10's a Good Crowd

I am so secited to host some of my favorite people in the world at my home.  We are going to have a packed house for sure... Tia Eva, Tia Bia, Tony, 3- 2 year olds, a 5 year old and a 10 year old. Rodrigo and I.  All together there will be 10.  Excitingly enough this will be my first time hosting Brazilian Style.  In this case Brazilian Style is lots of family sleeping everywhere and eating really really really good.  Mmmm Mmmm.

Great night last night.  We watched the game and then went to a party.  Had a great time.  Today we went to pick up the kids and had a BBQ with Rodrigo's family.  We had a nice day with the kids and family. 

Dont stop the Conversation

If I haven’t lived in Brasil, I would not be as connected to the world as I am now.  We are all connected and if you can’t see that from where you live, if you can’t feel that in your heart, please travel or trust in me.  The great lie is that we are independent countries dependent on no one, removed from the world, but this is not true.  The people of the world are connected.  There are worldly repercussions for disease, disaster, miracles and devastation that run through tiny veins and affect us all. 

Don’t let your news source dictate your thoughts about the world, see it for yourself.   It is not always good, in fact sometimes it can lead down roads that your soul is not prepared to go; but without this uncomfortable moment we do not grow.  We are family and you should care or at the very least…You Should Know!  Be prepared to help others, teach them and learn from everyone as you go.  Stop making statements that create facts from your opinions.  Stop the thoughts that separate you from other people.

Festa Julina

Ok, so it is the same party in June as July however the name is Festa Junina in June and Festa Julino in July.  This one last 2 months and is a winter party.  Dressed as county hicks you eat popcorn, drink hot wine, and enjoy the winter with warm cozy thoughts and friends.  I will get more information on Saturday at the party as I ask around and observe.  If anyone would like to add coments about Festa Junina/Julina, please help me out. 

Its a Family Thing

Next week on Friday, there is another vacation from school… Festa Junina (I think)?  You know I have already been to 4 festa Junina Party’s and now it is July and I am going to 2 more plus a vacation… hummmm.  I wonder if it is still being called festa Junina.   We will have a party at our friend’s house Saturday, then a school party on Friday which kicks off the 10 day Vacation. 

On the 4^th of July, I was excited to tell my students about what we do and the importance of it.  By the 3^rd class it began to lose its excitement… why?  Because Brazilians have the Best BBQ’s and Hamburgers and Hotdogs do not compare and then I was telling them how our family gets together like Christmas time I realized that Brazilians are always together with their family and friends, and the biggest problem with my story was that Brazilians have a vacation once  a month.  My story was Boring. 

Brazilians are always on Vacation.  Now, when they work they work but when it is vacation time… they are on vacation whether it be traveling or sitting at home.  For this very reason the rest of my life I want to be Brazilian…I recap; they have the best BBQ in the world and they are always on Vacation.   Now on the other hand; the family thing… well American Style might be better.

I love my family as much as the next person.  I chat with them daily and always look to them for advice but I don’t know if I could be surrounded by family 24 hours a day.  I understand little about the family dynamics in Brasil and I am not even sure of what they talk about.  You see, I do not hear much more then how people are doing and little bits of major things going on.  I could only imagine that they must talk a lot, have many opinions and be very involved in each other’s lives as we would be in America.   

On the other hand, I know family is important when raising a child.  A child must know that when they do something wrong they are disappointing everyone (uncles, aunts, cousins).  I think this keeps a child on track, it worked for me.  However as an adult… life is hard enough without knowing what everyone in the family is thinking about the choices you have made.  I’m Just saying... Am I Wrong?