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!
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Saturday, August 13, 2011
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?
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?
Sunday, August 7, 2011
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...
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...
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
The Story of the Peruvian Cow
I totally forgot about this until my wonderful husband reminded me.
We were in the of Ollantaytambo, Sacred Valley sightseeing. While we were there we heard a cow lowing. And it did not stop. One moo after the other. If I remember the story correctly my boys asked why. My husband said it was probably looking for her husband because she wanted him to do something and was nagging. But he disappeared. So my husband decided to put words to the cow.
"Moo, I am allergic to wool, moo."
"Where are you, moo."
"Why are you not answering me, moo."
At this point our guide cannot hold a straight face. He is trying really hard though so as not to hurt my feelings I think. But of course, my husband does not stop.
"Moo, I am cold, moo."
"Moo, get me some water, moo."
My children are hysterically laughing and joining in with the mooing. I really appreciate this but have a good sense of humor. So I add a comment or two.
"Moo, you are not touching me for years, moo."
"Moo, you can find your own dinner, moo."
Later we head off to another tour location. As we were going down a big hill in our tour van, my boys spot two steers. "Dad, look! There are the male cows!"
These steers were hanging out along the side of a field along an embankment. If you were walking along the road, the steers would be just feet from you and you would not know it due to the bushes they were "hiding" in. Of course, my husband commented on how they got away from their wives nagging and were hiding from them in this field. It would take a lot to get back up that hill. The steers were in no hurry to go and attend their cow wives needs.
You know, the garbage does not take itself out!
We were in the of Ollantaytambo, Sacred Valley sightseeing. While we were there we heard a cow lowing. And it did not stop. One moo after the other. If I remember the story correctly my boys asked why. My husband said it was probably looking for her husband because she wanted him to do something and was nagging. But he disappeared. So my husband decided to put words to the cow.
"Moo, I am allergic to wool, moo."
"Where are you, moo."
"Why are you not answering me, moo."
At this point our guide cannot hold a straight face. He is trying really hard though so as not to hurt my feelings I think. But of course, my husband does not stop.
"Moo, I am cold, moo."
"Moo, get me some water, moo."
My children are hysterically laughing and joining in with the mooing. I really appreciate this but have a good sense of humor. So I add a comment or two.
"Moo, you are not touching me for years, moo."
"Moo, you can find your own dinner, moo."
Later we head off to another tour location. As we were going down a big hill in our tour van, my boys spot two steers. "Dad, look! There are the male cows!"
These steers were hanging out along the side of a field along an embankment. If you were walking along the road, the steers would be just feet from you and you would not know it due to the bushes they were "hiding" in. Of course, my husband commented on how they got away from their wives nagging and were hiding from them in this field. It would take a lot to get back up that hill. The steers were in no hurry to go and attend their cow wives needs.
You know, the garbage does not take itself out!
Saturday, July 9, 2011
I have never been so thirsty in my life
Recently the family visited Macchu Pichu. I have spelled this several ways since I have no clue how many C's or H's are in the words. But, you understand. I was going to title this blog "If you build it, they will come" but I thought that might be too cliche. I mean, the pre-Kevin Costner Incas probably thought that, but no. My title is "I have never been so thirsty in my life." Why? Well because, oh my goodness, I have never been so thirsty in my life! This was way more than Zumba class thirsty. This was "my tongue feels like a wool carpet" thirsty.
So we finally reach Cusco after several hours of travelling. If you haven't read my travel blog yet, do so. That was an adventure in itself. Well Cusco is 12,000 feet in elevation, which is very dry and the air is thin. I did not have too many problems with the altitude though. Do I need less oxygen for my brain? Well I am sure there are several answers from my family about that one. But my husband and boys didn't either so whatever anyone says, it will transfer to them too. Silence? Thought so.
Okay so we go from Cusco to the Sacred Valley to acclimate for a few days. According to my husband, the Sacred Valley looks like Scottsdale, AZ. I have never been but, and no offense to AZ, I am sure Peru is just a bit prettier. Here is our hotel.
Can't beat that with a stick. Anyway. So here we are and our guide tells us to drink lots of water, Tea made from Cocoa leaves (yes the same thing that makes cocaine), and don't eat a heavy meal the first day. Check, check, check! But we did not realize that a lot of water would be more than 2 liters a day! That first night we woke up several times not being able to swallow we were so dry. I think I downed two bottles of water myself that first night. Holy cow!
