Let the food and travel fun begin!!!!!!

Well...
Where to begin??  I haven't blogged in more than 3 years, but after my sister and a few others (especially my sister) insisted... I decided to blog again.  Maybe this will be more of a travel/food blog from now on, I'm not sure... but for now, I'm including a picture of an "ACARAJÉ" which is a very typical food from Salvador.  The dough is made from beans, and here in the picture you can see that it's filled with shrimp, a green tomato salad, and "vatapá".  This one apparently wasn't as good as it is in other places, because it is too "doughy"... so I will try it from somewhere else to compare.  It was quite interesting though, and actually completely different than what I expected it to be, especially the way it was served...
More food awaits... ah, the beauty of eating... and of traveling!  Til next time... and let's hope it doesn't take me 3 years to post again!!!

A New Experience

Well, once again, it's been forever since I've blogged. I was looking at some of my past blogs, and what can I say?? This year my kids have not been as exciting... definitely no leeches this year. I barely get a hug, maybe. Go figure... different personalities, I guess!! Anyway, that's okay. For the most part, they're not driving me insane, at least. Not perfect kids, but they're okay. The parents at least seem to read the newsletters, etc. So, that's a plus...

Anyway, since my kids are not that exciting, I figured I'd write about something else. I missed all the holidays, my birthday... usually things I post about. Oh well. The exciting thing that is going on right now is that I'm reading the entire Bible in a year. Our church is doing it as a project, and it's been an amazing experience. We started with the New Testament, and we're reading the Old Testament now. This week we finish Exodus, and start Leviticus. We started in October, I believe. It's definitely been a growing experience for me. For one thing, I've started reading the Bible every day during my break at work. I find that my head is much clearer in that time than at night, when I used to read it. I can really focus, etc. Another fun thing has been to talk to others about what we've read. Me and my best friend have had several discussions on what we were reading, discussing what we thought, what it meant, etc. Also, in our Sunday School class and during the service, we've had opportunities to share things we learned, what we were experiencing, etc. I must admit, there were a few parts which were harder than others to read. And I know we still have a long way to go. But one thing I'm sure of is that God is definitely speaking to me through this experience, and I'm sure it's one I'll remember for the rest of my life!! Thank God He's real. He's always speaking to me. I can't wait to hear what else He wants to tell me and teach me. I'm looking forward to it!! Thank God we started this project!

Corn Fields

Last weekend I went to visit Glaucia, Fabio, Willik, and Phoenix. It was fun to see them all, especially because I hadn't seen them since we got back from Florida. It's weird to think that they live out of NYC now, when they've been here so long. For some reason though, all I can think of is corn fields when I think of the area where they live. People keep asking me, What did you see? What did you do? And well, we hung out. We enjoyed each other's company. We saw corn fields. We cooked. We ate. We went to the supermarket. And we saw corn fields... hahaha. Besides that, I saw a few horses, a few cows, and a few sheep. And then more corn fields. On my way home, I felt like I was in the middle of nowhere, following the directions precisely as I got them from google maps. I think in some areas where I was driving, I must have been the only car around for miles... I saw corn fields, a house here and there, lots of grass and trees, a really pretty river, a cemetery, and you guessed it--more corn fields. Needless to say, it is WAY different than NY. And as I drove around Manhattan the next day with Débora, telling her about the corn fields, when a cab cut me off, someone crossed the street right in front of the car, lights turned red all of a sudden, people honked, and etc, etc, etc, (all the things that you deal with as you drive around in the city), I couldn't help but think--Man, I love this city! I love NY!! I didn't even mind the amount of cabs that were around me, because at least there were cars around. Don't get me wrong--it was great to see the family, and it's a nice relaxing town. But... what can I say?? I'm a city girl!! A total New Yorker!! And it was confirmed once again as I visited my sister. But, I guess when I want a break from it all, it will be nice to go there again and see all the corn fields, and enjoy some of the delicious corn that's out there... Til then, when a cab cuts me off I'll try to remember that I could be looking at a corn field instead, and maybe that will make me feel better about it... haha.

You Can't Make This Stuff Up...

You know, it's funny. I would like to understand why certain things happen to me that just don't seem possible or likely...

So, I'm about to carry a plate to the living room. I'm trying to balance a fork and a knife on top of the plate (it's a dessert plate, and I have part of a cinnabon on it)... anyway, I have that on one hand, and a little mug with coffee on the other. Well, as I'm about to walk to the living room, the fork falls out of the plate. My mom says to me, did it fall on you? And I say, yes, look at my big toe--there's icing on it. But, I also felt pain. Not only did the fork fall right on me, it fell in a way that it stabbed me on the big toe. So I clean the icing off, and then I notice that there's blood coming out. Does that seem possible?? A fork falls from my plate--it goes on my foot, and stabs me enough that there's blood gushing out... so I had to put a band-aid on it, after wiping it a couple of times and putting some Brazilian medicine on it. But I just don't get it... why? Why?? Does that kind of stuff just happen to me??

I guess it's a good thing I like band-aids!!

