How To Clean Old Doilies

second quarter report from Brazil by Alex Pevzner

the past two months, I, in contrast to the earlier period, far from being in a so-called "everyday" spending. In early November, I started me on my upcoming big four-week journey through the beautiful North East of Brazil prepare: many had purchased specifically for this trip necessary amount of clothing that more pins swapping made, documents found be copied and sent to the organizers. To all this, even the final exam were in school, I had decided as far as possible taking notes, because the new language is now no obstacle longer pose as finally the 21igste November and thus the end of the school year for those who were directly have got, should also begin our journey. While the majority of our classmates for a further three weeks went into the school and took exams in the failed compartments, we were exchange students from Nova Friburgo us already on vacation along with 45 other inbounds from 19 countries with which we from one beautiful place next traveled, not just the Brazilian, but also each other's cultures have learned better. These our journey similar to the one offered in Germany for the Euro-Tour inbounds, because it was organized by rebounds, however, have opened a travel agency together, and now every year several trips through various parts of Brazil, both for Rotary, as well as for easy traveling . organize These four weeks were certainly one of the highlights of my recent and possibly also of my entire exchange time here in Brazil, because here I learned how I had hoped from this exchange, not only the inhabitants of the country where I am, therefore, Brazil but young people my age from other countries, spread across the world are familiar. Even more than that because we spent a large part of these four weeks together in a bus all of us grow so close together that left that we have now become even a kind of family. Everyone knows how gewaeckt who is most like who or what may hate, and much much more ...
Together with us were two coordinators for the Tourbuero, a Rotarian couple and a doctor as supervisors go, but are they in the end become a part of our great international family, even after the relationship had exchange students from our course a little different.
A pleasant surprise for me was that the first report says Joan, with whom I from Frankfurt to Sao Paolo flew, also traveled with this group and we met again our so after two months. No matter how strange it may seem, but the fact that we had sat together on the plane and got together first impressions of Brazil is a scary binding. It was really nice of me from Germany known faces to watch and learn how she was sent for after our separation, and although we only have one little talk briefly.
What has impressed me on this trip too much, is that we have seen a very strong group of education, but they are all still got along incredibly well with each other: one group were incredibly kind and almost always cheerful Japanese another the English exchange student from the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, England and a few from other countries and finally the third at the most colorful mixed group with people from all sorts of other, but also some of the countries listed so far. However, all had, even among the groups, an absolutely fabulous relationship to each other. You could, however, find during these four weeks, some typical features of the inbounds from each country and thereby confirm one or other prejudices or refute. Another event during this trip was to be my birthday, but I missed this particular day my biological family, as I, although I congratulate all I have and has even sung a samba band Samba Happy Birthday in style on the street still did not have the feeling that this whole day is special. That is why I felt a lot better after I had phoned just with my family and my friends, what left the following morning but still be quite beautiful.
was very good I also ensure that all together about others and about themselves laughing without feeling attacked. More than that, we are told several times to sit together at the jokes with, for example, a German, an Englishman and an American or someone with another nationality, which was a particularly well clear exactly this joke with people from a completely different Land could be told and the joke would not be lost. This, however, shows how the same people all the defects are, in turn. This theme of equality of men and other ethical or moral issues, we have also often discussed as we had on the bus at the huge distances that we between a point and another the perfect opportunity to put back to discuss issues of all kinds. It was interesting to see that some of the same coming out of the country also had a similar opinion concerning this matter and other many absolutely different ideas. And I found two for me quite surprising things to come:
German youths, at least the ones who mitwahren on this trip are open to the most for everything new and unknown. By that I mean, we were interested in coming over from Germany to the new cultures, as many of the others and were therefore also very disappointed by the cultural and historical program that was offered to us. The problem is namely that Brazil is a very young country and therefore vorzuweisen still not too much history. That lack of sights of this kind we have, for example, in several city tour, shopping centers, yacht clubs and houses, is born in which someone famous shows. For us Europeans, we're used to a lot of old buildings and historically important places to go everywhere where we have, this was of course disappointing. However, the nature, as expected, of course, absolutely unique in the world. Despite this, our trip did not go to the Amazon, we have still seen an incredible number of different landscapes: beautiful mountains and cave and waterfalls and unique panoramic images on an endlessly into the distance extending landscape, not to mention the fantastic to the world famous beaches entirely from the south to the north of Brazil ... The actual program of our trip, they can under http://www.terrabrasil.com/english/nordeste_dez.asp again a closer look and make a better image of what we on this truly unique ride have seen. Another
