adapting and language abilities. Now the rest of my stay fits on one page in my planner - about 76 days, and I wanted to take some time to look back at what I've done so far.
Looking back at my first blog post about 4 days into my stay, I seemed to have already absorbed so much and been able to communicate without much difficulty in the new language, and I those first feelings of pure adventure and excitement to venture out into the unknown will never be erased from my memory. I love that feeling -I can never get enough of it. I seem to absorb new things so fast, I remember (well it's written here in this notebook which I brought with me on the first day of school) wondering what I was going to write my college essay on; I didn't feel that challeneged at first- haha I guess I just didn't know what to expect.
Since I arrived here, so many things about me have changed, I changed my appearance- I have learned how to take care of my new long hair and I don't think I will ever cut it short again anytime soon- my handwriting has drastically improved, due to the fact of writing in cursive, I have become more disciplined, learned how to respect differences and deal with misunderstandings to fit into a family, how to be more clean and organized, and much much more than I think I even realize. I have learned how to eat again, how much it means to have a good friend, how to take care of myself, and how to live in the moment and make the most of what life gives you. Doing a foreign exchange means putting a lot of yourself out there to be tested and greatly challenged, but I believe that it does a person good, that it does the world good, and I don't regret making the decision to come here one bit.
3 Months - the time the time when most exchange students are supposed to have finally settled down and adjusted into their new life, family, and language. But for me, it is allready more than halfway through my experience (if I do leave in January) and I am definetely not looking forward to leaving, but I think I was able to (aproveitar) my first few months because of my quick adapting and language abilities. Now the rest of my stay fits on one page in my planner - about 76 days, and I wanted to take some time to look back at what I've done so far.
Looking back at my first blog post about 4 days into my stay, I seemed to have already absorbed so much and been able to communicate without much difficulty in the new language, and I those first feelings of pure adventure and excitement to venture out into the unknown will never be erased from my memory. I love that feeling -I can never get enough of it. I seem to absorb new things so fast, I remember (well it's written here in this notebook which I brought with me on the first day of school) wondering what I was going to write my college essay on; I didn't feel that challeneged at first- haha I guess I just didn't know what to expect.
Since I arrived here, so many things about me have changed, I changed my appearance- I have learned how to take care of my new long hair and I don't think I will ever cut it short again anytime soon- my handwriting has drastically improved, due to the fact of writing in cursive, I have become more disciplined, learned how to respect differences and deal with misunderstandings to fit into a family, how to be more clean and organized, and much much more than I think I even realize. I have learned how to eat again, how much it means to have a good friend, how to take care of myself, and how to live in the moment and make the most of what life gives you. Doing a foreign exchange means putting a lot of yourself out there to be tested and greatly challenged, but I believe that it does a person good, that it does the world good, and I don't regret making the decision to come here one bit.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Ouro Preto
haha wow these are old
first night: bus to the orientation and Ouro Preto
The whole gang;D
caipirinha!!!!!
I kind of liked playing with the kids better;)
Amaazing restaurant in Ouro Preto that my adorable host family in OB took me to...
mmmmm flaming bananna dessert-
I looove doce de banana- a carmelized flavor, in a dish with vanilla ice cream, and flaming champagne poured over it;D
I am definetely going to learn how to make this one!
pedra de sabao- soap stone- artesian crafts famous to Ouro Preto
Another thing famous to Ouro Preto- beautiful
antique churches!
and another, partying college students!! haha jk there is also a good college for mining here
Tres CoraçOES (three hearts)
Time for......MORE PICTURES! ahah I think living here in Brazil has made me more expressive in my typing.. hehe more on that later;D
This is a Statue of world famous soccer player Pelé who was born here in neighboring city, Tres Coraçoes. There are always these strange statues along intersections on the road or even inside a city.
This is a Statue of world famous soccer player Pelé who was born here in neighboring city, Tres Coraçoes. There are always these strange statues along intersections on the road or even inside a city.
