dois meses

This past week it has decided to rain in Lins for the first time since June. Which is quite a relief for the town since the weather has been approaching 100 degrees (keep in mind the seasons are opposite here, so winter just ended), and the rain made everything cool off a bit.





Perfect weather for a trip to the circus. Twice a year the circus comes to Lins, meaning a tent is set up in the middle of town and hundreds of white plastic chairs are placed inside. The circus consists of clowns, acrobats and motorcyclists, but no animals due to a recent law forbidding the use of animals in the circus. I can vaguely recall going to the circus with my parents when I was a young child, and from the little I remember, I can tell you that the circus in Lins was very different. The safety equipment seemed a bit wobbly and unsafe, so most of the time rather than being enthralled by the skill and agility of the acrobats, I was instead praying that they wouldn't die. All in all, it was definitely a unique experience...


Today my class of thirteen and fourteen year olds was learning about riddles. At the end of the class I asked each student to try and remember a riddle or to create a riddle of their own. The students tried to stump me as they told me their riddles. After going around the classroom, it was time for the last student to say her riddle. "What is usually soft, but hard when it touches a women's hand?"

I thought for a moment, and began to blush.



You can imagine my relief when she told me the answer was nail polish.

It is only been two months and I already am thinking of the things I am going to miss when I leave Brazil. One of those things is the ability to speak candidly about people without them understanding a word. When I don't understand what someone is saying I have become used to turning to Rachel and making a statement such as "I have no idea what he is saying, but I am just going to nod my head." At the gym I can blatantly point out the size of a Brazilian girl's bumbum as she is standing just inches away. In the clothing store when the salesperson refuses to stop following behind me, I can tell her bluntly with a smile on my face that following me is not making me any more likely to purchase an item of clothing in her store. It is a liberating feeling to be able to release my innermost thoughts without a moment's hesitation. I just hope that it is not becoming a habit...