But goodness it was fun, and cold. That we did not expect, though we packed for cold. Every town we went to, besides Lima, had a parade or a festival. Fireworks at all hours and tons of music. Javier work us up a few times saying "I see lights" thinking they were UFOs. No only fireworks. We visited Urubamba and Ollaytantambo in the Sacred Valley. Then we tool the train to Macchu Pichu. How these Incas built this city I do not know. Hey, I could have used that title "We Built This City." But unlike Jefferson Starship, it was not on Rock and Roll, just rock. How did they build it without iron tools? And how did they build it without falling off the mountain?
We were in MP (easier and I can spell it) for the Winter Solstice - June 21. One day a year the sun hits all of these places within the city to make shadows of creatures, the Inca cross, and things like that. Yes, I missed the picture through the Sun Temple Window (below), but we are NOT going to talk about that. My children would appreciate me not bringing it up.
Really the blog for MP should just be pictures because you cannot write the experience well. It is truly awe inspiring what these people did. It was an experience of a lifetime. But we did have fun too. We made some funny pictures...
Yes, Ricardo and Ian were standing on another terrace. I however, had nothing under me for two hundred feet. We also had a photo contest. Ian and I won. we are the first two pictures.
Ricardo thinks he would have won if he had a Corona in his picture. After MP, we headed for Aguas Caliente to take the train to Cusco. The city looks like a Disney planned village really, except for the dirt and the wires right next to you at the restaurant tables.
Cusco was an experience. Of course, we do not have many pictures of Cusco because the town had so many people visiting for Corpus Christi and then their holiday the next day. If you have never seen a Corpus Christi parade in Cusco, please YouTube it. Very interesting. We were also there for my youngest's birthday. So we took him to the Irish pub next to the Catholic Cathedral (where else would it be?) for a pint of Guinness and some Sprite. There are also Inca ruins around Cusco as well. We saw several places that the king, no not Elvis or Richard Petty, but some guy with a really long name, like ten syllables long, went to. We just called him Bob, much easier. So King Bob went to these temples to speak with the mummified ancestors and such to get advice. Me I just call my mom. Look at the picture below. the mummies were in those crevices. Um, yuck?
So we finally reach Cusco after several hours of travelling. If you haven't read my travel blog yet, do so. That was an adventure in itself. Well Cusco is 12,000 feet in elevation, which is very dry and the air is thin. I did not have too many problems with the altitude though. Do I need less oxygen for my brain? Well I am sure there are several answers from my family about that one. But my husband and boys didn't either so whatever anyone says, it will transfer to them too. Silence? Thought so.
Okay so we go from Cusco to the Sacred Valley to acclimate for a few days. According to my husband, the Sacred Valley looks like Scottsdale, AZ. I have never been but, and no offense to AZ, I am sure Peru is just a bit prettier. Here is our hotel.
Can't beat that with a stick. Anyway. So here we are and our guide tells us to drink lots of water, Tea made from Cocoa leaves (yes the same thing that makes cocaine), and don't eat a heavy meal the first day. Check, check, check! But we did not realize that a lot of water would be more than 2 liters a day! That first night we woke up several times not being able to swallow we were so dry. I think I downed two bottles of water myself that first night. Holy cow!
But goodness it was fun, and cold. That we did not expect, though we packed for cold. Every town we went to, besides Lima, had a parade or a festival. Fireworks at all hours and tons of music. Javier work us up a few times saying "I see lights" thinking they were UFOs. No only fireworks. We visited Urubamba and Ollaytantambo in the Sacred Valley. Then we tool the train to Macchu Pichu. How these Incas built this city I do not know. Hey, I could have used that title "We Built This City." But unlike Jefferson Starship, it was not on Rock and Roll, just rock. How did they build it without iron tools? And how did they build it without falling off the mountain?
We were in MP (easier and I can spell it) for the Winter Solstice - June 21. One day a year the sun hits all of these places within the city to make shadows of creatures, the Inca cross, and things like that. Yes, I missed the picture through the Sun Temple Window (below), but we are NOT going to talk about that. My children would appreciate me not bringing it up.
Really the blog for MP should just be pictures because you cannot write the experience well. It is truly awe inspiring what these people did. It was an experience of a lifetime. But we did have fun too. We made some funny pictures...
Yes, Ricardo and Ian were standing on another terrace. I however, had nothing under me for two hundred feet. We also had a photo contest. Ian and I won. we are the first two pictures.
