I didn't think it had been two weeks since I last updated but who am I to argue with the internet. Not really sure what all has happened in the past couple of weeks but figured I was due for an update. I've been traveling to our foundry, sorry let me back up. My job has become more defined down here and I am filling into more of a Controller role and assisting the Director of Finance and working with the finance teams in Hortolandia (Car Build plant) and Cruzeiro (wheel foundry and casting facility). Now back to where I started, I have been traveling to the foundry each week since I returned to work more closely with the finance team here. There are about 40+ people in the finance dept at the foundry and 6 in Hortolandia so makes more sense to spend my time here during the week and when I have projects to do.
The foundry is about a 3 hour drive and it's not too bad but driving here you always have to be aware of your speed, and of course other drivers. It is not the complete opposite of driving in the states but if anyone comes up on you here all you have to do is look behind you and you'll see their blinker on which means they want to pass you. No middle fingers, no flashing lights or horns, just a blinker and you respect it and get over. There are no police on the road here to pull you you over for speeding so that's why i made the comment about watching your speed. Brazil seems to have beaten the US to this one and they installed radars along the highway's here to catch speeders. I've started to learn where they are so I can slow down, but 1 KMH over and you'll get nice fine in the mail.
On my nights when I am in Campinas (where my apartment is) work day starts between 7:30 and 8 and goes until 5:15. I didn't know this until last week but Friday's the office closes at 4 pm to start the weekend, but I haven't been at that office on a Friday so that was news to me, but makes sense with the earlier start time the other four days during the week. After work I usually head straight to Portuguese class for 2-3 hours, get a workout in if the weather is nice, and then grab some dinner, email, Facebook, etc. I think it was a week or so ago on a Friday about 9 pm that I went running and as I was running, just listening to my ipod I look ahead and I am thinking, man it's pretty early for this girl to be all dressed up on a Friday night. Well as I get closer I realize that this girl, is well, not a girl which explains why he/she is all dressed up and ready to work for the night. After I got back to my apartment I talked to the guy at the front desk and he mentioned that he knew the area and to be careful around there especially on a Friday. That advice has been heeded and I haven't been back to that area unless it's during the day.
I've started to take stock in things that I am missing back home besides friends and family, so mom/dad when you read this I need a box to check on the airplane for when I come back down and I've added a few things to the list since we talked last week. There is NO peanut butter here, granola bars, I need some spray starch, Honey Nut Cheerios, Power Bars, and I will keep adding to the list. I just need to keep the box under 70lbs which I should be able to do!
Guess the last update for today is that I found and attended an English speaking church this past Sunday. There were a whopping 21 or 22 people there and I was the youngest by about 20 years with the exception of one couple who had a 4 year old daughter. They are having an Easter sunrise service and breakfast at a woman's house and I was invited to attend so that will be good to celebrate and get to know other people in the area. The pastor this past week was from Albany Georgia so that was pretty cool to talk to him after the service and find out where he is from and how long he has been in Brazil. I told him I grew up for the first 5 years in Georgia and he knew all of the places where my family lives.
Hope all is well back home, I promise to post some pictures when I return home in a couple of weeks and look forward to seeing anyone I can while I am back home.
Tchau
Adam
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Another new apartment
I finally just got re-connected to the internet after moving into my apartment, what a God send. The router and connection seemed to be working fine but my computer just would not connect. It was such a tease for the past couple of days, but I finally am back into the real world and can Skype and get on FB again. (Sorry guys for not being able to hop on Skype yesterday and say hey to everyone at the annual St Patty's Day party)
The apartment is great, but tiny. The amenities here make it all worth it though so the size of the apartment doesn't really bother me too much. I won't be in here very much between work, traveling on the weekends, classes and studying but still nice to have a place that resembles home. I get valet parking, a party room for rent, chef, maid, in apartment laundry, queen size bed, internet, cable tv (although its crap because 90% of the channels are in portuguese), and a gym and pool.
