Hello...anyone out there??

I can not believe how long it has been since I have posted. The only thing I can say is that it has been a long year! I have been crazy, crazy busy with work. I have exploded with private students and working at the school.

So, lately, my biggest, best, most exciting news, is that I finally, Finally, FINALLY moved!! We are in our own apartment and couldn't be happier! We are both closer to work, we live in a great area, it's a new apartment. Happy, happy, happy!!

Other than that life is boring and normal. Things have become common here in Brazil. I still want to continue writing and telling stories about life here. Hopefully I can hop back on this wagon! And hopefully I can read your blogs too!! I have missed being a part of this community!

Just sharing the cuteness...

This is one of my students. She loves to shower me with compliments and bring me things. The flower in my hair was the latest present :) 

My niece is getting SO BIG! Next week she will be 2 years old! I'm sure I will have pictures to show from her "Sleeping Beauty" themed party. I got all the things to make cupcakes yesterday. All 200 of them. (cupcakes are the latest rage here) 

In other news, where the heck is winter??? I've been waiting and waiting, but she is being very elusive. Thankfully she sneaks in at night, but during the day summer is still rearing its really, really ugly head. 

3 Years

Today marks 3 years that I have been in Brazil. I didn't realize it was my day until about an hour ago. The past two years, Sidnei and I went out and celebrated my Braziliversary (as coined by Danielle). So I feel a little deflated that I just let this day "passa branco"* but also proud, because I can use expressions like that now. (meaning, in case it's not obvious, I didn't do anything special) I can only assume that this means I am not constantly counting the number of days I have been in Brazil (though I am pretty much asked all the time, so it's not that hard to forgot) and life here is "normal". (although, I say that, and laugh. I need bigger quotation marks for that word.)

It's interesting how time changes things. (Or how things change over time?) In any case, life truly is feeling more like life. I work too much, I have a set of friends I really adore. I don't think there's anything that I can't/won't do. I can say pretty much anything I want to say. That does NOT mean I am fluent. Far, far from it. But I communicate well. Things would vastly improve if I took a Portuguese class. (Speaking of, can anyone recommend a good book for Portuguese classes...anyone use one they liked?)

To make a long post long, I am proud of myself. I have accomplished a lot. I have learned a lot. About this country, about the culture, and of course, most importantly, about me. I feel like I have discovered more about me in the past 3 years than I knew my whole life. And all at the same time, some days I feel like I have changed so much, I barely recognize myself. I'm good with that, I'm good with me. I like where I am. That is to say, personally. I could use a little work in the geographical department. (I kid, I kid...sort of)

As far as "home" is concerned...when I say home, it means two things and changes only in context. Home is here, in Brazil. And it will be for the next few years. I can't say for sure how long. In all honesty, I still hope for sooner rather than later. I have grown to love Brazil, but "home" always beckons to me. For now, we are here. And we are living life as if we will always be here. But we both hope to come "home" one day.

3 years. (That should have an echo) It feels so LONG and so short all in one space. After all I've said, I have to say this: It has been hard. It has been wonderful. I am grateful for every adventure, even the wrong turns. Our journey is still in the beginning. There are some good things in work for the future. I hope I can share it with you soon (one of the reasons I have been crazy busy and absent). For now, thanks for the 3 years of sharing with me. Thanks for all the guidance, advice, and love shown. Seriously, I would have never made it the first couple of years without you. (I really tell people that all the time. Expats get it, Brazilians kind of don't. You know, since you all are imaginary people in my computer)

(Thanks for putting up with all my parenthesis...I was feeling the love today)
* I say passa branco...but maybe it's passa branca? I said I could use the expression, I didn't say I used it right. Masculine and feminine stuff is hard, okay?

Also: A picture for  you. Sidnei and I took pictures for our anniversary. I feel I should include it, since I would not be here were it not for us.

I am totally having this made into a "banner" (as they say here) for our house. 

Kick in the pants

I have lived in Brazil for almost 3 years at the end of May. I thought I was doing good. I thought I learned most of what I needed to, I thought I had been through all the hazing of Brazil that needed to be done. However, Brazil was not done with me.

I have been lovingly bestowed, body aches, head ache, fever, nausea, since Friday night. Better known to many of you as Dengue. Dengue is a big ol kick in the pants. It throws you down on the ground and you better not even think about getting up. Mostly because you can't. I'm down and out for the count. Or at least until tomorrow when my atestado (medical leave from work) is up.

Originally, it all started Friday night with a raging fever. I didn't know where it came from...I had mistakenly gotten burned...I thought I was experiencing heat exhaustion. But it continued all day Saturday. So I went to the hospital. The doctor did an x-ray of my chest (I've had a cough for a little while) and told me it was just a virus and I should feel better by the end of the weekend. Except I didn't. And I kept having fevers. And my whole body was hurting. And the headaches. And the nausea. Nausea is awful. But I went to work on Monday anyway. And worked from 8 in the morning to 7 at night. It kicked my trash. I slept from 8 pm that night until 6 the next morning. And then cried when I had to get out of bed. But I still went to work. When I came out of my classroom at 11:30, the secretary looked at me and said, what is all over your neck?? That would be a pretty little rash developing from the dengue. So finally they convinced me to go to the hospital. So I went. And waited for a long, long, long time. To tell me I have dengue. The great thing about dengue is there is not a thing you can do about it. So, take some tylenol, lay down, and rest. Try to keep the fever down.

Thankfully I will only have to work one more day. Then I will have Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday to rest. Thank goodness for Tuesday holidays in Brazil.  (if it falls on a Tuesday, you get Monday off. if it falls on a Thursday you get Friday off. It's great!)

Lately...

Just thought I'd share what we've been up to the last little while ...

Soccer game with the husband...Ipatinga is not so popular now that they have dropped to Serie C...we still like to go every once in a while!

Rachael, we finally got around to using those Christmas Crackers..Sidnei loved them!!

We went to a birthday party and got to catch up with good friends!

Handsome husband

One of my favorite students at school, sweetest girl!!

My niece, excited to go for a bike ride!

She doesn't look as excited here, but she was happy to be with Tio!

I got to finally see my friend and her new baby! Look how cute!! She is growing all the time!

I love that she is looking at me like,"what are you doing? and who are you? and i think it's time to put me down!" Cecilia, Tia Stephanie loves you and will be back soon for more cuddles!!

It's been fun around these parts. Stay Tuned more coming up!

My new best friend

I brought this baby with me from the US. It's super heavy, super duty, and gets the job done much quicker. And I've only burned myself once! And since laundry day was yesterday, the time has come for him and I to begin our work. Excuse me while I go plug his pretty little self in.

All the beauty nature holds...

When we spent the weekend at Iapu, I spent the weekend looking at all the beautiful birds and flowers around the Club. It was so amazing and they were so beautiful! 

These little canaries are everywhere! Their bright vibrant colors are so beautiful!

I saw a parrot for the first time in the wild!! I was so excited! The funny thing, he was mimicking the canaries song!

This guy stayed by the water ALL DAY hunting for fish. He was pretty successful!

Can you see the humming bird? They are so tiny and quick!

This little bird is called 'bom te ver' I think or 'bem te vi' I dont know something like that. (Danielle, help?) In essence, it means, good to see you. I think he is so handsome with his white mask!

It was a lot of fun taking pictures of everything. There were so many more birds that I just couldn't get good pictures of. It's so amazing to me how many different species there are and how beautiful they can be!