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