Yesterday, I watched my host sister return home after finishing her exchange. As she weaved her cart of belongings through the clumps of people, all of her friends and family ran towards her. Each person pulled her close as if love could be passed through their arms. They laughed, they smiled, they hugged, and they showed her how much they loved and missed her. I couldn't help but get tears in my eyes as I watched these interactions. (Of course, I was the only one to tear up... but that is besides the point.) As an exchange student, it is very easy to identify with other exchange students, and I often find myself feeling the emotions that they are feeling. I still cannot look at other exchange students' pictures of their departures because of the immediate trigger of all the feelings that I experienced when I watched my family walk away from the glass on the other side of the security gate. Exchange students will always have this connection.
The same thing happened when Paula arrived. I began to see myself in her situation, and I thought about when I would return home to see my family run to me and give me long, awaited hugs. My brain was beyond confused as I felt the excitement of having a sister again and the slight pain in knowing that my time to experience such a reunion wouldn't be for many more months.
As we piled into the car, I couldn't keep my mind from wandering to Minnesota. I began to get angry with myself. My host sister had arrived and all I could think about was my home back in the States? Everyone was asking her questions, and she was telling stories, but I was in my own thoughts. Seems quite selfish of me, don't you think? Let me speak for all the exchange students out there when I say, as an exchange student, you ALWAYS feel guilty when you hold back from conversation. ALWAYS. Even if you have no clue about what they are talking about, you will still feel guilty. So then, I had two emotions: anger and guilt. I was getting myself so worked up that I couldn't even reflect on my thoughts or anything else that was going on around me, for that matter. I told myself, "You shouldn't miss home. Stop thinking about Minnesota. Stop thinking about Minnesota."
When we arrived at home, I attempted to take a nap, but instead my mind started to think more clearly, so I laid in bed and thought. I realized that I was wrong. Missing home is inevitable. It would be impossible for an exchange student to go through a whole year without missing where they came from. Suddenly, a thought ran through my head. "So if homesickness is inevitable, I cannot avoid it. I need to find a way to deal with it." It sounds like the stupidest and most obvious realization, but I am not joking when I say that the next thought that ran through my head was, "Wow, Annika, you are so smart! That is so right!"
I have found that my homesickness is triggered when I stay at home for a long time, when I skype people in Northfield too often, or when I hear pop music from the United States (strange, huh?). Here are the cures that I have found: hugs and keeping myself busy. When I tell my friends that I'm feeling homesick, they don't tell me to stop feeling that way, but instead listen and give me a hug. Suddenly, my homesickness is gone! I have found that when I identify that I am missing home, it's much easier to overcome it when I realize that it is normal and I know how to handle it. I am so lucky to have people to listen to me and things to do to keep myself busy!
The other realization that I had was this: I shouldn't keep myself from thinking about Minnesota. Making an exchange is not about forgetting one's past, but rather, learning how to intertwine the two lives, the two cultures. No matter what country you were born in, an exchange will always make you more grateful for what you had. Now, I am so much more grateful for my country, my state, my city, my family, and my friends. On the other side, I cannot get over my love for Brazil. My host family has made me feel so much more comfortable here. It really is like home for me. I love the culture. The Brazilians that I meet are so warm and welcoming. Sometimes I just look at Brazil and think to myself, "Why isn't the rest of the world this way?" I see how I want to become because of the things that I have learned here in Brazil. I know that when I do return home, I want to be Brazilian. I want to love everyone. I want to give lots of hugs and kisses. I want to accept all different types of people. I want to be able to just "chill out" and appreciate. How amazing Brazilians are!
The goal of my exchange was to come to this beautiful country and experience the type of people that I had only heard about... and to return to Minnesota with Brazil in my heart and Brazilian love to pass on to the rest of the world. So, until then, here's to making Annika a stronger, more loving, and compassionate Brazilian!
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Friday, October 12, 2012
Estou apaixonada pelo Brasil!
NOSSA! It has already been over a month since my last update... Sorry! Time feels so much faster here. I can already see how this year is going to fly by. I mean, I have been here for two months, and now there are only 8 or 9 months left! That statement already makes me feel anxious... I can't image how I'll be at the 9 month check point.
