School Lunches

Brazilian schools do not offer lunches to the kids. Yes you read that correctly. That is because they only go to school for four/five hours a day. There are not enough schools for everybody so the younger kids go in the morning and the upper grades in the afternoon. Or something like that. They also do not get extra-curricular stuff either. They have to get all of that outside of the school system. We are lucky to be going to an international school that provides all of those things, along with a school day that lasts from 7 am on the bus till 4 pm off the bus.

The other day my youngest asked if he still had a lunch box. This threw me. School provides lunches. Why would he want me to make him one? This is how the conversation went:

Mom, do I still have a lunch box?

No sweetie, why?

Well, my friend brings in a snack for school and I want to do the same.

Okay. I can make you a snack. I think we have brown lunch sacks.

Thanks.

What do you want in the snack?

Um, cookies, a banana, and a sandwich.

(At this point I am thinking all it needs is a juice box and he has his lunch from school back in the States.)

Oh and can you get me a juice too?

Well not today because we do not have any in the house. I will have to buy them this weekend.

Okay, thanks mom.

So I made him his snack and he took it to school and ate it. And I am thinking where is he putting all this food? He is a petite child compared to his brother. If he ate his snack and the full lunch he would not want dinner, unless he has a hollow leg! Well I found out that he only eats the rice and beans and fruit and dessert at lunch. But still that is a lot and very filling! To me that is crazy though. Have you seen the lunch menu for school here? No? Well here is a typical week that I copied from the school website:

Monday

Salads: Lettuce - Tomato - Denise Gratin (Cheese ravioli, Turkey breast, mozzarella, cream sauce).

Main Course: Chicken with lemon sauce.

Trimmings: Cheese & Tomato quiche, steamed chicory.

Desserts: Papaya, pineaple.

---

Tuesday

Salads: Lettuce - Tomato - Eggplant tempura (Eggplant, special flour, herbs), Manuela salad (Arugula, buffalo mozzarella cherry tomatoes, green apples & lettuce).

Main Course: Filet mignon in brown sauce.

Trimmings: Tuscany potatoes, Steamed Kale.

Desserts: Coloured gelatine, melon.

---

Wednesday

Salads: Lettuce - Tomato - Sausage strudel (chicken sausage, onion, tomato, herb in pastry), Gleici salad (Lettuce, escarole, heart of palm, green olives, corn).

Main Course: Chicken in passion fruit sauce.

Trimmings: Mushroom risotto (Neapolitan rice for the younger children), Creamy carrots.

Desserts: Grapes, Lemon mousse.

---

Thursday

Salads: Lettuce - Tomato - Adriana salad (Iceberg lettuce, endives, celery, mushrooms, almonds), Martinha salad (cucumber, tomato, onion, oil & vinegar).

Main Course: Sertaneja style meat.

Trimmings: Pasta in tomato sauce, brocoli.

Desserts: Apple, fruit salad.

Desserts: Apple, fruit salad.

---

Friday

Salads: Lettuce - Tomato - Martim salad ( Bolied potatoes, brocoli, shredded chicken, fresh cream), Andrés salad ( baby lettuce, bean sprouts, asparagus, black olives & parsley).

Main Course: Roast meat in sauce.

Trimmings: Cheese & zucchini pie, Romaine lettuce in garlic cream (cheese pie for the younger children).

Desserts: Banana, chocolate brownie.

Note: Full grain rice, white rice, beans are served every day along with an option of fruit.
Note 02: Sauces & gravies are only given to younger children if they so wish.

Fillet mignon? Chicken in lemon sauce? Um, can I volunteer during lunch hours?

What She Said

I was out shopping today with my friend. When am I not out shopping is probably what my husband is saying at this moment. I will take the fifth at the question if I buy anything each time though. Today was fun, but in one store the sales girl had no idea what we were saying. Granted we were speaking English to each other so she could not follow that conversation. However, when we tried Portuguese she had no clue either.

In an informal research study we figured that since I do not look Brazilian, my Portuguese is not understood as well. We (my friend and I) have figured that the sales clerks take one look and say "She is not Brazilian and therefore does not speak Portuguese." Then when I do speak they are not prepared for it and do not follow the conversation. I admit, my Portuguese is not great. However, I am understood in about 90% of the situations, so OBVIOUSLY the problem lies with whom I am speaking. On the other hand my friend looks Portuguese, but is not, speaks less than I do, and is understood in about 99% of the situations. Go figure.

