The Hippie fair

Today, the newbies, and Dival, our fearless leader, headed downtown to the TV tower to attend the "Hippie fair." Now, the term is a little misleading and I'm not sure exactly where it came from but there were no hippies to be found. Sorry, Nancy! The hippie fair is held every Saturday and Sunday and people come to buy handmade (or so they say) from local trades people. The items sold range from unique necklaces and jewelry to rugs, furniture, and fake flowers(surprisingly, they were everywhere). We headed down this morning in the Komvey, the schools van, which looks like it is from the Dharma initiative (for all of you Lost fans). Komveys are VERY popular here too. We spent a couple of hours looking for items we needed and some that were just for fun!

The TV Tower, where Hippie Fair takes place.

Pretty beads

We stopped by here just cause it said they spoke English. No, seriously, we did.

Yes, this was for sale. No, I didn't by it...shocking!

At the hippie fair I was able to get a rug and lamp for my room. I also got a new bracelet. That is super cute!

While there several of us decided to head over to the TV Tower to check out the views from a little higher up! The views were very pretty and it was such a cool way to see the city.

The view to the capitol and congress. Kind of like the national mall in Washington DC.

The bottom of the tv tower.

The national park. In the distance you can see homes, and apartments. They seem to go on forever.

Home of the future world cup stadium in Brasilia. I took this one just for Danner!

The hippie fair from the top.

I need to get ready to meet friends for dinner at the Lebanese bar in the 205, so I need to get ready. Tchau Tchau friends!!

Brazilian time

It appears that although I am not running on Brazilian time (yet), the blog is. I know I promised a couple of blogs by Wednesday but it has been exciting and busy, so Friday it is. I know you guys have wanted to know how everything is going and what it's like here but honestly, I have no idea really where to begin so I think I'm just going to blog by topic for the next few days. So my friends, send me a message or email or facebook or comment and tell me what you want to know about and I'll make it one of my blog posts.
Here is a little somethin', somethin' to keep you kids up to date on the past week. It is hard to believe I've been here for a week and then again it doesn't. Last Friday we arrived at the airport. Just look at all this luggage! It is only the luggage of 3 people, we had 11 people. You can only imagine what we looked like.

We then headed to breakfast at Praline's in the 205. Now, for all you Southerners out there, it's not Praline's like the nut, it's sounds more like Praw-lah-nays. Nothing here sounds the way it looks. :)

We have had meetings, and dinners, and social time, and we, the newbies, have spent A LOT of time trying to figure things out. Be it school, or price conversions, or which restaurant is the best, or who is singing every night in Superquadra South 205, we have done everything together and I haven't had so much fun in a long time! We've been to Extra, the Brazilian version of Wal-Mart, where the employees wear roller skates, every restaurant in our neighborhood, and the federal police(no crimes were committed to warrant this trip...haha!). It has been a busy, busy, week and Im looking forward to having Sunday off just to relax. Here are some images of this week.

Outside the museum JK.

One of President Juscelino Kubitschek's sashes that he would wear on formal occasions. JK, helped to create Brasilia.

Would you like some Guarana? There are a lot of brands/types to chose from.

Waiting at the federal police, similar to the FBI, to get finger printed and sign documents. Luckily, our fearless leader, Dival (sounds like Gival), was there to help us out. We would have been lost this week without him.

Tomorrow we are heading to the hippie fair. I'll make sure to take some pictures!

Welcome to Brazil; Where the people are friendly, weather is beautiful, and EVERYTHING IS EXPENSIVE!!!

I've been in Brasilia for several days and though you all would like an update of what life is like for a Gringa (non-Brazilian girl).
I think Brasilia is really a wonderful town and to be honest, has exceeded my expectations! There are of course a lot of things I don't understand or know about but I feel like each day I learn something new. And, on somedays I learn things that I wish I didn't. haha!
Some things I've learned about Brazil and Brazilians so far are:
1. They are incredibly friendly. Even though I speak very little Portuguese and my door-men speak NO English. They always smile and try to help me. Sometimes we end up playing cherades as a way to communicate. It is nothing short of comical. But they try every time and always bend over backwards for me.
2. The weather here is beautiful. Sorry all of you Tennesseans, but it is 75 during the day, low 60's to high 50's in the evening. There are never clouds in the sky. According to people here, it is like this almost year round.
3. Everything is expensive. It just is and you just have to roll with it. The other day I paid $R120 for a baby gate for Sophie. That is about $85 American dollars. I will say the produce is beautiful and it is very reasonably priced. I've taken on the philosophy of "it is, what it is." You can either complain about the price or just be sticker shocked and move on. I chose the latter.

