PRAIA!!!  yes, this is how we call "beach", in portuguese!

Gosh, I really miss the praia nearby! Months since I last been to one...
I have a feeling that we, brazilians, as we are born in a country that has thousands of kilometres of beaches, we have an internal chip that lead us all to the beach and calls us out to the sun no matter where we are.

I was talking to Michael the other week which preceeded a long weekend, as we had a holiday on monday and tuesday, and I asked him "Are you going to travel?" - he said: "Unfortunately, yes. My wife wants to go to the beach." .  Gosh, I got astonished!! Why "unfortunately"?? 

He said that he didnt have the "paulista" soul to scape to the beach each and every weekend and face traffic jams, long lines in supermarkets and all the packing round trip.  He said hed better stay in town and enjoy its emptyness and have a chance top go to the cinemas , or restaurants in a total peace...

I preached on him a lot.  Gee!! What is the big deal of a traffic jam if in the end u will be able to enjoy a beach, the sea, to relax ur feet in fluffy sand, and drink ur chilled beers feeling the warm breeze?

He said that he simply didnt have this "internal" chip, and not to start a quarrel with his wife, he agreed to go with her to the beach.
Funny that in the following week, he was looking sun tanned, and in a nice mood.
I asked again how was the time off on the beach and he said: "Yes, it was good to relax mind and put my feet up"   I said: I told you it would be nice!!

I could never imagine myself fighting over the idea of "to go or not to go to the beach" with my husband, lol  This is such an obvious theme that to waste time trying to "convince" someone to pack the shorts, swimming suits and beach umbrellas to head to the beach is almost a sacrilege, haha

 

OK, I agree that the "praias" during a long weekend are a bit crowded and if you dont have the "adventurous soul" , the holiday turns into a nightmare, as you have to dispute each inch of sand with thousands of people, and furthermore, it is usual for the new commers to get some sun burns as they insist being on the beach w/o the proper extra protection which are mandatory for all "real caucasians" whose skin is delicate and is not prepared for the sun of the tropics.   But this is just a matter of organization:  If you have a friend, bf, gf or whoever caucasian along with you to the beach, make sure to bring extra caps, sunglasses, sun lotions (factor 40 or 50), t-shirts (white) and mainly, never forget to spread lotion on their feet.  (we always forget this and they can get serious burn injuries on their delicate feet skin)

Another important point is:  Dont let them eat from beach food.  Make sure to bring juices, fruits, raw carrots (good to keep a nice sun tan), and water. 
Not rare to see some bunch of foreigners in the hospital, due to a stomach disease, or trouble because thay have abused from the shrimps and beer and forgot to wear a t-shirt. lol

I can tell you many stories of "first experience on a brazilian beach" i have heard and trust me, it does happen and we ought to take lots of care of our friends and darling ones.
I have the feeling they get so much in ecstasis seeing all the beauty of the beach and the delicious food and chilled lighter beer - that tastes like water for them,lol, that they forget that above them, there is a strong sun, aiming its beam directly to them and their feet,lol

Ahhh...   I wish I could go and spend 2 weeks on the beach.  Just wearing bikinis and flip flops.  No watch, no shoes, no brushing on the hair, no coats, no worries about traffic, about schedules, about parties, about the cleaning woman who hasnt arrived yet, the dishes on the sink, the dust on the floor, the internet not being working etc etc.

Last night I was in bed pondering about a crazy idea I had...
I will have to think this idea over a little bit more.  The idea is really crazy and it needs some previous arrangement and of course, money,lol 
By the end of the next week, i shall have it all designed and will tell you what it is about.
But you may have to do some action and actually, have a true "adventure soul", hehe
Till then, I might get some things pondered and check some details.

Wait and you will see.
All I can say is that it will actually depend 50% on you.

 

Viviane - also helping with the badges - in the morning.

Viviane - at night. hehe, already dressed up for the party.  And looking tired, as everyone else,lol

She is a great secretary!! the best ever I had !!!!  I just love this girl!!!! She is my agenda, my memory!!! if one day she leaves me, I die!! lol

Guess who came over to the party???  Lauro!! My super director!!!  The man who hired me 2 years ago!!! he just loved the party and we both laughed a lot!!  He is very dear to me!!

Some students who got their certificates for Advanced course during the party and their teacher - Juan. (Juan, although he is Spanish, he teaches english, as he was raised in US)

Juan and I, in the very end of the party.  We were like holding each other otherwise we would fall apart, lol  Gosh, I have never worked so much in just a week as i did this past week!!  On Friday I had to be at school at 11am, and we all (me and the teachers) were all looking as tho we had gone to a war,lol
Look my face and Juan's !! hahahaha !! We are looking dreadful!!

