Finally a decision!

Hello all!

I just wanted to let you all know I've finally made a decision about grad school, and it seems I am still going to be a Lobo after all. It was definitely one of the toughest decisions I have ever made, and I changed my mind about 27 billion times. I even wrote Buffalo and told them I'm coming. And for all of you that I've told that Buffalo was it, just kidding! So now, tomorrow I have to call UB and apologize for the false alarm. In the end, the program, the opportunities for funding, the price, and my new advisor at UNM won out. And I don't think I even need to mention the weather! :)

So that's that. I've already registered for classes and they sound interesting. This fall I will be taking Theory of Ethnology I (required), Women and Oral Tradition, and Life History (taught by my advisor). Unfortunately, no Portuguese. I had planned on taking the Theory, Portuguese, and one other class, but it turns out that the Port. classes are only offered as intensives at 6 credit hours. Nine hours is full time for a grad, and although I could try 12, I don't think it's a good idea for my first ever semester of grad school. So it looks like the language might have to wait until the summer semester, although I'm bummed I can't do it while it's still fresh on my mind.

Stefan and I are still trying to figure out the whole Gurupa thing as well. My professors here in Brazil have given me permission to finish my classes a bit early, so in theory we have the time (but just barely) to visit the Amazon. However, we're not quite sure if the money is as sure a bet. The move to Albuquerque is going to cost us a pretty penny, and we're just not sure if we can do it. Also, if we opt out of Gurupa, we'll have about two or two and a half weeks at home to visit friends and family before the move. If we go, it'll be more like six days. But on the other hand, we have no idea when we'll have the chance to visit Gurupa again. And I think my friend Mara in Belem might just kill me :)

Decisions decisions!

Skype 1, Microphone 0

If you have tried calling us on Skype lately (and if you haven't, shame on you!) you have noticed we have been having some problems. We can hear you but you can't hear us. I have blamed this situation on every possible Brazilian device imaginable...slow internet, stupid firewall, etc. It turns out that the problem can be linked back to the US. It was our stupid microphone that we brought with us! Das ist Kaput! We will look for a new one soon, but it could be a few days. There isn't really a Wal-Mart or a Circuit City in sight.

Northeast or Southwest?

So, I've run into a bit of a problem.

Now that I've gotten all excited about my acceptance into UNM, I recieved a letter a few days ago from SUNY Buffalo, my other top pick. Buffalo was originally my first choice school, because there is a professor there whose research sounded very close to my own research objectives. However, UNM is also a fabulous school and I've found a professor there whose research is also similar to mine, and she is interested in my research as well. So now I'm stuck.

Both schools are roughly the same size, although the cities are very different. Albuquerque is very large with about 750,000 people, while Buffalo only has about 300,000. I know that the weather in Albuquerque suits me better, since I freeze if the temp drops below 70 degrees. Also, everything I've heard about Albuquerque is good...it's supposed to be very scenic and gorgeous and the city is just absolutely full and very proud of southwestern culture. I haven't heard quite as much about Buffalo. I know that it is located on a great lake (Eerie I think) and gets about 11 feet of snow a year! An MTSU friend originally from Buffalo tells me that the people there don't have that "southern hospitality", and some some have that whole "New York= pissed off at the world" thing going on, but then that some are really great as well. We've actually heard that although it is a bigger city, the cost of living, real estate, etc., in Albuqerque is much lower than Buffalo. And tuition at Buffalo is roughly 5-10,000 more p/year.

Ok, I know I completely sound like I've got my mind made up for UNM, but unfortunately that's not the case. Despite all of the above, the most important thing for me is the school with the better program and the most opportunity. So far this is where the pros of Buffalo come into play. As a whole, SUNY Buffalo has a much larger budget to play with than UNM...almost twice as much. This could mean that Buffalo may have many more opportunities for assistantships and fellowships, etc. They also require students to have a specialization within their subfield of study (my subfield is Cultural Anthro). One specialization they offer is Traditional Healing, which just happens to be part of my research plan.

On UNM's side, I know that the professor that I want to work with is interested in me, and I haven't heard back from my advisor at Buffalo yet. Also, UNM is a big school for Latin American Studies, which includes Brazil. They also have support from the Latin Amerian and Iberian Institute, which is local, and offers funding to students studying Latin America. However, I just found out that the specific award that was to be my goal, will not be offered again for another four years. :(

So as you all can see, I'm in a pickle :)
-- Both Dad and Dr. Pace called it my quandry, but pickle is just more fun!...Don't worry guys I didn't say pickle when I emailed the profs!

So...suggestions anyone?

Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

Oi everyone! We just wanted to wish you all a feliz cinco de mayo! Tonight we went to the only Mexican Restaurant in town, Guapo Loco, for monster strawberry banana margaritas and some yummy Mexican food, followed by caipirinhas (the Brazilian maragarita)!

(I think Claire might remember these yummy grande bebidas from guapo loco!)

Hope you all had a great time! We definitely missed La Siesta more than ever!

Cinco de Mayo!

