I'm taking this entry off at Sara's advice, because she made a lot of good points. I'm just being pissed and incoherent, I'm sorry for inflicting it on everyone.
Specifically, I am frustrated with D4550. D5110 is a great district, I really love all the Rotarians there. It's just who's in charge here that's grinding my gears. I'm not really expecting anything to change based on this message, and I'm sorry to the exchange students that wanted to come to Bahia but didn't go because of my complaints.
Honestly, this is a great year so far. I have met some amazing new people, I'm just thinking I shouldn't have to work AROUND the Rotary system to make this year what I want it to be...
So I'm sorry if I offended anyone, but this really has no continuing effects. I'm not planning on writing an official complaint or anything, I'm just going to go home and be glad to be rid of people who are in charge of youth and do not know how to deal with them.
More pictures soon!
:)
bjs
--m
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Thursday, March 5, 2009
being in trouble aka. the nature of vieira
it's 8H in the morning and I've already been in trouble twice today...
the first time was when I got to school 15 minutes late (like I always do now; I live an hour and a half away, and I have two host siblings who get dropped off at their school before me, so I'm always late nowadays)... being late isn't usually a problem, and today it wasn't either. the problem today was my not exactly strict adherence to the uniform policy; I was wearing brown jean-like pants instead of actual blue jeans. Now, I'm not badmouthing the uniform system (farda in portuguese) but I really don't believe in it. I understand the motivation and the benefits, but I hate how everyone looks just the same (sometimes I can't even find my friends because people look so alike). so I got a talking-to about that (plus I'm working on my braid pre-dreads right now, so I'm wearing a bandanna around to keep the itchy bastards out of my face - which apparently isn't allowed either).
the second time was coming up here to type this on the computer (I just took a Biology test which I probably bombed because I can't remember anything about eukaryotic cells or chromatin - sorry Shindledecker but it just didn't sink in).
so wish me luck. hopefully I won't get in trouble again today.
--m
the first time was when I got to school 15 minutes late (like I always do now; I live an hour and a half away, and I have two host siblings who get dropped off at their school before me, so I'm always late nowadays)... being late isn't usually a problem, and today it wasn't either. the problem today was my not exactly strict adherence to the uniform policy; I was wearing brown jean-like pants instead of actual blue jeans. Now, I'm not badmouthing the uniform system (farda in portuguese) but I really don't believe in it. I understand the motivation and the benefits, but I hate how everyone looks just the same (sometimes I can't even find my friends because people look so alike). so I got a talking-to about that (plus I'm working on my braid pre-dreads right now, so I'm wearing a bandanna around to keep the itchy bastards out of my face - which apparently isn't allowed either).
the second time was coming up here to type this on the computer (I just took a Biology test which I probably bombed because I can't remember anything about eukaryotic cells or chromatin - sorry Shindledecker but it just didn't sink in).
so wish me luck. hopefully I won't get in trouble again today.
--m
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
perdido
so I kind of think there is a curse on my first class. I don't think I've been let in for it more than twice so far. Today was the worst; I woke up at 5H30 to catch a bus at 5H45 in order to MAYBE get to school by 7H. but guess what? 20 minutes to 7, the bus literally BREAKS DOWN in the middle of the street, everyone gets out and waits half an hour for the next bus to pass by.
I'm on that bus, and somehow the bus manages to NOT pass in front of my school like my host mom had said it would (why do I trust anything she says though? she says she has never used the bus). I was pretty much forced off the bus by peer pressure, but I think we were all supposed to get off. Unfortunately I had no idea where I was, basically I was in the smelly, graffitied, salty-aired abandoned part of Salvador.
So I walked for a while, passed some stray dogs, some homeless people sleeping in carpets on the street, some food stands. Finally I resolved to catch the bus home (another hour and a half on the bus), so I caught 'V. do Atlântico' until, miraculously, it did a turn around and passed by my school.
and I still only missed first period, so all my hijinks and adventures went completely unnoticed. truth be told the only reason I didn't just go home was because I have Religion class today, and I reaaaally like Religion class. mostly because of my glaring lack of interesting classes.
no pictures right now.
I'll tell about Morro de São Paulo and Porto Seguro later (sorry I haven't updated for so long, I know some people are still reading this but I'm really writing now because reading my old entries is a riot.)
tchau gente
--m
I'm on that bus, and somehow the bus manages to NOT pass in front of my school like my host mom had said it would (why do I trust anything she says though? she says she has never used the bus). I was pretty much forced off the bus by peer pressure, but I think we were all supposed to get off. Unfortunately I had no idea where I was, basically I was in the smelly, graffitied, salty-aired abandoned part of Salvador.
So I walked for a while, passed some stray dogs, some homeless people sleeping in carpets on the street, some food stands. Finally I resolved to catch the bus home (another hour and a half on the bus), so I caught 'V. do Atlântico' until, miraculously, it did a turn around and passed by my school.
and I still only missed first period, so all my hijinks and adventures went completely unnoticed. truth be told the only reason I didn't just go home was because I have Religion class today, and I reaaaally like Religion class. mostly because of my glaring lack of interesting classes.
no pictures right now.
