Sunday Citar

I have been reading Fresh Mommy for a long time. I have always enjoyed Sunday Citar and decided that it was finally time to do one myself!



I saw this the other day on Pinterest (which I have been LOVING by the way) and it really struck a cord with me.

I recently received an email from a concerned family member...it was a hard email to receive. One that asked me to evaluate where I am and if it was something that I really wanted. Unfortunately, I let it send me into a downward spiral. It has been a hard week.

But here is what I want to say...life is complicated and messy. And it seems that with choices I'm faced, it seems to be more, damned if you do, damned if you don't. There is no black and white...it's all different shades of gray.

But I am happy. I am in Brazil and I am happy. That's not to say it's not hard. That's not to say that I don't miss the place I called home, it's not to say I don't miss my family, and it's not to say I don't have days where I hate everything about it here...But who doesn't have those days? If you have the life you planned or not, who doesn't have those kinds of days?

Brazil has taught me a lot. One of the most valuable lessons I take with me is this: I don't know what the future has planned for me...but I know wherever life takes me, I'll figure it out. I know wherever I am I will find the happiness that is in store for me.

The Movies

So here's the thing. In Ipatinga, we have a teeny tiny little theater...Like tiny. Like no tiered seating...the screen looks like its a big, white piece of fabric strung up. Except it's not big enough...the movies don't really fit. It's quite an experience. One we go to every once in a while...but I really hope with the new mall they are building, that it's going to have a new theater...that would be wonderful!

Anyway, what I really want to talk about is language. Language is going well. I understand about 97% of everything that is said now. It is wonderful. And I find that I also don't really need to pay direct attention. I can listen to things around me and just understand. That is really a relief. All the concentration made me so tired! Anyway, but speaking is still more difficult. This is due to a couple of things. The first is that, I don't have much time to study. The second is that I'm a bad student. The third is that...well it's really just those two.

What does this have to do with the movies?

Well it's really TV and movies. I don't understand what those people are saying! They seem to be speaking so fast! But I can understand here...maybe i just understand Mineiro and not other accents? But I kind of got the impression if I could learn Mineiro, I could understand almost anything! It could also be due to the fact that I haven't been watching TV here...at all. But...meh. So anyway we went and saw Harry Potter. And it was fine. I didn't understand what they were saying, but I knew what was going on. Which the case in most movies. I guess I'll understand one day.

The best part of going to the movie? Movie popcorn. Sidnei doesn't like it...so I have the bag to myself...and I can eat almost the entire bag....yummmm...I think I'll go pop some popcorn (totally not the same...)

This post is brought to you by nothing more than ramblings...no point, not much of a story, just wanted to talk...

Cows

I have a thing for cows. I didn't realize this until I got to Brazil. I think that is because here they tend to be in lots of random places. For instance, in the middle of our city, next to a busy road, where I want for the bus, were these guys:

Have you ever seen a calico cow? (do you consider that calico? I couldn't think of another word to call the coloring) But I thought he was pretty!


I love the babies even more. They haven't quite grown into their floppy ears. I love the ears!


As a side note, people watching me take pictures of the cows, probably think I'm insane. And I felt a little silly taking them and then taking my place at the bus stop with everyone staring...but they were too cute!

A good day for soccer

Last weekend, we went to Ipatingão, which has since been renamed apparently...but I forgot the name. Anyway, we went to go watch the Ipatinga Serie B championships. It was two different games and it made for a long afternoon evening. But the weather was perfect, the sky beautiful, and the games were pretty exciting!



Flags: On the far left is Ipatinga, the middle is Brazil, and the right is Minas Gerais
I took particular notice because they replaced the flags with new ones. I was grateful because the old ones were pretty bad looking. I have a thing about flags and respect and etc.
Here is another thought...no one here stands for the national anthem. I always make Sidnei stand with me out of respect. I also would like to learn the words...but..it's a really long song! Maybe I'll make it one of my 2012 resolutions..

The mascot is a Chapinha...you know, like our birds .


Fun day! We hadn't been to the stadium for a game in a while, so it was nice to do something different! We are hoping one of these days we are going to win a motorcycle (of course, to sell). They gave away 5 motorcycles during the half times. We didn't have the luck ticket...but one day we will!