Thursday, October 27, 2011

SNOW!!! (English)

Howdy!

So, I chose this silly name for this site "for fun", as would Zeh say ... but I definitely did not expect such a quick response ... IT'S SNOWING, EVERYBODY!

UHULLL SNOW! IT'S ALL WHITE!!!

And I have the proof!



See??? Snow!

Despite my excitement, the face of Aaron was one of total disgust. I think it has to do with the fact that he had to leave early to work in this weather, in addition to having to drive in the snow .... As I jumped back into bed and slept another 3 hours.

Eh. I think it must be that.

I think it also has to do with the fact that we stand in the middle of Texas, and usually doesn't snow that much in October ... As you guys can see here.

We may have to postpone our camping tomorrow .... = (
Well, that's all for today!

Beijos!

SNOW!!!

Howdy!!!

Entao, eu escolhi o nome bobo desse site "for fun", como diria o Zeh... mas eu definitivamente nao esperava uma resposta tao rapida... ESTA NEVANDO, PESSOAL!

UHULLL NEVE! TAH TUDO BRANQUINHO!

E eu tenho provas!


Viram so??? Neve!!!

Apesar da minha euforia, a cara do Aaron era de total desgosto. Acho que tem a ver com o fato de que ele teve que sair cedo pra trabalhar nesse frio, alem de ter que dirijir na neve.... Enquanto que eu pulei de volta na cama e dormi mais 3 horas.

Eh. Acho que deve ser por isso.

Acho que tambem tem a ver com o fato de a gente estar no meio do Texas, e nao costuma nevar tanto assim em Outubro... como vcs podem ver neste link aqui.

Talvez tenhamos que adiar o nosso camping amanha.... =(
Bom, por hoje eh soh!

Beijos!

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Welcome to America! (English Version)


(Eu decidi postar tambem em ingles, assim meu namorado e outros amigos que falam ingles podem acompanhar tambem.

I decided to post also in English, so my boyfriend and other english-speakers friend can follow too. )

Howdy!


First of all, the keyboards here don't have accent marks, so I'll have to write with this strange way  until I find a way to do accents work here.


Anyway, let's get to business: my arrival in the land of Uncle Sam.However, this story wil only be complete if I start it in Brazil. Yes, for those who closely followed the steps I went through to arrive here, you know that the thing was teeense.From getting into the University of Alberta, to get the visa ... each of these things was a delivery. Maybe I tell them in time.


But everything went fast and without major damage, and the big day has arrived! I woke up relatively well, my stomach a bit messed up, but finally I was ready to go to America! (For those who don't know, I'll spend the month of November in Amarillo, my boyfriend's house, and go to Canada in December). I went down to the kitchen to make coffee, while my mother, who was trying to control the tears, said quickly that there was a strike at the airports, but no biggie. I preferred not to panic, and didn't give too much attention to the fact. However, I wonder how this strike would affect me, so I decided to get on the internet ....


48-HOUR STRIKE! You gotta be kidding me! Despite the news warn that the movement was calm in the airports, I knew that at night - at the time of my flight - things could be waaaay more complicated. I remember that a few days before when I had issues with the Visa, Vivi said I was like "Glad Cagator." If you seek a person who could illustrate how screw up Chell's life is, that person would be me.


Finally, after confirming with the airline that the flight was confirmed, I would have to arrive in Guarulhos sooner. At least that wasn't more messed up than it was before, simply because I had to get there before 5pm (where my flight was only at 10) because of the car rotation. I was about THREE HOURS in the check-in line, and they opened the check-in an hour earlier. All this because I had to swear that nobody had messed with my suitcase and stuff. Result: when I got out of the check-in, I had just less than an hour for boarding.Just enough time to take a snack and say goodbye to the family, and soon to follow security and immigration. By the way, in line with me was the male volleyball team. I'm gonna tell you guys, they giants! I had no courage to ask for autographs. A pity ... Anyway! I waited a little over 10 minutes and soon I was on the plane en route to the United States!


