Not too much to report for the weekend. Friday night went out with my expat friends and had a happy hour for a guy that used to work in our building at the front desk as one of our security guards. He got a job at IBM in Brazil and begins working there today so Friday was a celebration for him. Saturday the same group of people minus a few went to the park for our Saturday morning running routine and workout, coco water, juice etc. We all went out for breakfast afterward and then I went to the street fair, bought some fruits, vegetables for the week and then back to my apartment to shower and relax.
Saturday night did a whole lot of nothing. I was supposed to go to Sao Paulo with some friends but they decided to get a hotel room and I didn't want to spend R$100 to get into a club and then another R$200 on a hotel room. We are all traveling together this weekend so I decided to pass and just get some rest.
Sunday went back to the park, ran, lifted (outdoor gym for the volleyball guys to make fun of me) and then went to the supermarket to get food for Deusa to cook this week. Last night I made my way to the foundry for a project that I have due tomorrow and I'll head back to Campinas tomorrow night and possibly a stop over in Sao Paulo for dinner. SP is about 2 hours from the foundry and then another hour or so to Campinas so it's not too far out of the way to stop and get dinner somewhere different.
Weather here was really hot this past weekend, it's been steadily climbing back into the 90s here and it seems as though winter is coming to an end. The humidity hasn't kicked in yet so it's been really dry and lots of forest fires have been flaring up along the sides of the road.
Hope all is well with everyone back at home and see some of you in the next month when I return at the beginning of October.
Tchau
Adam
Monday, August 30, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
Yesterday was not a good day....
Ever have those days where you wake up and you're just mad or unmotivated and it permeates your whole day? Well, I had one of those yesterday. I don't know why, no good reason for it, I was just unmotivated at work, traffic sucked on the way home (I miss the CTA) and I just in general felt like crap on my run last night. Got home from my run and I hit my head getting into the shower and I just wanted to call it a night.
Today seems to be starting off better with a 6k run this morning before work, got a nice little list of things to get done today and meeting some friends for a happy hour after work and then maybe some poker. More 11k runs this weekend and I think I'll be going back to the Catholic church I visited last week but would like to check out their Saturday service.
I booked my return home for October 1. One of my best friends is getting married in October and the timing is perfect because I need to get my visa renewed and I am hoping that will be taken care of at the same time.
Hope everyone is doing well back home and has a great weekend.
Tchau
Adam
Today seems to be starting off better with a 6k run this morning before work, got a nice little list of things to get done today and meeting some friends for a happy hour after work and then maybe some poker. More 11k runs this weekend and I think I'll be going back to the Catholic church I visited last week but would like to check out their Saturday service.
I booked my return home for October 1. One of my best friends is getting married in October and the timing is perfect because I need to get my visa renewed and I am hoping that will be taken care of at the same time.
Hope everyone is doing well back home and has a great weekend.
Tchau
Adam
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
No real updates
No real updates for this Tuesday morning, just trying to work myself into more of a routine of updating the blog. Yesterday was pretty uneventful, took a rest day from working out since I did a lot this past weekend, my maid made her weekly stop at my apartment so I am replenished with dinners for the next few days. Last nights meal was chicken with onions, broccoli, rice, beans, and salad. I started to prep for my first fantasy football draft and get the teams ready for our draft on Wednesday night of this week and posted some videos of Madeline on Facebook. Monday night football is on TV down here since I get ESPN so it's been pretty cool to be able to get some American sports as well.
Think that's pretty much about it. I did read an article on CNN last night about Trader Joe's and they mentioned some Thai lime and chili cashews, so anyone that lives near a Trader Joe's and feels like sending me a care packaged those sound amazing. I have also been wanting to make my own coffee so if you'd like to pick me up a french press (shipping an actual coffee maker would be too expensive) then feel free to put one in with the cashews :) My friends told me this weekend that I am keeping the Starbucks open across the street from our apartment. Thought it might be time to start making my own coffee again.
