Wow, it has been quite the week and I will try to remember all the things that I am wanting to share.
Last Sunday night there was a large storm and a few knocks were heard at the main door of the guest house...we all were a little freaked out to say the least. My roommate Sara and I were a bit nervous about what was going on. We did not want to open the door of our room so we called over to another student, Andy, who was staying in the room across the hall. Once he finally responded and we felt alright about leaving our room and found that there was a telephone ringing nonstop in a room that no one was staying in. Due to the storm, the electricity went out and for some reason the phone was triggered when it came back on. A couple of the other students went to the desk in the lobby of the main hotel to get help. Once the man came to open the door and unplug the phone, everything was fine and we were able to go to bed with only four hours to sleep before our first day of formal classes. Of course while we were sleeping the power went off again and so we all woke up late because our alarm never went off. Thankfully it was not too late and we were still able to grab a quick bite to eat for breakfast and start the trek up to our classroom.
After that drama, we started the 25 minute walk to class so we were a few minutes late but it was not too much of a problem. The formal classes in the classroom have been enjoyable. Our instructor is very good about keeping us involved and interested with various games and videos. Most afternoons we walk around town with our class to try to encourage the immersion aspect. A couple of days this week we toured a republica which is like a sorority and then another housing option through a very nice woman named Dona Cidinha. Although Dona Cidinha's housing is further away from campus and a little more expensive, it includes meals which actually makes it a less expensive option. Dona is a lovely woman who always thinks of others before herself. Currently her brother is in the hospital in critical condition from cancer...please pray for her, her brother and her entire family. She is having a very difficult time right now. We moved into our new house on Friday and it has been very nice so far. I do not have internet access in my house but in the main house where we eat I am able to get online.
Now back to the week. It has rained almost everyday here, when it starts to downpour most people find a building with some sort of covering to stop and wait under, but not us. The crazy Americans just run through the rushing waters and have all of the Brasilians stare! We found that many people hitchhike to campus and there are even designated hitchhiking signs near the bus stops on campus for people to get picked up. This is a very foreign concept to me because I cannot imagine hitchhiking in the US or even in Rio for that matter but I think that since it is a smaller town that it is more common. We have hitchhiked to class a few times from the guest house and the people have been very nice. For all of you who worry for my safety please do not...we travel in at least pairs and God will keep me safe, I have full faith.
On Friday night we went to a club where a Beatles cover band was playing. They were very good but it was probably at least three miles away from our new house with many steep hills along the way. Therefore, after 6 miles of walking, my knee was not very happy with me. That led to another fun adventure of trying to purchase an ice pack. I went to a couple drug stores to try to find one and after asking and having the worker laugh at me because of my inability to understand and communicate, I was able to purchase an ice pack. My knee is feeling much better after a couple days of not walking as much and icing.
On Saturday for the afternoon portion of our class we watched a movie called Se Eu Fossa Voce about a husband and wife who switch bodies (like Freaky Friday). The movie was in Portuguese and we had the Portuguese subtitles on as well so that we could read what they were saying to try to make the connections between their spoken words and what was written. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and laughed at the many entertaining parts. I understood most everything which was very surprising. I have come to find that I am understanding more and more and use the context of the conversations to figure things out but I struggle with the actual speaking aspect. I must continue to remind myself that I have been here for barely over a week and this is a time-consuming process.
Sorry for the novel my friends, now as a disappointed Packer fan I will say goodnight. Week two begins tomorrow!
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