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Primeira Semana das Aulas até Sábado!
1. This week was the first week of classes! First week of classes? What, it’s January. Yes, I know, Brasil has opposite seasons and therefore we go from January- July, August-November. So, As school ended in November, school was getting ready to start in January after “summer” break (summer? my city has rainy season and dry season, which are both equally hot, let’s say average temp. of 84 degrees ish? I know, schvitzy.
Exciting News: When I first arrived, I basically sat in class and did nothing. I understood practically nothing and therefore didn’t pay as much attention as I probably should have… But, ja era, so it’s ok. Monday, January 24, was my first day and unlike August 11, where I understood nothing, I understood everything!! I was talking with my friend, Sophie, about this the other day. It really is amazing to think about everything that our brains have absorbed in the past 5-6 month period. All of the vocabulary words, verbs, conjugations, slang expressions, physical expressions, everything! I came home from school on Monday really happy and content with myself that I not only understood all of the teachers and their “1st Day of School Spiels” but also everyone that tried to talk to me. I didn’t feel lost anymore! I felt in the loop and alert. yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, go Kelsey!
Not Exciting: Every up, also has a down… As I’m sure all of you know, I’m 18 and in April will be 19. When I arrived, I was put in Segundo Ano with people that are generally 16-17-ish. Even with people that are only a year or so younger than me, I still felt a little “old” in class. Now, after summer break, instead of moving with my class to Terceiro Ano, I will be staying in Segundo Ano…now, with people that are 15-16 ish. If I felt old before, you can imagine how I feel now! Everyone in my class is nice, friendly, likes to talk to me, but at the same time, I feel that we’re at completely different maturity levels—which is totally fine, like they’re 15, their idea of a ragin’ Friday should be a girls only sleepover. There’s nothing wrong with them, it’s just that I feel like I can’t express myself because I don’t have much in common with anyone in my class. When I’ve tried to express this to my mom, she’s said, “Ah, e você é uma velhona, é? Ah, and you’re old, that’s it?” It’s not that I’m old or young, it’s that in comparison to a group of 15 year old girls, I have a different mindset, different interests etc.
I guess your next question is, “Why didn’t you go to Terceiro Ano?” Terceiro Ano is the most rigorous year in Brazilian high school. At the end of the year (November-y) you take the Vestibular, equivalent to our SAT. The entire year is used as a way to prepare you for the Vestibular, and therefore you have classes de manhã AND a tarde, morning and afternoon classes, classes on Saturday, and just a super rigorous schedule as a whole aka not really my thing… I feel like I’m sort of in a pickle, because I don’t really have another option, I’m stuck in the world of 15 year old girls. gr8…
2. Ok, well something that can lift my spirits is my dancing! I would say that I spend a lot of time dancing every week (how I keep my hott bod etc ;-) lawl. And here are some videos that show my progress. They’re already on Facebook, but for the readers that aren’t friends with me or have been able to watch them, I’m YouTube official! LOL. Forró: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvLgB7RFo_g Tecnomelody: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyLPm4bs6Sc (skip to like 43 seconds)
Speaking of dancing… last night I went out to a club named Mixtura, O Ritmo do Pará, OMG SO MUCH FLIPPIN FUN!! For cereal, probably one of the best nights out. Tecnomelody is very popular in the state west of Maranhão, Pará. It’s sort of a electronic melody, but really really fun to dance to. I like it 10x more than Forró. Last night when we went out, there was melody, forró, AND funk! Like could you flippin get a better combo!? NO! You can’t! So much fun. Here are some pictures:
Josué, my dance teacher.
Rhawann, my bid, h0LL@!
Rhawann and his brother Raonney.
The sign that we’re doing with our hands is the sign for Super Pop, a band of Melody. Aw, JAMZ. Josué knows the DJ, so while I was dancing with Rhawann, the DJ was like, “We have a Gringa dancing Melody!!! YEAHHHHHHHH” and then everyone started looking at me (of course that was when I decided to lose the beat and step 1-2 instead of 1-2-3…fml). But, ok, all I can say is that I’m really happy and can’t wait to go to Mixtura for parte 2!!
xoxo, kf