So many things to catch everyone up on!
1. MARAGOGI!
At the end of August, all the exchange students in my district were piled into a bus to travel to a city called Maragogi. This part was fantastic. As each person entered the bus, we drilled the question, "Where are you from?" and with each response, there was a corresponding cheer from the people of the same country. As we drove over speed bumps and through the mountains, everyone was too excited to sit in any type of confined space, so we stood in the aisles, or sat on laps, or sat on the floor, or held onto anything in sight. Being that the buses here have no shocks whatsoever, we were thrown all over each other. At one point I went to wash my hands in the bathroom and I hit my head on the ceiling from such a big bump.
I had thought that Brazilians were outgoing and loud, but in a bus-full of exchange students you can't even hear anyone clap their hands. We just couldn't get enough of each other. We made the Europeans try peanut butter and laughed at the awkward stories of the struggles of learning a new language. The 6 hour bus ride down the coast felt like a short trip across town, and before we knew it, we had already arrived.
Well, being as amazing as Rotary is, we arrived in paradise. As we unloaded the bus, we walked into an area surrounded by palm trees, adorable little cottages (which ended up being our hotels), hammocks, and a beach more beautiful than any I have ever seen before. I don't know if this means I'm crazy, but it was so beautiful that I wanted to throw my hands in the air, run circles around the area, and scream how happy I was. So I only did what I thought was acceptable: scream and run circles around our little cottage.
Turns out, there are 10 people from the United States in our district! There was Florida, California, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Iowa, two from New York, and two Minnesotans! By the end of the weekend we all struggled to remember each other's names because we had only called each other names like Mr. Colorado or Mrs. Minnesota.
I absolutely adored that weekend. THANK YOU ROTARY!
2. My Amazing Family
My love for Brazil is a definite reflection of my wonderful host family. I live with my host mom and host dad, but I also have a sister doing an exchange in Red Wing and two sisters that are married and out of the house. OH, and I cannot forget my ADORABLE nephews. I feel so blessed to have been given such an caring, fun, loving family.
My host mom does so much for me. Not only is she is always taking me wherever I'd like to go, at any time of day or night, but she is constantly trying to help me. She sits with me in the car before going inside until I figure out how to say a Portuguese sentence. She uses a Portuguese word in as many sentences as I need to figure out the translation. If I have things that I want to do on exchange, she is my number one supporter, and she helps me make things happen. When we drive to school, she teaches me "O Pai Nosso" or, the English name, "The Lords Prayer." Above all, she always listens to me. Her patience inspires me.
3. Skype Home
My host sister, Paula, is an exchange student in Red Wing which is about an hour from my house in the United States. A couple weeks ago, she was able to stay the weekend with my family. It's strange, but knowing this made me "morrer de felicidade!" She was able to see my town, my family, my room, my dog, my friends, and do our "typical family things" like playing spoons and taking the kayaks down the river. On her last day with my family, we were able to skype them. It was one of those moments when you feel like saying, "I love life." To have our families speak together in two different languages across the computer, to see both families happy with the well-being of those at home and those far away, to say the Lords Prayer together in two languages, and to witness the love shared by two families from two different parts of the world. In this moment I realized how lucky I am to be apart of the Rotary program. Our families would never have known each other if it weren't for Rotary, and now I believe that we will have connections together for a lifetime. There will always be a home for both families in the United States and Brazil, and for that I cannot thank Rotary enough.
Goals: Memorize "O Pai Nosso."
To see pictures of Maragogi, my family, school and much more, click on the "Pictures" tab.
So many things to catch everyone up on!
1. MARAGOGI!
At the end of August, all the exchange students in my district were piled into a bus to travel to a city called Maragogi. This part was fantastic. As each person entered the bus, we drilled the question, "Where are you from?" and with each response, there was a corresponding cheer from the people of the same country. As we drove over speed bumps and through the mountains, everyone was too excited to sit in any type of confined space, so we stood in the aisles, or sat on laps, or sat on the floor, or held onto anything in sight. Being that the buses here have no shocks whatsoever, we were thrown all over each other. At one point I went to wash my hands in the bathroom and I hit my head on the ceiling from such a big bump.
