The Coffee Challenge

12.23.2010

The Coffee Challenge

For those who know me… coffee has become a huge part of my morning over the years.  It started while I was in Alaska and introduced to drive through coffee.  They were on every corner.  I started with the fru fru drinks and would always come back to my favorite.  My choice became a strong black drip cup.  Has to be fresh within 30 minutes of being made or I will go somewhere else or wait.  I love a good cup of coffee with rich flavor, Mmm Mmm Mmm.  Also as a girl always on a diet, I just couldn’t give up eating salty foods all day so I would make my adjustment in the morning to save calories and there is the fact that you can usually get a good cup of drip for under $2.00. 

When I got to Brasil, I thought the coffee has got to be the best.  Rodrigo’s mom has sent me coffee before and I loved it.  Well….it is still the same coffee but they make it differently.  It is a small, super-duper strong, tiny amount added to a huge cup of hot milk.  You would think just add water and put it in the microwave (another huge problem for me, another day).   You see the little bit of super-duper strong coffee was laced with large amounts of Sugar.  My first try was horrifying.  I have learned to enjoy it from time to time but I am getting back to who I am in this foreign country and I want my coffee!

Ok, so here is how it is done.  I heat up water on the stove and add 2 large scoops of coffee to boiling water, strain it and boom- A perfect cup of coffee.  I have been here like 40 days and today, finally I have figured out how to win my Coffee challenge.  Oh yea and a small coffee pot to brew coffee starts at $59.00.

Its Christmas Card Time!!

12.22.2010

Its Christmas Card Time!!

Here is our Christmas card.  Wishing your family a Super Duper Holiday Season!
Stay Warm.... We are! :)
http://sendables.jibjab.com/view/Z3upr2OFO2AHWVwH

I think I can hear it!

12.22.2010

I think I can hear it!

There are many stages to learning a language and culture.  If I learn at least 3 new things a day, then I have learned to be satisfied.  Like yesterday, I learned Fork (garfo), Knife (Faca), Spoon (Colher), and Napkin (Guarda Napo).  Ok, really I think I am good on the knife, fork, probably the spoon and maybe on the napkin.  However, now I am more helpful in a restaruant. Nope, they are all right now- Rodrigo just corrected me and I had mispelled napkin and spoon.  ;)  About 2 days ago, I actually knew enough words (Palavras) to hear the words in a conversation.  I was able to seperate the words for once.  Like English there is a lot of slang here, too.  Like "where are you" written  "Onde voce esta" spoken rapidly to friends "On Ce Ta". 

Did I mention that in one of the Conversational English classes that I went to the teacher dropped a huge book on my desk called PHRASAL VERBS, there are 2,888?  These are things that we say in English that make no sense to in other languages.  They are actually in a book.  Like "Get off", "Gloss over", "Shake Down" and "Soldier On". 
Ta Ta! 

Washing Clothes in the Rain!

12.21.2010

Washing Clothes in the Rain!

It rains a lot here in the summer.  I hear it dosn't rain much in the winter.  Everybody knows what you do with clothes after you was them, right?  You transfer them to the dryer, takes about 45 minutes depending on how good the machine works.  And we all know that a good dryer is a crap shoot even if you buy it new.  Here in Brasil we hang the clothes up.  The whole country hangs their clothes. 
When I see an actual dryer, I will let you know. 
There is another language you must speak here in brasil.  You must know weather.  I consistantly hang my clothes before the storm.  True that I have never really hung anything up to dry and when I did it would need to be washed again.  So, last night I had a pile of clothes sitting wet in my house praying that they would not stink in the morning.  I have just hung them to dry again today, but it is overcast and just a matter of time. 

We just have to live at the beach!

12.20.2010

We just have to live at the beach!

We have a dilema!  How long will we be here in Brasil?  Until we know for sure we have to decide where to live.  Because we NEED a HOUSE to call our own, some stability!  We looked at houses in S.J.C last week, all I could think was .......Holy Shit!  If we live here we have to get a house one that is stacked right next door to 2 others with a metal gate in the front.  Then we have to buy a refridgerator and a stove and get someone to sign our lease with us or pay $3,000.  The house was all white from ceiling to tile.... WHITE!!!  I cant even wear a white shirt with out getting it dirty the first 20 minutes.  How the hell am I going to clean the whole house everyday.  VaBina has white tile all over her house and she sweeps sometimes 3 times a day!  We checked out houses on the beach and we thought they were going to be more expensive, but we found out it is just as expensive here.  Why would I do that to myself.  Why would I pay just as much to live more enclosed, in a huge city when I am potentially on an extended vaccation.  We would only be 2 hours away, but what about Rodrigo's family.  The delima is, we dont think we can live like this in this big city and we feel a need to live in a safer and more spread out area.  A place where there is lots of grass and trees, a place where we can be more creative and spend time with our kids outside.  Here the time is spent at the park, we know the answer but we are just unsure of how his family will take the news.