Though it's difficult to believe, our bags are packed. We leave Sobral today for Fortaleza. We'll spend the night there and fly out tomorrow (tuesday). I called this last month, O Mez das Lagrimas, the moth of tears because we've had to say goodbye to so many amazing people. The only ones left today are Dani and Joe...probably some of the hardest since we lived with them for so long.
We got back from Belo Horizonte a couple days ago, visiting "our Brasilians" the ones that lived in Spokane last year. It was a wonderful week. When we have time I'll write more and post some photos, though for the most part we'll be seeing all of you soon. Dione is here with us, and that has made these last to weeks even more wonderful.
Say a little prayer for us while we're flying, Tuesday and Wednesday. We love you all and hope to see you soon. We have lots of stories to tell.
Here's some photos from the beginning of Dione's trip when we took her up to Serra Verde:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2051835&l=c5d55&id=28201280
She's already MUCH tanner, dang Hawaiian...
Beijos
Monday, May 26, 2008
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Maceio de Novo (Maceio again)
Sorry for the long time between updates, we’ve been quite busy. If I were to write about everything, you’d be reading this blog for weeks, so I’ll try and hit the high points and let some photographs do the rest of the explaining.
We spent a week in Maceio visiting my host family from the last time I was here. It was a wonderful, love-filled time (not to mention we went to the beach every day :o)). We got to be there for the college graduation of my host sister Dani. This meant that there were a lot of people there in Ildiomar’s house (Dani’s Aunt). Dani studies in Maceio and lives with her Aunt and Uncle, but her family is from Minas Gerais, another state. I think more than 15 people came from out of town. Since Andy and I are a couple, we were some of the privileged who got an actual bedroom. Anyone who was single (even if it was just because their spouses didn’t come) slept in the living room with all the kids :o).
Like I said before, almost every morning was spent on the beach, and then every afternoon there was some activity to do for Dani’s graduation. The best part was seeing her mom and dad and siblings. They traveled to Maceio from Almenara (their little town in Minas) and were there for the same week. I hadn’t seen them since the week I spent in Almenara in 2006, and even though I only stayed with them for a short time, I really came to look at them as my Brasilian family. Ildiomar and Alcimar always felt more like an aunt and uncle to me than parents.
On top of the family visits Andy and I went back to UFAL (the university where I studied) and saw my Brasilian professors. We spent one whole day with Ana Maria Lopez, the professor that I did research with. That same day we met up with Francisco. He studied in Spokane last year during the second year of the exchange program I did. He’s since graduated and he’s now working on his masters degree in electro-chemical synthesis.
It was wonderful going back to Maceio and feeling right at home. I even remembered what buses Andy and I needed to take in order to get around. That gave us a certain amount of autonomy and freedom which was wonderful. We were able to travel and visit places and people without worrying about how to get home, or paying a taxi an arm and a leg to get us there.
This all sounds so dull when I try to list everything we did. It’s better just to show you. So, here’s a link to the pictures we’ve posted:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2051185&l=cc365&id=28201280
I’m trying to think of any funny or interesting little anecdotes from our time there… Well, Andy and I were both stung by jellyfish. That’s officially a first. It hurt like hell, and I don’t think I’ve ever swam for shore that fast before. We asked a man selling beer what would be the best thing to do and he said put some ice on it, so we did and that helped. Later we bought some coconuts to drink and the vendor said to open the coconut and put some of the white coconut flesh on the sting, and you know what? It helped. I love native knowledge! I still have a red mark but Andy’s is healed.
Hmm…anything else quickly…Andy got his teeth fixed. You can’t even tell they were broken. I’m not sure how good of a job it was, I’m not dentist, but it will at least protect the broken parts until we get back!
We said goodbye to all our friends in Serrinha yesterday. We won't have time to go up and see them again before we leave. It was a wonderful, tear-filled trip...but that will be an entire blogpost on its own. Soon, I promise.
Monday (tomorrow) we pick up our great friend Dione at the Fortaleza airport!! I’m so excited to physically share our experiences with someone. We’re actually all taking the same international flight out of the country, in 16 days. That’s a little crazy to think about. The last month always goes by the quickest.
As always we love you all and can’t wait to see you again. Don’t hesitate to send us emails or comment on the blog. We love hearing from you!
We spent a week in Maceio visiting my host family from the last time I was here. It was a wonderful, love-filled time (not to mention we went to the beach every day :o)). We got to be there for the college graduation of my host sister Dani. This meant that there were a lot of people there in Ildiomar’s house (Dani’s Aunt). Dani studies in Maceio and lives with her Aunt and Uncle, but her family is from Minas Gerais, another state. I think more than 15 people came from out of town. Since Andy and I are a couple, we were some of the privileged who got an actual bedroom. Anyone who was single (even if it was just because their spouses didn’t come) slept in the living room with all the kids :o).
Like I said before, almost every morning was spent on the beach, and then every afternoon there was some activity to do for Dani’s graduation. The best part was seeing her mom and dad and siblings. They traveled to Maceio from Almenara (their little town in Minas) and were there for the same week. I hadn’t seen them since the week I spent in Almenara in 2006, and even though I only stayed with them for a short time, I really came to look at them as my Brasilian family. Ildiomar and Alcimar always felt more like an aunt and uncle to me than parents.
On top of the family visits Andy and I went back to UFAL (the university where I studied) and saw my Brasilian professors. We spent one whole day with Ana Maria Lopez, the professor that I did research with. That same day we met up with Francisco. He studied in Spokane last year during the second year of the exchange program I did. He’s since graduated and he’s now working on his masters degree in electro-chemical synthesis.
It was wonderful going back to Maceio and feeling right at home. I even remembered what buses Andy and I needed to take in order to get around. That gave us a certain amount of autonomy and freedom which was wonderful. We were able to travel and visit places and people without worrying about how to get home, or paying a taxi an arm and a leg to get us there.
This all sounds so dull when I try to list everything we did. It’s better just to show you. So, here’s a link to the pictures we’ve posted:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2051185&l=cc365&id=28201280
I’m trying to think of any funny or interesting little anecdotes from our time there… Well, Andy and I were both stung by jellyfish. That’s officially a first. It hurt like hell, and I don’t think I’ve ever swam for shore that fast before. We asked a man selling beer what would be the best thing to do and he said put some ice on it, so we did and that helped. Later we bought some coconuts to drink and the vendor said to open the coconut and put some of the white coconut flesh on the sting, and you know what? It helped. I love native knowledge! I still have a red mark but Andy’s is healed.
Hmm…anything else quickly…Andy got his teeth fixed. You can’t even tell they were broken. I’m not sure how good of a job it was, I’m not dentist, but it will at least protect the broken parts until we get back!
We said goodbye to all our friends in Serrinha yesterday. We won't have time to go up and see them again before we leave. It was a wonderful, tear-filled trip...but that will be an entire blogpost on its own. Soon, I promise.
Monday (tomorrow) we pick up our great friend Dione at the Fortaleza airport!! I’m so excited to physically share our experiences with someone. We’re actually all taking the same international flight out of the country, in 16 days. That’s a little crazy to think about. The last month always goes by the quickest.
As always we love you all and can’t wait to see you again. Don’t hesitate to send us emails or comment on the blog. We love hearing from you!
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