I learned so much today about life in Sao Paulo. It made me realize how much can be going on around you, but if you don't understand the language and culture how much you really are missing.
Eliza didn't want to go to school today. She wanted to have a day at home with mom, so I let her stay. She hasn't had much one on one time with me and with all of the change I think it's finally affecting her. We had a good time together this morning.
We took Carli to school. Eliza was excited to see Carli's school. Carli seems to like it and is doing well. She gets excited when we get there. She isn't quite as excited when I leave, but she isn't bursting into tears the second I put her in her uniform or head towards school, so I think that's a good sign.
I know I am bias because I am her mom, but I think she is smart and a little bored at home since we don't have much to do here and it's more fun to go to school. At least they have lots of new toys, a playground, different books, music time, and other activities.
Then we went to the grocery store with the maid so she could get some cleaning supplies.
After Eliza did some school work at home and we watched some TV together until it was time to get Carli.
Then we had lunch.
I already had made a lunch date with my friend Valeria from yesterday, and was going to leave Carli home napping with the maid. Eliza really wanted to come to lunch and we end up having a great time and it was fun for her to go on a little adventure.
We meet my friend Valeria who lives 3 blocks down the street outside her apartment complex and then walked about 4 blocks to a little restaurant. I would have walked right by the place and not realized it was a restaurant because there were not signs or anything. It was a charming little place and was pay by the kilo buffet. Going out to eat here is so easy because even is given an individual ticket. Even in our large group yesterday of over 25 ladies all of the tickets are individual, and they mark what you got on your ticket and then everyone pays for themselves on the way out.
It was already hot, so I wasn't that hungry. I had a little salad, nice shredded beef, cheese potatoes and Eliza got chocolate cake that was amazing. Lunch ended up about $7.50.
Then we went on a walking tour of Brooklin. I have driven by or walked by all of these shops before, but having Valeria to explain what was sold in each store and which ones were expensive, and which ones were cheap, and which ones had good deals made everything seem so much more clear. I found out where the butcher, fish shop, laundry, discount store, bakery, cake shop restaurants that do take out, good cafe's etc.
We stopped for ice cream and 3 ice creams as also $7.50.
Then we stopped at the news stand and he had 2 English magazines for sale. I end up with a Newsweek and it was also about $7.50.
We also stopped at the cake shop and I got this chocolate cake for $5.00. (See below)
The prices of things seem so random to me. I am pretty sure the magazine was so expensive because it was imported, but even the ice cream seemed expensive.
Our last stop was a children's clothing literally 50 feet from the park, but I have never noticed it before. They had a great playroom for kids and also a place to get kids hair cuts. Its $25 for a hair cut or just $12.50 for bangs. Good to know because Eliza is going to need her bangs cut soon, and I am not sure for $12.50 I am going to attempt to cut them myself.
The store however seemed expensive. I didn't get a good look at any clothing prices, but they had little Disney Princess lip glosses that were $5.
It was wonderful to get the inside scoop on my own neighborhood. It's going to make me more adventurous.
I also learning something about money here in Sao Paulo. Eric set up an HSBC account for us before we left Michigan, but we can't go set up our Brazil HSBC account until we have our CPF numbers. We are still waiting on those. Hopefully they should come by the middle of next month, but who knows. One other expat I meet said hers took 4 months! Eric can get money out of the HSBC ATM close to our house and he thinks we don't have a service fee/international transaction fee with each debt card purchase, but it's a little hard to tell because with the exchange rate it's hard know for sure how much everything costs. The exchange rate changes almost everyday. In fact during the US government shut down it went from D$2.5 to $1 to D$2.1 to $1. Eric has been getting cash out for me. It comes out of the ATM in D$50 bills which is about $25 depending on the exchange rate. Well I have noticed I am the ONLY one paying with cash everywhere I go. At the market, buying ice cream today, yesterday out to lunch, today at lunch. Even when I picked up Carli from school today the secretary was getting take out delivered the delivery boy had a hand held credit card machine. I see hand held credit card machines everywhere and restaurants have multiple people operating them when you check out. Even when I tried to pay for my cake today with a D$20 bill for a D$10 cake she didn't have change.
