Brazil in Winter haha!

July 20, 2005  Some more differences are the milk isn't refrigerated.  That has been the hardest thing for me.  I have yet to drink a glass of milk.  John has and he hasn't died yet. 

We have eaten at TGI Fridays, Outback Steak House and Pizza Hut.  What a relief to have food that I recognize.  They even have menu's written in English.  So far there is only one restaurant that I have found that I really like and it is a lunch place.  All the others haven't agreed with me at all.  All the streets in Cambui are brick so it is major bumpy.  All the sidewalks are done by each individual store so you have to really be alert when you go walking.  One trip and you would be on your face. The apartment is looking pretty good.  I've still got to work on the closets some and hang some pictures but all in all we are in pretty good shape.  John's office is going to take about a month but I'm not going to nag.  He leaves at 7 and doesn't get home until 7 so he can have a messy office. I miss TV.  Especially the shows that I love like The Food Channel, ESPN, & Regis & Kelly but I'm adjusting.  At least we have Fox news.  I wouldn't have a clue were it not for Fox. It is 60 degrees here and people are bundled up like there is a blizzard coming.  I'm in my comfortable summer dresses and they look at me like I'm an idiot.  We've gotten two letters from home.  George and Jan Banta & Joe and Pam Broyles wrote us.  You would have thought someone had delivered gold when I saw there was mail.  I'm sure the guards at the apartment thought I was nuts.  As well as I can tell it takes 9-10 days for a letter to arrive. 

Everyone has dogs here.  They, too, have their coats to wear in this cold weather.  They all have little bows in their ears and are treated like children.  We are hoping for a good movie at the theater but so far they haven't changed.  Ben wants us to go see The Fantastic Four.  Ben had dinner with Hank and Sandy Angell and said it was wonderful.  We are grateful that he has a contact.  He said they are really cool.  That is a huge compliment coming from him.  Meredith and John are awaiting their next assignment.  I believe that date is August 4.