in Brasil I be...
August 28, 2006 at 4:41 p.m.
......
I almost have no words. I think I'll just start typing and see what comes out. Every few minutes I'm scared, sad, excited, apprehensive... and lonely.
It's Monday and I've been in Brazil since Friday morning.
Jared's mom dropped us off at the airport. His family has been so amazing through this move, and let's face it - I was scared... AM scared. It was really hard to say goodbye.
(guess who got bigger!!)
The flight was overnight and hard. I'm used to curling up in a ball in all sorts of crazy positions on overnight flights, but I'm a bit bumpier than I used to be, so I couldn't get comfortable. Big surprise!
There was a man waiting here at the Sao Paulo airport to drive us to Campinas. We were really scared our luggage wouldn't all fit in the car, but he luckily brought a SUV - still tiny compared to American standards, but still fit all our ginormous amounts of stuff.
It was a little over an hour, and really quite pretty. Rolling hills, trees I'm not used to. Somehow, except for the tiny cars and all the billboards in Portuguese, I've convinced myself that I'm just in another city. Not in the southern hemisphere. Not thousands of miles from the next Target. I like Target.
We checked into our hotel and promptly went to sleep. We spent most of Friday just resting, although we did venture out to buy some fruit at a local market. We're in a nice neighborhood, there's no reason to worry, but I'm just a little sensitive right now.
Saturday and Sunday, Jared rented a car (his company is a leedle slow on getting us one) and we headed to the hospital that we'd found on the internet to see if they could answer any of our questions.
They couldn't.
All we got from the not-so-helpful lady at the front desk was that she didn't know anything, but there was a tour we could take the next day. I don't really know what I was expecting... I was hoping to find out if she knew if any of the doctors spoke English at least. And it was on this weird street in the middle of a neighborhood - things are like that here. You'll drive down a street, an there will be all these nice homes, and then in the middle of them, there will be an auto mechanic shop, a restaurant, heck, even a hospital. It's a small hospital - but it's only for maternity, and it's a private hospital, so there's less traffic I think.
I was dissapointed, a little scared. Every morning I wake up and I'm still pregnant - this thing is coming out and I can't control anything about it. I can't even understand what the nurses say, or what they want. I'm so scared I can't even explain it.
So Jared did what he knew works in cheering me up. Just on the next exit was the largest mall in South America. And it might have worked, except it was full of stores I'd never seen. We went to the food court and I couldn't even recognize most of the food people were selling! I was so overwhelmed with the "we're not home anymore" feeling, I just broke down and cried onto Jared. I move around alot, I'm used to this thing! But there was NOTHING familiar around. I thought maybe I'd get a baked potato at the baked potato store, but the sour cream they have down here is crazy looking - runny, not as sour... it just broke me. And I was still upset about the hospital.
There WAS a place I did recognize though... and even though I don't normally eat there, he took me to the McDonalds. I ate a big fat cheeseburger.
It helped.
Sunday we drove to the town we'll be living in - much smaller and quieter. I saw the house we're in the process of renting - it's big and nice. But church was closed up - it must have been conference for that area. Tiny building - I'm used to big American churches. We hopped back in the car and booked it back to Campinas to go to church there. I only cried once - they sang my favorite hymn, but itn Portuguese. Can't explain why that was so hard for me, but it was.
People were very sweet though. That was nice, even though not a single person spoke English. I was maybe thinking a few people might know a few words, seeing as English is required for all Brazilian school students. But, at least Jared can translate for me!
He had to translate for me later that day too - we went to the hospital again for the tour. Now I'm REALLY scared. THe lady was thorough, but it was SO sterile. 1950's sterile. Now, I know that what a place LOOKS like is not important.. but I have nerves. I really wish it looked more homey.
AND - 87% c-section rate. They said it's mostly the decision of the patients usually... but good golly.
I'm scared.
But today, I went out - on my own - walked around the streets and bought myself a pear and some water. And some bread thingy. Jared drew me a map. I said "obrigada" and "tudo bem". And then when they tried to have a conversation with me - I said "no falo Portuguese."
Jared will be home soon. Sorry this has been such a looong boring entry, but it's given me something to do today, and now I'll remember this stuff. The beginning of the weirdest adventure. Ever.
Oh, and want to know the coolest thing?? OUR PHONE WORKS. It's a internet phone and Jared plugged it into the router and BAM!! I can call anywhere in the states for $20 a month. You can call me. On my local Atlanta number. I can't explain how GOOD that feels!!
SUPERCRACK is living la vida AK!