I’ve missed writing for the past few days, and that’s been mostly because we’ve been in the process of going to Pará. Friday (my birthday) we spent most of the day doing paperwork for the business, getting the car, I got my hair cut at Marli’s salon, and then we went and I met his two aunts and several cousins. The dog at his aunt’s house bit Audrey (though not enough to pierce her skin) and I’ve never seen Audrey so upset, nor have I seen her scream at somebody in such a way as she did when Cesar’s aunt tried to look at the bite. She soon got over it though, and was back trying to get the dog (she called him Nikki, thinking he was Laiene and Joab’s dog from KC), though we shut the dog in one of the bedrooms.
Yesterday we left for Para after a semi-breakfast at his aunt’s. I was sad I didn’t get to say goodbye to Marli, but we said goodbye to the kids and were on our way. We found a hotel that night (and as much as Cesar insisted that there was no hotel worth staying at that took credit cards, I insisted around 12:30 that he at least try, and wouldn’t you know we got a room complete with clean sheets, a shower, toilet paper and a continental breakfast!
We left the hotel rested and ready to reach his parent’s. We passed through a town called ParaÃso (Paradise), which wasn’t such a paradise, left, and a bit later, in the middle of nowhere, the road started to be covered in potholes so big that if you filled them with water, you could take a swim – a slight exaggeration, but it was enough that we soon blew a tire out. The heat is extreme, but soon Cesar had put on the spare and we were on our way again.
We arrived at his parents’ around 7:45pm-ish, and everyone was waiting outside for us (where apparently they had been waiting for us since noon or before)! There were tears, exchanges, presentations. It’s really been overwhelming and I’m having trouble knowing what I myself think or feel. Cesar’s mom’s house is pretty open. It’s basically a hallway with a kitchen at the end and several rooms branching off. The rooms are actually fairly large, and we have our own bathroom. My only thoughts of concern would be getting used to the bugs the size of small birds in my bedroom, I urgently need water that won’t upset my stomach (Audrey and I have both been having some stomach issues since our arrival in Brazil, which have increased since arriving in Pará), and getting accustomed to all the eyes watching everything I do. Talk about being under the looking glass!
We went to his aunt’s restaurant which was delicious! I mean YUM! Tomorrow I talked with my sister-in-law about getting my nails done, though I don’t know if I’ll do it or not (depends largely on if someone can watch Audrey, which is another concern I have being here—I think the family would let Audrey be a bit more free than I would like her to be). I might also go out to the farm, but I definitely need to buy water and a few tidbit things before we do that. Anyone know any good tricks to repel monster bugs (roaches, mosquitos and unrecognizables)?