I'll tell about Morro de São Paulo and Porto Seguro later (sorry I haven't updated for so long, I know some people are still reading this but I'm really writing now because reading my old entries is a riot.)
tchau gente
--m
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
the legendary photo post (more to come shortly)
I'm not doing so good on the consistent blog timeline thing... I'll probably never fix it though, that's how I like it. This picture was of the walk to the cave we went through on the Lençóis trip, the sky was crazy blue and beautiful.
The first day in Lençóis we hiked for about three minutes and hit a series of really awesome little pools and rock formations (this is one with Lençóis in the background)
My faux-artistic photography at work
these pools look really shallow, but that one behind Freddy was deep enough to jump into. The people on this trip were me, Sandra (behind Freddy in the black swimsuit - from Germany), Mathilde (next to Sandra - from Denmark), Kevin (from Germany), Sherise (from Florida) and Alexember (from Iowa?) We also had Neyton (Kevin's host dad) but that's a given.
water in motion
more dynamic water
lambreta, after which I was forced to drink the 'caldo', or juices
bright sky!
pineapple plant
hey Mom! hey Dad! Bird of paradise!
the cave roof
A lizard chillin' under the tree
The inseperable Dane and German (Mathilde and Sandra)
The clear water cave in Lençóis where we went snorkeling
on top of Pai Inácio
Some random religious statue on Madre de Deus (an island in All Saints' Bay, a few hour drive from Salvador)
Another shot of this incredible island (also will be bringing back incredible shells from here, all orange and blue and huge) Thursday, December 11, 2008
vou colocar algumas fotos daqui um pouco, seja paciente e me espere gente...
I went to Olodum with the kids from the Northeast trip on Tuesday (pretty good until Charlie Brown Jr. took over for an hour...)
two kids going home: Greg (Vancouver, Canada exchange student) is going home and Moni (Melbourne Australia girl) is going home too...
on the 16th I'm going to Lençoís for a five-day hiking trip,
tomorrow I'm going to a capoeira 'roda' (meeting-type thing) at 5H30 followed by a forro (Brazilian dance) event with my host mom and the German girl spending a week at my house
today I went to the beach with the same girl, found a sea urchin, went swimming, used my conga (thin Brazilian towel made to look like the flag...), and then later ate acarajé
Saturday might be headed BACK to Mercado Modelo and Pelourrinho, even after I spent three solid days there basically... on the 14th I have to do my presentation (that was what that last failed post was supposed to be... if anyone wants to see it they can comment asking for me to email them the invite...)
pictures real soon, I got my thumb drive back and will be uploading recent pictures within the next week... sorry to who ever is still reading this :D
-- m
two kids going home: Greg (Vancouver, Canada exchange student) is going home and Moni (Melbourne Australia girl) is going home too...
on the 16th I'm going to Lençoís for a five-day hiking trip,
tomorrow I'm going to a capoeira 'roda' (meeting-type thing) at 5H30 followed by a forro (Brazilian dance) event with my host mom and the German girl spending a week at my house
today I went to the beach with the same girl, found a sea urchin, went swimming, used my conga (thin Brazilian towel made to look like the flag...), and then later ate acarajé
Saturday might be headed BACK to Mercado Modelo and Pelourrinho, even after I spent three solid days there basically... on the 14th I have to do my presentation (that was what that last failed post was supposed to be... if anyone wants to see it they can comment asking for me to email them the invite...)
pictures real soon, I got my thumb drive back and will be uploading recent pictures within the next week... sorry to who ever is still reading this :D
-- m
Monday, December 1, 2008
nova familia
So yesterday Paulo tried to keep me with him for as long as possible (he even took me to Vitoria x Palmeiras futebol game until like 6h30 which had me at the house at like 7 and me at my next host family at like 9h30... game was interesting, especially when some guy set of three bombs - apparently 'torcidores do Palmeiras' are the most violent fans of any Brazilian soccer team - they're from São Paulo...)
so now I have a new shirt from the Vitoria game, all my stuff packed in two suitcases and two backpacks (except my blazer and the two paintings I bought). and I'm sitting at the house right now. They have a pool and a really cool neighborhood and a fitness center right nearby! very cool. plus the beach is a short jaunt away apparently, so that's good.
anyway I left my thumb drive uploading photos at the Rochas house (on purpose, don't worry) so when they get that to me I'll be uploading photos quick. watch out for that.
tchau!
-- m
so now I have a new shirt from the Vitoria game, all my stuff packed in two suitcases and two backpacks (except my blazer and the two paintings I bought). and I'm sitting at the house right now. They have a pool and a really cool neighborhood and a fitness center right nearby! very cool. plus the beach is a short jaunt away apparently, so that's good.
anyway I left my thumb drive uploading photos at the Rochas house (on purpose, don't worry) so when they get that to me I'll be uploading photos quick. watch out for that.
tchau!
-- m
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