both surprise when slight disappointment was that none of the five Japanese traveling with us, the Jewish religion to which I belong knew. It was very difficult to erleutern them that the five world religions are composed of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism and Judaism being one of the main religions was formed out of which other religions such as Christianity. This was however not at all a problem for me dar. the contrary, I have tried as best I was able to explain what exactly is Judaism and what ideas you have there. I think my Japanese friends now imagine, at least approximately just under Judaism . Can
was the end of this great journey then carried out an election in which each exchange student had to choose the best in 20 different categories. I won in the category best exchange student, which means that both my languages, my communicative skills, the will to make friends with as many people as possible, and the openness were honored to everything new and unknown by the other exchange students. However, this was quite a surprise for me because although I've really tried my best to make these points, it seemed to me at the end still think I would have everything with one or the other to maintain, for every inbounds the traveling had an interesting and different personality than the others. And when finally
stopped the bus and we, who left the journey in Rio, to get away from all hosted and had got one or the other already in tears because it's become quite clear if and when we meet again for everyone. I hope that as many as possible will follow my example, in 2006 and invitation to come to Germany for the World Cup.
home I was expecting a new family member: the best friend of my host sister Carol called Joan, with whom she has during their exchange in Denmark became friends and what it now for three whole months, that is visited almost with a private short exchange here in Brazil. Me see how nice it has such wonderful work but its replacement, since this visit for me proves that they, as well as hoped for, friends in the country in which she has spent her exchange, and these are still in contact. We, Johanna and I, have now become friends and are moderate in absolute and sisters in this way, my Brazilian family. However, this was not the only new because I was caught up in the middle of my first Christmas stress, because my family does not celebrate Christmas in Germany, because we are not Christian faith. Here, however, I experienced the first Brazilian Christmas of my life to the fullest! The time between my arrival and Christmas Eve spent I complete with decking and decorating, cooking and baking, the desperate search for the last gifts and sit together with the family in the evening when, for example, television. I must say that all this Christmas rush has pleased me extremely well and the preparations for any celebration with my family in Germany, which will also be quite chaotic CARRIED recalled.
The Christmas party went on as follows: On
24igsten December were all woken up early and spent the day with final preparations for the festival. At seven, the table for dinner and met both my host father, and my grandparents came to us here in the apartment. Brought along Gifts were placed under the small artificial Christmas tree to the already located there gifts. My host father has because he is of German descent, with many German shops here in Brazil, including a German bakery in Rio, in which he provided Weihnachtsgebaeck many species such as speculative and gingerbread of many species. Furthermore, we provided various nuts and dry fruits on the table. Now it had to wait on the ex-wife of the brother of my host mother (why the ex-wife and not the brother of my host mother came, I still have not quite understood). At ten, two hours later than agreed, they finally came and everyone started to eat. The table was covered with plenty of food from three countries: Brazil, Denmark and Germany (Johanna and I did together a meat dish and a dessert, both of whom have become excellent). About midnight all were finally full and started opening presents. My host brother and I had to distribute as the youngest of the family all gifts to the addressee. I also got some nice gifts, some of which I liked best two books in Portuguese, since I still can improve my language skills further. came for me after unpacking the gifts of the part of the evening, which I had least expected: my host sister, Joanna, and I should go to the biggest party of the year. We quickly made our deal and left against a clock at night the house. Never have I can not think of past, that after the meal together at Christmas still goes to a party. However, I have understood by the narrators of the other inbounds that this is probably just as common here in Brazil, because they came all this before also very strange. The party was up by five or six the next morning. Ten-thirty then a Rotarian called out my club contacted us and wanted me to call her the name of the English inbounds from our club and describe its appearance. When I had done this I inquired what had happened and was told that he was lying about nine on the road found in a very distant place from the party the previous day by the police and now in the hospital. He was allegedly drunk and be then walked up to that point, but we were exchange students at the ceremony all together and I know therefore that he was not drunk. It was also strangely pitched his lip, his whole shirt full of blood and both his Portmonait, and his clock had disappeared. Since he previously had some problems with his visa and is now beginning get into more trouble, decided Rotary him for other problems out of the way to go and him from those who have robbed him protected on the evening of the following day back to England to send. After this incident we will be more careful another inbounds and Rotary will have to now probably be a lot stricter with us. All that remains is to wait us how everything will develop.
came about four clock the same day then the same guests as the night before and the remains of food from the previous day were at a slightly reduced lunch. In the evening, was tidying up the great word: kitchen, living room and everything else needed to be brought in was more or less the pre-Christmas state.
