Diante da acirrada disputa no mercado de trabalho, experiências no exterior como um intercâmbio passaram a ser por demais valorizadas pelos RHs da vida. Claro que quem tem bala na agulha vai fazer intercâmbio na Nova Zelândia, Alemanha, Inglaterra... Eu estou indo pros Estados Unidos, o estino escolhido por quem determinou o programa e criou o concurso de bolsas.
- Estados Unidos é intercâmbio de pobre.- Mas pobre não faz intercâmbio!- Faz sim, se tiver ganhado uma bolsa como eu!
Por isso, estou deixando família, amigos, faculdade, estágio pelo período máximo de 1 ano. Vou fazer parte de outra família. Estou partindo rumo à terra do Bush, do McDonalds, do country e de Hollywood. Não quero fazer a América nem deixar ela me fazer. Quero iluminação, amadurecimento, cultura, histórias pra contar, um melhor currículo, um punhado de dólares e eletrônicos mais em conta! Nessa ordem.
Mas não se preocupem. Nas palavras de Jesus e Schwarzenneger: Eu voltarei!
De Bonsucesso para o mundo:
Natalia Weber tem 21 anos e é estudante de jornalismo da UFF (RJ). Parece uma americana, mas é brasileiríssima. É suburbana com orgulho e está prestes a adentrar nos Estados Unidos. Ela nunca viajou de avião, nunca arrumou uma mala tão grande, detesta McDonalds. Vai ser Au Pair numa família muito boa e com (graças a Deus!) uma criança. Uma criança linda, fofa e maravilhosa. Espera ter bastante tempo pra estudar e espera encontrar bons cursos pra fazer e complementar seu currículo. Espera também aprender a dirigir bem rápido pra se mover lá. Espera conhecer Nova York. Por livre e espontânea pressão, tem a possibilidade de visitar a Disney, mas se não conseguir se livrar dessa, promete enviar uma foto esganando o Mickey! Ela está com muitas saudades dos pais e amigos, por isso espera que eles venham sempre aqui.
- a new pink headphone - a black bra w/ stuffing - 2 shirts - chocolate - a dark jeans bermuda - a plaid bermuda, really, REALLY america - red shoes - an Andy Warhol wallet to give to a friend.
Today, Lacey's mom told me she asked her how is it gonna be when I'm gone, she doesn't want me to. I said: "Really? I mean, Lacay said that?"
And her mom was like "I know", 'cause it's so not like her.
I guess she does have a soft side but... man, that's just so sad... to part. And it gets near and near everyday.
It's so boring here, all alone. I miss my baby. We still have 2 weeks apart from each other. I want her to come back and fill my days. All I want to do is sleep.
" My life has been extraordinary Blessed and cursed and won Time heals but I'm forever broken By and by the way..."
Don't think I have much to say... life had taken a turn that most of people would call routine at last. And things did happen, but my laziness hasn't changed. I could put things together I guess like...
- Finally went to NOVA and got my exam back. I already knew my final grade, but I'm saving my written exams as masterpieces, they're proof of my great effort to express myself correctly and clearly in English.
- Went shopping but bought nothing. Never saw anything more hideous than american clothes. It simply against all my fashion impulses.
- FINALLY could go ice skating with Martha. It was friday night Rock 'n' Skate. Zillion kids. Little kids, middle school, high school tops. Martha and I looked high schoolers ourselves. I had fun. I love the thing. I loved the ice. I miss the snow. I threw myself on the floor. Martha laughed and then felt on her butt. Than it was my turn no laugh...
- Cut my hair and spent a little more on a repair treatment that consisted of shampoo, I guess. Anyway, the style looked very fine, but now I washed the hair and it's weird again...
- Went to DC sunday with Marilia. She's here for 3 months to work w/ my host at her lab, she's 25 and getting her phD. But she's very fun, so young still. Great company. It was raining but not to stop us. I showed her the basic: the mall, Capitol, Pencil, Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, White House, both sides, lunch at Chinatown. We bought things at Urban Outfitters to feel really americans (all on sale. I bought a cute plastic sandal that hurts my pinky toe like crazy). Then walked all the way to Georgetown. Took time but it was sooo worth it. Sun came up at last and just walking and window shopping... we got back still early. When it was dark I saw the most amazing moon.
- Thais is not going to school for a couple of days before their trip. Yes, they're leaving for Spain tomorrow and I... well, I fell terrible. Anyways, finally life of an au pair as it should be. Nathalia prepared a detail list of educational activities for us to do throughout the day (I ask myself if I'll ever be these kind of mom). Yesterday it was mostly very great til piano time, when she collapsed completely, threw a fit and recluded herself to her room while leaving me heartbroken... Today was better. I just cannot understand why she refuses playing outside. If you seen this place... a place where a child deserves to grow. I am an apartment rat, I didn't know any better. To have it and deny it sounds like such a sin. We were up on a little hill on a beautiful park nearby, the weather was great, trees, lake, ducks, squirrels, birds and she kept asking to go to the grocery store...
