8.5.2000

I have an office!

Okay, well, it's not an office with doors, I'm still in pod-land, but it's segregated to what is the equivalent of Tier-C-dom and it's got enclosure, and a meeting table and chairs and stuff. I feel so *very* important.

And on the other plus side of things, It's the weekend! Now, of course I'm working, but I won't be soon, and I won't be *all* *day* tomorrow! (Pathetic, aren't I?) I just need some R&R to rest my tired brain.
posted by The Mo of Space and Death 12:42 (her time) @

Another banking bitch session. Ready?

I'm still, as I type one handed, on my cell phone with EasyLine. So I get the card in hand today. And a lovely welcome to EasyLine letter that invites me in the most pleasant of tones, to go to my nearest Canada Trust Branch to program my card with a PIN.

I guess I'll walk down to the bank on then. Do you think I can walk the 5,100 K miles there, and the 5,100 K miles back on my lunchour?

So I call. And they tell me that the branch be-atch (Customer Service Manager) I spoke to (Diane) was the one who did everything right, and the the very sweet dispositioned incharge I spoke to the next day (Jennifer) was the one who screwed up. I guess disposition and competance are unrelated. Seems the original transfer went through and the card I received had been preprogrammed with all of the information it needed. My old ABM PIN, my old Phone PIN. Krista artfully arranged to have both cards open and working at the same time.

And then Jennifer got my call, and with the purest intentions, I'm sure, issued a new card, cancelling the one that had been sent out. The bank received it this morning. So now they're sending out a new PIN mailer that should be here in... oh... two weeks.

How happy am I?
posted by The Mo of Space and Death 12:11 (her time) @

Mmm... sauna.

I hung out in the hot and woodish last night. Let it seep into my muscles which are complaining at me muchly. The muscles in my knee, as I'm finally off the inflammatories and they've found themselves in sudden rehab, and the muscles in my neck and shoulders and arm and wrist as my three week hiatus from the God Box disolves into newly found carpal tunnel potential. I'd have gone into the pool, too, but it was a little too chilly in there for me.

I've translated so much Portuguese into English my eyes esta cruzada... They said I'd be in an English speaking/communicating environment. They lied. Sure, there are lots of Brazilians in the workplace that speak some English... some are even quite good at it, but I hear "Sorry, I only have these documents in Portuguese..." so often in a day it's not funny. I spend an hour reading a document that I should be able to skim in 5 minutes because of the language. Even with Systran's help, everything comes out in convoluted English that doesn't make sense. I'm not getting the Portuguese lessons until I get back to São Paulo (whenever that is). You'd think with the amout they're paying the Expats, it'd be worth their while to pay one person a third of my salary to sit and translate documents all day...I'm sure they'd be much quicker at it than I am, too.

I guess that would make sense.
posted by The Mo of Space and Death 14:59 (her time) @

 
This gets me through my day.
posted by The Mo of Space and Death 09:01 (her time) @

Oi, todos.

My Alexander of yesterday told me to move to Australia, but I think I'll be sticking it out here a while.

Lessee.. news, news...

I went out for dinner Friday night... and I had been well informed.I don't know if it was the best churrasco in the city byut it was a damn fine restaurant. Those of you carnivors would have been in your absolute hey-day, and those of you omnivores woulda loved it too. Fabulous beautiful restaurant. I found out it's unlucky in Brazil to put your bags or purse on the floor, and that a single woman should never be kissed just twice (on each cheek) cause then you are wishing she will never get married.

I ate all sorts of strange and unusual things... palmito (palm hearts) kawi kani which is apparently some huge kind of deep sea crab, lobster tail - had to try it, didn't like it, about 8 different types of portuguese cheese, these strange doughy rolls that are odd and chewy and that I couldn't decide if I liked or not. Sushi (which I had always suspected was disgusting, and now I know - Sorry Nic.) cassava, *octapus!* (which is rubbery and doesn't taste like anything until you've chewed it a while and then it tastes like fishy badness) fried bananas (which were strangely yummy) polenta, catfish and muito frango - of course. But the best discovery of the night were what my Canadian compatriots called fried muzarella balls - though they have a proper portuguese name which I didn't catch. I know it sounds like standard mundane pub fare... but *man oh man* they were good (Mike, if you are reading this - you would completely love them). I think thet they're soaked in port or brandy or something and then fried... like that greek dish that Sheilagh likes so much where the cheese is soaked in ouzo and then lit aflame - but better.

And for those wondering what I couldn't eat... well everything from filet mignion to suckling pig to wild boar. The red meat eaters at the table were drooling, and from what I remember of what such things used to taste like, even my mouth was watering at the sight of the filet mignion.

There were about 30 waitstaff in the restaurant that carried the meat around skewered on a long sword over a wooden dish that caught drippings. You have a little thing on an axel at your table. You put the green end up if you want them to come and offer more to you, the red end up if you need a break or you're done for the night. There's a big salad/side dish bar to die for. Very pricey restaurant... but entirely worth the experience.

Saturday after work, (I hung out on my balcony in the sun and read and napped. Sunday I packed and moved to Campinas. When I got here I found out the reservations had been screwed, so I couldn't unpack cause I might have had to move again Monday, but turns out they fixed it. It's a nice apartment, full kitchen, king sized bed, good bathroom, pool, gym and a sauna in the building. For all of you who I sent a link to... ignore it. There's two hotels by the same name here... and that's not mine... unfortunately.

I went to this beautiful park and lazed about in the sun, read some more and watched Brazil go by. People really are nice here. They don't generally come up and talk to you - that is, unless you make eye contact. It's like making an invitation for idle chatter in the sun. Problem is, first place I look at someone, I look at their eyes, and then they come over and start talking to me and I have no idea what they're saying. I apologize and explain that I do not speak Portuguese yet, they ask if I am American. I correct them and they seem to have oddly mixed feelings at that. They like Canadians a lot... but they're facinated by the post-modern consumerist ideal and materialistic production of American life. It really does sound like a Canadian commercial though... they say we are generous, reserved, sweet and kind. They remark that we must be very cold there all the time.

Considering that it's the middle of their winter now and the weather is 19 degrees and they find this chilly? I tell them they would be cold there, but that for us, it's only really cold in the middle of winter. Since then... work... we'll just omit that yesterday even existed, shall we? And speaking of work, I better get to it.
posted by The Mo of Space and Death 09:39 (her time) @

Sorry. Sorry. Sorry.

All around bad day.

Tomorrow. I promise.
posted by The Mo of Space and Death 18:29 (her time) @

Mo is in:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Weather in:

São Paulo
Campinas
Rio de Janiero
Macaé
Manaus
Guarujá

Mail me, Dammit!
Expatria Archives

What I'm reading:
Nothing. Too busy.

Never finished:

Recently finished:

Desperately seeking:

Listening to:
Gary Brown: Dain St Live

See:

Campinas
São Paulo