I am really starting to feel the difference between Brazil and the United States now thanks to the differences in the seasons. Instead of being 20 degrees Fahrenheit and snowing as it is in Bremerton, it’s about 90 degrees and sunny here! Right now, I am experiencing the “Brazilian summer” and I have to tell you, I am really missing Washington state (ha ha)! Since it’s summer here, I am out of school for summer break until February. This has to be every kid’s dream, two summer vacations in one year. I am off right now, December to February (Brazilian summer), and when I get back home next summer, I’m off June to September (American summer) — what a deal! Yeah, I know you’re all jealous.
Now that I have all this free time, I have been going to local churrascos (Brazilian barbecues) and just hanging out with friends almost every day. The difference between a churrasco and a barbecue is the time of day it takes place. An American barbecue usually takes place during the day, while churrascos last all night, until 6 a.m. sometimes! They are always filled with dancing, singing and good food.
Because it’s the holiday season, all the stores that would normally be open until 6 p.m. are now open until 10 and the city is covered with decorations! They even have a house here for Papai Noel (Santa Claus) that is covered in “snow.” Natal (Christmas) is a major event here just like in the United States. On Wednesday, I have plans to go out with friends and take pictures of all the decorations, which I will be sending home later this week.
Another thing that is different since my last column is that I live with a new host family now.
My “mãe” (mother) is a Rotarian and also happens to be the YEP (Youth Exchange Program) Officer. My family owns a pool, which is used for swimming classes and hydrotherapy; and my mãe is the instructor. My “pai” (father) works at the family owned computer art company. I have a sister, Mariane, who also is 16, and just about as crazy as I am, so we get along perfectly.
On weekends, my family and I usually go from here in Adamantina (500 km west of Sao Paulo), to their second home in a town by the name of Paulicea. However, during the week I go out with my sister and friends.
This month, I also made a commitment to myself: I will never get married in Brazil! I have a friend who is getting married in January who had her bachelorette party a couple days ago and it was brutal… for her! Here in Brazil, they have a fun custom where the bride-to-be writes on the invitations something the person must bring and later on she must remember what present goes with which guest. If she can’t remember what present goes with which person, she has to do anything that person says. Anything from imitating a monkey, to having someone draw on you with lipstick! When she got to the fifth present, I realized she had the worst short-term memory I had ever seen! If I were her, I would have cheated.
In my last column, I mentioned that Guga Fabron (who was the Bremerton Rotary’s inbound exchange student at Bremerton High School last year) invited me to a Halloween party in his city. Unfortunately, my host family wouldn’t let me travel to Guga’s city and I had to miss it.
Adriana Alexander’s next column will appear the last Saturday of the month in February.
