Day 4

I am so happy! I have finally realized that I am here, listening to Brazilian Portuguese, to the music and interacting with people. I am already picking up on the pronunciation. I understand practically everything (when spoken to slowly) and I reply in Spanish – and this is how I have managed to maintain conversations. But now, my “no” is automatically “não” (pronounced somehow like the English ´now´). Little things are changing in my speech, I ´falla´ and not ´habla´ etc.

Last night I met Claudia´s mother for dinner and we later went out. Her mother speaks good French, and like many countries in the world – she loves the French language and dreams of going to Paris. So we spoke in French and it was great to see her recollect and find all those words she used to know, loving the sound of “abasjour” “ça me semble” and “toi”. She spoke so emotionally of France, nearly up to tears - just as I used to get overwhelmed when thinking of Brazil.

After applying make up on Claudia´s cousin – Natasha, we headed off to watch a live samba band. On a little stage there fit 9 people playing instruments, surrounded by a crowd dancing samba and shacking it! I precariously attempted a shake myself, digging deep into my Arabic instincts but nothing compared to what they manage to do! I couldn’t stand out anymore! Well, I did have flipflops on, which not only am I not used to wearing, but also it is not the best for dancing in!

Salutations here are one kiss and a mini one arm-one shoulder hug, accompanied by a “tudo bem” (“all good”). Even saying hi to someone passing by on the street is mostly accompanied by it. “Oi, tudo bem” sounds much better than a lonely “Oi”. Also their laughing sounds are “caca”. What I mean is that the equivalent of the English “haha” or the Spanish “jaja” is “caca”. I love all those little details. And the word for ‘cool’ is “legal” – pronounced “legao”.

On packets of cigarettes, a whole side is dedicated to medical health warnings. They have a big picture of either a person sitting down with amputated legs, or rotten gums and teeth, or black lungs and the like. But what happens is that nobody wants to see those horrible pictures, so the packet is always placed with the other side up – the side where there is the brand name and logo of the cigarettes. It is almost a guarantee that it will be known what cigarettes the person is smoking. I found it a good promotional technique and the health warning more impactful, compared with Europe.

Another thing I think they should learn from in Europe is electrical fans! In Claudia´s house there are colonial type ceiling fans with a light in the middle in every room. It works just as well as an AC minus the sinus headaches and brutal difference with outside temperatures. Besides, there is something sweetly tropical and holiday like about them. Or perhaps simply third world!
I am currently listening to a song by ‘Victor e Leo’ called “Tem Que Ser Você” and I am recognizing popular songs like one called “Oceano” by the band ‘Djaven’. And now I am listening to the band “Sensação”.

Got to run – it is Claudia´s mother´s birthday and they are celebrating it in her father´s office garden – where the toucan is!