Springtime in Brazil

Hi! What did you all do for Halloween? It was very quiet around here. But on Friday, November 2, it was like Brazilian Memorial Day. Stores were closed, people were off work, they put flowers on graves, went to the beach, had barbeques (churrascarias) and parties. We worked as usual at the office, and then rode the bus to the grocery store, which was open.

The weather has been spring-like, cool one day, warm or hot another. Flowers are everywhere. I've seen hibiscus, bird of paradise, a huge gardenia bush that smelled heavenly. Along one road we walk on are several flowering trees of the same variety, but each tree has a different color of flower. There are white, peach, pink, lavender, hot pink, coral. It is really beautiful. Behind our office, a back yard has bananas growing in a tree! They are green now—I wonder when they will pick them. They also have a papaya tree with 4 big papayas at the top. Another yard we walked by had a fig tree, a papaya tree and an avocado tree. I told Dad I wanted to get to know those people!

Sunday (Domingo) we had lunch with a family. We talked about how good the bananas are in Brazil—all different sizes, and they stay firm even when they get brown spots on them. Yes, I eat bananas with brown spots! We told them we had a peach, an apricot, and an apple tree in our yard at home, but we couldn't get bananas as good as they had in Brazil. When we said that we put salt on avocados, they were amazed—salt?! -- just like you are when we tell you they only put sugar on avocados!

The Porto Alegre North Stake is having a special musical program on December 1st. I wandered in to a choir practice, and now it looks like I'm in the choir. Yesterday, Sunday, they had a rehearsal at 5:00 pm. I couldn't believe it when it went until after 8 pm. I was very tired, mentally as well as physically after singing in Portuguese some pretty difficult music for 3 hours. They announced more 3 hour rehearsals every Saturday and Sunday until Dec. 1. I will say that I think it helps to learn a language and how to pronounce words by singing them. Dad was teaching with the elders during practice. I walked to church alone, but got a ride home since it was dark.

I have been attending Primary on Sunday, instead of Relief Society, I think I told you. It's much more interesting when you can understand more. They speak more slowly and use expressive gestures and facial expressions. Many of the children have become my friends, and they help me say things correctly. It is very humbling to know that every little child knows how to speak the language better than I do. I have always tried to have a good vocabulary. Now I don't know how to say things like "How may I help you?" Or "I would like to buy some stamps." I can say important words like restaurant e (hest –ow-u-rran-tchee) or chocolate (show-co- latch). I can say what I am doing, or what I am going to do sometimes, but it's as if I have no past, at least not one I can talk about. I don't know past tense yet.

In Brazil, they have a word they use for exclamation, like we might say, "Man!" or "Rats!" They say "Bah!" for Barbaradade! (Barbarous in English.) When I get frustrated trying to say something to someone, and Dad is on the other side of the room, or in the next room, I wail, "Bob!" which I think they think I'm saying, "Bah!" Anyway think it is pretty funny, and they laugh at me. The Brazilians like to laugh. At dinner, I asked in Portuguese if it was OK to eat a chicken wing with my fingers, since I had only seen people eating with knife and fork. The father of the house, said yes, that is how the gauchos eat! I said, Good, I am a gaucha! (A gaucho is a cowboy, but I don't think they have cowgirls! )They laughed at that, too. I am having fun learning. Like Grandma Baird used to say, "Happy is the man who can laugh at himself for he will never cease to be amused!"

One more important Portuguese word – "Lanche", pronounced "Lunch". Gotta go! (I have got to go.) Squeet! (Let's go eat!) I love you all!