PARTY

Today...I am tired.  I had some friends over last night and it was a great time.   One thing about Brazilians is that thier parties either start around 12pm or 10/11pm.  I stayed up until 4:30 in the morning and this was the first time I have seen past 4 in probably 5 years.  It was fun and tonight I am looking forward to getting some sleep. 

We did laugh

Today we are having some new friends over for a BBQ.  This morning we woke up, ate breakfast and headed out to the store.  Now we don’t just need meat for the BBQ, we need chairs and other things too.  We have been holding off on these really because I can’t find anything that I like under $500.  Used or new.  I would prefer a used wood table… so if you are in Brasil and know of one… let me know.  Anyway, we wanted to go see what Makro had in store for us.  So, we went in with the kids and took an hour and a half picking everything out from a table and chairs to large bottles of condiments.  We were having as much fun as one could have with 2 kids shopping.  So, when we get to the end and ready to check out, we find out we need a card (it’s like Sams club in the U.S.).   So we get one and get to the front and realize Rodrigo’s wallet was not in the car, but she lets me get the card and finally we go to checkout.  I was going crazy because all of the prices were ringing up wrong.  The $7.57 bottle of wine was now $11.35, the Beer went from $16,.86 to $21.68 and the forks went up $2.00.  If you know me well, you know I was losing my mind because I stated watching her after ¼ of the stuff was already scanned.  I was looking at Rodrigo and saying “I don’t even want to buy my shit here if this is the way they are”, but we had spent so much time there with the 2 kids.  Then when it gets all added up the total was climbing and I was saying “are we going to get the table?”  Rodrigo was stressed saying, “Forget about the table”.  Then we get all done and our card doesn’t work there, they only take debit cards and my pin number from the u.s. won’t work here and he left his card at home.  Rodrigo was looking at me so sad and I just started laughing.  I mean what can we do and also this wasn’t the first time this happened to me, I was just happy to get to go through it with my family this time.  We did laugh all the way to the next store. 

Jill In Brazil: Fundamental vs. Personal

Jill In Brazil: Fundamental vs. Personal: "And for my next topic of discussion again comes to me from a great conversation that I had in class with my students. One of my studen..."

Fundamental vs. Personal

And for my next topic of discussion again comes to me from a great conversation that I had in class with my students. 

One of my students asked me If I was liking Brasil.  I said that one day I have an amazing time and then the next day I learn something that drives me crazy.  The day to day stuff that I have been writing about lately.  For example, last Saturday I went to the most wonderful place with the best people and had a great time, then the very next Monday we get a package that the government wants us to pay $290 reais to pick up.   Then we get screwed by an employer and the following day we have to fix our car.  $$$

I said that the problem that I have here is a functional problem.  The personal side of my life couldn’t be better.  Here everyone is nice to me and always wanting to help or be around.  Personally I am fulfilled.  The functions of day to day life are difficult. 

So, then I proceeded to tell my students that more than likely it would be the other way around in America.  Functionally they would be satisfied with the way things work, how easy it is to get things accomplished.  It is amazing because in America, the more services that you offer the public in your business the more money you make and the more attractive you will be to your customers.  Customer service is KING, right?  Here they offer fewer services to the public under one roof.  For instance, the bank will not make a copy for you.  When you are in a predicament you will have to fill out a form, go to another shop to make a copy, go back turn that copy in and then go back to make another copy before it can be complete.  I am understanding that it is cheaper for them to not have these services because having another employee is extremely expensive, so small services are subcontracted.  Good cuz everyone makes money, but bad because it takes a long time to get anything accomplished here in an appropriate amt. of time. 

Now the other side of that is that if they go to America, it may harder on them Personally.  It would be harder to find someone to speak Portuguese to help them when they are on their own, both people are working in the average home (especially when the kids are in school) so, there is no one usually at home. In Brasil there is almost always someone at home in the house and this might affect ones psyche.  Matter of fact a lot of people usually live together in one house.  By this I mean that Americans usually leave their parents’ home around 18 years old. 

Americans are also used to having foreigners live and travel there and sometimes are not patient with them.  I am just saying that some Americans have little tolerance for foreigners and it is not just in one area the feelings are mixed everywhere.  There as many intolerant Americans as there are tolerant Americans.  This is really more of a Political matter.  For Example, Big Business has shipped almost 80% of our factory jobs overseas and daily whole cities are affected by these decisions.  There are other reasons as well but you get my point. 

Now, I am not saying that it would be this way if you are foreign traveling to America, but what I am saying is that it may be harder than it is for me living in Brasil.  I think you would have the Best time traveling there.  There is so much to see and do, it is just that you would have to be very independent and not take things too personally. 

Jill In Brazil: Napoleon

Jill In Brazil: Napoleon: "In class we were talking about fate. The question was why did Napoleon believe in Fate? The answer they gave was because he had ..."