"Marknmichelle"

Since we've arrived, Sam and Marcela have helped us tremendously. We currently live two blocks from each other-- it's very convenient. Marcela was our Portuguese teacher when we took classes in Birmingham; they moved here at the end of October of last year. They have a 2 1/2 year-old little girl named Rebekah, pronounced "Hebekah." Well... before Sam and Marcela picked us up from the airport (when we arrived), Sam taught Rebekah to chant "Mark and Michelle." It's really cute. She gets excited to chant it and jumps up and down... Funny how certain things stick, especially in this case because for the past two weeks Rebekah continues to think my name is "Marknmichelle" and that Mark's is "Marknmichelle" too. Today was a turning point, she said only "Michelle" for the first time. We'll see if anything changes!  

Today Sam helped Mark and I ride the bus downtown to get more documentation. At the post office, we picked a number... waited a couple minutes for them to call us... had our passports and papers ready... excited about checking another item off our list of things to do... We get to the counter and find out we must pay for this particular document with cash, and realize none of us have what would total 110 reais (pronounced "hey-ice"). So, we walk a couple blocks, end up going to two different banks, pay a pretty hefty international ATM fee to withdraw cash, and I get stuck in the metal detector inside a revolving door at one of the banks. The security guard tried to give me instructions, and I just stood there, clearly confused (it was an embarrassing moment for me to say the least). As we return to the post office and try to pay the teller 110 reais, we find out it only costs R$5.50 per person, R$11 total! I'm sure she must have thought it was ridiculous when we left her the first time to withdraw R$11 from the bank!

"Hebekah" (my new bilingual friend) feeding the "passarinho" (little bird)

Michelle Repolles, her son, Dawson, and me at their apartment.   Mark and I looked at an apt. above theirs...the search for our own place continues!

 

Typical evening routine, Mark studying Portuguese and doing his "para casa" (homework)

The first meal I cooked in Brasil!  Pasta, chicken, a brasilian version of spaghetti sauce, and "batata" (potato) sticks on top. I kind of tried to add a little brasilian flair to the dish with the potato sticks - Mark liked it!