Day 7

Went to the mall with the Todd's after they went to church (me- not so much - too many episodes of Breaking Bad to catch up on. I'm watching it with Portuguese subtitles so I can convince myself it's productive.) Had a really great lunch - we thought the restaurant was really expensive but turns out we unknowingly ordered enough food for 4 more people. Lesson learned - can always order more, can't send too much back :/

Shopped in the Wally World attached to the mall... I guess I thought Wal-mart would be the same no matter where you are. I was incorrect. They didn't have half the stuff I was looking for, that ours definitely would have. Bummer. I think I like the Extra supermacado better than Wal-mart. I was going to go back out there this afternoon to pick up a little vacuum (the broom doesn't cut it with my hair on white porcelain tile floor), but I got a choice spot in the parking garage of doom and couldn't bring myself to abandon it so quickly.

I've got this thingy on my car that works all the auto tolls on the Dutra and apparently it lets you in and out of the shopping center where Wally World is. I didn't realize this when I entered the parking lot, so I took a ticket when pulling in instead of letting the thingy do its work. However the thingy didn't work when I left I guess because I didn't activate it on the way in. So, I had to re-park, go back in Wal-mart, and pay R$5 so that I would be able to go out again. Why don't they have it so you can pay by credit card at the booth? Brazilians aren't concerned with convenience, for real. This is a clue into many things... efficiency is not high priority in general.

I studied Google Maps for a while this morning and have a little bit of a better feel for the roads around me, at least enough to recognize a few when I'm driving. This town seems big because there are lots of apartments and shopping centers, but geographically it's tiny. I think you can get from one side to the other in less than 10 minutes if you know how to navigate well (which I don't).

So my lovely sister asked me what's so different about the traffic - here are a few things:

- Insane non-traffic-law-abiding motorcyclists everywhere; you can't do anything without making sure there's not one about to fly around you from anywhere

-Minimal respect for pedestrians - make that none. If you're going to cross the street you'd better hustle, crosswalk or no

-Bus lanes - have to stay out of the lanes with solid blue lines, those are just for buses. Can cross through if you need to, but can't drive in them

-No turn on red

- Lanes are a mere suggestion; this applies to both staying in yours and properly using turn lanes

-Stop signs are treated by EVERYONE as a yield; this is confusing because they also have yield signs

Back to the grind tomorrow - lots of work ahead of me this week! Send me any happy thoughts you can muster up please, it's going to be challenging!

Don't be messing with my air freshener... it's a mean mo fo!

Day 6

First inventory in Brazil = serious unpleasantness. Good news is, room for improvement. I didn't blog last night because I worked until 10pm. Slept till 11 this morning then went to a food and drink festival "Festa da Cachaca" with the Todd family. Food was good, I had what I think was lamb with rice, pineapple, sautéed onions, star fruit,  and potatoes. It was challenging to order at the booth I was at because no one working there spoke English and my Portuguese is sad at best. But, I successfully got food. I saw a flock of parrots fly by but it was too fast for a pic. I enjoyed until what I'm guessing was a traditional Brazilian music act started... It kind of sounded like they were playing together for the first time. Pics of festival below.

Did my first load of laundry tonight... In my head I was going to do all week's today. Um, that doesn't work without a dryer. I will be doing at least one load in the middle of the week going forward. I'll have to come up with a system to be sure I don't wear the same thing twice in one week :)

Soooo it's really, really hard to not speak the language y'all! Every little thing becomes difficult... Shopping, eating out, getting internet service installed, using the washing machine, working... EVERYTHING you do at home without missing a beat becomes a challenge. I am speaking a teeny tiny bit of  Portuguese but when people are talking I generally have no idea what they are saying other than catching a few words. Fortunately, Brazilians are really really nice and as soon as I say I don't speak Portuguese they slow down and work with me. And thank the lawd for Google Translate!

Festa da Cachaca

I've never seen actual growing poinsettias

News interview in progress... But really pic of these chicks in their spike heels in the sand

Avery cheesin' it up

The Todd's who have been so nice to me

And the first laundry experience

Aye aye aye...

Like my fancy new dryer??

Day 4

Parked in the garage under my building for the first time tonight... holy $&^% "J" at the front desk was right, my Civic is too big! I struggled for real. The contract on my car is up next month, I gotta get something smaller!

Inventario today was serious suckage... I've got my work cut out for me here. Guess I wouldn't be here if it was a breeze...

Why the crap was a there a field burning with big flames on the side of the highway on my way home? Nobody trying to put it out or anything, just burning away while everybody drives by... crazy!

Internet getting installed tomorrow woohoo!

Day 3 - Weds

Just another work day, exhausted from trying to think about inventario plus understand Portuguese all day. Was going to drive myself home but I was so tired by the end of the day I hitched another ride with Stephen. Seriously, I'm hella tired. I hope it's just the move and some extra rest this weekend will help.

Used Waze app on my phone for the first time today - you people need to try this instead of Google Maps etc - it's the bomb. Not sure why I've never heard of it in the US. If you try it let me know how it works there.

Our IT guy at the plant knows the phrase "cluster f%$#" from watching House of Cards on Netflix. We discussed the Gaffney Peach. I wonder if Brazilians think our politicians are more corrupt than theirs after watching that show... surprisingly, I have to say they would be wrong about that.

OOO just got the email with my CPF number - which means I can get my wireless installed!! Schweet!!

