Christmas Time Update

The Show
The show went well. I danced the foha...a brazilian folk dance. My partner, Vini, and I did not make any mistakes big enough to ruin the show.. My performance of Once Upon a December went all right too. I actually was accompanied with a violin...so even if the sound system wasnt the best..the vision was strong. I lived my dream that night...and I had my friends Andrea, of Columbia, there to witness it. She was with me the first time I encountered this theater..and was there to hear me say I wanted to perform in it...and was there in the end to see it happen. My host parents and the mother of my host mother was there as well. They seemed to have enjoyed the show.. My host father had teary eyes when I returned to there table after the show. After the show was a baile...or a dance. This baile was especially fantastic because it consisted of dancing with actual steps and movements..and actual people who knew how to dance. It was so much fun for me. My feet hurt so bad at the end of the night.

Feet
Yes my feet hurt that night...but they looked good. My host parents bought me a very very chic pair of black stiletos as an early Christmas present. My host mother is a very intelligent woman.. Along with her knowledge in law and motherhood and common sense is her knowledge and passion for shoes. In my room exists a closet containing probably 60 pairs of heels. All of them (the ones I have seen so far) were purchased in good taste. It is a very cool experience for me to know someone like this..femine, stylish, and a power house.

Dreams
I dreamed in Portuguese. I was at a dream version of my Aunt Char's house with my friends and some cousins. The dream version of my Aunt's house had about four stories and balconies on each floor...as well as a huge basement with lots of doors and a large in-ground pool. I was with my friends talking to them in Portuguese...making an effort to talk to them in Portugese...and didnt realize I was doing so until my cousin Arron...with very uncharacteristic hair (mullet) asked me why I was doing so and told me not to. Because of this I spoke in english..until my 7th grade teacher came and told me I should speak in Portuguese..

Life
There are ups and downs here..just like there would be at home. Its not always easy being away from the people who mean the most in your life. I do not want to go home. I have nightmares about being home early, not fluent and with out a way to return. No, I have not wished to be back in the states but, there have been times when I wished I was with my family.

Holliday
My plans to see my sister in Peru fell through..but there is still hope. My sister plans on coming to see me after the holliday passes. I am excited for this. After a very annoying, unnescessarily extended amount of time searching for answers from the right people...I was told , only a little bit less than rudely, that I did not have permission. Honestly I knew it was a long shot, but the suspense pulled me in...so I was dissapointed, but now theres hope of Lauran being in Brazil...which makes me very happy.

This year, my host family will be having a well sized Christmas gathering here at the house. I have been assigned the duty of baking Christmas cookies and treats..very excited about this..
The plan for the new year...is that the family will go to the beach..a brazilian tradition that will be carried out by, I am assuming, the majority of Brazil..It is going to be um festa grande.

Brazil 101
- parties here start at the same time when parties end in the states.
-Brazil has 12 national hollidays..and there are parties for all of them
-For the new year there exists the tradition of buying new panties. The color you purchase represents your goal of attaining in the new year. White-peace Yellow-money Green- health Red-romance


My Next Update
In the next update of "B-zil" you can look forward to learning about the cultural aspect of Brazilian dating..:)