Winter in Brasil.

Winter in brasil has been pretty warm. It has been in the 80s most of the time. Once in awhile it is in the high 70s and people go crazy. My husband is wearing the leather jackets and scarves like the north pole. I miss the beach though. The beach does bring me a certain amount of peace. I have gone a couple times to walk on Atlantica avenue...but I haven't been in the water since my friend Den was here. I thought there might be some rain here...but the rain is actually more in the summer.

It has been pretty slow here. Toni worked during the week and I spent two days playing Bioshock on Playstation 3. I am becoming a little addicted which probably is not a good thing. I went through the game infamous in a week and a half...but in my defense they are both great games. Today we went to Copacabana. Toni worked with his client Apracida. I walked around for an hour. Afterwords we paid bills and went shopping.We just got new sheets and a blanket for our bed. we also went to visit a new language school which I probably will go to. Before I said I wanted a tutor. But in normal Brazilian fashion that was not happening how I had imagined. Toni knew of some teacher he had worked with a few years ago. He did not have a number for this guy so we went to his corner and asked the guy that works at the newspaper Kiosk where he lives. We found his building and went up to talk to him. He seemed nice but a little dubious. His house was a little studio cluttered with things. He had some strange American lying on his couch. He was old, bald and fat. He was in shorts and a tank. I quickly got my mental image of a sophisticated professor blown apart. I could see Toni not wanting me to study with a hot brazilian stud...but how about a nice educated woman? I think a school with books and computers will be better for me. That and the school is only one block from the beach so it will not ruin my beach time ( if it does come again next summer ). The classes start in August and will last for 18 months if I do the whole program. Everything ( books included would cost 5000 reais ( That is only if I do the whole Program ). I definitely need to get started learning.

Rainy saturday....

It has been raining all day today. It seems like the rainy season has come at last. Toni worked in Barra de Tijuca all day. His sister-in -law cleaned that house and left this morning. I spent the day bonding with the dogs and playing Playstation 3....I am obsessed with Infamous....it is a great game. We called a teacher for me and he is suppose to call us back soon. We are going to a party tonight in Lapa. As I write this me and Toni are drinking our first whiskey and Red bull.

another week....

This week has kind of been slow. Since the paperwork in the visa is done, I don't have that to worry about. This week I wanted to find a language teacher. Toni is suppose to call an old teacher of his that teaches Portuguese as well as English. Toni has worked the past two days in the favellas. He doesn't like to..because he is terrified of favellas...but i guess work is work. For those who don't know the favellas are the slums. In Rio they are usually on the mountain side but he is going to one by the airport today. I went to the grocery store and then made lasagna for tonight. It has been cool today and lightly raining. We are maybe going to the beach tomorrow but it depends on the weather.

I have been playing a lot of video games. I finished the game SAW and am now playing Infamous. Both games have been a lot of fun. Toni's sister in law has been coming on Saturdays to clean our house for us ( for a charge of course ). She sometimes brings her son Peo and spends the night. Toni is happy that the house is clean but it usually only last a few days with our two dogs. I would rather we didn't because we aren't exactly rich right now. I can't complain though since I am such a bad house keeper myself.

The other night we saw Eclipse at the theater. I liked it but it isn't for everyone. It is more of a teen romance...so if you go into thinking it is a horror or action film you will be disappointed. I read all four books in Spanish when I was studing that language. I think we are going to Knight and day...the new Tom Cruise and Cameron Diez film....here it is called Encontro Explosivo ( explosive date ). It is weird to find out what movies and shows are named here...Tru Blood is called Gosto por Sangue ( Taste for blood ).

I talked to Toni today and I think we might go to Sao Paulo soon. That should be a fun trip.

Into the groove

Den visited this week. Den is a friend from New York. We worked together in the late 90's at Emporio Armani. I have seen him on and off at the bars and clubs in New York ( Splash and the Roxy ). He called me and said he was staying in an apartment in Ipanema. I took a bus the next day and went to the gay beach. He wasn't there so I walked to the apartment. I told the door guy my name but the owner of the apartment did not accept me. I started walking back down the side walk and Den came out yelling my name. He hadn't recognized my name through the doorman's accent. He went back up and got some of this things and we went to the beach. Toni was working but came to meet us afterwords. The sun was out. Winter in Rio has not been very cold or rainy so far. We then all went to lunch at our favorite Ipanema restaurant.



