When I arrived to Brazil( the GIG airport), all the people from the airplane had to form two lines, so I follow the first one. When I showed my papers the officer said in Portuguese, you are not Brazilian mmm “vai a otra linea.” I was uppsss I guess I was in the wrong line. At first, I was so embarrass but then on the other line there were only 4 foreign including myself. Anyways, people in the GIG airport were so nice. One lady was speaking to me in Portuguese and I had no idea what she said to me, she spoke fast and all I could say was, ummmm and smile. I was getting scare since my luggage did not arrive, it was the last one. LOL. Finally, I got out of the luggage area. But after, I had to encounter more communication problems. I wanted to find my way to the Hotel Luxor so I could meet there with the other student from the program. I tried to ask to some of the people in the airport, where I could find the Hotel Luxor in the airport. They almost send me in a taxi. I was speaking in Spanish, saying, “no I don’t want a taxi, this place must be here so I can walk there.” They said, “no caminando(walking) , TAXI, voce precisa ( you need it).” Then I gave them my directions to where I had to go and finally a guy took me to the elevator and gave me instructions to get there. I was so tired that I forgot what he said. Once I arrived to the third floor, I asked for help again and found my way. But I had to use another elevator to go up one more floor. When the elevator open, I was surprised to see a lady sitting in chair in the elevator and asked me what floor to go. I wondered why was the lady there? Is it even necessary? Once I arrive to the final floor, I went to see where the Hotel is and sat there to wait, while I did that I was reading my handbook and later I went to sit in a more secure place, the food area yay. While I was sitting there waiting, I read an old note from my sister (Laetitia Faure) in this note she wished me the best of luck for the week and drew me an smiley face for Mondays. I laugh at loud that people who surrounded me might have thought I was crazy. After that, I was remembering how much I love Mondays and how much my sister hate Mondays. I started missing those times. The time pass by really quick and I was getting close to meet my other colleagues of this journey . I went to the hotel and asked the receptionists, if I could sit on the couch to wait. She said, “sim” in Portuguese jaaa funny, I don’t remember how she understood me. But I finally got to meet the students from my program and they guy who came to pick us up. His name is Edimilson. He spoke Portuguese fast that I hope I could understand him on the way to UFJF. Once, I got on the shuttle, I tried to talk to the Edimilson but I did not remember his name. Oh well, on our way, we made some stops. Sarah another student, shared her coco with me. The coco tasted weird to me and it did not have a similar taste like the Ecuadorian coco. Then we stopped to see the forest and I tried talking in Portuguese but I felt I needed more improvement. On the shuttle, the guys, Sam and Brider talked in Portuguese to the driver and Edimilson . Sarah and I understood a little but I felt asleep. When I woke up , there were still talking in Portuguese and I tried to understand but then I was too tired and try to sleep again. Then I was thinking of who I was going to live. At first I thought that my roommate would have a family living with her since I asked for a family to stay with. I was so anxious to meet her, and I was really happy to see where I will be staying in this Brazilian experience. On way to see meet my roommate, Edimilson, told me that I will be the first one to see the UFJF and I was happy. I spoke a little Portuguese and said, “ the last person is the first one.” I said that since I was the last one in the shuttle to be drop off. I was waiting and waiting to meet my roommate, well I saw her picture through facebook. One I was dropped off. I said to my roommate, “I only speak some Portuguese and she said she spoke some English. I was cool this is the way to do it. She said, ( feel like it’s your home ) in Portuguese. I was what? Omg omg she did not know how to translate. I said , “you mean sua casa mi casa.” (my home is your home). She laughed and said yes. Also, I saw that there was no family living with her but I was ok with it. Then, I felt that I was not in Brazil, yet. All seem strange. I am happy to be here though. Although I forgot my camera, I regretted so much. If I was with my camera I would been taking picture of every single moment of my life.
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