I had thought that Brazilians were outgoing and loud, but in a bus-full of exchange students you can't even hear anyone clap their hands. We just couldn't get enough of each other. We made the Europeans try peanut butter and laughed at the awkward stories of the struggles of learning a new language. The 6 hour bus ride down the coast felt like a short trip across town, and before we knew it, we had already arrived.
Well, being as amazing as Rotary is, we arrived in paradise. As we unloaded the bus, we walked into an area surrounded by palm trees, adorable little cottages (which ended up being our hotels), hammocks, and a beach more beautiful than any I have ever seen before. I don't know if this means I'm crazy, but it was so beautiful that I wanted to throw my hands in the air, run circles around the area, and scream how happy I was. So I only did what I thought was acceptable: scream and run circles around our little cottage.
Turns out, there are 10 people from the United States in our district! There was Florida, California, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Iowa, two from New York, and two Minnesotans! By the end of the weekend we all struggled to remember each other's names because we had only called each other names like Mr. Colorado or Mrs. Minnesota.
I absolutely adored that weekend. THANK YOU ROTARY!
2. My Amazing Family
My love for Brazil is a definite reflection of my wonderful host family. I live with my host mom and host dad, but I also have a sister doing an exchange in Red Wing and two sisters that are married and out of the house. OH, and I cannot forget my ADORABLE nephews. I feel so blessed to have been given such an caring, fun, loving family.
My host mom does so much for me. Not only is she is always taking me wherever I'd like to go, at any time of day or night, but she is constantly trying to help me. She sits with me in the car before going inside until I figure out how to say a Portuguese sentence. She uses a Portuguese word in as many sentences as I need to figure out the translation. If I have things that I want to do on exchange, she is my number one supporter, and she helps me make things happen. When we drive to school, she teaches me "O Pai Nosso" or, the English name, "The Lords Prayer." Above all, she always listens to me. Her patience inspires me.
3. Skype Home
My host sister, Paula, is an exchange student in Red Wing which is about an hour from my house in the United States. A couple weeks ago, she was able to stay the weekend with my family. It's strange, but knowing this made me "morrer de felicidade!" She was able to see my town, my family, my room, my dog, my friends, and do our "typical family things" like playing spoons and taking the kayaks down the river. On her last day with my family, we were able to skype them. It was one of those moments when you feel like saying, "I love life." To have our families speak together in two different languages across the computer, to see both families happy with the well-being of those at home and those far away, to say the Lords Prayer together in two languages, and to witness the love shared by two families from two different parts of the world. In this moment I realized how lucky I am to be apart of the Rotary program. Our families would never have known each other if it weren't for Rotary, and now I believe that we will have connections together for a lifetime. There will always be a home for both families in the United States and Brazil, and for that I cannot thank Rotary enough.
Goals: Memorize "O Pai Nosso."
To see pictures of Maragogi, my family, school and much more, click on the "Pictures" tab.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Tres Semanas
Well, today it is three weeks and one day since my arrival... Last week, I finally figured out how to flush the toilet. I will not go in depth any farther, but let's just say that I am very happy with myself that I've got that one down!
On another note, I went to my first "festa" on the Saturday following my arrival. Although "festa" translates to "party," to me it seemed more like a concert with a little bit of dancing! It was a German DJ that played lots of electronic music. I was surprised by how much I liked it! Many things were very different from anything that I had ever experienced. First of all, let me tell you that the stereotype is true. Brazilian girls really know how to dress up! I felt like I was in Beverly Hills; everyone was SO BEAUTIFUL. I mean, I was expecting to be around beautiful people because I'm in Brazil, which is the home of the most stunning people in the world (in my opinion, at least), but a room full of perfect people? Not something I've seen before.
I really enjoyed the festa! With so many people dancing and having a good time, it would have been hard not to. But around 3:00 am, I was afraid that I was going to fall over from so much pain. Brazilian women make heels look like nothing. They wear them shopping, to church, running errands, around the house, etc. So I figured that one night as a Brazilian couldn't be so bad... Well, I wore my prom heels. I think I wore them for an hour on prom and I thought that I was going to die then, so I don't know why I decided to wear them all night... DANCING. I remember feeling light-headed and pain shooting through my legs. It was probably the most pain I've had since 10th grade when I broke a bone in my hand. Acutally, it was probably worse than that. I have so much more respect for those women in high heels... Men, it's really something you should try out sometime.
