New Things - Part 2 of the Series - Amateur Sports

Continuing with the New Things Series, I've got much more to share with you! I'll get straight to the point. This weekend, I am competing in the Jogos de Sesi, or Sesi games. It's basically a Brazilian version of corporate games where PowerPoint loving business people put on a pair of Nikes and compete for the glory and title of "gold medalist" in tennis, football, beach volleyball, indoor volleyball, swimming and even ping pong and chess. Yes, even chess! The winner of the Regionals goes to the State finals with the potential of being crowned the King of Brazil and even a World Games match.

A colleague of mine had seen me swim at the outdoor pool (only opened for 4 months per year) a few times and also knew I was taking tennis lessons. He invited me to compete in the natacao, or swim competition as well as tennis singles. I reluctantly agreed with a knot in my stomach that I: a) never competed in a swim match in a pool; b) never did the breaststroke for more than 1/2 a lap; and c) had been playing tennis for 10 months and only recently was able serve the ball over the net.

However, what really attracted me to sign myself up for corporate humiliation in a foreign country and foreign language (I mean people laughing at you in Portuguese isn't so bad right???), was the chance to meet new "athletas" from my company and a chance to proudly wear and represent my company colors as an athlete! Come to find out, my company was paying for the transportation to the event, lodging, entrance fees, some meals and even provided a uniform and a nice set of warm-ups (although I paid R$40 to offset the cost). Wow!

With even more pride now, I cleaned the mold off my swim goggles and stepped up my once weekly tennis lessons. What did I have to lose?

Embarrassment? Check, but after 2 1/2 years speaking Portuguese, I already passed through a multitude of embarrassing situations where the hotness in my cheeks was so "quente" I could have provided heat to a small country. What was the risk of one more?

I've been training now for this event for about 2 months. This has included more frequent tennis lessons as well as numerous searches on You Tube for "how to serve", "how to keep score" and "how to put those tennis balls in your shorts". As for the swimming, the nearest indoor swimming pool (remember it's winter here) is 60 miles away, or a 1 hour and 15 min drive in a city called Ijui.  I have gone to swim a few times with some colleagues from my company. Come to find out, I have to DIVE into the water. This required many MORE searches on You Tube for "how to dive into the water", "how to keep your goggles on when you dive" and "how to do the breaststroke". Guess what? I also had to learn the words for "On your mark, get set, GO!" in Portuguese!! Never thought of that ahead of time.

So, today, I embark on another new experience here in Brazil as an Amateur Athlete. I don't really have too many details of this event, other than we take a bus for 4 hours at 3 pm today, swim/tennis tomorrow, lunch, then return at around 11 pm Sunday evening. Other than that, not quite sure what to expect, other than lots of laughing at myself, a chance to make new friends, and a chance to proudly represent my company!

Wish me luck....Look for Part 3 - Results of Amateur Sports & maybe a few pictures!

Um abraco,
Mollie

New Things - Part 1 - Conquering Portuguese

Welcome to Part 1 of my "New Things" blog series! I'm on the tail end of my assignment here in Brazil and found that there are still many experiences and things I can do to really involve myself in the culture. Even after an intense 2 years, 4 months and 1 day to be exact, I believe it's possible for me to still absorb and grow in my experience here.


I've decided to really challenge myself the next several months to do things I've only thought of, only talked about doing, or never did because I was afraid to do!


The first "New Thing" will be to conquer the Portuguese language! I don't just mean continue to take Portuguese lessons. I mean really applying all of the grammar, conversation, and "girias" or slang to find out if I really have good Portuguese or not. What's the best way to find out? Take a test!


One of my American friends here is an English teacher for Brazilians. Her teaching method draws on some of the material from the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) exam. I started thinking several months ago as my Portuguese lessons were becoming too routine that I need to challenge myself more with the language or quit wasting time and money in lessons. I got the idea from her that maybe there is a Portuguese equivalent to the TOEFL. Maybe I can take an exam and become "certified"  in Portuguese. Maybe I could use that to teach others about the language and help share this beautiful language with others when I return to the US. Maybe I could continue to set the bar high for myself and prove to myself that I have really CONQUERED this language while here in Brazil.