- Bought tickets to see Coldplay. I knooow I said I'd settle for 3 concerts, but c'mon... I was hoping no one else would come and then Coldplay announces... thing is it's on a Wednesday (WHY??), soooo... let's see how that goes.
I think I'm done... oh yeah. I'm going to Disney next Thursday. But abafa...
I really want to write but I can't... it's all inside my head pilling up, somehow it doesn't get out so easily. I thinks it's because I have too much... than I don't know how to start, when to start, what to write amongst many many memories... that are still in the making!!
Several times a day I remember something and construct paragraphs inside my head. And there they stay. Seriously, when are they going to invent the "Mind-Recorder"?? Things would be eaaasy and my book would be wonderful.
If somebody has writing tips, I would be very thankful. I just... I just really need to get them out!
maaaan, even at night, out in the pouring freezing rain, soaked to the socks waiting for the dog to find a good spot to poop, it still feels good... Getting the average of good and bad moments, considering that I enjoy the blues most of the times... the percentage is high enough to get me through. Get through with what some people wouldn't bear, face it, joke about it, listen to acoustic version of Morrissey songs without attempting suicide, see loneliness as protection from above, forget, forgive, put everything under the umberella of love...
And real problems? I'll deal with them later... or never.
Maybe if I had a normal au pair experience, I wouldn't complain so much, but I do feel like I'm not needed. And it's awkward to hang around waiting for the moment I'd be called up. And Thaissa is so independent already, and going through that annoying phase when she "knows everything"...
I need to fell like I'm necessary, like I'm truly working and not just pretending. It feels bad to get the paycheck if you don't do much... But I can see that I won't have time for that anymore. I had to clearly tell her parents I could stay with her during the time she won't go to school, because... hello??? I'm her au pair, and I'm here to help! That's what au pairs do (or should do or should want to do, but they don't). Besides, I'm not doing anything else anyway...
Basically when I'm dealing with her, I'm not dealing with myself. And I don't know what to do with myself. Should I do something? Can I do something... here?? Do I have the talent to search for something?
Ok, I know the answer...
The dog... not even the dog is gonna miss me. He shakes his tail to everyone, even if the german person doesn't allow him in the bed like I do. Greg is gonna be very happy he has a mature person to deal with. Thais may ask for a couple of times, but will soon forget. But I... I'll never forget.
And... I'll never see him again. Shudder!...
And... Death Cab for Cutie needs to STOP stealing my song ideas!!!
Please, watch the video if you can. Not only the lyrics, but the video matches so perfectly (ok, I've never been around the world, but still). I could not believe when I watched it! And we almost have the same hair... hauahuaha. This is getting really creepy now! I need to have a word with this guy... or maybe sue them for plagiarism of my life???... Naaah, they're awsome! I'm glad I'm gonna see them next month, IF I can get myself to Columbia - MD, that should be a challenge...
How can the guy even describe experiences I had with metaphors I'd make? That guy must have remote-viewing-matrix style to my life...
"How I wish you could see the potential, the potential of you and me It's like a book elegantly bound, but in a language that you can't read - just yet"
maaaan, it was an unique experience. 'Causa nobody wanted to study, everyone just wanted it to be over. On the other hand... I'll never see those people again. To some, I got to wish "have a nice life". Others just left as they finished the exam. Maybe it was better this way.
Though, I wish I had closure.
I covered mostly Intelligence, and Mrs. McKee goes and asks for things I swear I never heard of. She uses old tests on us, I bet she does, she doesn't bother making new. And she SAID she wouldn't cover UN on it and there it was. Man, that was mean! But I new it. I new it!!!! Even so I scream a couple of explectives to myself... and laughed with Sophia. Couldn't help it!!!
Kellogg Pact?? Is it a cereal??? UN Resolution 30-whatever??? Whaaat???
well, it's over. It's... over.
I'll miss it. I'll work on a thorough compilation of memorable quotes, here are some:
- It's not like all countries are going to hold hands and sing “Kumbaya”. (Mrs. McKee) -“Feelings, nothing more than feelings...” (Mrs. McKee) - A good human penetration may take year to happen. (Mrs. McKee) - Can I call you an asshole? You have no manners. (Sophia) - The girl is hot! (Mrs. McKee) - The guy is awesome! DAAAYYYYNNN! (April) - OK??? (Ryan, after every argument) - My moooom! My mooooom! (Mrs. Greenwood daughter) - Salud! (April) - Gesuntheit! (Natalia) - Give her mom a call! (Natalia) - Party. (Natalia. You gotta hear to understand) - We've got Saddam! He was a weapon of mass destruction, ok??? (Sophia) - No one knows what Project Solarium is, but she asks in every exam! Project Solarium must be an acronym for "my students are stupid"! (April) - Get a scooooooneee!! Do you want coffee?? (Sophia) - I'm such a girl when it comes to coffee. (Ryan) I'll miss it.
- Today is my last day of school, Thaissa. - Today? Your last day? - Yeah. - You'll miss your friends. - Yeah...
The Astrud Gilberto Album by Astrud Gilberto
