Settling In

Kim’s classmate Olivia is staying with a host family (don’t ask me how she got a host family; that would’ve been a lot easier than apartment-hunting for a week), and this weekend Olivia invited us to her house for a barbecue. Her host parents did all the cooking, and they grilled a bunch of delicious sausage, pork, and steak.

Barbecue at Olivia’s house

Nobody went home hungry.

It finally feels like we’re living here, rather than just visiting. We’ve settled into our apartment, and now we’re getting to know the neighborhood. On Saturday night we discovered a street that’s lined with a lot of nice bars and restaurants, and it’s only two blocks away. I took Kim out for Valentine’s Day, only to discover that Brazilians don’t celebrate it on February 14; they celebrate it on June 12. So I guess I have to take her out again in four months! (Or perhaps she could take me out…)

Our neighborhood’s grocery store is quite nice, but they have the peculiar habit of putting each item into its own plastic bag. So when I bought a loaf of bread, a package of ham, and a jar of mayonnaise, they gave me three bags. I think it’s time to invest in a re-usable canvas bag.

We finally learned our roommate’s name: it’s Ígara. She’s really friendly, and she even offered to take Kim shopping sometime. Also, Ígara’s mom has been visiting for a few days, and she’s super-nice. She speaks to us really slowly and uses tiny words, so she’s pretty much the only Brazilian we can understand.

Speaking of Brazilians, here’s what my step-brother said: “So you have a Brazilian roommate? I’m not sure how many a Brazilian is, but it seems like an awful lot to fit into one apartment.” Ahh, Ryan, you make me laugh.