Time flies...

February 14 – 18, 2011

The days are passing quickly, and it’s hard to believe we’ve been here almost two weeks.  We are starting to fall into a routine of some sort – Matt working hard (he has a huge job ahead of him, and is really starting to feel the stress and pressure mounting), the boys adjusting to school, and me…well, I’m adjusting to the life of an expat wife.  I am so used to being in constant motion, juggling work, the house, the kids, that it takes a bit to get used to a different kind of schedule.  I’m taking advantage of the beautiful weather in the mornings for a workout – usually a walk/run near the complex – then I try to find reasons to get out of the apartment, otherwise I’d go crazy!  I’m still meeting new people, all who have been in my shoes, and are willing to help out however they can.  

Monday morning I joined my friend, Katherine, for a shopping trip to an international market.  It was a very nice grocery store, with things you can’t always find on the shelves at the regular market – however, I still can’t get past the sticker shock when I see things I recognize from home.  I did buy some Heinz Ketchup, to give us a little taste of Pittsburgh – at $5.00 for a small bottle, I figured the boys’ smiles would make it worth it!  Some things I didn’t buy due to the cost included marshmallows, costing $10.00 for a small package, maple syrup at $20.00 for a small bottle, and Bertolli pasta sauce, going for about $16.00 a jar (these are U.S. dollars I’m talking about!)!  Even though I don’t plan to shop there often, it’s good to know there is a place where I can find tastes of home for a very special treat.

I also decided to go ahead and jump in with both feet and already started volunteering at the boys’ school.  I’m going in to Ian’s class every Monday for two hours to help with Guided Reading Groups.  What an eye-opening experience my first visit was!  Tuition at the boys’ international “American” school is insanely expensive – the only way we can afford to send them there is with the generosity of Matt’s company.  However, the majority of the kids who attend the school are Brazilian – their parents are paying out of pocket for their education – meaning, these are very privileged kids, from families with means.  This also means that many of them have been raised by maids and babas (nannies), and know little about discipline.  I am proud to say that kids at Ian’s public school in Cranberry exhibit far better manners and behavior than many of the kids I encountered in his class here.  It was good, however, to be in the school and get to see the boys interact with other kids – I think my volunteering will be good for all of us – gives them the sense of security of having their mom involved, and gives me something to do with my time!

Tuesday came and went without too much excitement, other than the fact that we FINALLY got our CPF!!!  As I’ve explained before, we really can’t do or buy much of anything without this number.  Now that we have it, we can open a bank account, get our own services (internet/phone/cable) connected, buy a car, and most important, start the process of getting our belongings shipped to us.  We have been anxious to get all of the above started, and it’s just been a waiting game.  Now, we have to get about a million documents notarized and sent to the importing customs agent – and maybe in a month or two we’ll see some of our own stuff arrive!  

Wednesday brought excitement for Ian, as we packed him up and sent him off on his first trip away from home without a parent or grandparent.  He was so psyched about his trip that he had set the alarm for 5:15 AM a day earlier, and set another alarm as a “back-up” – he wanted to make sure he wasn’t late for the bus.  It’s amazing to me (and many people that we’ve talked to about our decision) that we’ve only been here 2 weeks, and we’re already sending our son off to a 3 day field trip – but we feel it’s the best way for the boys to really get integrated and see beautiful new places.  We’re anxious to hear all about his trip when he returns on Friday!

Since I decided to hire a maid, who is wonderful, I figured I’d ask her for some lessons in Brazilian cooking.  On Thursday, she went with me to the grocery store and showed me what I’d need to buy to make 2 very typical Brazilian dishes – “pastel de carne” and “feijao” – meat pies and beans.  Here, you will find rice and beans to accompany lunch and/or dinner on a daily basis.  Once back from the store, my cooking lesson began – this was also good practice for me to learn what basic foods are called in Portuguese.  We chopped, diced, sautéed, and cooked – the kitchen smelled wonderful – and dinner was already prepped for later that evening.  When Matt got home, we sat down to our first traditional Brazilian meal - pastel, rice with feijao, linguica (Brazilian sausage), and a salad complete with heart-of-palm - prepared by yours truly.  He and the kids loved it, and I was excited to have broadened my culinary horizons!  Over dinner, Matt filled me in on the 2 ½ hour battle he fought at the notary in order to have our documents notarized.  I was so proud to hear how, in his best Portuguese, he stood his ground, and talked to 4 or 5 different people (including, finally, the head honcho) and insisted that he was not leaving until everything was signed.  Success!  He accomplished his goal for the day – now we’re one step closer to getting our shipments sent to us.

Friday arrived, bringing with it a beautiful morning.  I’m enjoying regular walks (sometimes runs) through the complex, and in a nearby park.  On my way out that morning, I got a real treat – the monkeys had come out to play!  I had noticed a few people staring at the trees just a few yards away from my building, so with my curiosity piqued, I walked over to take a closer look.  Right in front of me, not more than 10 feet away, were three little tree monkeys, playing and climbing on a tree.  They are cute little things, not much bigger than the squirrels we see in the U.S.  It made me so happy to finally see them, I couldn’t stop smiling!  It was also great to have Ian back with us later that afternoon, as I couldn’t wait to hear all about his trip.  He filled me in on all of his adventures at Replago – a fantastic resort, complete with lakes and other great outdoor activities.  They enjoyed riding a zip-line, being pulled (and tipped off) on a banana boat, jumping off of a floating trampoline into the lake, and taking nature walks – most of all he enjoyed being independent.  I was amused as he proudly stated, “It was like being in college; we didn’t have moms or dads there to tell us what to do.  We just had to take showers and brush our teeth on our own – it was awesome!”  They grow up too fast, but it’s wonderful to see how quickly they are adjusting to their new environment.  Once again, we were comforted by the knowledge that our kids are OK and they will survive (and thrive) in this country!