The book is on the table

Apparently that is the first English sentence that Brazilians learn! And I keep hearing it over and over again from everybody down here. The next thing off course is me trying to kill Portuguese and them doing the same to English. The funny thing though is that after a couple of weeks of trying you kinda of get the picture. The important thing in translating is that literal translation does not work 'cause it doesn't help in explaining weather howdy or how do you do is appropriate.

That being said my use of a mixture of broken English and Portuguese is probably going to have some short term effect on my speak. When I return I am going to be kissing every girl I meet, thumping the chest of every guy and talk to them as if they are alien to English!

At home across the world

Just thought I would drop in a note from the beaches of Brazil (Or as the locals call it Brasil). I had the good fortune to go to a chruch this past weekend and I was blown away. I was taken aback by the similarities of the atmosphere with my Church in India and the US. The loving (Which the Brazilians definitely do not lack) atmosphere was amazing. I guess the love of Christ feels the same in all languages!!

I also had a new experience ... I am no longer just the Indian. I am now the Indiano from America. Or the Indiano-gringo! It feels funny to be representing two different cultures a task that I am pretty well versed. After all I have only spent 4 years being the resident Indian expert to a ton of Americans! The adulation did not only stop with the nickname but resulted in people jostling for pictures with me ... quite a few pretty ones among them too!