No kidding, this was the longest flight of my life. At least psychologically, because it was less than 10 hours flight, and when I went to Canada were 10 and a half hours and passed by very fast. Flying with United is cheaper, but has some annoying things, like the fact the dinner and breakfast aren't really that good. But they serve drinks almost all the time. In addition, we had turbulence all night. It was not just a shake here and there, but the kind that the pilot said to sit and fasten the belt in ALL OF THEM. And in at least four times he sent the crew to sit too, so you can have an idea how bad it wass.  I had "slept" the maximum I could, and still had 5 hours of flight. And that's because I still had another 7-hour trip after getting off that plane.


Well yeah, I didn't mentioned yet, but ended up choosing a path soooo messed up, because the simple facts of the cost 400 reais less. I went first to Chicago, where he would go through immigration and customs, to then go to Denver, and only after that arriving in Amarillo .


Yeah. Being poor is crappy.


Finally, the night had ended and the plane landed at O'Hare Airport, Chicago. I was just going through Immigration, and my two giant bags at customs, easy, no?Yeah. not easy, but neither had any problems. As I was going to Amarillo, which has nothing touristy and I would stay in the house of my "friend", I was afraid to screw up something. Not to mention that, despite being in panic, I was VERY happy to finally be in Chicago, so while I was in the immigration line, I watched a  motion in which it explains how to proceed in the immigration and customs, followed by a motion showing different types of Americans (the farmer, the cowboy, the family united, the executive, the football player, Mexican immigrants) and some tourist spots (with actually bear catching a salmon in a river), with a somewhat touching music ... the stupid here almost started to cry. I know, pathetic, but I had not slept right, I was worried .... Well, the immigration officer didn't give me too much trouble, and I had to pass inspection in customs, but they didn't opened my bag or anything like that.


Past all the tension ... Welcome to America! Finally I was officially in the United States. From there I went to where it should board to Denver ... And I stumbled upon a HUGE queue at security. It turns out that Americans are a bit traumatized, so you not only have to pass your hand luggage on the x-ray but you also have to take your shoes and ALL sweaters that you are using,  leaving of course the one over your underwear. Besides, you do not pass the in a metal detector, but in a body scanner where they can see if you bring something suspicious in the body. Yeah. Welcome to America.


Because of this, as soon as I went through security, it was almost time to leave for Denver. And I'd just step inside the plane the flight attendant took my hand luggage and told me to leave it along with other bags. Turns out, I do not know why, some luggage was being checked along with the other bags and I would only get it back in Amarillo. Happens that no one told me this, I was only asked to leave the bag out. Lucklily I asked what they would do with it, because I had left all my documents and the next flight ticket inside it. I took out my wallet, passport and the ticket, but still I had forgotten the  bags of the left-handed ... among other things.


Arriving in Denver, I decided to go on the balcony of the United see what had happened to my hand luggage. I showed that I was given a ticket, and the man asked me what was my final destination."Amarillo," I replied.
 "What?"
 "Amarillo"
 "I'm sorry, where?"
 "Erm ... Texas ...""Oooh ..." Emerilo'!!!"
This Brazilian accent that looks like Arabic is going to screw me, I can see it already ... Anyway, the guy checked in the system and.. no record! Aeee! I almost started crying. The guy was very helpful, called and asked someone to check if my bag would go to the flight to Amarillo, and then warned me that if if my bag doesn't come with me to seek the United so and forth.


 You guys can imagine how calm I was when I came to Amarillo, huh? And I came on a plane that was smaller than a Bus. Seriously, I think if it was 30 seats it was too much. But the trip was enjoyable, I could see the immensity of nothing that Texas is ... ok, has many farms, so it IS something ... And about an hour later I was running to my boyfriend's arms, and facing the treadmill for my bags. Fortunately, they all arrived safe. A curious fact: everyone knows that they open their bags, so I didn't put in my lock. But one of them came with a closed padlock I had left in the bag ... Maybe the guys thought I forgot ...? Anyway...


That's it .. Soon I will send news again, we will camp in the weekend ... I'm sure I will a lot to share with you guys.


Beijos!

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Welcome to America!

Howdy!

Antes de mais nada, os teclados daqui naum tem acento, entaum eu vou ter que escrever desse jeito estranho ateh eu descobrir  um jeito de fazer os acentos funcionarem aqui.