Some things that American's would think are unique:
* There is a lot of cheek kissin' going on down here.
* Hot water in the shower is kind of hard to get for long periods of time. There is not a hot water heater that stores water like in the US. The water heater is electric, in the shower, and is part of your shower head. Touch it in the shower and you will regret it. :)

* Never make the okay symbol with your hands to someone who is Brazilian. It is like saying F*@& you.
* Most cars are TINY, and EXPENSIVE. A new Honda Fit, cost roughly 55,000.
* Jaywalking here is the only way to cross the street.

I'll try to put up a few more blogs before Wednesday. It has been so crazy I just havent had the chance. :)

We're here!

After a long, long, flight we have arrived in Brasilia! The flight to Atlanta was uneventful, the flight to Brasilia, not so much. On Wednesday, I gave Sophie the Benadryl just to make sure it worked on her. NOPE!!! It had the opposite effect, she went crazy. So on Thursday, we made an emergency vet call. I picked up the meds on the way to the airport and before you knew it we were in business...until we got to Atlanta. All the new teachers at my school met up and had dinner before boarding the plane. It was a nice way to get introduced. I'm not sure if it was the attention she wasn't getting or if she was hungry, but Sophie started this yelping whine, she didn't stop till we were 20 minutes from Brasilia. I take that back. As long as my hand was in her kennel, were good to go. So, I spent a good portion of the night bent over keeping her calm. The other half (aka 12-6am) she spent in my lap (in her kennel) to keep her quiet.
Once we arrived we made it through customs and Sophie made it through her immigration. The headmaster of the school, all of the administration, and school security were there to help us with all of our bags. While we went to breakfast, security took all of our bags back to our apartment. We had one meeting and then were able to spend the rest of the day relaxing at our new homes. It was nice to have some down time even if all I did was unpack. One of the highlights of arriving at my new pad was discovering that the school had gone ahead and gotten us internet, a wireless router, a local phone number, and a stocked fridge.
At 6:30 we all headed to dinner with the newbies, headmaster, and principals, to dinner at a wonderful Italian/pizza restaurant. It was delicious! At the end of the night I came home and got to finally chit chat with Mom and Dad on Ichat. It was long, tiring, great day. I'd write more but Im wiped out! Thanks for all the well wishes friends! Love and miss you all!

I'm leaving on a jet plane...

We're heading out this afternoon! I'll post as soon soon as I have access to internet to let you know how it's going. :)

Soph Soph is going to Brazil!

Sophie is cleared to head to Brazil, and her Momma is so relieved! Brazil has very specific rules in regards to pet importation. Basically, 10 days before your departure, your pets must be taken to the vet for a check-up and be approved for an international health certificate. The health certificate then has to be taken to the USDA office where it is approved and embossed with the seal approving the pet. Luckily, the USDA office was right here in Nashville, so we didn't have to go far. Another piece of good luck was that Brazil has changed its requirements. Originally, you had to take the approved health certificate to the Consulate for approval, but they have changed it and now, this is not a requirement! :)

On Monday, Sophie and I headed to see the awesome Dr. Ladd at Hillsboro Animal Hospital. Mom even stopped in for the big visit. Nicole, Dr. Ladd's tech, and I had been discussing how to handle Sophie's big move! She walked me through the process step by step. She wouldn't be at work the day of her appointment, so she called me a few days in advance to discuss my information. She had never completed a Brazilian form before. Just to make sure she had done it correctly she even faxed a copy to the USDA office to make sure it was all filled out correctly. I really appreciated her sweetness and attention to detail.