In case anyone was wondering, yes, I am still alive. I haven't made a post here in a month or so out of shear laziness. Jess has been posting quite frequently and I think has done a great job keeping everyone updated on the daily happenings here in Niteroi.

I wanted to make a post today to tell the other side of the story and answer the question, "What is it like to live in Niteroi, Brazil and not be able to communicate with anyone?!"

The language barrier is definitely a problem. To put things in perspective, I was actually laughed at by McDonald's employees the last time I tried to order food! The process usually goes something like this:

1) I plan out what I want and exactly what I need to say to order it.

2) I hesitantly walk up to the counter and proceed to forget what I was supposed to say.

3) I group together what few words I can remember and then point at what I want.

...so far this isn't too bad...

4) The person behind the counter wants to interview me about my purchase apparently. "Do you want salad (in english...dressed...lettuce, tomato, etc.)?" "Do you want this?" "Do you want that?"

5) Being completely unable to decipher what is being said, I smile and nod...often.

6) I pay with a large bill that guarantees I will get back change so I don't have to listen for the total.

7) I enjoy my food with all the options I unknowingly asked for with the previous nods.


Fun stuff no? Usually if I am with Jess I will just have her order the meals. She is so much better at it than I am. The only problem with this is, I think all the employees at the restaurants we frequent think I am a mute.

On the plus side. I found a great way to make people stop asking me for money on the street. I just look confused and blurt out a bunch of English. They quickly get the point and move on.

The language mess aside, it is really neat down here. The weather is just amazing and the people are extremely friendly (I think. They could be calling me names and I wouldn't even notice.)

The other day, Jess and I walked to Parque de Cidade (sp?) . It was a brutal walk, let me rephrase, climb. The park is on top of a mountain here in the city and offers spectacular views of the neighborhoods and beaches below. Just so you get an idea of the climb...



This is a true, first person view from my eyes, as we climbed "Mount Should Have Taken A Taxi." After the first half mile or so, Jess really started to leave me in the dust.

Once we made it to the top, I realized the climb was worth it. It was amazing! You could see everything from there.



At the top of the mountain are two platforms used for hanggliders and parachuters. Luckily for us, there was a guy about to make the leap just as we arrived. At first I was expecting something along the line of base jumping (skydiving sans plane). But it was totally different. He let the wind open up his chute while he was still on the ground and the just hopped off the platform and flew away. When I say "flew" I mean it. He wasn't descending. Just flying around as he pleased. We were so jealous!







It was a neat place to visit. They have hiking trails, too, but it was getting late and we didn't feel that we had the time or energy to take any. We plan on going back, but next time we take a cab!

Well, I think I may have bored you guys enough. If you want to see more pictures, you can do so by clicking the link in the box on the right side of the page.

Until next month...okay, okay, I may try to be a little more frequent.

PS: Does anyone know a place that delivers chinese food to Brazil. I have been craving it like mad!!!

PSS: Thought you guys might get a kick out of this. I bought some cheapo (and when I say cheap, I mean CHEAP) computer speakers for my iPod. Here is a shot of the box. Apparently, they are 800 watts (lol yeah right) and they even work with CD Pleyers LOL.



PSSS: As you noticed from the title, today is Cinco de Mayo and you guys going to La Siesta tonight for beer and margaritas have no idea how jealous Jess and I are!!! Errr... It's the little stuff that we miss the most.


Later guys.

And Now For Something Completely Different

A Big Change of Plans...

As most of you that read our blog know, after our little adventure in Brazil, Stefan and I had planned on moving to Wichita, Kansas in January. I was accepted to Wichita State Univerity a few months ago, and although it wasn't my first choice, my GRE scores weren't fabulous, and I decided to take what I could get. However, last week I recieved word from the University of New Mexico (one of my top two!!) that I was accepted by their anthropology department. This is muito exciting news for me, as UNM is a MUCH better school than Wichita, with a better program and more resources. So instead of Wichita, our new home will be in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

This wonderful opportunity, however, does come with a price. Being a bigger school, UNM does not allow students to begin in the spring. So instead of January, my classes will begin in August. In fact, they will begin only a week after my classes in Brazil end. My last day at UFF (here in Brazil) is August 14, and my first day of school at UNM is on August 21st. I'm also expected to be there the preceding friday for graduate orientation. Yikes.

I am going to talk to my professors here, and try to finish a week early. But, we will still be cutting things very close, having to pack up and move as soon as we get back to the states. Unfortuntatley, this will not leave much time to spend with family and friends. It also cuts a good sized chunk of time out of our stay here, and we will not be able to visit my friends in the Amazon. The trip to Gurupa can not be done in any less than 13 days, so going while I am in school is not an option. I do know that all of the teachers at UFF were on strike right before I came, and that strikes are very common here. So I've got my fingers crossed for a little strike...two weeks would do nicely. Just so I would have enough time to visit, but still be able to gain some knowledge from my classes as well.

Albuquerque sounds like a nice city and the mountains are beautiful. Although my return to the US has to be rushed in order to get there, but this is a wonderful opportunity for me, and I think it'll be another great adventure!



I'm a Lobo now!