College Essays
Ok, well it´s about time that I got back to writing posts..haha lazy me=) it has just been so crazy here lately, wow changed families (long story), we went to Ouro Branco, Lambari, and I had to finish 3 shorter essays and 1 longer one and submit it about 2 days ago, for the college of my dreams (Stanford!), and I have had to spend my time with the computer working on those instead of writing posts here. I think I have just about written my heart out. haha but for me there is always something more to write about! I need to sit down and write more like a journal, except I have never been able to keep up a journal, I am horrible at journals. Or maybe just another month summary and some more juicy stuff. Let me brainstorm more in school tomorrow and I will come up with an idea. but for now, I will just post the essay about my exchange that I have been working on all this time, for your enjoyment: (what do you think- Stanford material?)
It had always been a dream of mine to study abroad during high school. My mother used to tell me stories about her exchange to Switzerland back when she was a senior in high school, and I would fantasize about the small, cozy towns, each with their own type of cheese, and the untold adventures she must have had in that far off land. I longed to do the same, to keep the tradition alive, and to venture out into the unknown and face a challenge like I had never known before; it was my calling.
As I stared out the window at the clouds over Texas, I felt the thoughts twirling through my mind like little wispy clouds. It was time. No more taking everything for granted, no more eating cereal and a banana every morning, no more living in a small town where I knew every street and person. I had set out to make something of myself, and to try to understand a little more about this vast world we live in.
We spent a night in Miami, and then we were off again, passports in hand, the five brave souls who had chosen Brazil as their destination. I could never quite put my finger on what it was that drew me towards Brazil opposed to the other countries in Europe and Asia that hundreds of students exchange to each year. Maybe it was my dream of seeing the Amazon rain forest, or maybe it was the music of Brazil´s beautiful language, or it could have been just the sheer idea of Brazil and the adventure that was waiting for me there. As I sat on the plane, surrounded by matching shirts and Disneyland souvenirs between two people who spoke a different language, and listened to the Portuguese greetings over the intercom, the change started to sink in. I braced myself for the big invisible wall of culture shock and stomach aches that I had been prepared for, and sunk into a deep sleep over the rain forest. Then I woke up and I was Brazilian.
I was there, with my new red pepper necklace and skinny jeans, hair blow-dried and wavy, conversing with the other families and eating rice and beans with pieces of barbecued sausage right off the grill. It was incredible. I was already completely immersed in the Brazilian culture. To my surprise, it seemed that my two years of Spanish and 6 months of Portuguese pod-casts had prepared me quite well; I was speaking Portuguese and fitting into the culture so well that no one could believe I had just arrived.
Not to say that I didn’t experience any culture shock at all; I was quite shocked when I first met my teacher at school and was met with a kiss on the cheek. Also when I found a lizard in the shower, when I witnessed the peculiar yet delicious way that Brazilians prepare hot dogs, and when I realized how much Brazilian students have to study to get into college. Opposed to my small difficulties, the real challenges that I saw were those of politics, poverty, and preserving the environment.
However as the days went on, I began to understand and appreciate all of the things I thought were strange before. I learned without a doubt that the best way to learn a language and deal with uncertainty is to talk, it is best to keep your wallet in your purse, it makes sense to be organized, and that you should never make assumptions according to stereotypes. The beauty of Brazil is more than just its common stereotype of beautiful women, big cities, and beaches. The beauty is in the simplicity, in the way that people live, the pure hospitality of a family welcoming you into their house for coffee, and the intense, colorful culture that still exists today and unites this immense developing country. The beauty was in the voices of the clapping, chanting circle of people around a pair lost in the twisting dance of capoeira. It was in the map of Brazil that you could make from just the different types of music famous to each region. It was in the faces of the people walking down the street and greeting each other every morning. It was everywhere.