At the appointment, Dr. Ladd, checked out Sophie and made sure she was in tip top shape. She also got some treats and lovin' from the staff there. Dr. Ladd gave us some helpful tips to help Sophie on the flight and once we arrive. He recommended she take a small amount of Benadryl to help her sleep. He said when we arrive, I should be very careful about keeping her calm to adjust to her new home. He suggested making sure one room is set up and has no boxes or moving materials around. That way she has knows that she is home. And of course, he said while we are there, if we have any problems to give him a call. After all of her forms were all filled out we said our good-byes and headed to the USDA office.

Sophie and Dr. L

If you live in or near Nashville, and are looking for a great doctor for your pet aka child, Dr. Ladd is really the best in town. My whole family (even grandparents) take our pets there. You won't find a better vet!!!

Sophie is also rockin' her new collar she got for her big move. I found it on Etsy and absolutely love the bright colors. She looks quite cute, if I do say so myself!!!

I really hope Soph will enjoy Brazil and her new house. I know that I will love having her with me!

The best laid plans...

Well, there I was, little miss calm, cool, and collect. I had my whole plan scheduled for how to deal with the house while I was gone. It was a great plan. Unfortunately, cicumstances beyond my or anyones control have forced me to change my original plan.

Last Wednesday, when I found out that my original plan didn't work out. I instantly made decisions very quickly. We would have to rent the house and put all the items in storage. I'm told and I know that I do not accept help easily. I will kill myself trying to do something that I really should have asked for help on. This was definitely a lesson in how to be humble. I had no choice. It was far more than I could do on my own. So, today we took my whole house and shrunk it into a 10x15 storage unit. Tears were shed(mainly by me), sweat was poured, and Advil has been swallowed :) but we did it. We need to clean it up a little and I still have a couple of things to pack last minute. But, other than that, it is all taken care of...except for a tenant.

Loading it in!

Honestly, no one was really happy that I made them take this picture but we look so awful, it is hilarious.

I have 8 people coming to see the house tomorrow. Let's hope someone is willing to sign the lease(Thanks Tommy for getting that together for me) before I leave for Brazil. If not, that's okay. I know it will be all right. :) I really feel like this will be the best situation in the long run, really I do. It was just a lot to do in a short period of time.

Tomorrow I should be selling the car and taking care of Sophie's documents to get her into Brazil! More to come...

Bon Voyage!

Today was such a fun day. I had a lot of people who I love and care for all in one room together! My parents and sister held a going away party for me and the Sopherina.
It pretty much started on Friday, Elizabeth and Kelly took me to dinner at PF Changs and then three of us headed over to the movies to see the new Harry Potter. It was awesome! The best part, we saw it in 3-D, which was unreal, it was like being in the middle of it. We tried to find someone who was dressed as a Harry Potter character to take our picture with but everyone looked as normal as us, okay, I know that is subjective, so no comments please. :) Thank you girls for such a wonderful night!
On Saturday, some of my nearest and dearest came over to enjoy some fabulous food, catch up on our summer vacays, and say, "See you in December." My parents and sister did a lot of work to celebrate my big adventure. I hope you guys know how much I appreciate it! Everything looked beautiful and the food tasted delishio! Here are some pics for your to look through! :)

Sophie was obviously ready to greet her guest.

The moving cards I made were quite a hit...if I do say so myself! Sorry, but I had to blur my info.

Yes, these were as yummy as they look. Simple recipe: puff pastry, pesto, tomato, and mozzarella! It was like a mini pizza!

Mom, Neeley Belle, and myself.

Me and Mun!

Kay and Colonel were so excited about comoing and I was so happy they came.

Sophie spent most of her time with Munner.

I had a great time and if you were able to make it I hope you did too. I'll miss you all so much. It was great to have such a nice day because the next 48 hours probably won't be. But, that is a blog for tomorrow! Gosh, I am such a blog tease!

My life in 8 suitcases

Okay, Okay, so they aren't ALL suitcases. I also have a duffel bag, some plastic containers, a backpack, and of course, Sopherina! You can see her in her kennel ready to go. She has spent a lot of time in her bag over the last few weeks, just to help her get used to it.

