Acabou

The title of this post, pronounced "ah-kah-BOH" is a very commonly used word here. I actually heard it just now from the mom of the family that is hosting me temporarily; her three-year-old with a bed-wetting problem just asked to drink some more water, and she responded, "Não. Acabou." A couple of weeks ago, as I meticulously scraped the remaining dribbles of ice cream from the bottom of my bowl, I was exhorted by a friend; "Claire, acabou já." I here it several times every day that I work at Arte e Vida; as the wall clock tells me its time to surrender the present group of students for another and hastily wrap up my lesson, the assistant from the organization walks down the hallway and into my classroom and says, with a face reflecting my look of understanding sadness, "Acabou." Acabou can have many nuanced meanings, depending on how it is artfully placed, but more or less, the word communicates "It's over. done." "It ended." "It's all gone." In many ways, acabou today for Brazil. The Brazilian soccer team started off spectacularly but ended in a loss to the Netherlands in today's World Cup game. Acabou. The scene this afternoon was reminiscent of Ezra 9:3. As well, the festas juninas are truly under the bridge now. Last night I told a friend here, "I love forró!" and she replied, "São João is over--there's no more forró now!" While I happen to know that she's wrong and that there are places here that play forró music and host the dance year-round, the general sentiment remains intact. The latest excuse to party and eat an absurd amount of corn has passed; the giant ads adhered to the rear ends of buses have changed from an attractive, young, North American looking couple wearing plaid and straw hats to whatever else people are willing to pay big bucks to advertise now, (often a young, attractive, North American looking couple pretending to do/use/enjoy something else. <--Wow. As Aunt Whats-her-face says in Pride and Prejudice, "That savors strongly of bitterness!").

The well-organized, responsible (J) part of me is very pleased with this shift and senses the justice within the end of the mass festivity. I showed up for class yesterday (Thursday) afternoon at the University only to find my classroom locked with the key M.I.A. and every desk removed and stacked three-high in the hallway. When I asked if the classroom would be restored to order for the next day's class, I was told that the school wouldn't be open at all the next day because of the World Cup game (which only lasts for like three hours of the work day). I'm a little tired of the mess that accompanies the majority's vacation. In essence, I've had a week and a half of cancelled classes all around. I don't feel very good about that and I feel even worse when I consider that I have accomplished very little as far as planning ahead for the month of classes that remains before me. I wanted to get ahead on things in a big way, to secure for myself some peace of mind as I finish this thing out, but instead I got invited to a ton of places, I got sick for several days, and I read half of a book I've been needing to read for years now. I also procrastinated. :( I am not without fault in this matter (I did, however, produce a new song in the midst of being ill and avoiding my greater responsibilities...I look forward to playing it for you all when I come home). So the next month of teaching will not be handed to me on a silver platter of my own prior making, but I've already got a lot of ideas set and I will work hard and be forced to depend on God and I figure all will be well. This is what the less-responsible, let's-wait-and-see-what-happens (P) part of me thinks, anyway. Please pray in this part's favor.

I need to go to bed! I'm staying with a different family for a few days and the aforementioned three-year-old gets up really early...and really likes playing with me...so it's in my best interest to get to sleep like an hour ago. The previously promised post on the major differences I've observed between the US and Brazil as well as a concise reflection on my goals here is soon to come. I promise. (P-Claire crosses her fingers; J-Claire shakes her fist at P-Claire). But for now, please be distracted by these pictures!

Students from the NGO performing a skit at their São João party. In addition to the traditional green and yellow flags, you can see happy corn people put up on the wall on the right. We voted on a Corn King and Corn Queen at this party. May the rule the Corn Kingdom with justice!

Students dancing quadrilha at the São João party

My classroom at Arte e Vida, with the computer that I both love and hate so very much

My classroom and some of my excellent students at the Catholic University. I like to take advantage of nearly every opportunity I get to create poor-quality drawings on the whiteboard. Here we have David and Goliath, initiated by the appearance of the word "slinging" in an article we were reading.


Love,
Claire