Today was really crazy. It started early because my school starts at like 7 in the morning, which means I had to wake up way too early. School was kind of rough, I was in a class with my host sister today, and everyone was very friendly, but it's really hard to sit in a class when you have absolutely no idea what the teacher is saying. I know it will get better, but it was pretty boring. Today we had Spanish, History, Biology and Philosophy, none of which I could understand because I haven't mastered understanding Portuguese yet. There is no real lunch break, but there is a couple 15 minute breaks in between classes. You can get snacks at the school, which was nice. In Brazil you don't change classes, the teacher does, so I was in the same classroom pretty much the whole day. Even though school wasn't the most fun thing ever, it finishes at 12:30. After school we went home and had lunch. Then we went into town to the store my host mother owns. I stayed there with my host sister for awhile, but she also took me to get a SIM card for my phone, as well as out to a few places to have drinks and snacks. I had the most delicious orange juice today, and I also had this pastry with chocolate in the middle, it was so good. After my host mother finished work we went home to get ready for the my first Rotary meeting. Everyone there was very friendly and I got to listen to a presentation about one of the students who just got back from exchange, although it was in Portuguese. I had to sit at the head table with my host sister because she just got back from exchange and the boy who did the presentation. I also had to introduce myself and say where I am from in Portuguese, which was kind of scary, but not too bad. I'm nervous for tomorrow because for some reason I'm not going to be in my host sisters class, but instead the younger grade. I won't know anyone and I don't know if anyone will speak English, so it's quite possible tomorrow will be another tough day. I know that things will get easier though.
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Today it was rainy and there was a storm. Because of this we stayed home most of the day. I slept in and then had breakfast, I had more of the brownie and an egg as well as papaya. Then I watched a movie with my host sister until lunch time, we had more of the vegetable pie, pasta and rice and beans. We also had mango, and the mango here is amazing. After I went and relaxed and read for a bit and had a nap. Later my host sisters aunt and uncle came over for coffee, so I met them and had some coffee. Then my host mother took me and my host sister to the mall here, although it is very small and doesn't have a lot of stores. We also walked along the streets of Catalão, as the rain had cleared up. We window shopped and looked at shoes and clothing before heading home and having dinner. I had more pasta and these rice balls with cheese in them. I also tried this Brazilian fruit snack, but I didn't really like it. I figured I should get some rest because I have a big day ahead of me, it's my fist day of school here and I have my first Rotary meeting. I'm just hoping everything will go well.
Today was my first full day in Brazil. It started with a delicious breakfast of bread and a brownie like pastry. Then my host family and I went to the grocery store to pick up some food. They bought me a few Brazilian snacks that I have yet to try. After the grocery store we headed home and I hung out with my host sisters until we had lunch, which also was very good. We had rice and beans, salad and a pie like pastry with cheese and vegetables in it. After lunch we went back into town to a store called Frutos do Brasil that has ice cream and Popsicle that are flavours of a bunch of different fruits that are in Brazil. I had an Açai berry one and a cajá-manga one, which is a Brazilian fruit, that one you eat with salt. They were both very good. After we went to my host sisters grandfathers house for a visit. Finally we went to this lookout point where you can see the whole city. It was so beautiful and amazing to see. It seems so big compared to what I'm used to. Then we headed home and I tried another new food, it was corn and cheese, and was actually quite yummy. My host sister took me out to meet her friends tonight. They were all very friendly, but it was difficult because I don't speak very much Portuguese yet. It was still very fun and I'm excited to get to know some of the people better.
My first flight was a long one, 10 and a half hours, but I slept almost the entire time, only really waking up to have dinner and breakfast. We ended up leaving just after 12 at night and arriving at around 11:30 their time (which is an hour ahead). This meant I only had one and a half hours before my second flight would start boarding. I had to go through security, get my bags, follow what felt like a million signs that told me where domestic connections were, until finally I found where I had to bring my bags to. This didn't take too long, unlike it did in Toronto, and then I was off to find terminal 2. It really wasn't that difficult, I just had to walk quite awhile and I found where I had to be. I was then able to relax for a bit, get wifi and inform everyone I had safely arrived in São Paulo, Brazil! I didn't have a lot of time to relax because my second flight started boarding. This plane was much smaller them the first one. I slept through most of it as well. Once we landed in Uberlândia, I got my bags and headed out to meet my host family. They were there waiting for me, and greeted me with hugs and kisses. They seem very nice and friendly and I am so happy to be staying with them. After I met everyone we got in the car to drive to Catalão, which is in another state and was about an hour and half from the airport. Once we got there we stopped at a coffee shop where my third host family works so I got to meet them as well. I tried a bunch of pastries and they were all so good. And the coffee here is amazing, I can't believe I've been missing out on this and drinking Tim Hortons my whole life. We then headed to home, my host family has a lovely house. I had some time to relax and shower before we headed out for dinner at a local pizza place. The pizza was also very good. We went for a drive around the city, which is much bigger than what I am used to, although it seems really nice. After that we headed back home and I went to sleep because I was really tired from traveling.
Today has been crazy, and I haven't even boarded my flight yet. I woke up fairly early this morning to get my last few things together before I left for the airport. Then after picking my sister up from work we headed to Toronto. We stopped in Barrie to meet up with my aunt and uncle for dinner, it was really nice to get to see them before I left. I wasn't really sad until we got to the airport, I realized that it was almost time to say goodbye to my family for 10 months. They stayed with me to get my bags checked and we took some pictures together before I had to say a final goodbye and get in line for security. It was really sad, but I know that I'm going to have a really great year in Brazil. I went through security and then headed over to the gate where my flight would leave from. I found out my flight was scheduled to start boarding at 11:45, which meant it had been declayed. I'm hoping it isn't any later than that because I have a connection at the next airport and I really don't want to miss it. So I guess right now I've just got to wait to get in my flight and hope everything works out.
I can't believe it's only 3 days until I fly to Brazil. It seems so crazy that I will be leaving my house, friends and family for 10 months to start a new life in a new country. I have been getting everything together and packed, but knowing what I'm gonna wish I have in 4 months is really hard to predict.
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