Think that's pretty much about it. I did read an article on CNN last night about Trader Joe's and they mentioned some Thai lime and chili cashews, so anyone that lives near a Trader Joe's and feels like sending me a care packaged those sound amazing. I have also been wanting to make my own coffee so if you'd like to pick me up a french press (shipping an actual coffee maker would be too expensive) then feel free to put one in with the cashews :) My friends told me this weekend that I am keeping the Starbucks open across the street from our apartment. Thought it might be time to start making my own coffee again.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Weekend Update & Corrections
So at the request of my niece I was asked to make a couple of corrections to my previous blog entry. It was actually her uncle who while jumping up and down in the ocean accidentally dropped her in a wave but with his cat like reflexes was able to scoop her back up in an amazing .25 seconds, but alas she still started to belt out an awful cry but it was only because she was scared not due to injury. I was also informed that her daddy at a busy weekend putting up her new playhouse and she loves it. Sarah sent out a couple of videos which I will post on Facebook tonight.
This weekend was an extremely busy one for me. Saturday ran 11k with some friends in my building, had our standard coco water after the run, then we went out to a cafe to plan our upcoming trip in the beginning of September. We are heading to the Northeast of Brazil to Sao Luis and Lencois Maranhenses (if you get time to google it do so and you will be amazed at the pictures). After that we headed out for a couple of beers and then went go karting with another group of people. I think by the time I finally arrived home it was about 8 or 9 pm and was just wiped. Sunday we went to the park again and got in about 6k and then had a quick workout in the gym, coco water, and then I headed to my first church service in Portuguese. It was actually what I could understand a nice service and good worship. I am going to go back on Saturday night or Sunday morning this week again and this weeks task in my class will be to translate and study the bulletin so I can understand more of the readings and worship.
Sunday afternoon was another trip to the super market to get more food and utensils for the lady to cook and clean with, went to an Arabian restaurant yesterday for lunch with some other friends and he actually had tickets to the futebol game yesterday afternoon so I experienced my first futebol game live. I cannot even express how many bad words I heard from kids and parents alike. It was a pretty interesting experience. If we used that language even in the bleachers at Wrigley we'd be asked to leave. Last night a friend in my building had his brother and a friend in town from the states and he hosted a Churrasco in the party room so we had some great meat, cheese, and other food. All in all it was a great weekend and one where you feel like you need a weekend from your weekend, but great to have friends and other things to do and people to hang out with and build new friendships.
Hope this entry puts me back in the good graces with Madeline and gives everyone an update on the weekend.
Tchau
Adam
This weekend was an extremely busy one for me. Saturday ran 11k with some friends in my building, had our standard coco water after the run, then we went out to a cafe to plan our upcoming trip in the beginning of September. We are heading to the Northeast of Brazil to Sao Luis and Lencois Maranhenses (if you get time to google it do so and you will be amazed at the pictures). After that we headed out for a couple of beers and then went go karting with another group of people. I think by the time I finally arrived home it was about 8 or 9 pm and was just wiped. Sunday we went to the park again and got in about 6k and then had a quick workout in the gym, coco water, and then I headed to my first church service in Portuguese. It was actually what I could understand a nice service and good worship. I am going to go back on Saturday night or Sunday morning this week again and this weeks task in my class will be to translate and study the bulletin so I can understand more of the readings and worship.
Sunday afternoon was another trip to the super market to get more food and utensils for the lady to cook and clean with, went to an Arabian restaurant yesterday for lunch with some other friends and he actually had tickets to the futebol game yesterday afternoon so I experienced my first futebol game live. I cannot even express how many bad words I heard from kids and parents alike. It was a pretty interesting experience. If we used that language even in the bleachers at Wrigley we'd be asked to leave. Last night a friend in my building had his brother and a friend in town from the states and he hosted a Churrasco in the party room so we had some great meat, cheese, and other food. All in all it was a great weekend and one where you feel like you need a weekend from your weekend, but great to have friends and other things to do and people to hang out with and build new friendships.
