Heeeey
I hope everyone is enjoying the crisp Vermont autumn weather. I heard you guys just had the first snowfall of the year? How ridiculous! The spring here is beautiful and warm and I'm enjoying everything very much. As I am writing this I am sitting in Physics class at my current high school, Colégio Albert Einstein. Because in the states I haven't yet taken a physics class and the teacher is speaking very fast in a language different from my own, this class is probably the most impossible thing for me to do right now. Also if I try anymore to understand what the heck is going on my head will explode. Literally. So I've decided to write a little about my experiences in school here so far.
School in Brazil is veeery different than what I'm used to at MHS (Montpelier High School). Here we stay in the same room with the same people all day and the teacher move and change classrooms. We have 6 class periods each day but normally only 3 double period subjects. Each class you take one time a week, except luckily for me Physics and Chemistry each happen 3 times a week. I know, how great. Classes start at 7:30, but the teachers don't usually get things going until around 8. We leave show around 12:30-1:00 for lunch and usually then the school day is over. Rarely we have one class in the afternoon but they're never required. I usually go to the afternoon world history class once a week because I find it really interesting to learn history from an un-american view point. For about an hour during the school day we have interval where you can just hang out with friends or do whatever you want, kind of like a really long free period that everyone has at the same time.
One of my most favorite parts about school here is that we basically have no homework. Like maybe every other week we have a one-page writing assignment, but other than that, nothing. I also feel that the teachers are well prepared and give interesting classes. What I don't like as much is staying in the same classroom with the same people in the same seat all day. I prefer to walk around inbetween classes and see much more people throughout the day like classes in the United States. But the school day is very short and it doesn't really matter anyways. Also, the students here don't get to choose which classes they'd prefer to take. You have to take all the same classes as the rest of the people in your classroom. Kind of annoying but hey, not a big problem.
In my class the people are so great; I love all of my friends and classmates so much! There are groups of friends but there are no cliques here and everyone just likes eachother. There are never any fights, confrontations, drama, or any of that other fun stuff that happens oh so frequently in american schools. Ever since my first day in school all have been so friendly and kind and I really feel like I have some good friends with me in school. The problem for me is that my friends and classmates are going to graduate this November and start University and the rest of their lives while next year I'm going to stay in the same year in the same school. I'm going to miss them all so much but it's an opportunity for me to meet and become close friends with more and more people.
The teachers here are incredibly goofy. Like I'm not joking here, some of them are simply nuts! Although I can barely understand their classes at time I feel very confident in their teaching abilities. The students here respond to them very positively and their patience is unbelievable. Yet through their crazy antics and their never ending jokes, they are all so lovely and I feel very welcomed and comfortable here in school.
Finaaaally, physics is over now we have a subject I can understand, Biology! Give Vermont a hug for me and have fun in the snow!
So much loooooove!
Marie!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Monday, October 13, 2008
Angra dos Reis
Hey!
How was everyone's weekend? Mine was great. I spent this weekend at a little paradise in Brazil called "Angra dos Reis". It was amazing, probably one of the most beautiful places I've ever been in my life. The water was so clear and so blue and the islands were spectacular. The sun was shining and everything was just lovely. We spent most of the time on a big boat cruising around to different islands and beaches; each beach seemed to be more beautiful than the next. The house I stayed in was incredibly beautiful and I enjoyed very much having a pool and sauna in the house. I don't have pictures right now, but believe me, Angra is extremely beautiful. I'll have pictures later, but until then try googling it if you're curious.
I'll have more to say later, and I'm waiting on the pictures. I'm loving Brazil and I'm extremely happy here. I miss you all so much! Too much love for everyone!
Looooooooove,
Marie
How was everyone's weekend? Mine was great. I spent this weekend at a little paradise in Brazil called "Angra dos Reis". It was amazing, probably one of the most beautiful places I've ever been in my life. The water was so clear and so blue and the islands were spectacular. The sun was shining and everything was just lovely. We spent most of the time on a big boat cruising around to different islands and beaches; each beach seemed to be more beautiful than the next. The house I stayed in was incredibly beautiful and I enjoyed very much having a pool and sauna in the house. I don't have pictures right now, but believe me, Angra is extremely beautiful. I'll have pictures later, but until then try googling it if you're curious.
I'll have more to say later, and I'm waiting on the pictures. I'm loving Brazil and I'm extremely happy here. I miss you all so much! Too much love for everyone!
Looooooooove,
Marie
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Meeting Brazil
HELLO EVERYONE!
I've been a very bad girl and haven't written anything about Brazil after being here for two-weeks. To tell you the truth, life has been very busy getting to know a whole new country and culture but things seem to be falling into place. I'm warning you that this is going to be a long post, so brace yourself and be prepared! My adventure to Brazil all started like this...