So I seem to be getting some repeat posts about things down here so hopefully this will put a few things to rest:
One last thing to note is that my niece started talking this week!!! She is saying baba, dada, and mama, but my sister says she says dada because it's easier and well she is a daddy's girl. I can't wait to see pictures or a video (Sarah if you're reading this, get on that and Skype).
I love and miss everyone back home.
Tchau
Adam
The apartment is great, but tiny. The amenities here make it all worth it though so the size of the apartment doesn't really bother me too much. I won't be in here very much between work, traveling on the weekends, classes and studying but still nice to have a place that resembles home. I get valet parking, a party room for rent, chef, maid, in apartment laundry, queen size bed, internet, cable tv (although its crap because 90% of the channels are in portuguese), and a gym and pool.
So I seem to be getting some repeat posts about things down here so hopefully this will put a few things to rest:
- The women down here are beautiful but I am in the part of the country where some of the women look exactly like some women back in Chicago (fair skin, blond hair etc), but the rest of the women are very dark skinned, dark hair, and green or blue eyes, absolutely amazing.
- I am taking Portuguese lessons and started last Friday night after work. I have met a few girls that speak English and Portuguese so that makes things easier.
- I haven't taken any pictures yet because I don't have a camera. I took some with my Blackberry, but I haven't uploaded them yet. They will probably be uploaded sometime soon so keep checking back.
One last thing to note is that my niece started talking this week!!! She is saying baba, dada, and mama, but my sister says she says dada because it's easier and well she is a daddy's girl. I can't wait to see pictures or a video (Sarah if you're reading this, get on that and Skype).
I love and miss everyone back home.
Tchau
Adam
Friday, March 12, 2010
Drawing a blank....
I am drawing a blank on a subject for the post today since it's been a whirlwind of a week down here. I haven't posted in a few weeks as I flew home on a Monday, left Tuesday at 4:30 am for Philadelphia, proceeded to get stranded in Philly for two extra days, and then finally home on a Friday afternoon. The following week were International meetings with all of the Managing Directors for their respective countries so that was a long couple of days learning about different business, the struggles facing each company not only externally but internally as well, crime, corruption, and the demands on each location. It's humorous to me because economics in college was a class that I didn't particularly enjoy and now I feel that I am in the throws of economics and see the daily effects of currency exchange rates, impacts of the government and not only what it means for the people, but also the company for importing and exporting goods. I digress......
I arrived back in Brazil on Monday for a 5 week stint before I head back to Chicago for probably 3 weeks or so in mid April. Monday's are always long days because its 12-13+ hours of travel between being at the airport for the flight, flight, layover, and another flight. I didn't sleep too well on the plane, but I had a nap in the taxi on the way to the hotel. Tuesday we left after work to drive to Cruzeiro (300 km) for the operations review and meetings on Wednesday and then back to Campinas on Wednesday night. I got my car on Tuesday morning and it's been an interesting experience learning how to drive on my own in a foreign country. "Rules of the Road" the book that we used in IL when we were 15 learning to drive would be used to start a fire out here because the rules of the road here are don't hit a pedestrian, and don't hit anyone on a motorcycle. Other than that anything is game....driving on the shoulder, middle of the lane, stop signs are optional at night along with traffic lights as long as it's late. I did get a GPS when I was at home and it's been a lifesaver. It doesn't take me on the correct route to work so I am still learning the quickest route because some of the roads are not on the GPS and they are not paved. Today was probably the most that I have freaked out since I have been here. I missed my exit to get to work and the GPS re-routed me through the slums of Hortolandia and I was supposed to be on that road for 4km so I immediately turned around, and it re-routed me again through a small slum or neighborhood where I was definitely the focus of attention. The car they gave me (Ford Fogus (focus)) is about R$ 50,000 ($30,000 US) compared to under $20k back home, so it's a very nice car and a new one as well. That combined with the fact that I have GPS mounted in the car makes me an easy target so I am constantly aware of what's going on, hence why I got off the dirt road and re-routed myself to a safer location. I did make it into the office finally (a little late) but better late and safe then not making it in at all.