Enfim, vamos ao que interessa: minha chegada na terra do Tio Sam. 
Mas essa historia soh vai ficar completa se eu comecar (ahhh acentos... sinto falta de vcs) no Brasil. Sim, pra quem acompanhou de perto os passos que dei pra chegar ateh aqui, sabe que a coisa foi teeeensa. Desde conseguir entrar na Universidade de Alberta, pegar o visto... cada uma dessas coisas foi um parto. Talvez eu relembre elas no momento oportuno

Mas tudo passou rapido e sem maiores danos, e o grande dia chegou! Acordei relativamente bem, meu estomago um pouco zuado, mas enfim, eu estava pronta para ir para a AMERICA! (pra quem naum sabe, vou passar o mes de novembro em Amarillo, na casa do meu namorado, e vou pro Canada em Dezembro). Desci para cozinha para tomar cafe, enquanto a minha mae, que tentava controlar as lagrimas, disse rapidamente que tinha uma greve ai nos Aeroportos, mas nada demais. Eu preferi nao entrar em panico, e naum dei muita atencao (*suspiro*) ao fato. Porem, queria saber o quanto essa greve iria me afetar, entao resolvi entrar na internet....

GREVE DE 48 HORAS! Vcs soh podem estar querendo zuar comigo! Apesar das noticias avisarem que o movimento estava tranquilo, eu sabia que mais a noite - na hora do meu voo -  a coisa podia ficar beeeeem complicada. Lembrei da Vivi falando alguns dias antes qdo tive problema com meu visto que eu era do tipo "GlaDOS Cagator". Se procurassem uma pessoa que pudesse ilustrar o quanto o Chell eh cagada, essa pessoa seria eu. 

Enfim, depois de confirmar com a companhia aerea que o voo estava confirmado, restava apenas chegar em Garulhos o quanto antes. Pelo menos isso naum ficou mais zoado do que estava antes, simplesmente porque eu jah tinha que chegar lah antes das 5 (sendo que meu voo era soh as 10) por causa do rodizio. Fiquei cerca de TRES HORAS na fila do check-in, e olha que eles abriram o check-in uma  hora mais cedo. Isso tudo pq tinha que jurar de pe junto que ninguem tinha mexido na minha mala e coisa e tal. Resultado: sai do check in e eu tinha pouco menos de uma hora para o embarque. Deu tempo de tomar um lanche e se despedir da familia, logo segui pra seguranca e imigracao. Alias, na fila comigo estava a selecao masculina de volei. Vou falar pra vcs, os caras sao gigantes! Nao tive coragem de pedir autografo. Uma pena... enfim! Esperei um pouco mais de 10 minutos e logo eu jah estava no aviao a caminho dos Estados Unidos!

Sem brincadeira, esse foi o voo mais longo da minha vida. Pelo menos psicologicamente, pq sao menos de 10 horas de voo, e qdo eu fui pro Canada eram 10 horas e meia e passou muito rapido. Viajar pela United eh mais barato, mas tem umas coisas chatas, como o fato do jantar e o cafe da manha ser bem meia-boca. Mas eles servem bebida quase que o tempo todo. Alem disso, tivemos turbulencia a noite toda. E nao era so uns tremiliques aqui e ali, era do tipo que o piloto mandava por o cinto em TODAS elas. E em pelo menos 4 vezes ele mandou a tripulacao se sentar tb, olha o nivel. Eu jah tinha "dormido" o maximo que conseguia e faltava ainda 5 horas. E isso pq eu ainda teria mais 7 horas de viagem depois de descer daquele aviao.

Pois eh, eu nao comentei ainda, mas acabei escolhendo um trajeto muuuuito zoado, pelo simples fatos de custar 400 reais a menos. Eu fui primeiro pra Chicago, onde passaria pela Imigracao e Alfandega, pra depois seguir pra Denver, e soh depois chegar em Amarillo. 

Eh. Ser probre eh uma merda.

