AUGUST 6
Well, this has been a good 10 days since my last update. I've been here 36 days and I am still alive. I guess I'll be staying. John is glad about that although my cooking here has much to be desired. I've never had a gas stove so everything is either burned, undercooked or inedible. I tried to cook a root vegetable last night that everyone said tasted like a sweet potato. They are SO wrong. It was nasty and got thrown away. Since your garbage is gone through by the people on the street I'm sure they won't appreciate the mess. We started taking Portuguese lessons from a sweet couple this week-Marina & Pierre. He started the school Interclass 30 years ago and is so kind. He teaches John at Interclass 3 mornings a week and Marina comes to our apartment everyday at 4:30 for me. I look forward to seeing her every day and meet her downstairs at the gate. It makes her laugh when I am there. I met Pierre when I got lost. I don't get lost anymore. He gave me a great map. I had a visit from our landlord and her three daughters. They are Korean and have lived here since 1968. She was 62 but I would have said 40. Her daughters speak fluent English and we had the best time. One is 34 and an architect, one is 32 and a lawyer and the other is 27 and a business major. They are all three brilliant and still unmarried women which isn't uncommon here. They are also very strong Christians and we had wonderful conversation. I was sad when they left. They worked & worked on our TV to get it in working order. We were most grateful. I made strawberries dipped in white chocolate and Chips Ahoy cookies and they ate and ate. John gave me permission to serve some of his Chips Ahoy!! They are precious as I only brought 5 boxes. We tried to get our dryer to work but evidently it is too strong. The electrician changed the cord but the voltage must be off because it blows the fuse every time. I guess it is back to the old ironing board again. Boo Hoo! My #1 splurge is the cleaners. I take John's shirts to the cleaners. I iron the rest including towels, underwear and t-shirts. I listen to my Portuguese tapes while I iron so maybe it is profitable after all. This is winter break here and many of the families left for the month of July and went back to the states. It has been very busy since school started back on Monday, August 1. Some students go from 7-12:00 and the other students go from 1-6. That way they can take care of all the students. I meet many of the students downstairs in the apartment. They like to practice their English with me. Many have studied in USA. It takes being from an affluent family to be able to do this. The Navigator couple, Mike and Jan Rogers, have been in USA for the month of July so I haven't met them yet. They sure have been good to John. We heard from Meredith and John last night and they will be stationed starting in January at the Royal Air Force Base in Lakenheath England. I guess our family is going to be on three continents for a while. They sounded excited - especially John. It will be a wonderful time for them. I hope they can travel about. We will go to see them. I called Ben and he is having job troubles. He is such a good hard worker. It makes me sad that he cannot find a job where he is appreciated. He is looking in Wichita Falls. I hope he finds something that makes him really happy. John made the weekly letter because he got his first speeding ticket. In Campinas there are areas where there are electronic devices. If the device reads you are speeding it takes a picture of your tag and 3 weeks later you get a surprise in the mail in the form of a ticket. Unfortunately John's ticket goes to the plant where he works as the car is registered there. I bet he doesn't get another. All of the people we have met have MANY tickets so it isn't unusual. There are no day cares here. Families takes care of their grandbabies if they have to work. There are no nursing homes. Family takes care of their older parents if they need to. It is a very family oriented society here. Son's do not marry until late 30's or early 40's. Many daughters are the same. Also, you rarely see anyone smoke here. It is expensive and no one does it in public. On the street corners of busy streets there are jugglers, mimes and window-washers. You can buy anything while waiting for the light to turn green. They are what I would call beggars but they put on a show for you and then walk back through the cars for donations. The jugglers are very good but we don't give. They use the money for drugs or alcohol. The mime cussed at one couple we were riding with because they did not give. It is pitiful to see. There is a class system here. It is very hard to get into college. If you are in a Brazilian school you are not prepared for the test. If you are in a private school you are blessed. The test must be very hard. They say harder than the SAT. There are levels of college too. Good, better & best. Best is most difficult to get into.
Things I miss since last letter.
1. Being able to say to John "stop and pick something up for dinner!"
2. Good ice cream.
3. Applebee's, Chili's, waffle house, cracker barrel, Luby's, Krispy Creme and Red Lobster!!
4. Sour Cream. If ANYONE knows of a powdered substitute that I can bring back PLEASE let me know. It would make some of the food so much better.
Some other things that are interesting: Time here is military time. I am so glad Meredith married a military man because I had gotten used to that. We are in the Eastern South America Standard Time Zone. There are no commercials on the TV here. Traffic is absolutely horrible. Atlanta & Dallas traffic are NOTHING compared to the way people drive here. I am so proud of John that he is first of all still alive and second that he does such a good job. I won't be getting a car and I won't be driving. Taxi's are going to know the way to our apartment very well. Thank you so much for your prayers and e-mails. They really mean a lot to us. We serve a wonderful Master and He is taking good care of us in Brazil.
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