Observations of the first few days :)

I am sitting in my room typing this, and the maids are talking in the other room, laughing and singing. That is one big difference in Brazil than in America. People are always singing, and it seems they have no idea whether they are in tune with themselves or not. Somehow, through all the imperfect pitches, it still sounds beautiful. I think of it as a statement to their culture...they aren’t as strict as Americans. Brazilians are so full of life that they allow many things culturally. Above all, they allow love.
Upon meeting any individual, it is customary to kiss both cheeks. Immediately it makes you feel welcome to their country and, if applicable, their home. Yesterday Lena, Henrique and I went to the “Shopping” (a mall) and I was introduced to their old friends, one of which had a daughter who had gone on an exchange to Germany for a year. Her English was excellent, so naturally we hit it off and talked about Rotary and such. I also met Henrique’s girlfriend. She was nice, but we didn’t say much to one another. They took off, arm in arm, and Lena and I went to the food court for dinner.
I found a hair in my salad and was a little disgusted, but didn’t say anything. It isn’t like anything could have been done about it, anyway. Lena went to go get a sandwich and returned with her parents. Her mother was in a wheelchair, and was being pushed around by a maid of sorts. Her parents were incredibly kind and welcoming, and I got the impression that they were looking forward to meeting me. We spoke a little in Portuguese, and some in English. Upon parting, we all kissed cheeks and Lena and I drove back home (after getting ice cream at McDonalds). That’s another thing. There is freaking McDonalds here. I don’t know exactly how I feel about that.
Well Lena is back from the Gym, and she is going to shower before we go to the beach. Oh! Another random fact: Brazilians shower multiple times every day, but their showers are not very long (seven or eight minutes at most). This will be my first time going to the beach, so I am very excited :D I’ve only been staring at it this entire time out my window! Through three of my windows, there is the city and I can see skyscrapers and high rises. Through one, I can see the beach and the road. If you look at the picture of the beach on my first blog post, the building I live in is the tallest one. I am on the twelfth floor on the...northwest side, I think? My bedroom is on the northwest side, anyway.
When we eat breakfast, lunch and dinner, I feel like I am at a restaurant. The cook comes and serves us, and we take whatever food we want from what was cooked. So far I have tried 3 or 4 new fruits that I had never even heard of. Papaya was today, which was delicious. You scoop out the seeds and put granola in their place, at least for breakfast. Desert is common. It is usually a fruit, a cake, coffee with warm milk and sugar, ice cream or some other treat. I’m slowly watching my entire body puff up a little :p Rotary warned me about that, but I think I’ll be running a lot once I get settled in. I prefer running at night when I am not beneath the scorching sun, but Lena told me it was not safe so I won’t do that. She said morning was better. I guess I’ll be getting up very early from now on! I think running along the beach will be great.
The trees here are very different, and they are beautiful. Also, the buildings are all very colourful, especially downtown. There are all these little shops on the side of the street, and while I’ve only driven past them, I can see that they don’t have a door or even a front wall at all. It seems that they are literally open all day long, and at night they pull out these gates and suddenly the town, I imagine, looks a little like a prison.
There is music that is strictly from Recife, and it is like a reggae/ska mixture. I love it, personally, but I’ve heard it’s not popular among the other states. Brazil also has its own country music..which I think a lot of people don’t like. I’m not a huge fan, but its tolerable. It is more like rock than country in the United States, but in Brazil they listen to American rock and don’t make any of their own. Henrique, for example, is a Metallica fanatic. Metallica, in my opinion, is another band that is tolerable and sometimes good to listen to, but definitely not what I prefer, ha.
Lena just came in and sprayed me with sunscreen (she’s so motherly) so I think it is time to go. Tchau, meu amigos! Meu Portugues e muito bom, mas um poco quebrada.
Beijos,
Maddie