Parking Meter & Other Nonsense

Well, for all who know me well, and have been to my house, you know I've had that parking meter in my room for some time, filling it with coins... well, now it's pretty full, and I decided I'm gonna count it... who wants to guess how much is there?? Maybe there will be a prize for whoever is the closest guess... but the prize will not be the cash, sorry!!! That will be for my camera!!!
Anyway, today was the last day of school. It was my last day with those kids. I can't say I feel any different, but I think it's because it hasn't hit me yet. Wow! No more Class B this year, no more 8 to 5 schedule... whatever will I do with my time???? Hahaha... I'm sure I'll find something... sleep=first priority!! I'm really gonna miss some of those kids, and notice I said some!!! For one thing, I'll miss all that talking and all that lovin'...
I AM looking forward to my summer though. As a matter of fact, I can't wait!!

It was bound to happen...

Well, it finally happened... I lost my voice. I figured it would happen before the school year was over. I just found it ironic that it had to happen when I wasn't even with the kids!!! I think my voice missed talking to the kids this past week, and that's why I lost it--hahaha. Because of lack of use! Actually, I guess it was the weather change that got me...
The kids were so cute, as usual, though, when I went in yesterday. I got all sorts of great comments from them such as:

• "You're gonna talk different now, Ms. Raquel?"
  
• "You have to drink water so your voice will come back..."
• "You sound like a man now..."
• "We're gonna take care of you so that you can be better."
  

All that was great... except for when they weren't listening later, and made me "yell" (yeah right!) at them at nap time. I wanted to laugh as I was "yelling" because I sounded crazy. Oh well... I think that made me worse!!! So, today I'm home. If I'm there, I just can't not use my voice. A teacher without her voice is just useless!!! Especially for the preK class. It's just too much!!!
Anyway, I have to find a way of being productive here at home now. Let's see if I can work on my slide show for the end of the year. Maybe God is giving me this opportunity to really move forward with that!! I just don't want to get sick. I need my voice back!!! I talked to Ms. Lupe for a bit on the phone today and she said to me, "You must really be suffering. I know you love to talk." Hahaha... she's got it right! God knows this is pretty much one of the only ways to get me to shut up!! And even with no voice, it's difficult!!!!!

If they're not vacuums, what are they then??

Wow...

It's been a while since I've blogged. And Fab, no, I don't think they are a vacuum anymore... I've been meaning to post for a while already, but never did get around to it. Well, now my parents are in Brasil, I'm over a stomach virus, it's Saturday afternoon, it's raining outside, the boys are here next to me watching some weird cartoon thing, Glaucia's cooking in the kitchen... I think I've finished most of my errands and chores for the day, so here I go...

Well, let's see. A friend of mine asked me, "If your kids are not a vacuum anymore, what are they?" And I answered, almost without thinking, "They are leeches!" I'm serious! Can you believe it?? Actually, it's funny to think about how my year has gone. I started out not really happy with this class, missing my old one. That feeling sort of continued as the year went on... (Hey, what can I say?? I had a great class last year!!!) But now I can honestly say I really love these kids! Not only that. I love the class as a whole! I love the different combinations, I love being there with them at all times of the day, for all sorts of meals, for nap and all that. I mean, don't get me wrong--I still "hate" that time. But at the same time, it's an important time to be there for them, and I'm happy to experience that with them. Maybe the reason I'm loving them IS because I'm spending most of my time with them, who knows????

But, the reason (I think) I said that they have have become leeches is in the sense that they just have become sort of "obsessed" with me. I mean that in sort of a good way!? Let me try to explain. Well, I have this one little girl who tells me at least 2 or 3 times minimum that I'm her favorite person. She started with this a while ago, I don't remember the exact day. Well, she's not quiet about it--she says it nice and loud, and in front of anyone. She doesn't care. She says it even when she gets in trouble. This doesn't even include her telling me she wants me to live with her, visit her, sit next to her, etc., or asking about me when I leave the room for a second, when I'm absent, etc. Anyway, some time after she started saying that, several other kids have started up with that as well. Except, they say "You're my favorite teacher" or things of the like. I gotta say, it's a nice feeling most of the time, except when I feel sort of bad for Ms. Lupe or Anna, who they don't say that to. Oh well, what can I do, right? I think it's just from being with me all day long--I mean who wouldn't love me??? Hahahaha... I'm just kidding.

These kids have really won over my heart. I say they are leeches because they still require a lot of my energy. I guess with love comes responsibility, right? I actually love "hanging around" with the kids. This is the beauty of pre-k. This is why I'm a pre-k teacher, and I love what I do. It's a great feeling... I don't mind the kids loving me, wanting to hug me, wanting to talk to me, wanting me to pay attention to everything they're doing or saying, etc, but there are some kids who don't know limits. I don't like when they become hogs... not wanting to "share" me or my attention with anyone else, or when they just become mean to someone else because they want me to only play with, or look at or listen to them. As long as they are leeches who don't mind other leeches around, it's okay. Other than that, it really is a nice feeling to know that these kids have finally become "my class." I really feel that they are right now. I've broken them down--it only took what--6 months??? Better late than never, I guess. Now I've started looking forward to graduation, and I think I'm even beginning to think that I'm gonna miss these "little leeches"--go figure?!!!!