Day 2

I slept better than expected night one. There is, unfortunately, a gas station next to my apartment building (much nicer than the Drop In Store), so it was a little louder than I would have liked a little later than I would have liked. Of course, that is with the window open because I don't have my a/c unit yet. It's much cooler tonight and will be for the next few nights so that's good. I'm actually a little chilly right now with all the windows open. Sweet.

My electric toothbrush did NOT charge up using the 110v converter, so I plugged it right in to the wall outlet tonight. Guess we'll see if it gets fried. My little personal blender worked beautifully so that's a bonus.

First day as a "real" Brazilian employee... we'll give it a shrug and a "meh." I understood a little bit of what was said in an inventory meeting, and a couple of coworkers gave me a synopsis after. The finance office here is not exactly glamorous and the furniture could use some rearranging - but I'll just be keeping my nose in my computer and not worrying about these minor details! Pics below. For lunch at the plant cafeteria, I skipped the beans and rice/rice and beans and had pumpkin soup (sopa de abóbora), some kind of cabbage salad, something that is apparently Brazilian and sounded like "pancake" but reminded me of a burrito, and a big slice of fresh pineapple. No canned fruit in these here parts, people - good stuff. Dug around in inventory (inventario) a bit and see that I'm going to have to keep reminding myself not to go down bunny trails. A million things to fix, but have to start with the biggies.

Noticed that there is actually a sign in the bathroom at the plant saying to throw away TP, guess I didn't really see it when I was in there before because I didn't know what the hell it was talking about. Am I going to be able to discuss potty business every day on here? Only time will tell I suppose.

If today is any indication most of my posts will be on the weekend - weekdays are going to be eat, work, sleep, repeat. Boring...

So far so good, except as I told Stephen tonight as he dropped me off, it's effing depressing to be here by myself. Going to keep on appreciating the experience and try not to get bogged down in all that business!

xoxo

Brazil: Day 1

Arrived in Sao Paulo at 6:20 this morning after a not-so-much-sleep flight. Blech. No problems with customs, no problems with my 4 checked items. Got everything unpacked and went shopping (shout out to Lindsay Todd for chaperoning and translating- thanks!). I discovered that when people speak to me in Portuguese and I don't understand, I get a big weird smile on my face. Must work on that. Checked out the mall, a Target-esque store I can't remember the name of, and a Lowe's-esque store that I also cannot remember the name of. Found everything I needed except a .5 tsp measuring spoon. I'll survive :) Was so sleepy I can't even tell you price differences. Didn't seem cheap though.

Apartment is small but very cute and plenty enough storage for me. Got hot as &%$# in here this afternoon because I get the afternoon sun. Will definitely need to get my portable a/c unit for this weekend, can't deal with another afternoon in here like that!

Apartment building is very secure. Nobody can get in or out without a key or garage opener. Plus there's always somebody working at the front desk watching security camera feeds from the garage and all over the building. The guy working the desk this morning (his name starts with a J... arg...) said he's working on his English just so he can help me more. Not sure whether he's for real or just being Brazilian nice. I managed to communicate with the maintenance guy using only "calor," "frio," and thumbs-up (all in reference to water), so that was good.

Parking garage (in basement of building) is going to be a special kind of challenge... no assigned parking, which can be a good or bad thing I guess. To get out, you have to stop over a metal sensor, hit the garage door opener button which opens the gate for 35 seconds, back around a concrete post, and then pull straight forward up the ramp. Either my backing skills are going to improve or the company car is not going to be pretty for very long. "J" at the front desk said it will be harder for me because my car is so big. Please note said car is a 2012 Civic. Aye aye aye...

No wireless yet... need my CPF (tax ID#) to get it set up. Anxiously waiting on that. In the meantime I have a 4G thingy for my laptop. Not ideal but hopefully can get that taken care of soon.

Saw another motorcycle going over the highway on a pedestrian cross over... wtf?? They're not that wide... I can't imagine walking across it and having a motorcycle come up behind me. I have a feeling there will be many more crazy "motoboys" antics to report.

Tomorrow is first real day at work. Need lots of good luck wishes! Need to get this stuff all knocked out so I can get my tush home in a reasonable time. Missin the wife and my peeps already... just a visualization of the distance smarts :(

I think my standard format is going to be: 1) random text, 2) Brazil stuff learned, and 3) pics. Work for y'all?


Brazil stuff I learned today:

1. Y'all. You aren't supposed to flush TOILET PAPER here. Apparently the sewer can't handle it. There's a little covered trash can next to all toilets (including the one in my apartment) that you're supposed to put your toilet paper in. Ew. Was it a strategic decision to not mention this to me until I'm all moved? Guess it's better than countries where you have to poop into a hole in the floor and they don't use TP at all. Still...

2. Paid 25% tax on the stuff I bought today. At stores they ask for your tax ID # before checking out. Do you get a refund for this when you pay your taxes? I have no answer for this yet.

3. My apartment is on the 6th floor as indicated by the elevator, but it's really the 8th floor. Apparently all buildings have a "T" floor where the lobby is, and this building also has a "P" floor with the party room, workout room, etc. At home the next floor up would be 3, right? They just start the numbering above those at 1 here.

4. Diet Coke is almost nonexistant here - replaced by Coke Zero, which suits me just fine. Are they going to do that in the states? Hrm...