Yesterday with Gretta & Eliza at school and Eric at work Carli and I were bored. I decided it's time for me to try and make some friends. I have already meet Ashley from church and talked with another girl, Rebecca, who also goes to Church with us, but I figured I need to expand my social circle a little.
It would be nice if I was brave enough to drive. It would make it easier to go to the more American stores and to friends houses. Luckily it was the INC coffee & Bazaar today and Eric was nice enough to drop me off on his way to work. It was only 2.4 miles from our house. I considered trying to walk or taking a taxi. However we are having a cash flow problem. We have plenty of US dollars, but not very much Reais. We can't set up our Bank Account until we have the equivalent of a Social Security Number and we are still waiting on the relocation company to arrange for us to get ours. With the limited cash we have on hand we also had to send some with Gretta to school for her field trip. So I wasn't left with enough for a taxi both ways.
In some ways I wish it was a more traditional monthly meeting instead of a Bazaar because it was a little hard to meet people because it was hard to tell who were members and who were local guests coming to buy stuff. Plus some of the member are other nationalities so their English is a little hard to understand. I ended up meeting a few ladies. I found out there Condo complex close to the British Chapel School that has quite a few Americans who live in it. Interestingly enough one lady said there are a lot of Americans from Michigan because they work for GM or stuff related to the auto industry. People gave me some great advice and I can't wait to get my due paid so I can participate in the facebook group and get in a playgroup.
My goal was to meet one friend. I meet Megan. She has a 19 month old and also just moved here. She has a driver so she can come meet us for a play date which sounds great! Megan lives in the area by the Chapel school, but I don't think it's that far away.
Carli enjoyed playing on the playground.
At the Bazaar they were selling lots of beautiful things. Lucky for Eric we have a cash flow problem so I couldn't buy anything. One lady was selling cupcakes and they also had a lady selling Mexican food. My friend Reneta, who is from Brazil, told me it super popular and in fashion to go out to Mexican food. You can't buy tortilla chips and salsa in the stores here. I guess it is also hard to get avocados that make good guacamole. This lady was selling guacamole and tortilla chips if I had more money I would have bought some!
There was a lady selling clothes that fit American Girl Dolls. Plus they had a lot of more traditional Brazilian items, wood work, art work, jewelry, paper goods, clothes.
Before Eric left me the lady at the check in booth reassured me that she would call a taxi for me when I wanted to leave. We were ready around noon. She called and taxi and he came to get me. I gave him the address. He was an older gentleman and his hand was shaking and he stalled the manual car a few times. I was beginning to wonder what I had gotten myself into and wondered if I would make it home. I was also worried I didn't have enough money to pay him. Plus Carli was crazy in the back of the car. I am so glad for carseats!!! At first I didn't think we were going in the right direction, but pretty soon I knew where we were and we made it home safe!!!! I also had enough money:) I can't wait until I have a cell phone that works!!!! I will feel a lot better about being lost or in a crazy situation if I can at least call for help.
I am proud of myself for leaving the house and trying to make some new friends:)
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