There was more to the country, and there was more about culture, humanity, and just plain life skills I have learned here that I don’t think I could have learned any other way. I wish high school foreign exchanges weren’t such a thing of the past that nowadays practically only the rich can afford. There is a great deal more that can be learned from understanding the culture of a country and becoming part of its people than by simply visiting as a tourist. I think many people don´t realize that, especially in places like Brazil and Latin America. And for students my age, there is also a great deal of about one´s self and place in the world, knowledge I know I have gained so far, that can be obtained from an experience like this. Perhaps if more people had the chance to study abroad and understood more about different cultures, the world would be a more friendly and peaceful place. When I get back, I hope to spread the word about studying abroad, cultural acceptance, and the aspects of Brazil that shine beneath the stereotypes. Later on in life, I could see myself as a volunteer for a foreign exchange organization, or maybe even hosting an exchange student. Wherever I go, I will always have a piece of Brazil in my heart, and I will do whatever I can to give something back.
It had always been a dream of mine to study abroad during high school. My mother used to tell me stories about her exchange to Switzerland back when she was a senior in high school, and I would fantasize about the small, cozy towns, each with their own type of cheese, and the untold adventures she must have had in that far off land. I longed to do the same, to keep the tradition alive, and to venture out into the unknown and face a challenge like I had never known before; it was my calling.
As I stared out the window at the clouds over Texas, I felt the thoughts twirling through my mind like little wispy clouds. It was time. No more taking everything for granted, no more eating cereal and a banana every morning, no more living in a small town where I knew every street and person. I had set out to make something of myself, and to try to understand a little more about this vast world we live in.
We spent a night in Miami, and then we were off again, passports in hand, the five brave souls who had chosen Brazil as their destination. I could never quite put my finger on what it was that drew me towards Brazil opposed to the other countries in Europe and Asia that hundreds of students exchange to each year. Maybe it was my dream of seeing the Amazon rain forest, or maybe it was the music of Brazil´s beautiful language, or it could have been just the sheer idea of Brazil and the adventure that was waiting for me there. As I sat on the plane, surrounded by matching shirts and Disneyland souvenirs between two people who spoke a different language, and listened to the Portuguese greetings over the intercom, the change started to sink in. I braced myself for the big invisible wall of culture shock and stomach aches that I had been prepared for, and sunk into a deep sleep over the rain forest. Then I woke up and I was Brazilian.
I was there, with my new red pepper necklace and skinny jeans, hair blow-dried and wavy, conversing with the other families and eating rice and beans with pieces of barbecued sausage right off the grill. It was incredible. I was already completely immersed in the Brazilian culture. To my surprise, it seemed that my two years of Spanish and 6 months of Portuguese pod-casts had prepared me quite well; I was speaking Portuguese and fitting into the culture so well that no one could believe I had just arrived.
Not to say that I didn’t experience any culture shock at all; I was quite shocked when I first met my teacher at school and was met with a kiss on the cheek. Also when I found a lizard in the shower, when I witnessed the peculiar yet delicious way that Brazilians prepare hot dogs, and when I realized how much Brazilian students have to study to get into college. Opposed to my small difficulties, the real challenges that I saw were those of politics, poverty, and preserving the environment.
However as the days went on, I began to understand and appreciate all of the things I thought were strange before. I learned without a doubt that the best way to learn a language and deal with uncertainty is to talk, it is best to keep your wallet in your purse, it makes sense to be organized, and that you should never make assumptions according to stereotypes. The beauty of Brazil is more than just its common stereotype of beautiful women, big cities, and beaches. The beauty is in the simplicity, in the way that people live, the pure hospitality of a family welcoming you into their house for coffee, and the intense, colorful culture that still exists today and unites this immense developing country. The beauty was in the voices of the clapping, chanting circle of people around a pair lost in the twisting dance of capoeira. It was in the map of Brazil that you could make from just the different types of music famous to each region. It was in the faces of the people walking down the street and greeting each other every morning. It was everywhere.
