Life in Brazil

I have finally had a few weeks break from traveling which has been a great relief. Traveling all over the state of Sao Paulo can take a toll on you, but on the bright side I learned how to sleep on a bus.

I have almost reached my two month mark. (April 12th!) and am finally starting to fit into life here. I have my school schedule worked out and what I do at home. Everyone comments on how much better I speak but I'm still so far away from being considered fluent. While I have been learning my new language though, I have started to forget some of my English speaking skills. My Portuguese teacher thought it was hilarious. I have gotten so used to Portuguese that I speak English the way everyone here does which is not very well and with an accent. I have also started to talk/think to my self in Portuguese as well. I don't say "I need my notebook". Instead I say "Eu preciso minha caderno". I have also been using my dictionary a lot less as well but still carry it around to important places just in case I need to look up a word.

Here is my Horario (Schedule) for a typical day:

6:10 Wake up and get dressed
6:30 Eat breakfast of bread and butter
6:45 Leave for school on my bike
7:00 Arrive at school and walk to get ready for class
7:10 Teacher arrives and get class going. I have three periods each 50 minutes long before intraval. I'll have one class for no more than two periods.
9:30 Go to interval and eat a small snack and chat with classmates
9:50 classes start again. I have two more 50 minute class periods
11:30 Ride my bike home for lunch
11:45-12:30 eat lunch with my family before my sister's and dad leave for work
12:45 Start the afternoon. I usually sleep, read, do homework, watch TV, go on the computer, go out with friends or help my mom bake. On tuesdays I go to my portuguese course and Tuesdays and Thursdays I do dishes.
5:00 Everyone comes home from work. They do the similar things I do like watch TV or go on the computer.
6:30 My nefew comes home from school. He likes to play with me. This is also when my older sister and my dad leave for college.
7:30 Time to eat dinner that my mom cooks. Afterwards is free time spent with my family.
9:00 Take a shower, brush my teeth and get ready for bed.
9:30 Time for bed. I go to bed early here because I get up so early for school.

So that's pretty much what I have been doing the past few weeks.

Cori