Kevin's Back in the USA
Tuesday, 3. July 2007, 21:00:21
Blog for the week ending Monday, July 2, 2007
Note:
I’m in the USA for a visit until July 25.
While I’m traveling, I may or may not be able to load photos onto my blog.
And… my brother knows my password and has added a few unauthorized entries to my blog… something about how I have to buy him socks.
I haven't reported much about Bob this week. He's taking care of business back home in Anápolis, and getting ready to go to Ohio in August for a visit...and to pick up his permanent Brazilian visa.
TUESDAY, June 26, 2007
I spent the day getting ready for my evening flight. Brian came by, and took Bob and me to the tattoo studio so I could say my goodbyes to Heidi, Marcelo, Lexy and Bianca.
I somehow got packed, and Brian loaded up the car. Even with two big suitcases, there was room for Bob and Brian and me… and Ricardo, who drove Brian’s car to the Goiânia airport, Santa Genoveva. We got there way early, and had time to have a snack, and to have our shoes shined. I said goodbye to Ricardo and Brian went to the aeronautic school next to the airport, giving me time to say goodbye to Bob. I walked out onto the tarmac in the warm night air, and walked onto the plane that would take me on the 85-minute flight to São Paulo.
I checked my bags in at the Guarulhos airport in São Paulo, and got in the LONG line at security. I had just enough time to catch my flight to the US, when Passport Control told me I had to go to the Federal Police office… Something about my tourist visa that had lapsed before I got my permanent visa. The slowest typist in the world wrote up a fine for me, and I still had 10 minutes to make my flight. I just made it onto the plane… and, in fact, I had to sit and wait about 5 minutes before we pulled away from the gate.
The night flight to Washington DC went well, though I only slept a couple of hours.
WEDNESDAY, June 27, 2007
Customs went quickly in DC, and I transferred to my Seattle flight with no problems. I sat at the bulkhead for the five-hour flight, so I had some legroom. The in-flight videos helped the time to pass.
Mary Shehane met me at Sea-Tac in baggage claim. I don’t know how she’s related, but she must be family cuz no friend would ever treat me so well.
Still… everything Mary did seemed to be aimed at making me homesick for Seattle… As if she were hoping that I’d change my mind and move back to Seattle.
She took me to a new Indian restaurant in White Center, not far from where Bob and I lived. I really miss Indian food in Anápolis. Then she took me to the Salvadoran Bakery… one of my favorite places on Earth. Then, we went to a new Asian supermarket in North Seattle, where I loaded up on fresh lychees and cherries, and other delicacies. We went to Mary’s home… which became my home for four days… and I made a few phone calls before taking a nap. I woke up to a glorious vegetarian dinner.
THURSDAY, June 28, 2007
The Northwest weather was not cooperating with Mary’s plot to win me back to Seattle. There was a bit of rain today. But… with a breakfast of scones and fresh fruit I hardly noticed the weather. Mary went to her office at the campus ministry center at the University of Washington, so I went along. I walked to University Bookstore and looked at all their ESL books. I bought a few. I walked around the University District, impressed by what I saw. I met Mary for lunch. She took me to the Royal Palm for Thai food… which I was starved for. We visited 10,000 Villages and bought a few things. Since I was homesick for Brazil, Mary took me to Sendex, the Brazilian market, where I picked up some guaraná for Matthew. Mary knew I’d like to visit Third Place Books and the Honey Bear Bakery. I had chai and peach-blueberry pie before we returned home.
So, how am I adjusting to this strange new land?
Am I experiencing reverse culture shock?
I had forgotten how many trees there were in Seattle. They seem huge. They tower over me everywhere I go. I feel like I’m in a big forest. Green, green, green. Otherwise, the colors and sounds seem muted. I felt like I had arrived in some exotic foreign place like Norway. Early dawn, late sunset… wide streets, quiet traffic… Cars STOP for pedestrians! It’s the craziest thing! There was something strange about the streets. Oh. I know what it is. There aren’t any potholes.
FRIDAY, June 29, 2007
Fortified with another great breakfast, I headed off on a big adventure. Mary led me to the Metro transit center a few blocks away, and I hopped on an express bus headed downtown. How could a place as familiar as Seattle seem so exotic and foreign? Everything feels calm, cool, subdued… Wide streets and sidewalks… Views of trees and water…
I went to the visa service place, handed over my passport, a visa application, and a check. Now I just have to wait a couple of weeks to get my permanent visa from the Brazilian government… barring any problems.