That is it, these are the pics I have . The rest i will get with the students, cos I didnt have time to stop and worry about pics.

Happy thaksgiving day for all.

(by the way, i havent eaten anything during the party purely cos i forgot)
The pics are in the following posts, as this damm blog publishes the post from the back to the begining,lol)

The teacher - Cynthia comes to monitor their work. - phew.

Gosh, a hot weather - thanks god!!  28C !!  Teacher raul came to work in bermudas, lol

Alex, the rugby coach with some girls at the end of the party.  The girls just loved the sport, and didnt let Alex leave the school!! lol   They had been playing from 6pm up to 10pm!! Can u believe that??

carol takes a break and rush to the bakery to buy some soft drink.  That was a hot day indeed. I think i have drunk 3 liters of water!:)

Another pic from the outside. 

Some students helping Raul and Theo with the big table for the banquet. The idea was to make the stds participate effectivaly in the preparation for the party!

This table is so big that we had to pass with it through the hall, go outside the school and get inside again through the gates from the parking lot! lol  This is the table where the computers are on in the lab room.

More students - decorating the desks where the "bar" was supposed to be.

Hanging the drawings.

Some confusion and laughs on where to tie the cord.

Student preparing the "cone" - dunno how do say that in english.

 

Caroline preparing the badges for the teachers, staff and students.

One of the mothers helping in filling the balloons with gas.

the table decoration. inside these balloons there were roses, plants...fantastic!!!

 The main door - entrance of the party !!!

This pic I took at 10:30pm, in the very end of the party.  But u can still see the remaining children and Alex, the rugby coach playing with them. Gosh, they just loved the rugby sport!!!

 

 THANKSGIVING PARTY !!!!!  FINALLY !!!!

 I will write all about the party in another day, but here are some pics i took.  they are either from the begining of the party or the end of it, cos during the party i was too busy to take pics.  Next week i upload the pics taken by my boss and students.

girls and the balloons - preparing for the party

the band.

The maid making the sweet, and all the mess in the kitchen.

MORE AND MORE PICS....

NOW, THE PICS WITH SUGGESTIONS FROM STUDENTS ON THE PROMOTION...

WHAT WIL YOU TAKE TO LONDON WITH YOU?

can u spot anything cool?

How cute, isnt it??  she is just 13 !!!

mmmmmm  David Beckham!!! lol  :P

And a student brought a pic of a hamster!!! hahaha  I told her that she might have problems at customs!!

cool!!!

Take Ronaldo to London!!!! They must be kidding , blergh!

this is the official poster of the promotion.

cool, isnt it?

I love to spend the day at work and seeing the pic of Big Ben

lovely!

 

More pics..... 

an evening, end of a working day, with me, at my job.

hehe

  my job, at 21hs

My boss, José and Raul chatting...  Every night, before my boss leaves, he comes downstairs and chats with José carlos, asking about financial stuff, or talking about the latest news,lol  - here they were talking about football,lol

Students and a teacher seeing clothes that one of the std's sells.   - this is really the end of a working day,lol

me in my messy room, at 21:30.  gosh, tired, but happy :)
(and of course, with a messy hair,lol) I had gone to work in the morning and it was sunny and warm.  forgot to take a coat....  and then, that is me shivering from cold.  gosh

 

And then, as the teacher who was taking the pics asked:  Stand up proud, Cris!!!!

This is me, in my summer clothes shivering from cold, and my belly buttom.  lol

Bye bye students....  time to go......   22hs!!!

 

"Last minute" client talking to the secretary (dont we all hate them last minute clients???)  and teacher Liliana waving goodbye to boss and José carlos (who were STILL talking,lol)

 

HECTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!

HECTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!

HECTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

BUT......

 

FUN!!!!!

 

Some pics I took today to justify all my complaints about being tired and stuff.

The party is within 3 days.....  Oh my gosh, we are all so much anxious!!!

But.... let me show what it is all about:  How is my life sharing the party preparation and the London Promotion....

My room became a true centre of arts,lol   The students asked me if they could leave the posters they are preparing for the eco-friendly parade they are going to have on the day of the party.  They are going to wear green t-shirts and will use their whistles, and carry those posters...  They will be also carrying brooms and shovels and trash bags, and they will all go around the block shouting, playing their whistles and sweeping the ground of the pavement,lol

This is my office cabinet and some of the tee shirts that the stds had painted this afternoon.

