tchau!

The time has come. It seemed like it never would, but it is here.

Departure from ricardo and loiva's.


I feel as if I am leaving a warm, pão and dulce de leite lined womb and/or jumping out the nest. Fly my little brasileira, fly! Go off into Brazil and prosper.

I got pretty sad about it, thinking "yeah, I could wash bottles/shuck grapes for another month". But the answer is a big resounding NO! There is so much out there to see, and as comfortable and accepting this place is to otras lugars I venture.

Today I said my final goodbye to my only brasilian friend under the age of 40 and above the age of 4- Caío. We worked, we laughed, we talked. To be honest it was mostly work, side by side in a comfortable silence (or with my awful choice of music blaring in the background). I think for the first three weeks he wasn't actully sure I spoke very much portuguese. But, he's a good kid. Works harder than you or I, that's for sure. He labors for Ricardo five to six days a weeks for three to five hours, sometimes ten or eleven on the weekends. AND, after that he goes to the leather factory where he works a nine hour night shift five days a week.

WHEW.


As much as I look up to someone who can do that without going insane, my ideal work life would be this:
eight hours for work
eight hours for sleep
eight hours for myself
Credit to a Mrz Hilary D. G. for that one actually...


In light of this great transition, I thought that I would make a list of the things I will miss about Ricardo, Loiva and João Pedro's.

1. Conversing with interesting, like minded people in portuguese.
2. Watching João attempt to eat his food directly out of the packaging, and then Loiva freaking out. Actually, watching Loiva freak out at any number of João's antics then watching her crack a smile within two minutes.
3. Throwing grapes at Caío and Juvilino
4. American cartoons dubbed over in portuguese. Actually any chill non-whiny time with JP such as: painting, reading, and making shadow puppets.
5. The view from my balcony.
6. The 3 ft iguana under the house. And my cow friends, I'll miss them too.
7.'Vamos a come' complete with hand gestures from Ricardo- this means lets go eat... Or any other Ricardo 'ism' such as: pronto (now), ta bom (it's good), chega a le (stop it!), or pão liquido (actually he has me to thank for that one, beer= liquid bread)
8. On a similar note, I'll sure miss homemade dulce de leite. But I'll expecially miss having all my meals for free.
9. Drinking çhimáro out of a wooden cup with a silver straw with Loiva while we watch the news (and ignore João's whines for 'cartoon'- all I have to say is that I now understand, I'm sorry mom).
10. Radio station 94.9 'Ipanema'. Any radio station that plays (in this order) bob marley, richard cheese, vampire weekend, and radiohead is a.o.k. in my book. Live 105, please take note. This radio station is responsible for my sanity; washing bottles for 9 hours a day in silence?

Just to even things out, and to lessen my feelings of longing, here are ten things I will not miss:
1. Waking up at seven am every morning.
2. Putting used tp in the tiny garbage can and not in the toilet. It's a hard habit to break folks.

3. An unlimited supply of icecream/popcicles. This occured during a transaction for the creation of grape icecream; we recieved a four month supply of icecream. I do love it, my bumbum (portuguese for butt, funny huh?) on the other hand hates me.
4. American cartoons dubbed over in portuguese.
5. João's incessent whining for coca cola, chocolate, and yogurt. Also, for McDonalds, cartoons, and nutella. Pretty much any whining...
6. Those tiny mosquitos which, instead of just stabbing you with their stylet actually chew a gaping hole into your skin. Not only is it more bloody, it itches like a mo-fo and gets super swolen. I guess on the same note, I'm not going to miss being carne fresca or fresh meat.
7. The scent of steaming grapes, it's quite unpleasant actually. Oh, and being covered in grape and attacked by flys. Who knew that grape juice in the eye was painful??
8. Being woken up before seven am by a pulp grinder- damn you jellys!
9. Akward transactions at PIA, the supermarket. Oh, and chasing João around PIA while all the locals give me wierd looks because I'm not german.
10. As much as I love (almost all) the people that I've met here and the beauty of Rio Grande do Sul, I'm not going to miss feeling like I'm in Bavaria.

There you have it. The next update will be from Florianopolis, Santa Catarina.
Beijos!