I hopped on the bus and went back to Northgate to meet Mary, stopping at Silver Platters to buy the sci-fi DVD “Brazil” from the 1980s.
Mary served me lunch, and then took me to The John Stanford International School to drop off a few things. From there we went to the Seattle Asian Art Museum and the conservatory at Volunteer Park. There’s nothing quite like Volunteer Park in Anápolis.
Later in the day my friend Peter stopped by for a visit. Peter, Mary, and I went out for dinner at a great Korean restaurant.
SATURDAY, June 30, 2007
This morning Mary took me to Saint Mark’s Cathedral in Seattle, where she was preparing to participate in the ordination of transitional deacons. I got to have a look at a large and impressive work of art… the Keiskamma altar cloth, which was on tour from South Africa.
Audrey, Mary’s daughter (and my good friend) came by to pick me up for an outing. We went to Columbia City, the ethnically diverse neighborhood where she lives. I indulged myself at a bakery, having chai, blackberry dessert, and anise biscotti. She took me to the place that she and Bruce call home… a place I envy because of all the fruit-bearing plants. I watched a squirrel eating cherries from their sour-cherry tree. Mary came by after the ordination, and Mary, Audrey, their friend Colleen, and I went out for lunch at a great Vietnamese restaurant down the street.
Mary took me (and the six boxes I had stored at Bruce and Audrey’s place) back to Northgate. I walked all around the park-like campus of North Seattle Community College in the evening.
SUNDAY, July 1, 2007
I got up at 6:00, so I’d have time to enjoy the baked apples Mary had fixed for breakfast. Mary took me to the rental car place, where I said goodbye, and got into a new PT Cruiser. I drove down I-5 to Oregon, a route I’ve traveled two or three hundred times before. I turned in the car in Beaverton, where my sister Carol met me. She took me to Newberg, where I was reunited with my parents after being separated for 11 months.
After lunch at Friendsview Retirement Center, Carol drove me to Salem. We met my grandmother’s great nephew and his wife, who were visiting from Arizona. I had never realized that my grandmother and Bing Crosby had the same grandfather. I knew we were related, but I never knew how.
I had strawberry rhubarb pie at a restaurant, and Carol drove the visitors and me around Salem. In the evening, Carol drove me back to Newberg, where I spent the night on the living room floor at Mom and Dad’s.
MONDAY, July 2, 2007
I enjoyed having breakfast with Mom in the Friendsview dining room: waffles and strawberries, as well as granola. We took Dad to dialysis a mile down the road, and talked to his nurse and the social worker. Mom and I headed to Fred Meyer, where I became reacquainted with some of my favorite consumer goods and vegetarian products. I wish we had a place like this in Anápolis.
We picked up Dad from dialysis, and drove to the produce market, where I got cherries, melons, strawberries, cherries, blackberries… and rhubarb.
In the evening I walked along the canyon trail next to Mom and Dad’s complex.
I called Brian and Bob in Brazil, to talk about the difficulties our lawyer is having getting our fine waived… and to talk about the property that Brian has found outside of Anápolis. Bob thinks it’s just the place that Gringolândia needs for its teacher-training retreat center.
Note:
I’m in the USA for a visit until July 25.
While I’m traveling, I may or may not be able to load photos onto my blog.
And… my brother knows my password and has added a few unauthorized entries to my blog… something about how I have to buy him socks.
I haven't reported much about Bob this week. He's taking care of business back home in Anápolis, and getting ready to go to Ohio in August for a visit...and to pick up his permanent Brazilian visa.
TUESDAY, June 26, 2007
I spent the day getting ready for my evening flight. Brian came by, and took Bob and me to the tattoo studio so I could say my goodbyes to Heidi, Marcelo, Lexy and Bianca.
I somehow got packed, and Brian loaded up the car. Even with two big suitcases, there was room for Bob and Brian and me… and Ricardo, who drove Brian’s car to the Goiânia airport, Santa Genoveva. We got there way early, and had time to have a snack, and to have our shoes shined. I said goodbye to Ricardo and Brian went to the aeronautic school next to the airport, giving me time to say goodbye to Bob. I walked out onto the tarmac in the warm night air, and walked onto the plane that would take me on the 85-minute flight to São Paulo.