And this is the reception hall decorated with the posters and pics for the promotion "what will take with you when u go to london?"

stds have to take a picture showing what they will take and then, the 3 most creative ones will win a trip - out of charge , for a 2 week course in london:)

U see there all the pictures in little card board frames, those are given by std's, suggesting their ideas on what they will take to london!

 

 

 

 Phew!

Thursday!!  The week is almost gone, but yet, many things are about to happen till next week.  Days at school are being really hectic.  I barely sit at my desk and I think I have lost some weight.  Now, the point is the party for thanksgiving day. 

This all started with a crazy idea i had one of those nights I could not sleep thinking over some things I should do to cheer the mood of both students and teachers and have an end of the year which could be remembered for a long time.

The root of the idea is:  How to join all the students (children/teens/adults) at one go in a celebration that all of them would have to participate? 

The answer was:  ThanksGiving Party.

So, i had all the teachers together in a meeting about a month ago and told them what my crazy idea was about,lol

The thing is:  we had divided about 85 students into sections for the party:  the bartenders, the kitchen assistants, the networkers, the ice breakers, the press, the photographers, the general assistants etc.  And they have to work as teehy were signed by their teachers during the whole party in 2 shifts: from 18hs to 20hs and from 20hs to 22hs.

So, they are going to be working during the party and the teachers will be monitoring their work during the 4 hours of the party.   Now... just picture that:  I had to arrange ALL the details with the teachers, and also, talk to ALL the students from school, and also, make invitations to the students who are going to be the guests., prepare the menu for the thanksgiving banquet 9turkey, pumpkin pie, sweet potatoes, corn etc) share ALL those ingredients among the students (they have to bring) arrange the schedule for the use of the kitchen etc etc etc etc

The party will start at 18hs , there will be the Choir presentation at 19:30hs, a live music band i hired to play from 8 to 10,, also, in between the breaks, i will hand out the certificates for the students who have accomplished the basic, intermediate, advanced levels in July, also, I got into touch with the brazilian federation of rugby players and they are going to present a short show on how they play (some are foreigners, from Ireland, Australia, Canada, etc) , I am making contact with Speak Up magazine to be the sponsor of some itens we need to have during the party, the role-play the kids are going to present for the parents during the party and all that along with the decoration of the school. 

This afternoon i talked to a person who will decorate the banquet table and also the entrance of the school with balloons and also i asked my boss to hire some torchs to be put in our external area to make the atmosphere more cozy.

gosh!!!!   So many things to worry!!!!

And now....... imagine all this happening and also the campaign for the enrollment for next year at the same time....   So, while I am talking to a mother about her kid and the course she will  attend in 2005, there are students outside my aquarium waiting for me to ask things about the party....  then, telephone calls from the rugby captain willing to arrange things for the party, then, all of sudden, a student shows up in order to make the make up test he missed one month ago, then more students, some parents, a call from the Speak Up magazine marketing person and so , my day goes passing by...

I went to the toilet once this whole afternoon, lol   Just because i forgot to pee, so much mess was during the day,lol

Have u ever forgotten to pee?  hahaha

So, this is the reason I am not connected, I am not updating this blog, or multiply, or flog (with the sole exception of yesterday due to the stupid spanish racism over black players on a football match), or whatever i got involved with so far. 

I had my nails done thanks the good will of my manicure who agreed to pay me a visit at school and attended me there.

So far, I am eating once a day.  Lunch time.  Today i ate pancakes filled with chicken and cream.  Yesterday, I ate an omelette with ham and cheese at 17hs, and the day before yesterday, I ate 2 biscuits,lol 

Ah! One things I was thinking to myself these hectic days, while arranging things for the party, was that i really miss Chris here, so that he could see how the party ended up !! :)

Yes, I miss him nearby, to invite him over so he could enjoy the fun and see how things were made.  I would ask him to arrive at school at 20hs, after he had arrived from his work, had dinner, showered and then he would meet me there.

Ahh...   I really miss him nearby

Well.  Now i am going to go to bed, as it is 1am, and tomorrow I have an early rise!! At 10am I have an appointment with one more mother, gosh. 

Also will take my book to bed, and carry out reading the first part.  Now I am in the point that Mohammed was already creating the islam belief and spreading this throughout the middle east.

I hope to have finished this 1st chapter by the end of the week.

Love you.