I asked Valeria about it and she explained to me that because everyone is worried about pick pockets they don't carry much cash. They use their credit card for almost every transaction. It's safer.
Now I don't carry around much cash at home, so I guess that's not that much different. Not that I am worried about pick pockets, but it's just easier to use your card.
I can't wait to get Brazil HSBC cards so I am not so worried to use my card too. I have to say it does make me nervous to be caring around so much cash. I have even taken my wallet out of purse when I don't need any money where I am going because I am so afraid pick pockets too.
I also learning something about money here in Sao Paulo. Eric set up an HSBC account for us before we left Michigan, but we can't go set up our Brazil HSBC account until we have our CPF numbers. We are still waiting on those. Hopefully they should come by the middle of next month, but who knows. One other expat I meet said hers took 4 months! Eric can get money out of the HSBC ATM close to our house and he thinks we don't have a service fee/international transaction fee with each debt card purchase, but it's a little hard to tell because with the exchange rate it's hard know for sure how much everything costs. The exchange rate changes almost everyday. In fact during the US government shut down it went from D$2.5 to $1 to D$2.1 to $1. Eric has been getting cash out for me. It comes out of the ATM in D$50 bills which is about $25 depending on the exchange rate. Well I have noticed I am the ONLY one paying with cash everywhere I go. At the market, buying ice cream today, yesterday out to lunch, today at lunch. Even when I picked up Carli from school today the secretary was getting take out delivered the delivery boy had a hand held credit card machine. I see hand held credit card machines everywhere and restaurants have multiple people operating them when you check out. Even when I tried to pay for my cake today with a D$20 bill for a D$10 cake she didn't have change.
I asked Valeria about it and she explained to me that because everyone is worried about pick pockets they don't carry much cash. They use their credit card for almost every transaction. It's safer.
Now I don't carry around much cash at home, so I guess that's not that much different. Not that I am worried about pick pockets, but it's just easier to use your card.
I can't wait to get Brazil HSBC cards so I am not so worried to use my card too. I have to say it does make me nervous to be caring around so much cash. I have even taken my wallet out of purse when I don't need any money where I am going because I am so afraid pick pockets too.
I am going to meet Valeria next Wednesday to go to the market. I am really excited about that.
It's great to have a friend who is within walking distance and is so knowledgeable.
When we got home it was HOT and I was HOT!!!! Poor Eliza was even sweating. It was 90 deg outside. Our apartment doesn't have AC so I was hot.
All of my friend in Michigan are posting about the first snow yesterday and I am almost overheating!
When Gretta got home from school we went swimming. However, it was the weirdest thing, in one hour it when from 90 deg to 72 degs outside and got very windy. The pool is heated, so we still had a good time, but it was as much fun as it would have been when it was 90. Oh well. The next door neighbor girls also went swimming with us. Dani and her girls have been such a big blessing to us!
We found out on the way back to our apartment that the Condo complex will give you a ticket if you wear your bathing suits in the regular elevator. We have the regular elevator that comes to our front door, and then the service elevator and emergency elevators that come to the common area of the four apartments back doors.
I guess if they see you on the security camera violating a rule they will sent you a ticket in your mail box. I am interested how many "tickets" we have! Since we don't know the rules I am sure we have broken more than a few of them! Now I know for sure security things we are crazy and clueless, because we pretty much are!
At least we now know about the swimming suit rule and that if I have groceries or packages I need to use the service elevator too.
Also Eric told me that the car as fixed and was going to be delivered to his work building around 7pm. Around 6:45 I got a call on the intercom. The same conversation of, "Alo" then me answering, "Hello" to another "Alo", over and over again happened again. Finally I decided she must not be able to hear me because we have been having problems with the intercom, but three unanswered calls later she called the house phone. I told her in Portuguese, "I don't speak Portuguese". Which was followed by another whole sentence in Portuguese. I hung up and called Eric and told him I thought the car had come, but didn't know what to do. He was able to call and get it worked out. It was the car and who know what really happened but it needed a new tire. Glad it's fixed!
This is the little lap pool section of the pool. There is another section that is at least 3x bigger. Plus a kiddie pool.
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