So, February was good. School started again briefly before being interrupted by Carnaval. On the first weekend of February I visited my Rotary Chairman’s waterfront house along with my exchange student friends. We got on his speed boat, visited a nearby island and then went snorkeling. I saw lots of big, colorful fish! Then we returned to his house for Churrascaria, Brazilian barbecue!
The next day I went to a pre-carnaval show with my friends in the International Club. It was a lot of fun.
On Thursday there was a costume contest at my school, and my friend Tarci lent me a skirt and a bikini top and I participated in the cross-dressing contest, but unfortunately, did not win. But hey, it’s the participation that counts, right? I was make-upped and put on a wig!
That night the Recife exchange students went to a restaurant in Boa Viagem because David the Austrian was in Recife. After the restaurant, he went to a concert of Armin van Buren, who is reputedly the best DJ in Europe and possibly the world, but the rest of us didn’t go because it was too expensive. That night I slept at my friend Rafael’s house.
Friday night I started Carnaval by going to my French friend Julie’s school’s Carnaval Party, in the International Club again. We went with David, the Austrian who lives in Natal, and his host brother. I think I encountered about half of my friends on Orkut at that party! (Orkut is the Brazilian social network site, and I have about 150 friends on it.) Afterwards, Andrea, Julie and I went to Recife Antigo, where David and his host brother met us later.
This is how you do Carnaval in Recife and Olinda: You go to Olinda in the day, and Recife Antigo at night! Every day.
On Saturday, Recife has the biggest Carnaval Bloco in the world, the Galo da Madrugada, or Chicken of the Early Morning. It involves a huge moving chicken mascot, accompanied by lots of bands moving through the center of the city, with 2 million people watching.
I did not go to the Galo, I went to Olinda with my American friend Gavin and his host sister and her friends. Carnaval in Olinda is a bunch of blocos moving through the jam-packed streets. It was so crowded, we had to hold on to each other tightly not to get lost while moving through the crowds. And this is in the middle of the day. I brought a towel with me to wipe the sweat off my face.
When we went to Recife Antigo Saturday night, we met with a bunch of more exchange students from other cities, that we know from the multi-district Rotary events. I continued seeing friends from my old school and people I had met at parties and such.
Sunday in Olinda was awesome, because my friend Karina got us into a VIP house where there was a live band, free food and drinks and even free massages!
I didn’t go to Recife Antigo Sunday night, because I was too tired. Monday I went with Julie to Olinda after she bought a new cell phone because her old one was stolen the day before. Fortunately, nothing was stolen from me. In fact, I have not been assaulted or robbed at all here in Brazil. I lost my first cell phone because I left it in a taxi.
That day in Olinda we found Austin from Canada and Pato from Mexico and their Rotex. After Olinda, we stopped in the mall for a snack and then I stayed at Julie’s house until we went to Recife Antigo. I went home with the Rotex and the exchange students who live nearby.
On Tuesday I woke up early to go to the beach with my neighbor Naide and her boyfriend Juampa from Spain. So I spoke a little Spanish with him and taught him some Portuguese, but he also speaks English so it was no problem.
We visited Naide’s family at their beach house in the state Paraiba that is to the North of Pernambuco. It was a very small city and there was no cell phone signal. It was Naide’s mom’s birthday and we celebrated with costumes, dancing and cake all in the middle of a pouring rain. I met Naide’s cousins Marco and Gabi. Marco just got back from 3 months in Canada and Gabi, 6 months in New Zealand. Marco had a bunch of his friends there too so I met them and they were cool. Gabi had to go home after the party, but the rest of us went to the beach and one of Marco’s friends had a skimboard so I ripped some waves. I am getting good! I don’t have that many opportunities to skimboard, so when I do, I take advantage of it. I skinned my knee and my elbow and ran out of breath but had a ton of fun.
That night we had a churrascaria! Then we went to sleep and the next day everyone went back to Recife which took a few hours because of the traffic. The car I was in was full and there was no air conditioning or music…but eventually I made it back home.