Come to find out, yes, there is an exam called "Celpe-Bras" which evaluates the ability of foreigners to read, write and speak in Portuguese. It stands for "Certificado de Proficiência em Língua Portuguesa para Estrangeiros". I'm not sure why they have the "Bras" at the end. At first I read it and thought it was the word "bra", then realized it stands for Brazil, but it threw me off for a second and I thought I was reading about something else. 



The test is offered two times per year, April and October. Recently, they published the abstract for the October exam and it seems like a good sign that I should sign up and take it. So, that is what I am going to do!! It will be my most recent "New Thing".  The exam date is October 27 and I will have to travel 90 minutes to another town, but I'm going to go ahead and give it a try! I don't have much to lose and I want to see if I can CONQUER the Portuguese language! Wish me luck!!!



Um abraco,
Mollie


For more information about the exam, go here:  
http://www.inep.gov.br/celpebras/

New Things...Coisas Novas

My next series of blogs is going to be about trying new things here in Brazil. After almost 2 1/2 years of countless new experiences, foods, people and everything in between, I still find many new experiences almost every day. Some are simple things I want to try, like mailing a letter. Others are a little more daring and hence exist the possibility of severe embarrassment and humiliation. But, I've learned that embarrassment or " vergonha" (in Portuguese) are part of being a foreigner and it helps me not to take myself so seriously, something I've learned while here!

I'll continue with some funny stories and observations for your reading enjoyment. Also, there will be some reader participation in some upcoming blogs!

Stay tuned to more and feel free to send me your comments or questions about ex-pat life or life in a small, rural town in Brazil.

Um abraco (that means hugs!),
Mollie

You want one more? (Quer mais um?)

My last post was about how I really didn't mind riding the bus. I, in fact, like it. It's a chance to sleep, rest, listen to my iPod and just chill out. When I wake up, I'm in another city ready for another adventure. 


I took the bus Friday night to Porto Alegre at 10 pm. It's an overnight bus for 7 or 7 1/2 hours. No big deal. I got all my usual travel tools ready:


Earplugs - Check
iPod - Check
Eye Mask - Check
Snacks - Check
Dramamine - Check
Lotion (don't want to have dry hands!) - Check
Magic Pillow - Check
Travel blanket - Check




Those are kind of my standard travel tools I need. If I have those, I can pretty much go anywhere in the world. They have served me well. 


I got a taxi ride from my friend, Marcio Bender Taxi, to the bus station. Hoped on the bus in seat number 15 and sat next to a girl about my age. No problem, I thought. The bus driver shut the door and off we went into the night. 


I shut my eyes and let the sleep come! Somewhere between Horizontina and who knows where, the bus stopped. More people got on, including a really large, loud, and obnoxious Brazilian man. Now, I mean "large" not in the overweight sense, but he was just tall and a big man that took up a lot of mass. Of course, he was seated behind me. He kept talking and talking (LOUDLY) as we drove off into the night, one kilometer closer to the final destination. I nicknamed him The Hulk because reminded me of the green guy. 

I tried to go back to sleep. Then I kept hearing some little kid screaming and moaning. Oh man, I thought....Now, I have friends with kids. I like kids. Maybe even some day I'll have my own little ones running around and I can empathize with parents. But, that day isn't now and for now, I really like my single, kid free life. I like being the cool " aunt Mollie"  who can hang out with the kids then scurry on back to my quiet, carefree, and kid free lifestyle.  So, please next time you take your kid on an overnight bus, just give him a little kid Nyquil or something to help them be quiet so I can sleep. I am the one who works like 50+ hours a week!


Finally, we stopped. The bus stopped. Yes, I thought. We arrived in Porto Alegre. Wow, that went by fast. But, no.....Nope, just our standard half-way stop at a place called Italian's. It's basically a roadside stop with a bunch of bathrooms and a snack bar to get greasy, artery clogging food. The only redeeming quality about it is that I have learned you can order a misto quente with integral bread and no butter. They look at you weird, but at least I can avoid the heart attack. 


