Growing Accustomed

They say it takes about six or seven months living in a new place - foreign or domestic - before you begin to feel as if you've found a niche.  While I wouldn't go that far, I would say there have been some major affirmations making it easier to call Campinas home:

• First and foremost, the barista at Starbucks greeted me by name without me having to give it.  She actually turned to her co-worker and her what to write on my café americano com leite.  Full disclosure: she had her write "Sergio" but in my mind it still counts!
• My confidence in Portuguese is growing.  Recently the buses upped their rates from R$3 (roughly US$1.50) to the inanely obnoxious, pocket scrounging R$3.30.  One afternoon on the way home from work I paid with a R$5 bill and the attendant, after inexplicably rolling his eyes, gave me R$0.70 in change.  With a full bus watching I kindly pointed out his "error."  Jerk.  Also, hey six months of Portuguese being useful!
• The annual saga that is the school science fair is over, and successfully, nonetheless!  Somehow, all 46 of the projects under my "guidance" came to fruition.  Be it noted: this is not the baking soda and vinegar volcano of your youth's science fair.  This is a months-long process, culminating in a formal - yes, little sixth grader, you must dress up - judges' interview and professional poster display. This year was also the 30th Anniversary of the fair's existence and the evening awards ceremony held the day after the judging reflected that.  I am proud to say, in the Middle School category, I had seventh graders win the first place individual prize, the first and second place team prizes, and the Hyundai-sponsored Innovation Award.  Honestly, though the students who won did most of the work themselves and were very self-driven; at best I was a glorified editor.

Top: Sign welcoming guests to the 30th Annual Science Fair!
Middle: One of the eventual winners discusses her project with a judge.
Bottom: The gymnasium transformed.

Centimeter by Centimeter

As opposed to "Inch by Inch"

The business hasn't slowed down and looks to keep up for awhile.  I honestly haven't been this busy since my first year teaching!  I guess that's what four new courses, a new age group, and school will do to you.  I've been so busy I went and sailed swiftly and ignorantly past my two month point; a perfect time for a check in on progress.  

Fortunately, there has been some and I need to remind myself of this more often, especially when the lady at the bakery is simply asking me if I want a bag or not and all I want to do is snatch my croissant and change from her hand and run down the street screaming.

A few more caipirinha-filled afternoons
would be nice...

• I am finally wrapping my thick Gringo skull around centigrade.  My Canadian friends can now rejoice!  The temperature never really fluctuated much in Cali (Colombia) so I new what the lower to mid-30's felt like...and then my education into the mysterious "C" pretty much went on permanent vacation.  There are seasons here, which means fluctuation.
• My trainer at the gym invited me to play soccer with him and some of his friends.  Despite falling down once and being stuck in goal for the seven most terrifying minutes of my life, I appreciated the blind support and encouragement, from everyone.  According to my trainer, "In Brazil, we just like to play the game and have a good time; it doesn't matter if you're good."  It should be noted he said this before I even stepped on the pitch.
• I just discovered a built-in cutting board in my kitchen.
• The number of parent emails I have been receiving keeps going down exponentially by the week.  So, thus far my goal for surviving middle school - covering my rear ten times - seems to be working.
• I finally passed the One Direction quiz.  (Pass = above 60%)

Success in Portuguese is not on this list.

Little by little, bit by bit, pouco a pouco...

I Only Live Here

"It's her house, you just happen to live there."

This was the response I received several years ago after battling a silent weekly battle with my first maid.  I felt that my short white socks should be kept in the same drawer with my work-out attire.  I never really wore them at any other time than on runs and trips to the gym so that made perfect sense to me.  The Help, however, felt my socks would rather reside next to my equally white t-shirts, a few drawers away.

She eventually won.

Today I got my first visit from my new maid.  I am convinced there is a maid handbook replete with universal advise for how the employer should be living.

Allow me to take you on tour of my first-day-after discoveries...

Exhibits A & B: I believe a ruler was used.  All items perfectly aligned to the edges and each other?  Check.  Evenly distributed with equal parts space and materials?  Check.  Coasters precision fanned?  Check.

(Why my camera charger and US cell phone need to be on my night stand I can not yet answer.)

Exhibit C: Let the war begin.  I understand needing to clean the glass.  However, dropping the used wine corks down into the vase so that they are all standing upright requires both skill and time.  I tried.  We'll see how long this battle can be kept up; the number of corks will only grow so this could get interesting!

Exhibit D: Well, "Olá!" new potted plant on my kitchen table!  Where did you come from?  I guess my apartment was not as aesthetically pleasing as it should heave been.  My apologies. 

Exhibit E: The other war.  These glass storage containers - coffee, sugar, rice, and oats - were lined up single-file along the back counter wall when I left for work.  Now they are interpreting the ancient pyramids.  What if I don't want to eat oats next?  

Exhibit "pièce de résistance": The Code of the Unadorned Nail.  To quote the International Maid Handbook, "Leave no metal protrusion of the wall naked when you leave the residence.  Any object would be fortunate to have the elevated vantage point of a picture frame or coat hook and should be displayed with pride."


"I don't know why Bananagrams is hanging from my bedroom wall," I will tell future visitors to my apartment, "I only live here."

Small Victories

August 20th marks one month in Brazil and two weeks of middle school under my belt.  This is, in actuality, an enormous victory...but that isn't what this post is about.  Huge victories don't just happen; they are composed of many smaller ones.  Let's celebrate...a little:

• A seventh grader informed me that he told his grandmother that "my science teacher is punk."  (Why this conversation was going down with his old bitty and not some other relative was moot.)  That's all it takes these days: a wrist tattoo and an out of control faux-hawked do.   I'll take it.

• I gave my sixth graders serrated knives on the their first lab activity.  Hashtag: callmecrazy Hashtag: raisingthebar Hashtag: everyoneleftwithtenfingers

• The Korean kids at my school often speak to each other in their native tongue.  Which is why every time I hear them say "hello," I involuntarily laugh a little and half expect this guy (pictured) to show up. (If you have never seen "Arrested Development," never mind.  Also, go watch it.)  It seriously never gets old.

• My sixth grade math-teaching colleague informed me that some of the boys were attempting to spike their hair in class, asking each other, "Do I look like Mr. Stetson?"  Also, thats what they call me.  (Between us, I need a haircut badly; its getting a little out of control up there.  Glad someone's impressed!)

• On the Portuguese-language front, the proper nouns, prepositions, and pronunciations make me bang my head on the table but at least I'm killing the verb conjugations (present and past tenses)!

• Bought wall paint for my apartment, joined a gym, and replaced my watch battery all without using any English!  Full disclosure: there was no Portuguese used either; thank you, español!

And this is why they're called "small victories."