I met my perfect sandwich.

And I feel like the way I eat here would make Vegan Amy very upset. I'm sure way WAY down deep inside, Vegan Amy is screaming. But, Vegan Amy has a sugar problem. She is a hypocrite. SO, anywho... cheese, goiabada, and Dorito's french onion dip on whole grain bread....it was SO good. Thank you current family here.
Speaking of, I'm in a temporary house this week, I moved out of my last place, and am currently with the family I lived with the week of my birthday. The familiarity is good. And they have food my last host mother would have her skin crawl over. I liked them though, as quiet as we were.

That is something that sucks. You don't realize how accustomed you are to living with people until they tell you "you move tomorrow." Sucks. It has been a day and I already miss having a little sister. I do not miss, however, not being able to use my own computer and having internet in the house. I think since my last family spoke so little, my Portuguese has suffered the past two months.I realize this now, as I try to speak and it's nearly impossible.

BAILEY IS IN FRANCE! I completely back any time people choose to spend overseas. Not really for vacations, that just gives you a tourist's view...but to live in another culture, it's something you will never forget. I can't wait to hear about that!

......

I recieved another package last week, from my parents. There were things for Valentine's day, Easter and just because. I got stackable bunny heads, that are crayons, and play doh to keep me busy in school. Both of which I used today.


I realize now that I have not said one word about the trip this past month, or anything else. Right now, I am frustrated and lazy again...so...more to come ;)

I will....

write an extremely long post tonight or tomorrow. As of right now, I am lazy. And it is beautiful outside :)

......

OKAY. I`ll settle on tomorrow. I'm lazy right now, and actually just moved into a new apartment. Until tomorrow...

;)

It's all good.

Last Friday my class had a party. I love these. Being in a small school is pretty cool, we all get along, no, we don't all like eachother, but we come together to have a good time. I think that's awesome.

I have little to say right now, other than it was a great night.

This week is a trip for all the exchange students in my district. I'm out of my city right now, in Pato Branco, which is a little over an hour away from Palmas. Tomorrow night we leave by bus for Curitiba. The trip goes to different places, and I head home Sunday afternoon. I'm missing out on school tomorrow, traveling here today made things easier. My host family was coming today anyway.

I'll write about the trip sometime next week, and upload bunches of pictures (from everything) when I get wireless to use my own computer.

I feel a little under the weather, but other than that it's all good. Everything. I just hate thinking about when I go back to New York...that feeling will disappear.

You leave everything for a "cultural experience"

And half way through you are over your head in love with a place you wish you could know forever.

Mixed feelings.

I am more than one half of my way through my exchange. I don't want to be. I am happier here than I can ever remember being. Seriously. I get frustrated sometimes, and sometimes I am bored to tears...But I am happy. I don't particularly love staying with families and what not....but it was great. Last night I talked to my previous host mother, and we were having an actual conversation. In portuguese. My language fades in and out, and sometimes I get pissed because I try to talk and people are like OH YOU SUCK oh, well, THEN LEARN ENGLISH. But I was speaking with her and another woman at the meeting last night, and I was surprised afterwards how well my words flowed together.

I don't want to leave here to go back home and be the same thing. Unhappy. I was never happy in New York. Waking up every morning was a struggle and getting out of bed to work and just go into the same routine of nothing. Now, I will go back to go to school, to a college I am not particularly interested, for a major I do not know what to do with, and a future I know nothing about. I have plans, but how much can that actually help?


I do not want to go back, not to New York, not to where I have lived my entire life. Same people, same place, same feelings.

Right now it is a mix of irritation and sad and anger and everything. I am enjoying the rest of my time here...but I have to think about going home all the time....college planning and what not.


I dislike New York.

I moved!

Again.

I like this family so far, but it is always strange to being so accustomed to one home, and then up and leave a week later, for somewhere different with a different family and different...everything. But I was nervous before...and now, not SO much.

First of, let me start off by saying this. NO INTERNET. Unlike the United States, internet here is not a given. Everyone does not have it. No internet in mynew apartment, just because. To use it, I come to the office anytime I want from 1-6 PM....only. It's horrible for me. I am not a "tech-junkie" by any means...but I need my internet. I can live without my cell phone, which I dont have here anyway. I don't watch TV, or did not before...and I have never had an ipod...I am an internet person. My little computer is now taking up space in my empty bags. Sad.