Monday night me and Toni met Samuel and went to a party that was held in a hotel on Copacabana beach. We stayed until four in the morning. It was funny because at the end of the night they served a breakfast upstairs so everybody just left the dance floor, went upstairs and ate and then left. They had tea, coffee and Juice. Portuguese bread with cheese and ham. And bowls of fruits, apples, pairs and bananas.



Toni worked a few times during the week. I went shopping and got us a new Coffee maker, frying pan and soap dish. Toni finally starting going to English class again and I helped him study the one night. Next week the big mission will be to find me a language teacher.

Red tape....finished.

Today me and Toni went to the airport to finish with our paper work. We went early so we thought we would get in quickly. Instead we waited 4 hours. But they gave out 46 number and we got number 42 so the people that came in the afternoon could't get an appointment. We went to the same agent that we saw that last times. He is very nice and helpfull. We showed him all our documents. Everthing was good. He finaly gave us a slip of paper with my picture. It is basicaly my temporary visa. It is good until my Permanant visa comes in 2 years. I also have to get a stamp every 180 days. The good news Is that I can do everything I need to do until then. I can get a job, bank account and drive in Rio. I did have to apply at the Department of work but they said I would get a card and be able to work in 30 days. I guess It is time to look for a Language school now.

We went and got groceries afterwords. Toni made steak and pasta for dinner. Toni is of course very excited that I don't have to leave tomorrow. SO the adventure continues...

Red tape...red tape...

The last three days have been kind of hellish. I have until next Tuesday to finish all my paperwork for my permanent visa. The last three days we have gone to the immigration department that is run by Polica federeis ( Federal Police ) that is located at the airport. The airport from our house is about $35 reias. There is a bus that goes to and from Copacabana that is $8 reais but it does take awhile because it also stops at the local airport and runs through centro.
When we get there we take a number and it usually takes us about 2 hours to talk to someone.

This is basically what they require for a gay couple wanting a permanent visa ( When one is a estranghero ..or foreigner )

A form with your info...name ..birthdate..parents name...visa info...etc

A letter basically telling your history with the other person...when you met ...how long...basicaly a one page essay...filled our by the Brazilian ( Toni in my case ).

Proof of marriage from another country ( which does not work for Americans...since it is not legal here ) or
Certificate from a judge...which we don't have...or
declaration of civil union....Bingo....that we do have of the following.

and then

Proof that we are dependent on each other...or..
certificate of a religious ceremony...nope..we don't have that either...or
Proof that we purchase or rent and apartment together...which we do have from this group.
or A bank account together...which is impossible because Brazilian banks don't give account to foreigners.

A letter from the Brazilian that he will be responsible for the other person

Proof of work...which Toni had to provide ...that he can provide for us.

Copy of Toni's Identification and a copy of my complete passport.

Proof that the foreign person is not a criminal ( which is the FBI form that I spent the last three months getting...and it has to be within the last 90 days )

You have to pay $102 tax. ( you have to download the form by Internet and pay in a bank )

The foreign person has to write a letter claiming he is not married in his home country.

2 pictures ( passport style ) 0f foreigner and one of the Brazilian.

All copies of forms need to be legalized in a Notary office....Everything. And the notary office is usually a nice hour wait. We have all spent a fair amount of time in Toni's bank and a copy center.

We are close ...but we won't be able to go again till Monday...which is cutting it short when the deadline is Tuesday. I can't of had a little argument with Toni because some of this could of been done while I was in New York. We have basically done everything in the last few days...as well as fill about our health insurance forms and translate my FBI form. This was one of the times when the Brazilian relaxed way of life is really driving me crazy. But if everything goes well I everything will be done....and I just have to wait for my visa to actually come.