7/29/13 Minha Família Brasileira

7/29/13 22:19 (Listening to Grizzly Bear’s Shields)

Alec Roth

I am sitting upright in bed, with Mustarda sleeping by my side. I swear this cat is coming with me to Bahia and to America. Brasil is wonderful and the people are equally great.

Ever since I’ve arrived I have been sleeping late! It is not good to get use to. I will try to wake up early tomorrow. Boa sorte Alec… So today I woke up with a struggle at 11:30, had a cappuccino and some breakfast. I laid outside for maybe an hour, hour and a half on the outside terrace. I got some sun and reading time in. Then it was time for another enormous lunch: chicken and legume kabobs, this shaved lettuce, salad, cauliflower backed in cream and cheese, rice with black beans, and pineapple juice. Afterwards, I went to Gustavo’s law office where they are renovating it. I was there for a while Skyping friends and family which was nice. Then I returned to the house around 19:00, read and ate a wonderful chicken and legumes soup with none other than Sriracha sauce. Then I sat down to write this amongst other things. 

Last night I ate at the fanciest pizza restaurant I have ever been to. Pizza in Brasil is only enjoyed for dinner and you must use a fork and knife. Classy. I had a wonderful time, we met up with Gustavo’s parents, Pedro and Eunice and Lilia’s (my Portuguese professor) daughter, Julia and her friend Caterina. The pizza and the caiperinhas were excellent and so was the conversation. Although I received some help with translation from Julia we were able to keep the conversation flowing and in Portuguese. Speaking and learning another language is one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life. To be able to talk to another people and to live their culture through their language is priceless. Although my internships have not yet begun I am learning a lot about Brasil and life itself. Anyway, at dinner we discussed education in Brasil and America and talked a little bit about class struggles. Its not easy to have these types of discussions in a new language, but that is not going to stop me from trying. It must have been a funny site watching me get passionate while I grasp for the correct words in Portuguese. But that is neither here nor there… Currently I am making a list, comparing aspects of America to Brasil. At the end of my trip I shall post it, or at least discuss it. Boa Noite Pessoas.

Gustavo and I. Over looking the Mountains that surround Sāo Jose dos Campos. On the other side is the state of Minas Gerias. The basin directly below us is preserved land, once forest but was slashed and now cannot grow anything but tall grasses.