September 15th was a very busy day. Of course you all know what a complete procrastinator I am and you probably can believe that I had about 500 million different things to do before I left for New York. I went into school to say my good-byes to everyone and take one last look at the old place. It was so nice to see everybody and I said many farewells. My mom and I left Montpelier around 7-ish, of course 5 hours after our estimated time, and began a long car ride through the hills of Vermont yelling "BYE VERMONT!" every 100 feet. When we crossed over into New Hampshire/Massachussetts we began to hit traffic which lasted probably the entire way to New York. We arrived at the hotel around 2 in the morning and that was probably when the enormity of everything hit me. I spent the night crying and hugging my mom feeling completely unprepared and that I was making a big mistake. The next morning I spent trying not to cry as we took the shuttle to my terminal. I remember everything didn't feel real, like a dream. When I said good-bye to my mom I lost it and felt the most scared I've ever felt in my life.
The airplane ride was 10-11 hours long, but it was probably the most comfortable ride I've ever had. I met such nice people and although they took my mind off the gravity of the situation, I pretty much cried for most of the flight. When I arrived at Guarulhos Airport in São Paulo, Brazil I got lost and couldn't find my family. I felt so alone and confused and extremely depressed until I stepped outside of the airport. The first thing that hit me was a gust of fresh warm air followed by a lone voice calling out, "María?..." and then I saw them. With big goofy smiles on all of their beautiful faces and their arms wide open I saw my new families. All the regrets, all the sadness, all the cold lonely feelings dissapeared and I was surrounded by their love. Because my portuguese was... um... questionable at that point all I could do was nod and give them all the biggest hugs you could imagine. After we stopped at a pizza place in a nearby town called São José and headed on back to Guaratinguetá to my new home.
Ever since that my life here has been filled with love, happiness, and exciting new things. All of the brazilians have excepted me with arms and hearts wide open. They really all are quite lovely people. I've tried new exotic fruits, I've played crazy brazilian games, and I even took a capoeira class (which I must tell you is the most spectacular thing you'll ever see the human body do). I've met people from all over the world and made friends with some of the kindest people you'd ever meet. I miss my family, friends, and pets terribly but I'm so happy here and am enjoying every minute.
I love all you so very much and I'm so thankful that you all are supporting me. All of the e-mails everyone has been sending are all so very touching and I think of you all everyday. I would add some pictures but I forgot my camera in the states (can you believe it? yeah, thought you could). All I can do is tell you that life here is like a dream and it keeps getting better everyday. I love you all so much!!! You're all in my heart!!!
SO MUCH LOVE!
-marie
I've been a very bad girl and haven't written anything about Brazil after being here for two-weeks. To tell you the truth, life has been very busy getting to know a whole new country and culture but things seem to be falling into place. I'm warning you that this is going to be a long post, so brace yourself and be prepared! My adventure to Brazil all started like this...
September 15th was a very busy day. Of course you all know what a complete procrastinator I am and you probably can believe that I had about 500 million different things to do before I left for New York. I went into school to say my good-byes to everyone and take one last look at the old place. It was so nice to see everybody and I said many farewells. My mom and I left Montpelier around 7-ish, of course 5 hours after our estimated time, and began a long car ride through the hills of Vermont yelling "BYE VERMONT!" every 100 feet. When we crossed over into New Hampshire/Massachussetts we began to hit traffic which lasted probably the entire way to New York. We arrived at the hotel around 2 in the morning and that was probably when the enormity of everything hit me. I spent the night crying and hugging my mom feeling completely unprepared and that I was making a big mistake. The next morning I spent trying not to cry as we took the shuttle to my terminal. I remember everything didn't feel real, like a dream. When I said good-bye to my mom I lost it and felt the most scared I've ever felt in my life.
The airplane ride was 10-11 hours long, but it was probably the most comfortable ride I've ever had. I met such nice people and although they took my mind off the gravity of the situation, I pretty much cried for most of the flight. When I arrived at Guarulhos Airport in São Paulo, Brazil I got lost and couldn't find my family. I felt so alone and confused and extremely depressed until I stepped outside of the airport. The first thing that hit me was a gust of fresh warm air followed by a lone voice calling out, "María?..." and then I saw them. With big goofy smiles on all of their beautiful faces and their arms wide open I saw my new families. All the regrets, all the sadness, all the cold lonely feelings dissapeared and I was surrounded by their love. Because my portuguese was... um... questionable at that point all I could do was nod and give them all the biggest hugs you could imagine. After we stopped at a pizza place in a nearby town called São José and headed on back to Guaratinguetá to my new home.
Ever since that my life here has been filled with love, happiness, and exciting new things. All of the brazilians have excepted me with arms and hearts wide open. They really all are quite lovely people. I've tried new exotic fruits, I've played crazy brazilian games, and I even took a capoeira class (which I must tell you is the most spectacular thing you'll ever see the human body do). I've met people from all over the world and made friends with some of the kindest people you'd ever meet. I miss my family, friends, and pets terribly but I'm so happy here and am enjoying every minute.
I love all you so very much and I'm so thankful that you all are supporting me. All of the e-mails everyone has been sending are all so very touching and I think of you all everyday. I would add some pictures but I forgot my camera in the states (can you believe it? yeah, thought you could). All I can do is tell you that life here is like a dream and it keeps getting better everyday. I love you all so much!!! You're all in my heart!!!
SO MUCH LOVE!
-marie
Friday, September 12, 2008
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