Inspiration

 On Facebook I am in several groups for Exchange Students. People post different things all the time. Some people post questions, advice, quotes, and just random comments. It is good because all of us are going through the same experience. Like we always say "Because all exchange student love other exchange students" we are all one big family spread throughout the world. All supporting one another no matter what. I went on to read the latest comments today, and came across these two comments. They are spot on, so I thought I would share them with all of you.

"How do you know what is a dream if you never accomplished one? How do you know what is an adventure if you never took part in one? How do you know what is anguish if you never said goodbye to your family and friends with your eyes full of tears? How do you know what is being desperate, if you never arrived in a place alone and could not understand a word of what everyone else was saying? How do you know what is diversity if you never lived under the same roof with people from all over the world? How do you know what is tolerance, if you never had to get used to something different even if you didn’t like it. How do you know what is autonomy, if you never had the chance to decide something by yourself? How do you know what it means to grow up, if you never stopped being a child to start a new course? How do you know what is to be helpless, if you never wanted to hug someone and had a computer screen to prevent you from doing it? How do you know what is distance, if you never, looking at a map, said “I am so far away”? How do you know what is a language, if you never had to learn one to make friends? How do you know what is patriotism, if you never shouted “ I love my country” holding a flag in your hands? How do you know what is the true reality, if you never had the chance to see a lot of them to make one. How do you know what is an opportunity, if you never caught one? How do you know what is pride, if you never experienced it for yourself at realizing how much you have accomplished? How do you know what is to seize the day, if you never saw the time running so fast? How do you know what is a friend, if the circumstances never showed you the true ones. How do you know what is a family, if you never had one that supported you unconditionally? How do you know what are borders, if you never crossed yours, to see what there was on the other side? How do you know what is imagination, if you never thought about the moment when you would go back home? How do you know the world, if you have never been an exchange student?" -Jakub Wrobel

And just about an Exchange Student and the experience they go through, basically what I am living right now.

"Exchange is about learning.

It's not as easy as learning whatever is taught in school though.

It's about learning how to listen, how to speak, how to think. Learning who you are, who your friends are and the type of people you want as friends. Learning how to trust your innermost feelings, and how to find these feelings in the first place. Learning what's important to you and what you really don't give a damn about.

Exchange is about learning how to tolerate, how to accept, how to like and how to love. Learning how to give as you receive and how to trust that everything will even itself out on it's own. Learning that your mom and dad do have the right answers sometimes, and that your kid sister isn't such a dumb kid anymore. Learning that sometimes a kiss isn't just a kiss, sometimes it means more, sometimes it means less.

Exchange is about learning how to achieve, how to succeed, how to accomplish.

Learning how to not come in first place and still be proud and how to come in last and admit that you could have done better. Learning that large parties don't necessarily mean a good time. Learning that loneliness doesn't go away in a crowd, and that sometimes it's ok to be on your own a Friday or Saturday night. Learning that your lunchtime crowd doesn't constitute your popularity, and that popularity is all a matter of perspective.Learning that boredom is simply laziness of the mind, and watching 3 hours of TV isn't quality relaxation time.

Exchange is about learning how to pack a bag and to pack away a room full of way too much stuff.

Learning how to motivate yourself and how to motivate others. Learning how to swear in all different languages of all the other exchange students. Learning that people probably like you a whole lot more than they'll ever tell you and that it's your responsibility to make sure your friends know how much you appreciate them.Learning how to miss people enough to not stick them in the best, and how to not miss them so much that it keeps you from moving into the future. Exchange is about learning.. Learning how to live life. " -Anonymous