Another thing that is new since my last post are the exchange students. I couldn't have asked for a greater blessing than these people. The first time I met Johan (an exchange student from Finland), I was with my host mom driving past the sidewalk along the beach. It was then that I spotted the whitest person that I had seen in a long time. With blonde hair and light skin, he stood out completely. I must not have seen a white person in a long time because I remember thinking that he could lay down in snow and no one would ever find him with his matching bleach-blonde hair and light skin. I hopped out of the car and introduced myself because I was sure that he could only be the exchange student from Finland. And sure enough, I was right!
Frank, an exchange student from Taiwan, arrived about one week after me. Then, Rocco, an exchange student from Florida, USA, arrived another week after that!
Rocco and I are lucky to attend Motiva Miramar and be in the same class together, while Johan and Frank attend another school called GEO.
If I had to describe these three with a few words, I would say that Johan is quite intuitive, intellectual, and goofy; Frank is considerate and the biggest sweetheart; and Rocco is compassionate, silly as well, and always thinking about others. The best thing about this is the dynamics that our group has. For example, today, Rocco, Johan, and I went to Mag Shopping (a small shopping mall in Joao Pessoa) and by the time we left, my face ached from so much laughing. I haven't laughed so hard in years! Something small would turn into at least 10 minutes of good laughing.
I am endlessly grateful for having these exchange students with me to make me laugh through the amazing and the difficult.
There are so many more things that I could talk about, but I only have enough time tonight for one more: ELECTIONS!!
Everyone that lives in Joao Pessoa extremely dislikes this time of year because it can seem very obnoxious. I, on the other hand, love it! Every day there are people standing in the center of the city holding flags, and every night you hear some sort of fireworks show. But the best part of all, is the music trucks! When you're walking on the sidewalk along the beach, these trucks blasting musical advertisements for the candidates will pass by. I absolutely adore this. It always brings out some of my dance moves. Once I start to understand fast Portuguese, I may not enjoy these music trucks as much... but until then, I'll keep dancing in the streets!
Goals: Get used to wearing high heels!
On another note, I went to my first "festa" on the Saturday following my arrival. Although "festa" translates to "party," to me it seemed more like a concert with a little bit of dancing! It was a German DJ that played lots of electronic music. I was surprised by how much I liked it! Many things were very different from anything that I had ever experienced. First of all, let me tell you that the stereotype is true. Brazilian girls really know how to dress up! I felt like I was in Beverly Hills; everyone was SO BEAUTIFUL. I mean, I was expecting to be around beautiful people because I'm in Brazil, which is the home of the most stunning people in the world (in my opinion, at least), but a room full of perfect people? Not something I've seen before.
I really enjoyed the festa! With so many people dancing and having a good time, it would have been hard not to. But around 3:00 am, I was afraid that I was going to fall over from so much pain. Brazilian women make heels look like nothing. They wear them shopping, to church, running errands, around the house, etc. So I figured that one night as a Brazilian couldn't be so bad... Well, I wore my prom heels. I think I wore them for an hour on prom and I thought that I was going to die then, so I don't know why I decided to wear them all night... DANCING. I remember feeling light-headed and pain shooting through my legs. It was probably the most pain I've had since 10th grade when I broke a bone in my hand. Acutally, it was probably worse than that. I have so much more respect for those women in high heels... Men, it's really something you should try out sometime.
Another thing that is new since my last post are the exchange students. I couldn't have asked for a greater blessing than these people. The first time I met Johan (an exchange student from Finland), I was with my host mom driving past the sidewalk along the beach. It was then that I spotted the whitest person that I had seen in a long time. With blonde hair and light skin, he stood out completely. I must not have seen a white person in a long time because I remember thinking that he could lay down in snow and no one would ever find him with his matching bleach-blonde hair and light skin. I hopped out of the car and introduced myself because I was sure that he could only be the exchange student from Finland. And sure enough, I was right!