Ricardo thinks he would have won if he had a Corona in his picture. After MP, we headed for Aguas Caliente to take the train to Cusco. The city looks like a Disney planned village really, except for the dirt and the wires right next to you at the restaurant tables.
Cusco was an experience. Of course, we do not have many pictures of Cusco because the town had so many people visiting for Corpus Christi and then their holiday the next day. If you have never seen a Corpus Christi parade in Cusco, please YouTube it. Very interesting. We were also there for my youngest's birthday. So we took him to the Irish pub next to the Catholic Cathedral (where else would it be?) for a pint of Guinness and some Sprite. There are also Inca ruins around Cusco as well. We saw several places that the king, no not Elvis or Richard Petty, but some guy with a really long name, like ten syllables long, went to. We just called him Bob, much easier. So King Bob went to these temples to speak with the mummified ancestors and such to get advice. Me I just call my mom. Look at the picture below. the mummies were in those crevices. Um, yuck?
We went to Lima as well. If you have never been, it is like NYC without the tall buildings, but on the ocean. We had such a great time. I hope I did not forget anything. If I did, you can blame it on the lack of oxygen. Wait a minute. I'm not there anymore.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
I feel the need, the need for speed!
So this afternoon after I finally got two hours more sleep from my sleepless overnight flight, I head to my doctor's appointment. It is bad, but I have not gotten a doctor in Brazil yet. I need to and will be looking for them when I return.
As I head down the main thoroughfare to the highway, I am impressed with myself. I am driving 50 mhp. This is actually the top speed I have driven in the past six months. It usually averages around 25 though. In Brazil, the highway speed limit is 90 kmph, which is about 55. The highest I have seen it is 120 kmph out in the interior. That is about 72 mph. And it actually feels fast when you are driving it. Maybe it is because the number is so high - 120? I don't know. Anyway, I get on the highway and wow. My car will not go over 70. And that was pushing it. Once the dial hit about 68, my foot automatically pulled back. What is going on? Okay, let's try loud music. I did not have my boys in the car so I turned on 105.9, the classic rock station in South Florida, put on my sunglasses, and adjusted the power seats. Well, that did it. Then on the radio came George Thorogood's "Bad to the Bone." That petal hit 75 and I was flying! (Okay, maybe it was more like 72. But still, it felt really fast!) All to way to the doctor's office in the "Disneyland town" of Weston, FL in my husband's Honda Accord. Maybe I should have opened the sun roof. I might have gotten another 5 mph out of my foot.
The great thing was that on the way home, okay this time the speedometer was closer to 70. Well U2 was on the radio. You can't speed to U2. Anyway, I am "jamming" to U2 doing my mach speed of 70 mph, when behind me pulls up a man in a truck. I kindly get into the slower lane without slowing down, that would be too embarrassing, and let him pass. What kind of truck was he driving? Well as he passed, I got a great look at it, even at the supersonic speed I was doing. The truck passing me was an empty landscaping hauler with a 30 foot trailer hitched to the back. He had to be going a warp speed of about 75-80.
Something is just wrong with this picture, isn't there?
As I head down the main thoroughfare to the highway, I am impressed with myself. I am driving 50 mhp. This is actually the top speed I have driven in the past six months. It usually averages around 25 though. In Brazil, the highway speed limit is 90 kmph, which is about 55. The highest I have seen it is 120 kmph out in the interior. That is about 72 mph. And it actually feels fast when you are driving it. Maybe it is because the number is so high - 120? I don't know. Anyway, I get on the highway and wow. My car will not go over 70. And that was pushing it. Once the dial hit about 68, my foot automatically pulled back. What is going on? Okay, let's try loud music. I did not have my boys in the car so I turned on 105.9, the classic rock station in South Florida, put on my sunglasses, and adjusted the power seats. Well, that did it. Then on the radio came George Thorogood's "Bad to the Bone." That petal hit 75 and I was flying! (Okay, maybe it was more like 72. But still, it felt really fast!) All to way to the doctor's office in the "Disneyland town" of Weston, FL in my husband's Honda Accord. Maybe I should have opened the sun roof. I might have gotten another 5 mph out of my foot.
The great thing was that on the way home, okay this time the speedometer was closer to 70. Well U2 was on the radio. You can't speed to U2. Anyway, I am "jamming" to U2 doing my mach speed of 70 mph, when behind me pulls up a man in a truck. I kindly get into the slower lane without slowing down, that would be too embarrassing, and let him pass. What kind of truck was he driving? Well as he passed, I got a great look at it, even at the supersonic speed I was doing. The truck passing me was an empty landscaping hauler with a 30 foot trailer hitched to the back. He had to be going a warp speed of about 75-80.