9 Peas in a Pod

The other weekend I had orientation. Orientation was just with my district, distrito 4580. It was a weekend for the people in my district to meet one another and to go over the trips we are able to go on throughout the year. The meeting was in Juiz de Fora, such a beautiful city. Juiz de fora is about 500,000 people, such a change from little Norwell, but the people who live there still think it's not a BIG city. I took a taxi there, 4+ hours in a taxi all alone, lead to a lot of sleep and one very awkward car ride. Well I showed up to the house, and was greeted at the door by Eduardo Medeiros, my chairman. He said "Hello, how are you?" I replied "I am fine thank you, and you?" and I walked inside carrying a pillow, a small rolling suitcase, a little bag, and my camera. It looked as if i was going away for two weeks but it was only a weekend. Not to mention wearing my Rotary Blazer, which weighs about a pound because of all the pins on it. As I walked inside, I saw two girls and a boy sitting around a table talking. I put my suitcase down and said hello to them. The two girls seemed like they had already been friends and none of them were wearing a blazer. They all seeming a lot older, I was confused. I though to myself, "Where are all the kids?" but I sat down and they asked me where I was from. Then they introduced themselves and we all started talking, talking...sort of. It was very awkward that we were all sitting around and not saying much to one another. Also not knowing what language to speak in. They were all from Mexico, so they were speaking Spanish to one another. I studied Spanish for 4 years at NHS and I thought I could converse a little with them. That was not the case, they spoke too fast and I would just get confused and not know what was going on. Then more people showed up. Three more from Mexico...more spanish, a girl from the Philippines, and a boy from Belgium. No one had been here for more than 2 months, so no one knew how to converse well in Portuguese. The majority of the lectures were in English, but all of the kid to kid talk was in Spanish. I felt so ignorant being the only one who knew one language besides learning Portuguese. For some students learning Portuguese was their 3rd or 4th language. As the night went on, no one really knew what to expect because no one knew how to ask what was next. We ended up sleeping in the "farm house" of Eduardo Medeiros. When we first arrived it was a very old, some-what creepy house that looked as if it had not had people living there for quite some time. It reminded me of the house out of the Addam Family. As we checked out the rooms, Natalia and I decided to room together. We picked the room with one big bed because Natalia forgot her roupas de cama. I put my suitcase down on the bed and I heard a huge "clunk!". Natalia and I looked at each other and sat on the bed. It was as if we sat on a rock, so hard. Great! this is going to be a great night. After we all settled we went outside and talked for a while. We took pictures and it was really fun. We all bonded so much. The next day I didn't want to leave them, and now I am counting down the days to see everyone again! 9 kids, 9 different lives, all going through the same big experience.

Juiz de Fora

Our house

Distrito 4580

Natalia (Mexico), Averie (USA), Ina (Philippines), Daniela (Mexico)

Dancing

More dancing

Our room

Natalia!

Our living room

language-less

 Languages are so interesting to me. I used to think it was a totally impractical concept to think in a different language. The thought that someone could be thinking in a different language in their mind. To see little kids running around talking in a foreign language Even the dog knowing more of a language than I do; it all is so incredible to me. I have started to get the hang of speaking in a different language. It still is an awkward concept, but every day I am adapting more and more.

 Today I was sitting in English class and I was looking through the workbook. I would come across words I had forgotten how to spell, or words that just looked funny to me. My friends always make me do their English work in the book, thinking I am some sort of English dictionary but, today I was doing the assignment in the book and I noticed I am forgetting English. A lot of the times I had write out the different variations of the word and choose whichever one looked correct. Similar to the way when you are stuck between 'field' and 'feild' or 'untill' and 'until'. I even asked my friend if she knew how to spell some words, the thing is she speaks Portuguese. I've come to a conclusion; I no longer speak English, and I don't speak Portuguese yet, so I consider myself language-less. Caught in between two languages, loosing one and gaining the other, but not able to obtain them both. It's a strange concept, I guess you could call me crazy, or you can just imagine yourself in my shoes and experience it for yourself!