Hope this entry puts me back in the good graces with Madeline and gives everyone an update on the weekend.
Tchau
Adam
Friday, August 20, 2010
Finalmente
So I am finally back to the blogging world with a new post before the weekend hits. So far, for me anyway, it's been a very mild winter compared to the single digits, snow (neve in Portuguese), and blistering wind that hits you in Chicago at the turn of every corner. In Brazil I've experienced winter days climbing into the mid 80s although most days consist of days in the 60s and 70s, absolutely nothing to complain about. I have spent the past few weeks getting back into the groove of returning to my life in Brazil after spending just under a month in the US for the 4th of July, family vacation, and most importantly my nieces first birthday.
I arrived back in the states on July 2 and spent that day with my mom, sister, and niece relaxing having lunch and then heading to the dentist. Not a clue why I planned a trip to the dentist the DAY I arrived back at home, but got a good report from him and don't have to return until October or December when I am back in the states next. The 4th of July was a great time and I got to see all of my friends, had a giant 4th of of July BBQ complete with American beer and food from Brazil. The night was topped off with the annual human pyramid and glad to say that no injuries were reported and everyone had a great time. I got in 36 holes of golf over that weekend and then returned to work in Chicago on Tuesday. I spent the next 4 days in the Chicago office working from there, catching up with friends over dinners and drinks, and then left on Saturday the 10th for Florida.
I spent the next week in Tampa Florida with my family and managed to get in 72 holes of golf despite slicing my foot open on day 1 in the ocean and having to make a quick stop at the emergency room to get 5 stitches put in one of my toes. It was however the fastest visit to the ER that I've ever had and one of my nurses said if I had come the day before I would have been there for 4 hours. They had one stroke, one heart attack, a car accident, and one renal failure but I guess it comes with the territory of having a hospital in a place where the average age is 70+ years old. All in all it was a great vacation but not too much to report other than relaxing with my family, a few dinners out, walks on the beach with my niece, playing with her in the water (although her mom dropped her off her shoulders face down into a wave in the ocean, way to go Sarah) then it was uncle Adam to the rescue ;)
The last day was spent with the adult kids where my sister, George, and myself spent about 10 hours on the beach hanging out, having beers, and braving the afternoon storm in the ocean because it was warmer and the past 25 years of experience proved correct in that the storm only lasted for about 20 min and then the sun came back out. We returned to Chicago on Saturday and then on Sunday I headed to Philadelphia for a week of work at my old division, caught up with more friends, and got in a round of golf with the co-owner of the company in Philly. Spent the last weekend with my best friend John at his lake house relaxing, boating, and catching some sun. Returned to Chicago on Sunday morning and had Madeline's first birthday party and man did that kid rake it in again. She got of course lots of money, tons of clothes, a sand box from her polish uncle and other grandma, and then a play house from uncle (tio) Adam and her grandparents. Last report has it that George has not yet setup the playhouse so he better get on that so she can play outside before it turns too cold.
I returned to Brazil at the end of July and spent a 4 hour delay in the Miami airport while they repaired one of the doors that had broken on landing. Of course had to deal with all of the angry people etc, but hey if need to get a new plane or take all night to fix a door be my guest. That is one of the last things that you need to have break when your 30,000+ feet in the air. Finally got an upgrade into first class for my return trip but was only able to get about 3 hours of sleep so it made for a long day when I finally got back to my apartment. My bags arrived with no issues, and the one loaded with all presents and gifts made it through customs with no issues.
So far I've settled back in well, started with classes again for Portuguese and kept up with my running routine of 15-20k on the weekends and then shorter runs 7-8k during the week nights. I still haven't joined a gym and I think I am going to hold off since they are so expensive and even the coldest day here in the 50s is like running outside in Chicago on a fall or spring day so nothing close to what I've had to deal with in the states. I had a new maid start when I came back and she comes every Monday morning at 7:30 am to cook, clean, iron clothes and do the laundry. She's been great so far, an amazing attention to detail, cooks good food so no complaints so far. Funny to me that things here still seem opposite. You'll go to McDonalds and spend R$20 for one person (US$12) or spend R$50,000 (US$29,000) for a car that will cost you US$16,000 in the US (Honda Civic for example) but to have a maid come to my house for close to 12 hours costs me $28 per day. Services here are so cheap compared to goods, but it gives me a real appreciation for my job and the living that I make.