Frank, an exchange student from Taiwan, arrived about one week after me. Then, Rocco, an exchange student from Florida, USA, arrived another week after that!
Rocco and I are lucky to attend Motiva Miramar and be in the same class together, while Johan and Frank attend another school called GEO.
If I had to describe these three with a few words, I would say that Johan is quite intuitive, intellectual, and goofy; Frank is considerate and the biggest sweetheart; and Rocco is compassionate, silly as well, and always thinking about others. The best thing about this is the dynamics that our group has. For example, today, Rocco, Johan, and I went to Mag Shopping (a small shopping mall in Joao Pessoa) and by the time we left, my face ached from so much laughing. I haven't laughed so hard in years! Something small would turn into at least 10 minutes of good laughing.
I am endlessly grateful for having these exchange students with me to make me laugh through the amazing and the difficult.
There are so many more things that I could talk about, but I only have enough time tonight for one more: ELECTIONS!!
Everyone that lives in Joao Pessoa extremely dislikes this time of year because it can seem very obnoxious. I, on the other hand, love it! Every day there are people standing in the center of the city holding flags, and every night you hear some sort of fireworks show. But the best part of all, is the music trucks! When you're walking on the sidewalk along the beach, these trucks blasting musical advertisements for the candidates will pass by. I absolutely adore this. It always brings out some of my dance moves. Once I start to understand fast Portuguese, I may not enjoy these music trucks as much... but until then, I'll keep dancing in the streets!
Goals: Get used to wearing high heels!
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Eu moro no Brasil?
It's been awhile since I last posted and I thought it was time for an update! Things have changed quite a bit since the last time I posted. I am now sitting in my new bedroom on the 9th floor of an apartment about 3 blocks from the beach listening to the music from a concert downtown. I feel like a princess sitting here with a full sized bed, a private bathroom, and a balcony that has a constant breeze from the ocean. This alone is a great indicator of my host family's hospitality towards me. They have been very patient with me. The first two days that I was here, I understood close to nothing that was said in Portuguese. Now, after only a couple days of school, I am so surprised by how much I can say and understand! Don't get me wrong, I am miles away from being fluent, but I will admit that I am a bit proud of myself for the improvement that I have had already.
Before I go off topic, I want to write about my flight and school here because these are two things that I don't want to forget!
My Flight
My Flight
Well, goodbyes are hard, to say the least. Most people say that they had tearful goodbyes, but mine was a sob-ful goodbye. I didn't actually realize that I was leaving for a year, until I gave my mom, dad, and sister once last hug. It still makes me tear-up thinking about it. But after leaving them, I met Laura Keuhn and Avery Nelson (both flying with me to Brazil). It was great to have each other to distract ourselves! We wandered the airports and laughed about all the crying that had occurred already that day. Having each other was comforting, but also it made me extremely excited for Brazil!
After Laura departed for her next flight, Avery and I boarded the plane to Brasilia. Looking back, this part was the most amusing. Our plane was scheduled to leave at 9:00 pm, but around 9:25 the pilot announced that our plane was 2,700 lbs overweight. This meant that they would need to take out many bags in order to take off. I remember wondering if I would have to wear the dress and pajamas that I brought in my carry-on everyday until my bags were returned! Luckily, around 9:40 he announced again that they had decided to leave the bags on the airplane that were only on connecting flights. By the time everything had been rearranged, it was 10:30, and I was anxious to get in the air. After the flight, I found out that over 100 bags were taken off the plane!
When we reached ground in Brasilia, we said a quick goodbye before running to check our bags for the next flight. This part was a little scary because I couldn't figure out which line I should stand in and no one was understanding me when I asked for help. I would try to explain what I needed, but either they wouldn't know the answer, or they would respond with something that I didn't understand. It became very frustrating and began to worry that I would not make my flight!
Finally, a blessing came my way. With the help of an older woman, we found a young man working at the airport that knew some English. When I explained to him the issue that I was having, he helped me bring my suitcases to the front of the line and then gave me the first open spot to check my bags. I couldn't stop saying, "Obrigada" to him (the only word I felt confident in at the time) after all was finished.