I also moved from a house to an apartment. So far, I have lived in three apartments, and one house here. I hate apartments...the benefit though, is that the weather is lovely and I can sleep with the window open a little bit, and bugs will not come in.

Also, I have a little sister. Seven years old, adorable, and a sweetheart. Kids are not, nor have they ever been my thing...but we played for a few hours last night, taught eachother words and watched Hannah Montana. YES.

It is also kind of on the COMPLETE opposit side of town than my school. Amy's getting her workout on woooo! I live one block from the gym...so I should probably start going back here.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I am OBSESSED with Brazilian music. No. Sertenajo. I LOVE it. It1s this kind of country, pop, love music. The sounds are always beautiful, and I only understand some words and some songs, I WISH I knew lyrics. I will probably buy an ipod when I return to New York just to fill it up with Brazilian music. Beautiful.

I am sitting in the office right now drinking Gatorade...which like everything else is COMPLETELY different. Yesterday I tried the lemon, and it's not BRIGHT yellow,but looks more like natural lemon juice...also, it tastes good. Now: Frutas Cítricas. It tastes like grapefruit and carrot. Interesting.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I'm LOVING telling this story now:

I was called into the office yesterday afternoon. Ten minutes before school ended...I recieved the typical "oohs" and "ahhs" when I walked from my seat to the door. One friend was smiling WAY too big though. SOMETHING was going on.
I walked into the office (a door one foot away from the door to my classroom) and the secretary there pointed to this bouquet on the desk. It was for me. It was awkwardly large and yes, there was a card attatched. If you know me, you know exactly who these glittering roses and flowers were from. I could not help but smile, as MAD as I was at him.

My entire class looked at me and giggled and laughed...they also knew EXACTLY the boy who sent those. Imagine walking nine blocks, in a school uniform, obviously walking home from it having just ended...backpack and all....with a giant bouquet. Yeah....I got stared at, even by people that know me.

And might I add, what a lovely story that was for me to tell my new family THE FIRST DAY I was there. They laughed at me and I laughed at myself. Now, they sit in the entrance, in a lovely crystal vase, beautiful as ever. "I'm sorry/I love you" flowers. Damn. My new little sister, she and I refer to the boy (that I left unnamed) locoloco. That is his name :D

I can say this right now, leaving him will be the hardest thing I can imagine...

Misinterpretations.

I hope I spelled that right.

I'm too stubborn though, to check my spelling on here, out of confidence in myself, same as I refuse to use a translator, and I definitely confuse people here that way.

Well, I thought I had been told that I was moving Quarta-feira, which is Wednesday....so, on Monday I started to pack. I guess I shocked them because everyone is like "ready to go?" Opa.

I was nervous about my next house, and still am a little...but I was nervous about this house as well... and it turned out pretty well.

Now I am moving Monday after lunch. Crazy. I've been living in this house for three months already. It flew by. The only thing I missed was using MY computer, and being able to go out at night.

The other night after work, Wagninho came over. He had a little coffee with us and talked. Then he and I headed outside and while I was talking, I realized he just nods and smiles too much. He doesn't understand ANY English...besides "BEAUTIFUL GIRL!" hahahaha, so...I started to teach. I think I got somewhere, but we really only read a little bit and I taught him the days of the week in English. It's a start, right?

I would be the teacher everyone dislikes because I give too much work, I'm sure.

Two nights ago, I went to work with my current hostmother. She works at a public school in my city, and I go to school in the morning, she works sometimes in the mornings and afternoons, but at night there as well. Night school is SO different, firstly, it starts at seven and ends around 11.
The difference between public schools and private (where I currently attend) is shocking. All in all though, I was kept busy doing office jobs that night and it was fun :)

I went bowling last night... I convinced the boys to go because I said I would pay. It's cheaper here than in New York, though the boys said it would be expensive. Nooope. Four of us played three games in one house for less than 30 reals. I had fun, I lost miserably the first game, but won the last with a whopping score of 82...PATHETIC. But the boys stopped trying...so...I won. They messed up my last shot though :(

It's been good. I booked a date to come home, I'm TRYING to book my Amazonia trip, but my mother is ignoring my e-mails. I wish I could list on here the things that just irritate me beyond belief. Incompetency would definitely be there.

Oh, and I'm a LITTLE jealous. So many people I know on exchange are being visited in their last month here by family and friends and what not. It would be pretty sick to show people more than just pictures, it's great...but no. One boy is even flying home with them. Well, THAT would irritate me. Another thing. I like people. But for short periods of time :D