You know, no matter how much I think I know, it seems there is ALWAYS more to learn. And the more I learn, the more I wish I knew. I love learning new things!! So I decided to sit down for a few minutes and reflect on what I have learned so far in my “Study Abroad” experience in this University of Life. Here is what I’ve come up with so far:
Portuguese 101, 102, 201, 201, etc. - This is probably the area I have spent the most effort and energy learning. Before living here in Brazil, I knew enough to say “Hello! How are you? I am fine, thank you.” and a few other things about myself like “I am a teacher” and “Yes, I am an American.” I also knew some important phrases such as “Where is the bathroom?” and “I am hungry!” (Anyone interested in learning such valuable phrases in Portuguese can email me and I will share them with you. They could save your life!) Anyway, thanks to my high school Spanish classes, a couple course books for learning Portuguese, and spending a great deal of time listening to others speaking Portuguese, I felt like I wasn’t entirely starting from square one when we arrived here. Now, after continuing to listen a great deal, reading scriptures and other church materials in Portuguese, watching Brazilian children’s shows for hours each week, and continuing to occasionally study my Portuguese course book, I feel like I’m getting a better grasp on both understanding and speaking in Portuguese. Now, I can not only ask where the bathroom is, but I can also tell others! And I’ve learned through experience that when I’m cold, I should ask for a cobertor (blanket), rather cobrador (collector, as in taxes or debt...). Also, one of my favorite words I just picked up on this past week is bagunça - mess. Fun to say, and extremely useful when one has young children in the house. :)