Finalmente, a noite chegara ao fim e o aviao pousou em Ohare, Aeroporto de Chicago. Era so eu passar pela Imigracao, e as minhas 2 malas gigantes na Alfandega, e sussa, nao?
Eh. Sussa nao foi, mas tambem nao tive problemas. Como estava indo pra Amarillo, que nao tem nada turistico, e ficar na casa do meu "amigo", eu tava com um puta medo de dar merda. Sem falar que, apesar de estar em panico, eu tava MUITO feliz de estar finalmente em Chicago, entao enquanto eu estava na fila da imigracao, eu fiquei vendo um videozinho em que se explica como proceder na Imigracao e Alfandega, seguido por um videozinho mostrando diferentes tipos de Americanos (o fazendeiro, o cowboy, a familia unida, a executiva, o jogador de futebol, os imigrantes mexicanos) e alguns pontos turisticos (com direito a um urso pegando um salmao num rio), com uma musica um tanto tocante... e a boco aqui quase comecou a chorar. Eu sei, patetico, mas eu nem tinha dormido direito, eu estava preocupada.... Bom, o oficial da imigracao naum encheu muito o saco, e na alfandega eu tive que passar pela inspecao, mas nao abriram a minha mala ou nada do tipo.

Passada toda a tensao... Welcome to America! Finalmente eu estava oficialmente nos Estados Unidos. Segui de lah para o local onde deveria embarcar para Denver... E dou de cara com uma fila GIGANTESCA na seguranca. Acontece que os americanos tao soh um pouco traumatizados, e entao eles nao soh passam a sua bagagem de mao no raio x, mas vc tb tem que tirar os sapatos e TODAS as blusas que vc esteja usando, deixando eh claro a unica que esta por cima das suas roupas de baixo. Alem disso, vc nao passa no detector de metal, mas sim num body scanner, onde eles conseguem ver se vc tras algo suspeito no corpo. Eh. Bem vindo a America. 

Por causa disso, assim que eu passei pela seguranca, jah estava quase na hora de embarcar para Denver. E eu tinha acabado de pisa dentro do aviao qdo a aeromoca pegou minha bagagem de mao e disse pra eu deixar junto com outras malas. Acontece que, nao sei pq raios, algumas bagagem estavam sendo despachadas junto com as outras e eu so pegaria ela de novo em Amarillo. Soh que ninguem me avisou isso, so me pediram pra deixar a mala lah fora. Foi por sorte que perguntei o que fariam com ela, pq eu tinha deixado todos os meus documentos e a passagem pro proximo voo. Peguei minha carteira, o passaporte e a passagem, mas ainda assim eu tinha esquecido lah o canhoto das malas... entre outras coisas.

Chegando em Denver, resolvi ir no balcao da United ver o que tinha acontecido com a minha bagagem de mao. Mostrei o canhoto que me deram, e o homem me perguntou qual era o meu destino final. "Amarillo", eu respondi. 
 "What?"
 "Amarillo"
 "I'm sorry, where?"
 "Erm... Texas..."
"Oooh... 'EMERILOU'!!!"
Esse sotaque brasileiro que mais parece arabe soh vai me ferrar, jah to ateh vendo... Enfim, o cara procurou a mala o sistema e... nenhum registro! Aeee!!! Eu quase comecei a chorar. O cara foi bem atencioso, ligou para alguem e pediu pra verificar se a minha mala ia pro voo pra Amarillo, e depois me avisou que, se caso a minha mala nao chegasse comigo, pra procurar a United e talz.

 Vcs podem imaginar como eu vim calminha pra Amarillo, neh? E o aviao que eu vim era menor que um busao. Serio, acho que se tinha 30 acentos era muito. Mas a viagem foi agradavel, puder ver a imensidao de nada que eh o Texas... ok, tem muitas fazendas, entao num eh nada... E cerca de uma hora depois estava correndo pros bracos do meu namorado, e encarando a esteira pelas minhas malas. Felizmente, todas elas chegaram sa e salvas. Um fato curioso: todo mundo sabe que eles abrem as malas e, por isso, eu naum coloquei cadeado nas minhas. Mas uma delas veio fechada com um cadeado, que eu tinha deixado dentro da mala... Talvez os caras pensaram que eu esqueci?... enfim..

Era isso.. Logo mando noticias de novo, esse fds nos iremos acampar... eu tenho certeza que terei muito o que dividir com vcs.

Beijos!!