There was more to the country, and there was more about culture, humanity, and just plain life skills I have learned here that I don’t think I could have learned any other way. I wish high school foreign exchanges weren’t such a thing of the past that nowadays practically only the rich can afford. There is a great deal more that can be learned from understanding the culture of a country and becoming part of its people than by simply visiting as a tourist. I think many people don´t realize that, especially in places like Brazil and Latin America. And for students my age, there is also a great deal of about one´s self and place in the world, knowledge I know I have gained so far, that can be obtained from an experience like this. Perhaps if more people had the chance to study abroad and understood more about different cultures, the world would be a more friendly and peaceful place. When I get back, I hope to spread the word about studying abroad, cultural acceptance, and the aspects of Brazil that shine beneath the stereotypes. Later on in life, I could see myself as a volunteer for a foreign exchange organization, or maybe even hosting an exchange student. Wherever I go, I will always have a piece of Brazil in my heart, and I will do whatever I can to give something back.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Friday, September 24, 2010
Picture day!!!!!
I couldn´t leave these out =)
We had a "picture day" where official school pictures were taken, and the whole gang ran around and where two people gathered, three did, and where four people gathered, ten did, and pretty much we caused a bit of a ruckus with the guys following behind each and every camera until we pushed them out for the girl's picture;) one of the most hilarious days of my life. Taking pictures is truly a party in Brazil, almost as much as a party as saying goodbye and proceeding to kiss each and every person in the room goodbye on the cheek!
UFO
oowweeeeoo alien spaceship!! another ET attraction here in Varginha- I found out later that it is actually a water tank
Monday, September 13, 2010
August
I wish I had time to sit down and write more posts, but I have just been sooo busy, not to mention that I am not usually home during the day. In a few weeks I may have fixed this problem though, because my aunt/friend/AFS volunteer persuaded me to buy her a netbook from the US (waay cheaper) and send it here for her while she would pay me back the money my parents payed for it and let me use it while I am here (avery good deal if you ask me).
Here is a short summary of the amazing things I did in my first MONTH (it´s already been a month?) here:
The first weekend we had barbecues at each other´s houses in the middle of the day for the biggest meal of the day- lunch-, rice, beans, barbecued sausage, chicken, beek, lamb sometimes, this yummy edible root that I forgot the name of, barbecued pineapple, salad, fruit salad, pão de queijo, and I discovered what it means to eat good food! I no longer have any fear of meat. I also discovered that if anyone asks you if you "want to drink coffee," it means "do you want to have a snack?" this confused me at first, as well as MANY many other things, but after a week or so of settling in to my schedule and class in school I felt comfortable. Everyone was impressed at my ability to speak portuguese so early in my stay here, they couldn´t beleive that I had just arrived.
Then came school, I had my first week of class, answered questions, learned swear words, and talked a lot (in portuguese) while making a bunch of new friends, and trying to figure out how to fit into my schedule. The next weekend I went to a "show" by famouse "axé" star, Ivete Sangalo that came here to Varginha. It was the most different and craziest show I have ever experienced. Luckily I had Fernanda there to guard me and I didn´t get into trouble. The next weekend we went to one of the very pretty "clubs" which are places with pools, soccer, basketbal, golf, etc. -where everyone goes to go swimming. More barbecues.
The next week in school, we had to take tests the whole week for half of the day. Ahhh made my head hurt, but I was able to take them and got scores scattered around the "middle" mark (and that´s saying something) and that weekend we went to my aunt´s small farm just outside of the city. I got to ride horses into the sunset.
There were many many other things that happened also, to my appearance, and my voice, and my thoughts, and playing soccer, and walking around the fascinating streets, and stress, and frustration, and things that go unnoticed, things other than the things I listed above that feel like the things a tourist would note, things I learned about myself. I was wrapped in culture and accepted into a family, kissed by my teacher and hugged by a crowd of boys, and exhausted by everything that was happening, while at the same time completely enchanted.