I start my tutoring lessons tonight at a school that specializes in teaching Portuguese to ex-pats, students, diplomats, etc so I am pretty excited and a little nervous as well. I can get by with what I know but it's not more than a few phrases so it will be great to learn more and be able to converse with people better than I do now. I go for 2 hours tonight from 6-8 pm and then another 2 hours tomorrow from 10-12. I think Monday will be another 2 hours after work and then I am going to Cruzeiro for the remainder of the week to work with the Finance team on some issues and learn more about the business. They have a few people that speak english but most people speak Portuguese so I signed myself up for the intense classes for Portuguese. I think this first month will be around 40 hours if not more.
My apartment lease was signed and the check delivered to the agency yesterday so I should be moving from the hotel to my apartment tomorrow morning. I will send pictures of the city, some friends, and my apartment when I can. I don't have a camera but I am going to purchase one when I am back home. In the meantime I will take some with my phone and post them on FB or my blog.
Tchau
Adão
I arrived back in Brazil on Monday for a 5 week stint before I head back to Chicago for probably 3 weeks or so in mid April. Monday's are always long days because its 12-13+ hours of travel between being at the airport for the flight, flight, layover, and another flight. I didn't sleep too well on the plane, but I had a nap in the taxi on the way to the hotel. Tuesday we left after work to drive to Cruzeiro (300 km) for the operations review and meetings on Wednesday and then back to Campinas on Wednesday night. I got my car on Tuesday morning and it's been an interesting experience learning how to drive on my own in a foreign country. "Rules of the Road" the book that we used in IL when we were 15 learning to drive would be used to start a fire out here because the rules of the road here are don't hit a pedestrian, and don't hit anyone on a motorcycle. Other than that anything is game....driving on the shoulder, middle of the lane, stop signs are optional at night along with traffic lights as long as it's late. I did get a GPS when I was at home and it's been a lifesaver. It doesn't take me on the correct route to work so I am still learning the quickest route because some of the roads are not on the GPS and they are not paved. Today was probably the most that I have freaked out since I have been here. I missed my exit to get to work and the GPS re-routed me through the slums of Hortolandia and I was supposed to be on that road for 4km so I immediately turned around, and it re-routed me again through a small slum or neighborhood where I was definitely the focus of attention. The car they gave me (Ford Fogus (focus)) is about R$ 50,000 ($30,000 US) compared to under $20k back home, so it's a very nice car and a new one as well. That combined with the fact that I have GPS mounted in the car makes me an easy target so I am constantly aware of what's going on, hence why I got off the dirt road and re-routed myself to a safer location. I did make it into the office finally (a little late) but better late and safe then not making it in at all.
I start my tutoring lessons tonight at a school that specializes in teaching Portuguese to ex-pats, students, diplomats, etc so I am pretty excited and a little nervous as well. I can get by with what I know but it's not more than a few phrases so it will be great to learn more and be able to converse with people better than I do now. I go for 2 hours tonight from 6-8 pm and then another 2 hours tomorrow from 10-12. I think Monday will be another 2 hours after work and then I am going to Cruzeiro for the remainder of the week to work with the Finance team on some issues and learn more about the business. They have a few people that speak english but most people speak Portuguese so I signed myself up for the intense classes for Portuguese. I think this first month will be around 40 hours if not more.
My apartment lease was signed and the check delivered to the agency yesterday so I should be moving from the hotel to my apartment tomorrow morning. I will send pictures of the city, some friends, and my apartment when I can. I don't have a camera but I am going to purchase one when I am back home. In the meantime I will take some with my phone and post them on FB or my blog.
Tchau
Adão
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