Hello!! WE are finally here! Today is day 4 in Brazil and we are loving it! I am completely overwhelmed with work. I have had 2 days at school, officially, and I still don't quite understand the student schedule. Students begin on Thursday and Shaysann, the Middle School principal was kind enough to highlight some "helpful" students in each of my classes in case I needed extra direction/remediation with the times and classes. A lot of adjusting is to be done!
Saturday we spent exploring Gavea, our neighborhood...found a coffee pot at Americanas Express (it's like a mini-mini-mini Walmart) up the street. 2 days of instant coffee and it was time to give in. It was surprisingly not too expensive. We are supposed to go to the "big store" in Barra sometime in the next week to purchase a few other essentials. Right now the big need is a trash can and hangers. We are making due without them though. I get to order the furniture for Sierra's bedroom. All it had in it when we arrived was her bed, so I will pick out an amoire for her clothes and a nightstand for beside the bed. I am bringing home a catalogue tomorrow so that she can have a voice in the selections. It is kind of a pain right now since her clothes are instead in the front bookshelf closet and her toys are still in her suitcase, but getting to pick the furniture out of the book is an added bonus that is worth the momentary inconvenience now.
Sunday we ventured to Leblon to the beach...not in our swim wear as it has been chilly and rainy since we arrived. Sierra learned the hard way what the current feels like in the ocean when she was trying to outrun the incoming tide and lost. She ended up soaked, sandy and salty head to toe. Scared her to death at first, but Mom and Joe's laughter helped alleviate the fear. It really was kind of comical.
It is winter here and although it is nothing compared to the winters in Minnesota, it is surprisingly cool. My feet have been feeling it the most as I only have sandals to wear at the moment.
My boxes arrived at school last week, before me, and we are anxiously awaiting our boxes at the apartment as they contain a few things we are looking forward to using--namely a Spatula! :-0
The internet connection at home is touch and go. I am trying to get the kinks worked out this week so that I can have regular access in the evenings and not feel quite so isolated. I have to admit not having a phone that rings is kind of nice. I really want the internet for news. I feel like a typhoon could hit us and we'd never know. Ah, that brings me to language....wow! I wish there was a translation CD I could install in my brain! Some of my knowledge of Portugese from 11 years ago is coming back as I hear it all around me, but not enough to effectively communicate. I feel so ignorant at times. Joe and I have been working with the lesson CDs we brought with us and formal lessons should start for me and Sierra through EARJ soon. I am very anxious for that.
Other than the above, we are transitioning well. This is definitely the largest learning experience of all our lives. Oh, I forgot to mention that at our opening staff meeting at school Monday the headmaster announced that this will be his last year with the school. Seems administrative turnover follows me where ever I go.
Pictures will come when internet connections at home are better. :-)