Something is just wrong with this picture, isn't there?
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Travelling in South America
Travelling within South America is an interesting experience. We have been fortunate enough to fly several times. However, our Peru trip was the first to travel within South America from Brazil. None of what I write is an exaggeration. Not even this story.
So we get to the airport to catch our flight. Oh thank you LAN for cancelling the plane. We could have gotten American Airlines miles because you are a partner and it is a really long flight - 5 hours. But noooo, you move us to TAM who does not give us miles. Oh and we almost don't have seats either. Yes, thank you.
Now we got second row behind first class (row 6) for most of the flights. Also, I got aisle every flight as well. You would think that I would appreciate this, and I would if it was a US flight. But no. First of all, on the first flight out of Brazil the lady sitting in bulkhead (first row) who does not have a place to put her bags yells at me in Portuguese that I need to move my bag so she would have a place for her stuff under her seat. I have no idea what she is saying so I call for my husband's assistance. He comes to my defense and they proceed to argue back and forth about the placement of her bags. We won of course. Second, I have never in my life have had so many butts and fronts shoved in my face or rubbed along my shoulder while people were walking down a plane aisle. EXCUSE ME! I am sitting here. You can respect my personal space and get your fat butt out of it! Oh yes, and thank you old guy on the plane back to Brazil for passing gas RIGHT in my face! That was lovely. I hope you enjoyed your beans for lunch.
You would think that would be the end of it right? Well no. Why would it be the end? It is just getting good! On one flight I gave my youngest the aisle thinking that he is short in the seat and would not have the same butt problem that I did. No, they just leaned in more because there was more room. Sorry baby! Oh and let us not forget the guy who was in a rush to get off and opened the overhead bin to get his bags; not take care to move someone else's computer bag out of his way; allow it to fall on my son's head; look over at my crying child, because really it was a laptop computer after all, and turn around; all without apologizing. Now the guy whose bag it was felt really bad about it and checked on us. But the other guy? Nope, which is why I said something derogatory really loud about rude people who do not apologize.
Okay, so we are on our way back to Brazil after an amazing vacation. Oh hey, we got to stand in line 20 minutes before we were told that once again LAN cancelled the flight and we get to go on TAM again out of Lima. Thank you again for the lack of miles! So we get to the counter and it takes another 20 minutes because they did not have seats for us. I booked this 4 months ago. I better have seats. Okay so they find us seats. We each get an aisle, yey, in consecutive rows, two in row 6 (second row again) and two in row 7. Will this turn out well? Hmm. So let's board. We walk onto the plane and there is someone sitting in my seat. I guess the couple did not want the window. There is no way I want it either except for the protection from the butts maybe. However, my son was next to me across the aisle so I politely said, "Excuse me you are in my seat." The response I get was "Okay, okay calm down." Umm, what? I believe I was very polite, with a smile no less. Whatever. So I sit down. "Excuse me is this your purse under the seat?" Thinking she forgot to move it. No. The lady in bulkhead turns around immediately and asks,"Do you have a problem?" Obviously she was ready for an argument. She came to the right place!
"Well your purse is under the seat in my space."
"No I have no where to put my bag. That is my space." She says motioning to her lack of compartments in front of her and basically dismissing me. No way lady! At that my husband comes to my rescue again. "No, that is her space and you need to put your things above you." She holds up her hands like she is warding off a violent person."You do not have to be so rude. Calm down please, I have no space for my things and yadda, yadda, yadda." And she stands up.
"Um ma'am, I was not being impolite to you." And my husband looks like he is ready to punch her from his seated position behind me.
"So are you going to get your purse?" I ask.
"I don't have the problem. You do. You can get it from there if you want it moved." Yeah, I do!
I was ready to say - why because you are too lazy to bend over you b***h and think you are better than other people and should get whatever you want? But I restrained myself. It was not easy let me tell you. I politely picked it up; I handed it to her and smiled. You should be very proud of this because at this point the lady I kicked out of my seat and the meanie are talking about Ricardo and I in Portuguese. I did not catch all of it, and neither did my husband. But I let her know is a subtle way that I could understand two other languages and I was not a rude American. Well maybe the rude part was right because my husband and I proceeded to talk about them and how rude they were, in a tone loud enough for both sets of meanies to hear. We made the French guy next to my youngest laugh. I also wanted to comment to her that I knew how to curse people. I mean my mother cursed me with children just like me, and it worked. How hard could it be right? But instead I wrote a Haiku in her honor. See I can be very polite.