I am so relieved to be done packing for Brazil. We took a couple of the "bags" to the airport where the ticket agent said, that they will all be considered standard size luggage. However, one of the bags is 11 pounds over in weight. So, on that bag, I will probably just have to pay the fee.

One more thing off the list! :) Tomorrow I'm heading out to several car dealers around town to see how much they will give me for my car. As soon as I sell the car, I can pay any last minute bills, put money in the bank, and rest a little easier. :)

Everybody has baggage.

And, I'm drowning in it. As I try to pack up all the things I could possibly need for the next few months, I keep hitting baggage walls. When I first started packing my stuff, I was confident that 6 bags was more than enough for me and all of my things. Man oh Man was I wrong. I am up to a total of 8 pieces of luggage, to be specific, I have 3 Rubbermaid Actionpacker, 3 large Samsonite bags, 1 carry on size, and one duffel bag. Now, don't forget I also have Sophie, her Sherpa bag, and my backpack for my electronics, medicine, and a change of clothes in case my bags get lost. That's right, all that just for little ole me.

My trusty actionpackers. :)

So, what is in these bags you may wonder. Uh, everything is my basic answer. Space bags have been my saving grace as first of all I have a lot of clothes...not kidding, A LOT! I also have pillows, towels, sheets, some basic decorations, foam mattress, my comforter, shoes, pictures, bathroom items, toiletries, make-up, kitchen items(utensils, water pitcher etc), hair dryers, curling irons, taco seasoning, ranch dressing packets, and peanut butter(they don't sell it there, if customs takes it, thats okay, but I thought I would try). 2.5 of the 8 bags are just items for school.

The problem with all of these bags is that Delta charges an arm and a leg for each one. I get two free bags, but after that they all accrue additional fees.
* Each bag after 2 is 75 buckaroos and can't weigh more than 70 lbs.
* If it is over 70 lbs I have to pay an additional fee of 100 smackers.
* If it doesn't make it under 62 total inches, tack on another 100.
So, if it is over weight, over the size, and bag number 5, I could end up paying $275 dollars for one bag!!!! I mean holy guacamole!

Last Wednesday my parents and I loaded up their SUV with my bags and we went to try to get them weighed. The first place that came to mind was the post office. Unfortunately, their scales didn't go up to 70 pounds. Next solution was my Dad's, "let's go to the Blue Belle Creamery", crazy, I know. We found out that they don't weigh their ice cream so that was a no go too. The worst part of Blue Belle, besides the looks the lady at the reception desk gave us, was that they didn't give us a free sample. :( So, after driving all over the eastern part of the county I live in, we went to the Goin' Postal store in front of my neighborhood mind you and voila we had somewhere to weigh them. Most of them were under the 70 pound mark. I felt relieved that everything seemed set, then I started thinking about the size of each item. The large bags measure 63 inches and the actionpackers measure 61.5.

This Wednesday the parentals and I are taking an actionpacker and my largest suitcase to the airport. The ticket counter said they would take a look and let me know. That way if it is going to be oversized/overweight I'm prepared, or I can do something about it.

I'm sure it will all be okay but I'd rather not wait till right before I check in to find out that a bag is going to cost me more money. Even though I am starting to get nervous about moving (it hit me today) I will feel better knowing what to expect. I'm really grateful that I also have parents who are so willing to help me too. I don't think I could have gotten this done without them.

I've been a busy little bee!

This week has been a super productive week here on the Brazil front. I've had a list a mile long that I've been working on and almost all of it has been taken care of as of today. :)

1. I'm almost finished packing. I would say about 90% is done! I've even weighed them all!
2. I took some items to the seamstress. Being short is expensive!
3. I headed to Wally World and Target` to get the last of my toiletries and needed items.
4. I ordered my moving announcements to mail to friends who live far away.
5. I ordered Vonage, a new backpack, and a stainless steel water bottle.

In two weeks, I will be flying to Brasilia. I still have quite a few things to take care of, most importantly, trying to sell my car!

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...

I have had several of you ask me about where I will be living in Brasilia. I thought I would share my new neighborhood with you, Asa Sul!