All Eyes on Me

My Rotary Presentation was scheduled but I only had a weeks notice. The nerves started to settle in as I  sat in portuguese class and wrote down facts about myself on a white lined paper. It was basically an autobiography about myself and about my country. As I sat there listening to my Ipod I was writing about my family. I started to tear up a little bit just thinking about them and missing them more and more each day. I quickly snapped out of it just thinking about this opportunity and given the chance for such a life changing experience. I always tell myself "I'll see them soon, don't worry Ave, don't worry!". After school I went to CNA (an English school here in Manhuaçu) I go every week to get tutored in Portuguese. Flavía, my tutor, helped my edit and practice my speech. Not much notice about when the presentation was (obviously it was that night) I practiced any chance I got. I practiced it in school, to anyone who would listen, to my mom and dad, and to my friends. Whenever you saw me, you would always see a piece of lined paper in my hand, and me reading off of it probably mumbling words to myself. The speech became second nature by the end, whenever I would start it off "Oi Boa Noite, meu nome é Averie Louise Cox. Eu sou dos Estados Unidos..." my friends would always imitate me and finish the rest. They even knew it by heart. As I made my powerpoint and got ready for the Rotary meeting, I was told there was going to be 50+ people there. I thought yo myself "50+ people" and the nerves got even worse. Lívia helped me make brownies for the guests there just for a little taste of a real American desert. They weren't from the USA but they tasted pretty similar. As I put on my navy blue blazer and hopped in the car, I knew it was time. Real time to present what I've been practicing so hard for. My dad and I arrived at the meeting and surprisingly it just looked like a regular Rotary meeting. Just familiar faces sitting around a table, I was confused. Apparently 50+ people was not the case, and I was so relieved. After talking about normal things the man started to set up the powerpoint projector and I just kept on practicing. After he was done, it was time. I was the center of attention. Nervous as ever, microphone in hand, I took a deep breath, and started talking. "Oi Boa noite. Meu nome é Averie Louise Cox. Eu sou dos Estados Unidos, eu moro en Norwell Massachusetts. Eu tenho dezoito anos..." the nerves wore off; I knew this, I can do it, everything that I've practiced. After the speech was over, I got a big round of applause and everyone was so impressed. Many people came up to me afterwards with a huge smile on their face, giving me a big hug! It went awesome, I didn't even mess up. I now felt like I was part of the Rotary club of Manhuaçu and felt noticed. I was so proud of myself it couldn't have gone any better!

So many hugs!

Weddings

The last weekend my friends asked me to go to the movies with them. I was so excited! We arrived at the movie theater and only one movie was showing. It was 'Planeta dos Macacos' (planet of the apes). I had not seen it in English so I was in for the ride. It started and from start to finish..lets just say I probably could have understood more if it was muted. The next day we went to a wedding. My mom and dad said we were sleeping there so I packed a little bag and we were off. I was not sure what that consisted of but like always I was in for the ride. We finally arrived and it was so beautiful! It was at a hotel on a mountain. Everything already reminded me of home, there were so many trees and so much forest. After lunch my mom and I walked around. A little creek in the back, so many different flowers, and so many trees. After we got ready we went to the church, then the reception after that. I've been to more weddings aqui (here) than back at home. At the reception, we had dinner and then danced a lot. The next day when we were leaving we went closer to the peak. You aren't allowed to drive all the way up, but you can go meio way (middle-ish) So we went. Going up huge hills on a little dirt road, off roading to the max, dood thing we were in a truck. We finally got to the top and it was cold and cloudy. All you could see was clouds, it was like we were in a blizzard but with no snow. Alright thats a little exaggeration, but you couldn't see the view, only white. We went to a waterfall on the way down. The water was so clean and clear and it was so peaceful. Looking down the fall, with the mountains in the background. Perfect!

I've recently picked up more and more of the language. I still can't speak it very well but I understand a lot more. Everyday I can't tell you guys how much I learn! Now some words won't even translate in my head it just becomes a habit to use them. The other day I was skyping my mom and I found myself saying 'e' whenever I meant to say 'and', its actually quite strange. I have yet to dream in Portuguese but people say thats the time when you know your fluent. Every day my English is getting worse and worse. The other day I was convinced that 'horse' was spelt 'hourse' and my friends who don't know English that well had to correct me.

The other day I received some letters in the mail! It makes my day getting mail and that sensation of opening a letter from someone back at home. Thank you Ailish,  Joe, and mom/dad, it really means a lot that you guys took the time to write to me! And for anyone else who has some extra time to write a quick note my address is (I always try to write back as soon as I can!) :

Averie Cox
Rua Oliveira, 100 - Pinheiro
Manhuaçu, Minas Gerais
36900-000
Brazil

I've started going to the gym, and its something to occupy my time. I love the gym for some reason. I HATE running but every time I go to the gym I run for atleast 15 mintues. It's very strange. The ladies who work there are so awesome! I always talk to them, they dont know English but they dont judge my Portuguese.

Brigadeiro

Hotel

Can you see the face?

Flor

Such clean water

floresta

Bride

Pico da Bandeira

In the cloud