A few pictures and side note on "Pai Nosso"

Just thought I would post a few pictures since I promised earlier. I have increased my hours of classes, so I will begin by showing you a picture of my school in Marilia.

The picture on the left below is of the school, FISK. It is really a beautiful and modern building and is usually filled with young students from around the city taking English classes. There are probably a dozen or so schools like this in the area. I have learned that students take about an hour a week of English lessons in the elementary grades and two hours a week in high school. Some students and parents choose to specialize and can get more hours at these schools. The picture at right is obviously my teacher, Aline. (pronouned ah-leen-ee) She didn't want me to take this and put it online, but oh well, sorry Aline. Aline spent two years in Chicago as an Au Pair. She is a great teacher.

Below, are obviously pictures from my room. I believe this was an old school, so one floor was modified into a residence with about a dozen bed rooms. This bedroom may be the biggest I have ever had in my life, and with its own bathroom as well. The little stickers on my desk are verbs I need to learn and conjugate. Oh yes, my favorite thing about the Portuguese language, conjugating verbs and the gender thing. Just outside my window is the school playground which is usually filled with children playing from morning till night.



Finally, for now, the streets of Marilia: I have spent hours on these somewhat hilly streets and have grown in appreciation for the beautiful city. Our walk to the language school is about 15 minutes. Like most European cities, houses are closed in behind walls and gates. Sometimes you can see inside the walls and most families keep their property in perfect condition and manicured behind the walls. However, not so much on the street side, obviously quite different from what I am accustomed.



Oh yea, one side note - I thought it would be a good idea to try and memorize the "Our Father" in Portugues. I had an interesting time because I really had not spent much time repeating one phrase of the prayer over and over again. Here is what the first few lines look like in Portuguese. "Pai nosso, que estais no céu; santificado seja o vosso nome;" How often, really, do I make holy the name of God in my daily life? Pretty cool, I thought.