I love that even though it is a big city(near 4 million, it's the 4th largest city in Brazil) there are lots of green spaces and trees. You can see that apartments are in quadrants and within your quadrant are all sorts of restaurants, shops, and businesses.

My school, EAB, is also located in Asa Sul which should help out in terms of my commute. It is a 20 minute walk from my apartment to the school according to mapquest and since I'm going car-less in Brazil, the closer the better.

Plane Ticket...check!

Good news! I finally have my ticket to Brasilia booked! Im leaving Nashville at 4:15 on Thursday, July 21st! I do make a pitstop in the ATL, but I should arrive in Brasilia at 9 am on Friday, July 22nd. Sophie also has her spot on the plane reserved. Because she has to be under the seat in front of me, I decided it would be worth the 80 bucks, to try out the Economy Comfort Seats that Delta is offering. Hopefully, it will make her and me a little bit more comfortable as it gives you a few more inches of leg room and it also let's me board early! The best news though is that I got one of the last window seats on the plane!!

Here are some pictures of the airport in Brasilia. Once again, like all things in Brasilia, it is very Jetson-like.

Gettin' back to reality!

As I said in my previous post my family and I (minus Neeley and Tommy) just got back from the beach. We had a great time and I have a lovely tan! Here are some pics. I have been having some anxiety attacks because I'm so nervous and stressed about getting everything done. It was nice to go to the beach and relax; I had a worry-free week where I could spend quality time with people I love. Unfortunately, almost from the time I walked back in my house, the weight of the next few weeks hit me like gangbusters.

Mom, Dad, Blake, Shea(B's lady friend), and Myself waiting for our table to be called.

Me and My baby brother, Blake. B has been living with me since June as he is going to live in my condo while I am away. I have really enjoyed having him as a "roomie" and getting to spend some quality time together before I leave.

1,000 miles, 5 days, 4 kids, 3 friends, 2 husbands, and 1 tired Katie... Part 3.

I know, I've been gone from the blog for awhile. Fear not my loyal followers (all 3 of you) I'm back!!! As for my hiatus, I hate to tell you but I was catching some rest and rays at the beach.

The last part of my journey across the Eastern side of the United States was traveling to the railroad capitol of the East, Terre Haute, Indiana. Now, I know what you are thinking, "Katie, what would take you to Terre Haute?" It's very simple my friends...4 very important people who we will call the Verdizzles.

Holly, who is 1/4th of the Verdizzles, is one of my bestest friends. She and I were co-teachers many, many years ago. And even though she has moved far away, we have stayed close. Holly is an awesome person, and has many qualities that I admire. Aside from her witty sarcasm, dependability, and her ability to care for those she loves she also marches to the beat of her own drum. I mean this is a girl who wears electric blue Nike's and man can she rock them. I've always conisdered our friendship to be one of those kindred spirit types. I love heading up the Haute, as I like to call it, and hang with her, her hubby, and their kiddos.

Me and the Hollister many years ago on field day, hence why we are looking soooo good.

I headed up to "the Haute" on Friday and was greeted by Holly, Andy and their kiddos. After the kids showed me how they could read, we played a few games of balloon smack-down, and I got a tour of all of the renovations they had done since I was there (which by the way looked so good) we all headed to bed. The next morning we ran some errands, ate some lunch and then headed home where the kids and Aunt Katie took a nap(have I said lately that keeping up with kids is exhausting I mean I don't know how you parents do it).

Look at these two. They are such hams for my camera and I love them to death!!!!

After my 2 hour power nap, we went to her hubby's family's house for a friends birthday party. It was great fun and it was nice to catch up with his family as well. This was my last trip to the Haute, as the Verdizzles are moving this summer. So, it was good to spend some time with them in their hometown, where they grew up.

I headed home on Sunday but luckily when I left this time I didn't have to say good-bye as we made plans to meet up while we were both at the beach. The Verdizzles came over for supper. It was so nice to have a nice evening with friends AND family. We talked, played on the beach, and just had a great time in prefect weather.

I'm so lucky to have these four folks! I sure will miss them while I'm gone! And, I know the kids will miss Sophie! haha!