That time I went to Belo Horizonte

Time really is flying by faster than I can keep up with...

So a couple of weeks ago, I traveled to Belo Horizonte to do a 3 day training for school. And I went all by myself!! Which really is huge for a couple of reasons:
1. Ipatinga is small. Belo Horizonte is HUGE (to me at least). I am foreign and still learning the language.
2. My husband is REALLY overprotective...(but if you understood how often I tend to get myself into sticky situations and or accidents, you might understand better...) in fact he suggested that I take my dear MIL...a suggestion to which I respectfully and admantly DECLINED.

Anywho, no big drama to report. Everything was pretty calm.

I arrived with no problems, got the taxi, told him where I needed to go, even got a nota fiscal (receipt) without much trouble. I got settled in the hotel, walked myself around like a little lost girl asking for directions, found my way to the Patio Savassi Mall and met Corinne! After which we drove to the original meeting location (a different mall which I couldnt seem to find my way to as it was in the opposite direction, but dont worry, she was already at Patio Savassi, so it was all good) and ate DELICIOUS pizza with good conversation. Seriously love sun dried tomatoes on pizza.

The next day I woke up early, got myself on the city bus for training. Can I just say, I though we knew how to fill a bus in Ipatinga. However, I have never seen more people able to pack on a bus than in BH (though experience, admittedly, is limited). There was not a bit of space wasted, which of course made me feel completely uncomfortable, as I was all up in like 5 different people's personal space...as they were mine.

Anyway enough of the step by step account. The training was good. I worked with a really great group and had a really great trainer. I was trained for what we call, First Wave. Where I will be teaching kids from 7-9! I'm really excited for this semester! I really think it will be a lot of fun!! Plus the kids learn the fun things, like songs, games, and vocabularly. No need to worry about grammar! And I'm sure it will make for some interesting stories along the way!

All in all, BH was nice, but I was glad to come home. It was lonely at night in the hotel all by my lonesome. I did venture out some and wander around. Found a milkshake place near by that sold a HUGE milkshake (700 ml..the biggest ive seen here in ipatinga is 400 ml...which is plenty, but i thought I'd get my American on and supersize!) and of course I got one. Lime and milk, my favorite! Anyway, I didn't venture out much at night by myself. It made me a little nervous and I have the tendency to wander (or as some of you my be more familiar with the term lost, but that just sounds so negative)...so I thought it best to stay close to home. And in my final wave of independent glory I did these things:
1. Ordered food over the phone (phone is really hard in a second language people)
2. Hailed a taxi to go home (which isn't too difficult since they make frequent runs by the hotel, but give me some credit)
3. Bought my bus ticket, went home, and got a wonderful welcome home kiss. I missed that husband of mine! And I think he was glad to get me home in one piece!

Here's hoping it opens doors to let me spread my wings a little more and come see some of my favorite blogging expats!

First things first

I have been away for a while. More on that later.

First, I wanted to touch on the flood disaster. How horrific. I have been catching up and looking online at the stories and the photos. I am just overwhelmed. Please send prayers, good thoughts, whatever it is that you do, to these people, their families, and the over 100 people that are still missing.

If you are abroad and are wondering what you can do to help, there are two places (that I am aware of) that accept donations online. The first is CARE International and the second is Red Cross International .

If you are here in Brazil please visit Rio Gringa as she has posted different ways to help as well as organizations to donate (and she is also where I got my international donate links as well).

If you have been living under a rock (as I have) you can also go to another post from Rio Gringa that shows videos of the disaster.

I count my blessings today for my safety, for living in an area that doesn't normally see disasters of this magnitude. (knocking on wood over here) My prayers go out to those who are missing, to those that are suffering, and that they may see the sun they so desperately need.

Good Middle of the Night Read

Seriously, silent laughing is SO hard. It's one in the morning and Sidnei is sleeping. But I ran across a link and it is HILARIOUS ...to me anyway. I think if you have dogs you would think so too. Check it out. I totally was laughing so hard (silently) tears were streaming down my face.

To Danielle

Dear Danielle,

Last night I found this in my room.

 

That is one big freaking moth. And he is LOUD. And my husband is scared of him. He called him a ‘Bruxa’ so maybe it’s a her? Pansy. He went on about how the powder that comes off his wings can hurt you. I don’t know if I believe that. Mainly I just don’t like mutant huge moths. And so now, Danielle, I completely understand.

He is up high. I couldn’t get him out last night, so I woke up in the middle of the night with him batting his wings really loudly, resulting in my sleeping under the covers.

I woke up, thought he was gone.

 

He’s not.

 

He’s into camoflauge.

 

Help!

**Updated

I couldn’t bring myself to kill him. He is kind of pretty when he is still. So I got a shoebox (because hello, he’s HUGE) and caught him. While screaming like a little girl, jumping around on my bed. Good times.