Moving into our apartment

July 7, 2005

Meredith called last night and sounded teary.  She said she just misses being able to talk to me whenever she wants to.  I wish she would e-mail more but she just doesn't have time.  They find out in 3 weeks where they will go.  England, Alaska, or Idaho.  There is also an option of staying there in Goldsboro but John doesn't think that will happen.  We'll see.

I got worried about Ben because no one had heard from him since I left over a week ago so I called him.  His phone is broken and so is his computer.  I sent him money for a new modem and he is going to get it when he is off this week.  I miss him a lot.  It is very hard to be so far away from family and friends.  They delivered the furniture on Friday and John and I worked all weekend to get it all straightened up.  I felt for the packers because we are on the 7th floor so that meant they had to put the stuff on the elevator and then unload at the apartment.  The floors are hardwood and they are very picky about us taking care of them so I was so paranoid about scratches.  We check out of the hotel in the morning.  We almost have everything situated at the apartment but it is really a mess because of the boxes everywhere.  I hope someone will help me get the boxes out in the morning so I can get everything straightened up.  I can't wait to go to the vegetable/fruit market tomorrow.  We are going to have corn on the cob, broccoli, and potatoes.  I may not have meat for a week.  I have missed vegetables very much.  I also miss our fruit.  The fruit here is weird and very different.  I miss my cantaloupe.  It is my favorite thing about summertime.  I'll take pictures of the apartment as soon as I get everything situated.Also, we were walking back to the apartment (all you do is walk around here!  no wonder Brazilian women are skinny) and everyone in the bars, restaurants and ice cream parlors were gathered around the TV watching the soccer game.  They really get into soccer around here.  It just isn't as exciting to me as football.  The ice cream parlors here are so interesting.  There are probably 60 different flavors and 25 different toppings.  You scoop it in the plate.  You can go nuts with the scooper.  They do not have vanilla.  They have something called condensed milk ice cream and it was too grainy.  The best one is the one called cream.  It is made from the cream that comes to the top after a cow is milked.  The taste is different because they are grain-fed cows but it is still good.  Then after you have piled up the ice cream you weigh it and pay by weight.  IT is still so cheap.  I had 5 different scoops with toppings for $3 American dollars.  Our friend Larry Reeves would really have a good time.  He loves ice cream. The restaurants deliver by motorcycle and there are only Little bitty cars here.  Cars that will barely seat 2 people.  We have a four door so there is room for 4.  There is one car that is so tiny.  I see it and laugh.  It is called a KA.  I am going to a church tomorrow where the kids want to learn English.  Everyone here wants to know English.  They love to hear you talk.  They think I sound funny probably because of my Tennessee-Georgia-South Carolina-Texas accent.  I will get my first taxi so that should be interesting.  Taxi's are even little around here.  I start Portuguese lessons in two weeks.  I really need to be able to talk to people.  I know words but can't talk to them in sentences.