Ordem e Progresso?

In 2009 I kept a blog about my first trip here (http://katielynninbrazil.blogspot.com.br/). In one of my early posts I described a very strange and unorganized store where I went to use the internet and compared Brazil to that store. Four years later this metaphor resonates with me stronger than ever.

Last week I sent an email to the international contact I have at ESALQ telling them I arrived and asking for information. I wanted to know when I would schedule my classes and when orientation would be. This of course was something I assumed the school would send me automatically. No no silly Katie...no no. I was sent back half of a response that told me I would schedule my classes at orientation. But what about the rest of my email? When is orientation!? I waited for a follow up email. None came. This was not the first time they gave me an incomplete response.

After a few days I began to panic. I figured I had to have this information somewhere...and yes, graças a Deus, I did. In one of the very early emails sent to me at the beginning of the year I received an attachment with information about ESALQ housing, cost of living, dining..etc and sure enough there was a small note that said that orientation would be on the 25th and the 26th. Yeah, this happened yesterday, the 25th. So I sent another quick email asking for place and time and received an unlikely timely response... (I sound so bitter). Within the hour I went to the right place and filled out some documents. In this meeting my student coordinator told me I had to register with the police before I could schedule my classes. This meant I had to get a proper photo taken, go to the bank to pay my registration fees (people pay their bills at the bank) and get three documents notarized all before tomorrow. She also told me I had to arrive at the police station at 7:30 am because the police only accept a certain number of appointments per day (this is madness).

After accomplishing half of these tasks I arrived home. Li assured me that we didn't have to arrive at the police station at 7:30 a.m. and on the instructions for international registration that ESALQ gave me it was written the the attending hours at the station were from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. So I relaxed and we planned to arrive before 11 a.m the following morning. The next day after getting things notarized we arrived at the police station at 10:10 a.m. The place was empty, no one to attend except us. Li took charge and asked where I needed to go to register. The attending police officer said I was too late and we would have to come back on Monday at 7:30 a.m. I got nervous, but Li got an adrenaline rush. Ha! Li pointed out to the officer the instructions I received about registering between 8 and 11 a.m. and demanded respectfully, yet aggressively, to talk to the lawyer present at the station. Deportation crossed my mind.

After a phone call we were begrudgingly directed upstairs to the lawyer's office. Li distantly knew the man, or knew of him. She explained the circumstances and embellished a bit saying that if I didn't register that day then I would lose my scholarship, which isn't entirely true or false...maybe I could have scheduled my classes on Monday, but who knows? I told Li that I doubted I would loose my scholarship because of the delay. She smiled and shushed me and said "Brasil funciona assim". Eventually we were directed to a waiting room where we did just that and then I was given permission to register. :)

There are two main points in this story.
1. Brazil is like that strange unorganized store I encountered in 2009 and in order to stay on top of things one must not expect anything different.
2. Li is awesome. Truly.

Thought this was a funny name for a business.

The main building on my campus.

In front of the Piracicaban "oval". "O-H....."

After the Storm

The Day after the blackout my "grandma" Lair went back to her house to check on things and grab some items to bring back to Sérgio and Li's. Unfortunately she came back to her house in a different state than she left it. Her house was flooded. Her and my host mom Li and my host brother Rodrigo spent the morning and early afternoon cleaning the floors and trying to save furniture.

Quite a bit of damage happened all around the city.

A few unfortunate car owners...

This is the fallen cemetery wall. Loosing this wall also meant losing a collection of paintings and mosaics done by famous local artists.

Fallen trees and walls affected traffic the day after.

One (or three) of the culprits. 

I am happy to report that despite all the shitty experiences, my grandma seems to be in good spirits. Everyone seems to be feeling a bit better while getting back into their regular routine. Even my host sister's flu seems to be clearing up.

They are happier...I am happier...you know.

Lights Out!

I and the rest of the city of Piracicaba are currently in the dark. Around 4pm today, Sunday the 21rst, a hail storm knocked out power. Brazil, you will recall is currently in its winter time, which means the sun goes down around 6pm, so the darkness came early. Its two minutes until 9pm now. I am not tired because of a nap I took earlier. So here I sit in my bed with host sister Juliana (Ju) in the bed next to mine. The house smells like a strong combination of cookies and garlic thanks to the cookie candle I brought for my host grandma that is being used for light and the corn and garlic soup that is on the stove.