Now, it is already well into September, and untill about mid October, I have to focus my writing energy into writing my college application essays instead of blog posts. However, I will still post pictures untill then! Why all of the focus on essays you ask? one word. STANFORD
Here is a short summary of the amazing things I did in my first MONTH (it´s already been a month?) here:
The first weekend we had barbecues at each other´s houses in the middle of the day for the biggest meal of the day- lunch-, rice, beans, barbecued sausage, chicken, beek, lamb sometimes, this yummy edible root that I forgot the name of, barbecued pineapple, salad, fruit salad, pão de queijo, and I discovered what it means to eat good food! I no longer have any fear of meat. I also discovered that if anyone asks you if you "want to drink coffee," it means "do you want to have a snack?" this confused me at first, as well as MANY many other things, but after a week or so of settling in to my schedule and class in school I felt comfortable. Everyone was impressed at my ability to speak portuguese so early in my stay here, they couldn´t beleive that I had just arrived.
Then came school, I had my first week of class, answered questions, learned swear words, and talked a lot (in portuguese) while making a bunch of new friends, and trying to figure out how to fit into my schedule. The next weekend I went to a "show" by famouse "axé" star, Ivete Sangalo that came here to Varginha. It was the most different and craziest show I have ever experienced. Luckily I had Fernanda there to guard me and I didn´t get into trouble. The next weekend we went to one of the very pretty "clubs" which are places with pools, soccer, basketbal, golf, etc. -where everyone goes to go swimming. More barbecues.
The next week in school, we had to take tests the whole week for half of the day. Ahhh made my head hurt, but I was able to take them and got scores scattered around the "middle" mark (and that´s saying something) and that weekend we went to my aunt´s small farm just outside of the city. I got to ride horses into the sunset.
There were many many other things that happened also, to my appearance, and my voice, and my thoughts, and playing soccer, and walking around the fascinating streets, and stress, and frustration, and things that go unnoticed, things other than the things I listed above that feel like the things a tourist would note, things I learned about myself. I was wrapped in culture and accepted into a family, kissed by my teacher and hugged by a crowd of boys, and exhausted by everything that was happening, while at the same time completely enchanted.
Now, it is already well into September, and untill about mid October, I have to focus my writing energy into writing my college application essays instead of blog posts. However, I will still post pictures untill then! Why all of the focus on essays you ask? one word. STANFORD
Saturday, September 4, 2010
MUSIC
Music in brazil is so very interesting, and mixed- american music! it´s everywhere! lady gaga, rihanna, mariah carey, justin beiber- I don´t think I´ve heard the same Justin Beiber song so many times before in my life!
here is a hilarious interveiw of justin bieber that was on tv not too long ago-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSoWi3QxKIA
This is a series of videos from the BBC that I watched to learn a little more about the history of brazilian music before I came here- very informative
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XEJ29Q1YfA
This is a good example of the brazilian style of Choro- which I am learning to play on the cavaquinho! (the ukulele look-alike)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zap_txvFTGg
here is a hilarious interveiw of justin bieber that was on tv not too long ago-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSoWi3QxKIA
This is a series of videos from the BBC that I watched to learn a little more about the history of brazilian music before I came here- very informative
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XEJ29Q1YfA
This is a good example of the brazilian style of Choro- which I am learning to play on the cavaquinho! (the ukulele look-alike)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zap_txvFTGg
Sunday, August 29, 2010
The farm
This is what they have in my state Minas Gerais- instead of beaches, they have farms!
Banana Trees!
Oranges!
Maracujá!!
Puppies!
Riding through the coffee plants
having a barbecue...never complete without fresh oven baked pao de queijo!!! mmmmm miss th
suuper good fruit salad with a Brazilian touch, sweetened condensed milk
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The campo- country- white cows.
Then driving back on the bumpy road to the city listening to Michel Telo...
Riding through the coffee plants
<
Papaya!
The campo- country- white cows.
Then driving back on the bumpy road to the city listening to Michel Telo...
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