Not too much else to report as of right now. I am continuing to meet new people that are new to the area, a girl that went to Iowa and graduated from a different school in the college just moved here to live with her Fiance and she recently created a group called on a site called Meet Up for English speakers and expats living in Campinas. There are 5 new teachers here from the US who are taking Portuguese at my school, there was a new guy that moved into our building that I met and a bunch of us went to the American School last weekend for the pancake breakfast to get some American food and the school was opening a new gym for the kids. A group of us is planning a trip to the Northeast of Brazil in September over the US Labor Day (Brazilian Independence day) so that is going to be a lot of fun. We are heading to Sao Luis and then to a national park that has natural clear ponds and sand dunes and you can only enter the park on foot or in a 4x4 vehicle so we are going to look at renting jeeps or dune buggies to drive around the park.
I returned to the English speaking church this past Sunday and worshiped there but have really been struggling to get things out of the services. The church is only 20 people if that and there is only one or two couples (of course) that are relatively close to my age. Everyone there is extremely nice so I am going to continue to go back on Sunday's but praying that I start to get more out of the service so it doesn't just feel like I am going to go to church. I always (well not always) went in the past because I felt a connection and I am just not getting the same experience here. I am hoping that once the Portuguese language for me comes farther along I can find a larger church and get more involved with a community.
Things are still progressing slowly with my application for a visa in Brazil so please keep that in your prayers. My 180+ days is coming to an end in October and without this visa I will not be able to return to the country which means no job so I am hoping that things progress in a more timely manner and I can get it approved so it's ready to be picked up at the consulate in Chicago when I return in October. I spoke with my aunt this week and she was having a good week but still continuing to struggle with cancer. Please continue to pray for her and the treatments.
I hope all is well with everyone back home. I miss you all very much, stay in touch via email, Facebook, and I have my US cell phone on here in Brazil so don't be afraid to pick up the phone and give me a call.
Tchau
Adam
I arrived back in the states on July 2 and spent that day with my mom, sister, and niece relaxing having lunch and then heading to the dentist. Not a clue why I planned a trip to the dentist the DAY I arrived back at home, but got a good report from him and don't have to return until October or December when I am back in the states next. The 4th of July was a great time and I got to see all of my friends, had a giant 4th of of July BBQ complete with American beer and food from Brazil. The night was topped off with the annual human pyramid and glad to say that no injuries were reported and everyone had a great time. I got in 36 holes of golf over that weekend and then returned to work in Chicago on Tuesday. I spent the next 4 days in the Chicago office working from there, catching up with friends over dinners and drinks, and then left on Saturday the 10th for Florida.
I spent the next week in Tampa Florida with my family and managed to get in 72 holes of golf despite slicing my foot open on day 1 in the ocean and having to make a quick stop at the emergency room to get 5 stitches put in one of my toes. It was however the fastest visit to the ER that I've ever had and one of my nurses said if I had come the day before I would have been there for 4 hours. They had one stroke, one heart attack, a car accident, and one renal failure but I guess it comes with the territory of having a hospital in a place where the average age is 70+ years old. All in all it was a great vacation but not too much to report other than relaxing with my family, a few dinners out, walks on the beach with my niece, playing with her in the water (although her mom dropped her off her shoulders face down into a wave in the ocean, way to go Sarah) then it was uncle Adam to the rescue ;)
The last day was spent with the adult kids where my sister, George, and myself spent about 10 hours on the beach hanging out, having beers, and braving the afternoon storm in the ocean because it was warmer and the past 25 years of experience proved correct in that the storm only lasted for about 20 min and then the sun came back out. We returned to Chicago on Saturday and then on Sunday I headed to Philadelphia for a week of work at my old division, caught up with more friends, and got in a round of golf with the co-owner of the company in Philly. Spent the last weekend with my best friend John at his lake house relaxing, boating, and catching some sun. Returned to Chicago on Sunday morning and had Madeline's first birthday party and man did that kid rake it in again. She got of course lots of money, tons of clothes, a sand box from her polish uncle and other grandma, and then a play house from uncle (tio) Adam and her grandparents. Last report has it that George has not yet setup the playhouse so he better get on that so she can play outside before it turns too cold.