And so it ended for me my first Christmas. Not quite as I had expected, but also very interesting and enjoyable. However, I explained my Finnish friend that this was not the Christmas, how was I to know it and that I must at some point in their Christmas to Finland, to make sure I once experience Christmas as it appears to be her true ... I will try to take advantage of this offer at some point.
The next day they called me exactly Finn, Laura, and asked if I with her family and she would like to go sailing to New Years Eve. This question I did not let me put two and after a short meeting with my counselor, who was happy with all the problems with the English boys are not to be had in the city, sat a brief goodbye with just the boy and another hour to pack we on the bus to Niteroi, where we were picked up by the rest of the family. The next four days we spent in an absolute paradise on a small sailboat. Each Day consisted of three meals prepared by ourselves and a lot of sailing, swimming and fun at all. On, however, were probably the most beautiful nights and especially the beautiful starry sky. However, we made it here to have a lot of fun because we have been trying desperately to the Polar star and some star formation found in the sky, without considering that we are on the southern half of the earth and see the northern stars / star formation therefore not . can It was extremely amusing, as we understood, what had a junk we made all the time. But the beautiful night sky also had another effect on us, namely, that we were quite philosophical thoughts such as: the Sky and the stars are both here and in our home countries the same (except that you can see some stars from one place and not from the other). This illusion gives one the feeling that these two countries Brazil and Germany, which are so far apart, actually so close together are ... Or what you might seem strange that I am already 16 years old now and while I can not remember back has really changed, although it altered so much ... Or that me during this journey has become increasingly clear that the idea that all men are equal is not true. The sentence should welcome all people have equal rights, because people are scary different and I do not mean the appearance, but the mentality and behavior. I can, because I was born in Ukraine, even better to see the differences and similarities of some ethnic groups. For example, I consider the Latinomentalitaet and the mentality of many Eastern European nations have much more in common than, say, North American and German. However, these groups are found in all nicer and less nice, intelligent and less intelligent, pretty and less handsome man, which all have a certain community can ...
broke After this wonderful time we most 31igsten together with Laura's host brother in the direction of Rio de Janeiro, where we my host family in the apartment Brazilian my grandparents met. There, the approach of Christmas repeated on a smaller mass. About ten clock sat a pretty international group at the table and ate dinner together. The views expressed at this dinner countries were Germany, Finland, Denmark, Australia (rebound, which last year was there with Rotary) and of course Brazil, however, should not that be an end, because at half past ten came Shantala, a Swiss, which we Northeast of our trip are well acquainted with the rest of the evening we spent together. At midnight we were finally all on the beach and the new year with a further three million people on the world famous Copacabana beach greeted with fireworks. But not the Fireworks, like most Brazilians thought impressed me but the crowd, the beach and close to 25 degrees Celsius at 31.12/01.01 spent the night we exchange students with my host sister and her Brazilian friends with whom we meet at a free concert on the beach until about half seven of the next day celebrating ... During this entire time it was and is still extremely difficult to imagine that somewhere, especially in Germany and now the snow is cold on the street, said it is as well very strange seems that it was New Year's Eve at midnight and we always still had 25 degrees.
Finally, I must say that these two months, in terms of nostalgia, I been easier about a lot, I have so far had no major problems and now are returning to this wonderful time full of trips and holidays are slowly going back to everyday life. I will probably go next week again with my music lessons and then gradually add rest of my hobbies again. As to my second host family is that I am still no definite date for the change is known, but I will probably find it today on my first Rotary meeting in one and a half months. I find my current family great and am not in a hurry to change them.
again a HUGE, GIANT Thank You from Brazil for this great, informative and interesting year already in this my third home (1st & 2nd are Germany and Ukraine), the beautiful country of Brazil!
I hope you a Merry Christmas and a nice happy new year J
Congratulations supplements to the 50th anniversary of the club and until the next report,
your Alex Pevzner