There and Back Again... Almost

I have hit the 1week mark until my flight home and i just wanted to let you all know that I am so glad a year apart wasn't a year without each other. Talking to you all through this and Facebook is an experience that I truly value. See you all soon!

just a few more months

I just wanted to say that I miss you all very very much. I downloaded blogger on my phone so I'll definitely be posting more often. For some reason I like typing on my phone a lot more than I do on my computer. I hope you all start posting a bit more too. Even though the semester is coming to an end soon there's still a lot of time left before we're all together again. Lots of love!!! xxx -Mika

Lost in Translation!!!

So after 3,000 miles to snowy New York and a two day delay at JFK (don’t worry I left the airport) I finally arrived in Sao, Paulo Brazil this morning! My morning was filed with much anxiety as I tried to build up strength to leave the airport for I knew as soon as I stepped outside I’d be hit by a wave of words that have no meaning to me (YET!)

I somehow made it to the CIEE office in the city with only knowing one word “obrigado” (thank you) I don’t know how that happened! As soon as I got to the office I was walked over to a lecture on Brazilian culture…. It was about racism! That was pretty much all I got and I think there was a part in the lecture about the use of pepper in the torturing of slaves….. I could have that totally wrong!!! I just remember hearing the words “tortura” “escarvo” and “pimenta” for about 30 minutes, if you guys know anything about this (aka Patrick because you know all/ Wikipedia everything very well!) please let me know.

As for my host fam, they are an elderly couple and they are the very sweet. If I understood correctly they have 12 grandchildren!!!! But like many things here on my first day I could also be wrong. The couple’s name is Heloisa and Edson and they are still so in love!!!!! I was in the kitchen eating lunch and Heloisa blew a kiss to her husband and he caught it and rubbed it all over his face, I thought it was very cute! (it was one of those moments that I think Christopher would have cried if he had seen it). I also got to meet one of their granddaughters today; she had a ferbie (YES APPERANTLY CHILDREN STILL PLAY WITH THEM) and when she brought it into the kitchen and was standing behind me I jumped because I thought it was a Portuguese speaking parrot (don’t make fun of me I actually thought that’s what it was when I first heard it). I think it will be good living here, it’s definitely exhausting as I am trying to pick up the language but I can tell it’s going to be a good experience.

It’s weird to think I’m already on my second (third if you count Malaga) abroad program and I can’t wait to get to know this city just like all the others! I already miss my Mendoza family and I’m praying that they come visit me!!! I keep in touch with them and we talk about once a week, I’ve been thinking of maybe going back and writing my senior thesis on a topic I researched my last month in Mendoza. I also miss my real family obviously, three weeks at home was just not enough (by the way they always say hi to all of you, for those who have met them….for those who haven’t COME TO LA! Mika my mom was literally running up the stairs when she heard we were facetiming and I’ve only seen my mother run twice in my life hahaha). And as for my Dickinson fam bam, I always miss you guys

Happy New Year and best wishes; whether you are in LA, Carlizzle, India, England, Amsterdam or where ever you may be

Abraço

Wendy