At this point, it was 3:00 am. I hadn't slept very well due to The Hulk and screaming kid. I got off the bus to stretch my legs and use the banheiro. Now, this place, Italian's is where we always stop whether we use the company van or the public bus. I know it like the back of my hand. In fact, earlier in the week I stopped there twice because I had to go to/from Porto Alegre for work to a farm show. 


I go into the banheiro and there is a bathroom attendant  (lets call her the TP brigada) giving out small amounts of toilet paper. There is no TP in the bathroom stalls. Normally, there is not an attendant because during the day there isn't as much foot traffic. There are small piles of pre-counted TP sitting on a counter - free for the taking!  Well, I needed a little extra TP on this stop because I had a runny nose. The TP brigada gave me one thing of TP. I asked for another. At this point, she looked at me and said " Quer mais um?"  Which means, you want one more. Or, to translate her non-verbal meaning " I just gave you some TP. You want more TP than I already gave you? What are you going to do with all that TP?" 


I was shocked! I have spent plenty of my hard earned reais there and darn it, I deserved the occasional extra set of TP without the evil eye of the TP brigada. I didn't deserve the TP walk of shame! I'm a good customer at the greasy pit! I was so shocked, that all I could mutter was a "sim"  and nod my head. Not to mention, I was half asleep. 


Well, the rest of the bus ride was thankfully uneventful. The Hulk seemed to quiet down as well as Screaming Kid. Due to the rain and fog, the normally 7 hour bus ride was 8 hours and I didn't get my usual great sleep that I so proclaimed in my last blog. 


It was actually one of the worst bus rides I've had, not to mention the hit to my ego for the extra toilet paper. I guess the moral of the story is you get what you pay for...or don't pay for!


Um abraco,
Mollie

Travel from Horizontina (Viagems de Horizontina)

I am getting ready to board the 10 pm overnight bus to Porto Alegre. It's about a 7 to 7 1/2 hour bus ride. Let me explain....

I am a really good traveler. I know that sounds conceited to say, but if I had to give myself a Performance Management rating for my travel competency, I'd give myself an "Outstanding Performance". I'll have to ask my boss if he can include that in my year end this year...I digress. 

I travel a fair amount for work and a lot more for personal. Living in Horizontina, which is 3 hours away from a small airport (Passo Fundo) and 7 hours away from the main airport (Porto Alegre), I have to find creative ways to get to the airport. Depending on the day of the week, you have certain options:

1) Any day of the week - 6 am bus ride for 7 1/2 hours to Porto Alegre (main airport) - R$100

2) Any day of the week - 10 pm over night bus ride for 7 1/2 hours to Porto Alegre - R$100

3) Company van - Mondays and Fridays @ 2:30 pm to Porto Alegre for 7 hours - Free (well, my company pays)

4) Carpool with someone to Porto Alegre - crapshoot depending on the day - 6 hours - R$60

5) Van ride to Passo Fundo (3 hours), but only Sunday to Fridays & only 1 flight per day - R$400

6) There is a flight from a SMALL airport 45 min or 90 min away, but that flight holds 12 people, you can only take 10kg of luggage and gets cancelled a lot. The only flight crew  are the 2 pilots. - R$300.

I rarely do option 5 because the flights get cancelled and they don't have convenient flight times, not to mention the luggage restriction and the high fare in case I want to do a weekend trip. My default options are usually 2, 3 or 4.

I am sure you are imagining a bus ride of 7 1/2 hours with chickens or something out of a Chevy Chase film, but I assure you the bus is really nice, very comfortable and very inexpensive. It's nicer than an airplane and if you get the "Leito"  bus, you can have a solo seat and don't have to sit next to anyone. I can usually sleep most of the bus ride and get a decent night's rest on the overnight bus.

For those of you who have been to Horizontina, you know it's not easy to get to/from the city. It is in fact much closer to Argentina than the rest of Brazil. But, when faced with lemons, you have to make lemonade. So, I make the best of what I've got and am happy that I have a way to get in/out of Horizontina. When you think about it, there are actually a lot of options for travel to Horizontina! None are easy, but then what fun would there be in easy???

Um abraco!
Mollie