I suppose last night is worth a bit of a story. My “grandma” Lair has temporarily moved in. With such a full house and a few complications the sleeping arrangement was as follows. Juliana slept alone in our room. She is sick and has a cough and did not want to get me sick or keep me awake. So I slept in the next bedroom with Lair. Sérgio and Li slept in their room and my host brother Rodrigo slept on a mattress on their floor. I was happy with this arrangement and ignored the lighthearted jokes from my host parents that focused around the idea of Lair’s snoring. 

What I learned around midnight was that this was no joke. I tried my hardest to sleep through the loud deep-throated-growls and gasps but I could not. Around two I went to my room and searched for my earplugs, but to no avail. In this process I woke up Ju who expressed much compassion. I felt bad for waking her up, apologized and returned to Lair’s side telling myself to deal with it. About an hour later and no success with the finger-in-ear strategy I grabbed my pillow and returned to my room to grab a blanket. My goal was to sleep on the couch. In this process I again woke up my ailing host sister. She insisted on getting me a sheet and making my bed on the couch. She is wonderfully stubborn. I guiltily allowed her to do so, said my thanks and went to sleep.

Speaking of guilt….for various reasons really, I felt guilty: 1. Li didn’t want anyone to sleep on the couch because she wished to keep the living room in order for unexpected visitors who would come to see Lair and give their respects. 2. I felt bad for acknowledging Lair’s snoring because I didn’t want to her to be embarrassed. 3. I felt bad for leaving her to sleep alone. 4. I woke up my sick host sister twice.

The next day I didn’t feel so guilty. Some light teasing made me feel as though everything was fine and I was glad I made the move.

Now I am going to go try the corn and garlic soup. 

A Strange Arrival

I arrived Thursday the 18th around 11pm Brazil time (10pm Ohio time) in the São Paulo, Brazil Guarulhos airport. When I didn't see my good friends and host family from 2009 standing there to greet me, I knew something was not right, and had a strong feeling it was my fault. After a 5 minute or so wait, I made my way to the pay phones on the second floor and called my host family. About three weeks ago I incorrectly informed my host mom that I would be arriving on the 19th and because of this, my host family was of course not expecting me. To make matters worse, Rodolfo, my host mother's father passed away that same day, which was also my host mom's birthday. I felt horrible for adding to the stress of my friends.

After the realization that no buses would be going to Piracicaba that late, four pay-phone calls  (The airport didn't have any stores selling SIM cards) and one $165 reais taxi ride, I arrived at my host father's sister's house in São Paulo around 1am Brazil time. There I was graciously greeted and welcomed into Marielena's home. I spent the night there and in the morning gave my thank yous and good byes, and took a taxi to the bus station.

I purchased a direct 12:30 bus ticket. Like a lost stubborn foreigner I wondered around the bus station with 90 pounds of rolling luggage and another 15 on my back looking for platform forty. I went outside and saw a ramp with a sign above it that said TO PLATFORMS. At this point the luggage was already starting to wear me out, but I took a deep breath and made my way up the ramp leading to the second floor of the bus station. This trek was a very awkward and embarrassing work out. No one else traveling up or down the ramp was carrying two huge suitcases which made me realize about half way through that somewhere in the station there was a more convenient way to get to platform forty and that I looked stupid. Oh well.

This hike broke my pride and I promptly asked for directions. I made it to the platform with ten minutes to spare and made my way towards seat number 12 on the bus. Seat 12 was taken by Mrs. seat 11. I greeted her, smiled and sat happily in my lucky number 11. What happened next was quite interesting...

Mrs. 11: Are you going to Piracicaba

Me: Yes, you are too?

Mrs. 11: Yes. I am going to a funeral

Me: huh...I am too.

Mrs. 11: Whose funeral?

Me: Rodolfo

Mrs. 11: Me too!

Mrs. seat 11 happened to be a friend of the family. We chatted a bit and then both ended up sleeping for the majority of the ride. She let me use her cellphone to confirm with my host sister Ju that she would be picking me up from the bus station....lalala..

Then there was the funeral. Everyone's state has logically been affected by Rodolfo's death. He was very sick, he had been battling cancer for over a year, and his passing was expected, but, you know, it's sad. 

I have arrived in a dramatic and stressful moment, but I am happy to be here with my friends. School starts in a few weeks. I am excited to have this opportunity and this challenge.

More stories to come.