You wanted my space.
You had no place for your bag.
Too bad old biddy!
So we get to the airport to catch our flight. Oh thank you LAN for cancelling the plane. We could have gotten American Airlines miles because you are a partner and it is a really long flight - 5 hours. But noooo, you move us to TAM who does not give us miles. Oh and we almost don't have seats either. Yes, thank you.
Now we got second row behind first class (row 6) for most of the flights. Also, I got aisle every flight as well. You would think that I would appreciate this, and I would if it was a US flight. But no. First of all, on the first flight out of Brazil the lady sitting in bulkhead (first row) who does not have a place to put her bags yells at me in Portuguese that I need to move my bag so she would have a place for her stuff under her seat. I have no idea what she is saying so I call for my husband's assistance. He comes to my defense and they proceed to argue back and forth about the placement of her bags. We won of course. Second, I have never in my life have had so many butts and fronts shoved in my face or rubbed along my shoulder while people were walking down a plane aisle. EXCUSE ME! I am sitting here. You can respect my personal space and get your fat butt out of it! Oh yes, and thank you old guy on the plane back to Brazil for passing gas RIGHT in my face! That was lovely. I hope you enjoyed your beans for lunch.
You would think that would be the end of it right? Well no. Why would it be the end? It is just getting good! On one flight I gave my youngest the aisle thinking that he is short in the seat and would not have the same butt problem that I did. No, they just leaned in more because there was more room. Sorry baby! Oh and let us not forget the guy who was in a rush to get off and opened the overhead bin to get his bags; not take care to move someone else's computer bag out of his way; allow it to fall on my son's head; look over at my crying child, because really it was a laptop computer after all, and turn around; all without apologizing. Now the guy whose bag it was felt really bad about it and checked on us. But the other guy? Nope, which is why I said something derogatory really loud about rude people who do not apologize.
Okay, so we are on our way back to Brazil after an amazing vacation. Oh hey, we got to stand in line 20 minutes before we were told that once again LAN cancelled the flight and we get to go on TAM again out of Lima. Thank you again for the lack of miles! So we get to the counter and it takes another 20 minutes because they did not have seats for us. I booked this 4 months ago. I better have seats. Okay so they find us seats. We each get an aisle, yey, in consecutive rows, two in row 6 (second row again) and two in row 7. Will this turn out well? Hmm. So let's board. We walk onto the plane and there is someone sitting in my seat. I guess the couple did not want the window. There is no way I want it either except for the protection from the butts maybe. However, my son was next to me across the aisle so I politely said, "Excuse me you are in my seat." The response I get was "Okay, okay calm down." Umm, what? I believe I was very polite, with a smile no less. Whatever. So I sit down. "Excuse me is this your purse under the seat?" Thinking she forgot to move it. No. The lady in bulkhead turns around immediately and asks,"Do you have a problem?" Obviously she was ready for an argument. She came to the right place!
"Well your purse is under the seat in my space."
"No I have no where to put my bag. That is my space." She says motioning to her lack of compartments in front of her and basically dismissing me. No way lady! At that my husband comes to my rescue again. "No, that is her space and you need to put your things above you." She holds up her hands like she is warding off a violent person."You do not have to be so rude. Calm down please, I have no space for my things and yadda, yadda, yadda." And she stands up.
"Um ma'am, I was not being impolite to you." And my husband looks like he is ready to punch her from his seated position behind me.
"So are you going to get your purse?" I ask.
"I don't have the problem. You do. You can get it from there if you want it moved." Yeah, I do!
I was ready to say - why because you are too lazy to bend over you b***h and think you are better than other people and should get whatever you want? But I restrained myself. It was not easy let me tell you. I politely picked it up; I handed it to her and smiled. You should be very proud of this because at this point the lady I kicked out of my seat and the meanie are talking about Ricardo and I in Portuguese. I did not catch all of it, and neither did my husband. But I let her know is a subtle way that I could understand two other languages and I was not a rude American. Well maybe the rude part was right because my husband and I proceeded to talk about them and how rude they were, in a tone loud enough for both sets of meanies to hear. We made the French guy next to my youngest laugh. I also wanted to comment to her that I knew how to curse people. I mean my mother cursed me with children just like me, and it worked. How hard could it be right? But instead I wrote a Haiku in her honor. See I can be very polite.
You wanted my space.
You had no place for your bag.
Too bad old biddy!
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