On my last flight, I loosened up at the sight of my beautiful state. I looked down and everything was green. I had no idea there were so many lush forests around my city! On top of that, I met an amazing Brazilian sitting next to me that increased my excitement infinitely. We talked to each other about many things, but one thing I remember the most was impersonating the different accents of our own country. By the time we had landed, I was laughing so hard that I couldn't remember what had been so difficult today. It was a great welcome into the country!
Upon my arrival, my host parents, my host sister, and her boyfriend were all waiting for me. I cannot explain how great of a feeling it is to be graciously welcomed by a family after a long, stressful flight!
School
Despite what I've heard from all the previous exchange students in Brasil, I LOVE SCHOOL! I have never been in a place like this. None of the students openly judge each other. Everyone talks together, no matter their appearance or actions. Because of that, I feel completely comfortable in the school. Something I heard recently is that there is no direct translation for the word "awkward" in Portuguese. I think that this is because it's not needed here. People are constantly asking me questions about my life here and in the United States. There is no time to feel uncomfortable because there is never a pause in conversation!
Another thing that is different about the school is that everyone knows me. I feel a bit like a superstar with everyone watching as I walk through the school. I stand out in the sea of brown eyes, brown hair, and typically, dark skin. People are constantly smiling at me- whether I have met them or not! I will look across the room, and someone will be staring back with a smile.
Another thing that is different about the school is that everyone knows me. I feel a bit like a superstar with everyone watching as I walk through the school. I stand out in the sea of brown eyes, brown hair, and typically, dark skin. People are constantly smiling at me- whether I have met them or not! I will look across the room, and someone will be staring back with a smile.
I've also decided to give everyone the option of calling me "Anni" because I have found that sometimes people struggle to remember "Annika." My favorite part about this nickname is how they pronounce it. It sounds more like "uhh-nee." It puts a smile on my face every time I hear it!
The last aspect of school that I adore is the teacher-student dynamics. Although the students are constantly talking during the teacher's lecture, they have a very loving relationship! The students are continually making jokes with the teachers in my class, and there is not one hour that we go through without a good belly laugh. Sometimes, a couple of the boys sitting next to me will tease the teachers and say, "We have an American in the class. Speak English!" I'm sorry that I can't tell you how they respond... Understanding Portuguese in a classroom full of laughter is a bit difficult!
That's all for now! Hopefully, I will have more time to put up pictures soon.
Goal for the next few weeks: understand Portuguese better!
Goal for the next few weeks: understand Portuguese better!
Friday, August 3, 2012
A Day Away
For those of you that don't know, I will be living in Joao Pessoa, Brasil. This is in the northeastern part of the country near Natal and Recife, and I will be living right next to the beach (How lucky am I!). My city is 7 degrees from the equator and the temperature is always in the 80's and 90's no matter the time of the year. It's also the farthest east you can get in all the Americas. This means that I will be the first to see the sunrise!
To be honest, last week was hard. I never appreciated what I had until I realized that I will have to leave it all behind. It was scary for me to come to the realization that I had one week left with my loving family that I haven't spent more than two weeks apart from and my amazing friends with whom I've relied on so much. I only had one last week in my safe small town, surrounded by a language that I can fully understand. It hit me like those pop-out-of-nowhere sliding glass doors! I was not expecting to feel that way so soon.
It seems odd, but what helped me the most was saying my goodbyes. I had been dreading them, but once I started, I noticed how short a year will be. Everything will be here when I return: my family, my friends, Northfield, and I'm sure they will all still be speaking English.
My first host family has also put my nerves at ease. It has been very easy to feel welcomed through their facebook posts and emails because of their warm words and continual contact. I came to the conclusion the other day that I have nothing to worry about! Brazilians are known for being warm and welcoming (I'm excited to spend a year surrounded by such compassionate people!), and I know they want to help me succeed. Now, I can't wait to hop on that plane and start the Brazilian chapter in my life.
That's all I have for now, but I'm sure you'll hear from me in the next couple days!
GOODBYE
HELLO
Goals for this year: learn more about myself and become Brazilian!
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