And Thursday school started again.
Friday night I went to Aldeia to a Christian camp organized by my church. It was called “The Second Reality” because the first one was last year, and it has something to do with Reality. Well, it was 100 teenagers, a bunch of sermons, religious music, and group work. Basically, boring out of my mind. I thought that there would be soccer and swimming and parties as well as the religious stuff, but it was just praying. And Saturday night there was like a Godly love session…weird stuff, man. The guys had two dormitories while the girls had their little private houses. I only knew two people who participated; my cousin Marina and my friend Fernando, so I put my bed next to his. But some of the guys in my bunk and my group were just annoying, and asked me all sorts of invasive questions and through stuff at me…but I met a few cool guys, so the weekend was worth it, even though I missed out on parties in Recife!!!
I was also not feeling so good Friday and Saturday, but Sunday I was better and at the ending session with all the parents, I went up to the stage and gave a short speech saying how I was Jewish, and If I converted my parents would be mad at me, but the weekend was nice and I learned some stuff and it’s good to be open.
So then I had a full week of school. On Monday and Friday school ends at 1:00 because we have Sociology/Philosophy, but the rest of the days we get out 12:15. We have 2 breaks between classes. My class has like 25 kids, and only 7 of them are guys. Our Portuguese and Math teachers are the craziest. The rest are much more reasonable. But generally the classroom is so freezing. Most of us bring a jacket to wear but is still freaking cold. I like the people in my class a lot. During the break I also talk with a few people from the other class and my friend Tarci from the 3rd year. After school I cross the avenue with a friend, get home, take a shower and eat the lunch that the maid made. Which is normally mashed potatoes, spaghetti, rice, beans, salad, meat or fish and some kind of fruit juice. Then I take a much-needed nap because I sometimes go out at night. That week, I went to a graduation ceremony with my host Mom and a birthday party of a host uncle. On Friday I went to a wedding ceremony with my host family. The bride is very beautiful. I stayed longer than my host family, so a host uncle took me home, and on the way, a motorcyclist hit our car and the guy went flying and fell on the road. Fortunately, he only hurt his leg a little, and no one in the car was hurt, but it still was not good and I got stressed, because I have been in bicycle accidents and a motorcyclist once hid my biological dad’s car and went into a coma afterwards.
So I went running home and told my host Dad and he went out to help his brother and make sure that everything was fine.
On Saturday I went to see Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief with my friends Isabela and Erika. Unfortunately my friend Paulo couldn’t go…
So, I am really missing the United States. It seems to me like everything there is better than here and things there work better!!! It is a richer, more organized and developed country, with a better culture.
After the movies, Isabela’s parents dropped me off in Recife Antigo where I met with Andrea, Lauren and Julie. We drank and conversed about our lives as exchange students…and then Julie and I went home early because she had just switched to her new host family, so was playing it safe.
Sunday was great. I ate the last of the Lasagne, which is possibly my favorite food in the world. I would be so happy if I ate it every day for every meal. But unfortunately I don’t.
Then I went to Church. Fortunately I got their late so I only had to sit through an hour. But I saw a lot of my friends that I had met from the Reality weekend. Then a few of us went to the Nautico game nearby. My first soccer game here in Brazil!!! I was thrilled. Finally. After 7 months. I only payed 2 reais for the ticket! But I don’t like Nautico. I don’t think they are good. They tied 1-1 with Vera Cruz. I am definitely a fan of Sport, the best team!!! But it’s just that I live closer to the Nautico stadium, you know? Leaving the stadium, I won some free deodorant!!!
So then we went back to the Church and everyone went to the Pizzeria and ate pizza, drank soda and joked around. Then my host brother drove me home.
And that was my month of February here in Brazil.
In March I will go to the wedding party on the 6th, my cousin Andrea is coming to visit me on the 10th with her friend and I will leave for the South on the 14th!
Vida louca, meu vei. Beijos. Ate o proximo.
