Moved Houses

I recently moved out of Campo Grande into the heart of Rio.  I am only one minute away from the train taht takes you up to see Christ the Redeemer.  It is absolutely gorgeous here, and I love it.  My new host family is awesome.  More to come soon.

My address

Rua Cosme Velho 376 Apt. 501
Rio de Janeiro
RJ/ 22241-090
BRASIL

<3 Kathryn

The Stages of Learning a Foreign Language

Before you arrive:

I’ve studied, I know the basics. I’ll be fine, everything else will come with ease.

Upon Arrival:

Ummmmmmm.  I can’t understand a word you’re saying.

One month in:

You’ve learned the basics, objects, colors, months, things like this.  But you still have no idea how to put a sentence together in a grammatically correct format. 

Two-three months in:

You start to recognize more and more words and build your vocabulary.

Four months in:

You know enough to begin reading, and build your vocabulary even more this way, though of course you don’t always remember every word.  Recognition is always easier then recall.

Five months in:

You can understand almost everything that people say, but you still have a hard time expressing everything you want to say.  Sometimes you have to be creative.  For example I wanted to buy chicken on a stick, but I didn’t know the word for stick.  However thanks to Harry Potter I knew the word wand.  So I asked for chicken on a wand instead, and received an interesting look from the cashier.

Six months in:

Almost everyday you recognize a new word, or learn a new conjugation of verbs.  Your speaking skills increase to the point where some people assume your fluent, though of course you don’t know every word you hear. 

Learning a new language is a process, and a difficult one at that.  You learn to laugh at yourself and you become an excellent mimic.  I’m excited to see what my last 4 and a half months bring!

Things People Tell Me

The two most common things I’m told:

“You’re eyes are so beautiful.”

While there are others of the caucasian persuasion, they rarely have light colored eyes.

“You’re tall.”

Never in my life have I considered myself to be tall, I am of the average height for American women.  However in comparison with Brazilian women, I am tall.

The two strangest things I’ve been told or asked:”

“Your eyes are like the sun.  So……nice.”

Sometimes people will try to talk with me in English because they can tell that I’m a foreigner and want to practice their English.  However, sometimes it is quite limited and the conversation is awkward and funny.

“So every American keeps a baseball bat under their bed, right?”

Oh thank you Hollywood for the vast array of stereotypes you  have produced.

The two funniest questions I’ve been asked:

“So, do you like live with vampires?”

            Many Brazilians confuse Transylvania with Pennsylvania.

“Do you have plastic bags in the US?”

I was helping my counselor fold the plastic bags into little triangles for easy storage when she asked me this.  Maybe she was just trying to make conversation, I don’t know.  But in any form, it gave me the giggles.  

Adaptation

Today while coming back to Campo Grande by train I was thinking about how many street vendors there are in Brasil.  To be honest it was really strange to get used to as an American.  When I first arrived I was bothered by it, it was just another part of culture shock.  In Portuguese they say “barulho” which is significant of noise.  To my delicate ears it just seemed like an excess of noise, and it was hard to get away from.  But today on the train I actually found myself enjoying the noise, humming along with the the song of the city. 

On the trains vendors enter and exit the various cars carrying their boxes or trash bags full of goodies singing their slogans.

Potatoes

Potatoes one real

Sometimes I am even privileged enough to witness a live infomercial.

Have I got a deal for you.  I have water bottles in all colors for just two reals.  That’s right people just two reals, and only for today.  You can freeze it and your water will stay cold for up to five hours.  You have small children? No problem.  to their book bags with this included little carabineer.  Just today am I selling them for 2 reals, Globo is selling them for 12.  2 reals, 2 reals people.

They sell anything from peanuts, to flash drives.  Almost anything you could possibly need, and much more that you don’t. Haha.

On the hot days those who are carrying drinks pour the melted ice out of the boxes when the train doors open at the various sites.

On the streets when people stop at the busy traffic lights people will enter in and amongst the cars and vend various goodies as well.  Sometimes they will put a bag on your side view mirrors.  If you want it you roll down your window.  If not, they come back in 30 seconds to take it back.  Today on the train a man put a sheet of stickers on my bag, and when I didn’t pull out any money, a minute later he took it back. 

It’s funny how we adjust to things to the point where we don’t even notice them anymore.  I think it’s at times like these where I feel like I’m truly adapting to Brasil, however trivial that may seem.