In our research we have found that when shopping together sales clerks look at us and ask my friend all the questions. If she does not understand the question she would look at me and ask "What did she say?" I would translate, she would respond, and I would translate to the sales clerk the response. (Outside of today, this does not happen much anymore since she has learned more Portuguese.) But, it's quite fun actually. The conversation would go like this:

1. Question
2. My friend looking at me "What'd she say?"
3. I translate
4. Friend's response
5. I translate

Now the smarter clerks figured it out pretty quick to ask me the questions. The others not so much. There are times when it is "What'd she say? What'd she say? What'd she say?"

Lately the fun part is when I talk to the clerks in Portuguese and they cue to my friend with a look that says "What'd she say?" Then my friend would say the exact same thing and be understood. And I just want to say "Yeah, what she said!" But I don't know how to say that in Portuguese.

I have a dream. A dream that one day blondes and brunettes can go shopping together and be understood...

The Essence of a Conversation

The Brazilian Portuguese language is very interesting. When asking a question, such as "Can you..." you respond with "I can - eu posso." Or if you ask is something this or that? The response you get is "Is - E." Or it could be the all around word "Isso." This could mean several things. It could be 1. This thing here; 2. This one; 3. That's it; 4. Exactly; or 5. yep you got it correct.

My favorite word in any language is translated to the English word "sale"; favorite compound word is "shoe-sale." However, my favorite sentence is in Portuguese.

It is "Tudo bem."

What does this mean you ask. Well, that is the point. You can actually have a whole conversation with somebody with just this sentence. Here is an example:

"Tudo bem?"
"Tudo bem. Tudo bem?
"Tudo bem."

There. You just had a very meaningful conversation. You may be saying the exact same thing, but each sentence actually means something else. Here is the conversation in English:

Hey, how are you? (Hey, how's it going?)
Fine. How are you? (Great, how's it with you?)
Good. (Going well/fine/no problems/all's well.)

Can you see how many variations you can have? What is that like 15 combinations? Did I do that math right?

All with just two words. How awesome, and confusing, is that!

Lessons in Education

Over the past year we have learned to take advantage of moments to teach our children about life. We have tried to explain the benefits of education in interesting and fun ways so that they will enjoy school more, and also see the advantages of a good education.

We have probably not done this is the best way possible. Like pointing out the person smoking crack on the side of the street was doing so because he decided not to go to school. Looking back, this was probably not something we should have pointed out in the first place. Or how about pointing out the ladies standing on the side of the road "looking for rides" don't have a car because they did not finish school to get a good job in order to buy one. That was a good explanation!

Well, my husband has started to listen to talk radio here. He says it is very interesting, but mostly he hears about crime. We thought one story would make a great word problem for the kids:

There were 15 guys robbing an ATM. The cops shot 6 of them. How many are still alive?

That should get them interested in math, right?

In a Blink

As I sit here and write this at 1 a.m. I cannot help but think how amazingly fast a year can go. Last summer I was closing up a life in Florida - selling a house, visiting family, living out of a suitcase for six weeks, trying to keep two boys occupied for a majority of a summer without their dad. We were heading to Brazil to live. Many people thought we were crazy. We even asked that question of ourselves several times. Heck, I was taking my children to a country we never, ever stepped foot in before!

I remember that first flight to Brazil vividly. Lucky us were in business class that night flight. Not that I could sleep or anything. I remember the anxiety and the questions running through my head. Would I understand the language fast? Would I meet friends? How will the boys handle school? A Valium probably would have been a welcome friend that night.

Now, exactly a year later, on probably the same airplane, but definitely the same flight number, I still can't sleep. We are not in B class this time. Though I can see from where I am our seats on that "maiden voyage." Only question now running through my head is how fast will Portuguese come back to me? And I am way better prepared clothes and luggage-wise than last time. We, or shall I say my father-in-law, had a fun time trying to fit everything in his car! There is a lot of stuff you need to take (really read buy) when spending six weeks in the States. My mother-in-law said it looked like the miracle of the loaves and fishes the way the suitcases kept multiplying. But really I have to blame my husband for that. What sane man lets his wife loose for six weeks, alone, without him? - and with two credit cards and a check book! Come on!

I am excited to be getting back though. The boys get to start school in two days. I think they are happy about that too because I think they are sick of each other. And I want to cuddle up to my hubby. That is the first thing after a shower that I want to do.

Since we are returning 365 days after we first landed I felt it necessary to have a "New Year in Brazil" resolution. I am bringing with me Zumba DVDs and P90X...