I returned to Brazil at the end of July and spent a 4 hour delay in the Miami airport while they repaired one of the doors that had broken on landing. Of course had to deal with all of the angry people etc, but hey if need to get a new plane or take all night to fix a door be my guest. That is one of the last things that you need to have break when your 30,000+ feet in the air. Finally got an upgrade into first class for my return trip but was only able to get about 3 hours of sleep so it made for a long day when I finally got back to my apartment. My bags arrived with no issues, and the one loaded with all presents and gifts made it through customs with no issues.
So far I've settled back in well, started with classes again for Portuguese and kept up with my running routine of 15-20k on the weekends and then shorter runs 7-8k during the week nights. I still haven't joined a gym and I think I am going to hold off since they are so expensive and even the coldest day here in the 50s is like running outside in Chicago on a fall or spring day so nothing close to what I've had to deal with in the states. I had a new maid start when I came back and she comes every Monday morning at 7:30 am to cook, clean, iron clothes and do the laundry. She's been great so far, an amazing attention to detail, cooks good food so no complaints so far. Funny to me that things here still seem opposite. You'll go to McDonalds and spend R$20 for one person (US$12) or spend R$50,000 (US$29,000) for a car that will cost you US$16,000 in the US (Honda Civic for example) but to have a maid come to my house for close to 12 hours costs me $28 per day. Services here are so cheap compared to goods, but it gives me a real appreciation for my job and the living that I make.
Not too much else to report as of right now. I am continuing to meet new people that are new to the area, a girl that went to Iowa and graduated from a different school in the college just moved here to live with her Fiance and she recently created a group called on a site called Meet Up for English speakers and expats living in Campinas. There are 5 new teachers here from the US who are taking Portuguese at my school, there was a new guy that moved into our building that I met and a bunch of us went to the American School last weekend for the pancake breakfast to get some American food and the school was opening a new gym for the kids. A group of us is planning a trip to the Northeast of Brazil in September over the US Labor Day (Brazilian Independence day) so that is going to be a lot of fun. We are heading to Sao Luis and then to a national park that has natural clear ponds and sand dunes and you can only enter the park on foot or in a 4x4 vehicle so we are going to look at renting jeeps or dune buggies to drive around the park.
I returned to the English speaking church this past Sunday and worshiped there but have really been struggling to get things out of the services. The church is only 20 people if that and there is only one or two couples (of course) that are relatively close to my age. Everyone there is extremely nice so I am going to continue to go back on Sunday's but praying that I start to get more out of the service so it doesn't just feel like I am going to go to church. I always (well not always) went in the past because I felt a connection and I am just not getting the same experience here. I am hoping that once the Portuguese language for me comes farther along I can find a larger church and get more involved with a community.
Things are still progressing slowly with my application for a visa in Brazil so please keep that in your prayers. My 180+ days is coming to an end in October and without this visa I will not be able to return to the country which means no job so I am hoping that things progress in a more timely manner and I can get it approved so it's ready to be picked up at the consulate in Chicago when I return in October. I spoke with my aunt this week and she was having a good week but still continuing to struggle with cancer. Please continue to pray for her and the treatments.
I hope all is well with everyone back home. I miss you all very much, stay in touch via email, Facebook, and I have my US cell phone on here in Brazil so don't be afraid to pick up the phone and give me a call.
Tchau
Adam
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