I checked my bags in at the Guarulhos airport in São Paulo, and got in the LONG line at security. I had just enough time to catch my flight to the US, when Passport Control told me I had to go to the Federal Police office… Something about my tourist visa that had lapsed before I got my permanent visa. The slowest typist in the world wrote up a fine for me, and I still had 10 minutes to make my flight. I just made it onto the plane… and, in fact, I had to sit and wait about 5 minutes before we pulled away from the gate.
The night flight to Washington DC went well, though I only slept a couple of hours.
WEDNESDAY, June 27, 2007
Customs went quickly in DC, and I transferred to my Seattle flight with no problems. I sat at the bulkhead for the five-hour flight, so I had some legroom. The in-flight videos helped the time to pass.
Mary Shehane met me at Sea-Tac in baggage claim. I don’t know how she’s related, but she must be family cuz no friend would ever treat me so well.
Still… everything Mary did seemed to be aimed at making me homesick for Seattle… As if she were hoping that I’d change my mind and move back to Seattle.
She took me to a new Indian restaurant in White Center, not far from where Bob and I lived. I really miss Indian food in Anápolis. Then she took me to the Salvadoran Bakery… one of my favorite places on Earth. Then, we went to a new Asian supermarket in North Seattle, where I loaded up on fresh lychees and cherries, and other delicacies. We went to Mary’s home… which became my home for four days… and I made a few phone calls before taking a nap. I woke up to a glorious vegetarian dinner.
THURSDAY, June 28, 2007
The Northwest weather was not cooperating with Mary’s plot to win me back to Seattle. There was a bit of rain today. But… with a breakfast of scones and fresh fruit I hardly noticed the weather. Mary went to her office at the campus ministry center at the University of Washington, so I went along. I walked to University Bookstore and looked at all their ESL books. I bought a few. I walked around the University District, impressed by what I saw. I met Mary for lunch. She took me to the Royal Palm for Thai food… which I was starved for. We visited 10,000 Villages and bought a few things. Since I was homesick for Brazil, Mary took me to Sendex, the Brazilian market, where I picked up some guaraná for Matthew. Mary knew I’d like to visit Third Place Books and the Honey Bear Bakery. I had chai and peach-blueberry pie before we returned home.
So, how am I adjusting to this strange new land?
Am I experiencing reverse culture shock?
I had forgotten how many trees there were in Seattle. They seem huge. They tower over me everywhere I go. I feel like I’m in a big forest. Green, green, green. Otherwise, the colors and sounds seem muted. I felt like I had arrived in some exotic foreign place like Norway. Early dawn, late sunset… wide streets, quiet traffic… Cars STOP for pedestrians! It’s the craziest thing! There was something strange about the streets. Oh. I know what it is. There aren’t any potholes.
FRIDAY, June 29, 2007
Fortified with another great breakfast, I headed off on a big adventure. Mary led me to the Metro transit center a few blocks away, and I hopped on an express bus headed downtown. How could a place as familiar as Seattle seem so exotic and foreign? Everything feels calm, cool, subdued… Wide streets and sidewalks… Views of trees and water…
I went to the visa service place, handed over my passport, a visa application, and a check. Now I just have to wait a couple of weeks to get my permanent visa from the Brazilian government… barring any problems.
I hopped on the bus and went back to Northgate to meet Mary, stopping at Silver Platters to buy the sci-fi DVD “Brazil” from the 1980s.
Mary served me lunch, and then took me to The John Stanford International School to drop off a few things. From there we went to the Seattle Asian Art Museum and the conservatory at Volunteer Park. There’s nothing quite like Volunteer Park in Anápolis.
Later in the day my friend Peter stopped by for a visit. Peter, Mary, and I went out for dinner at a great Korean restaurant.
SATURDAY, June 30, 2007
This morning Mary took me to Saint Mark’s Cathedral in Seattle, where she was preparing to participate in the ordination of transitional deacons. I got to have a look at a large and impressive work of art… the Keiskamma altar cloth, which was on tour from South Africa.
Audrey, Mary’s daughter (and my good friend) came by to pick me up for an outing. We went to Columbia City, the ethnically diverse neighborhood where she lives. I indulged myself at a bakery, having chai, blackberry dessert, and anise biscotti. She took me to the place that she and Bruce call home… a place I envy because of all the fruit-bearing plants. I watched a squirrel eating cherries from their sour-cherry tree. Mary came by after the ordination, and Mary, Audrey, their friend Colleen, and I went out for lunch at a great Vietnamese restaurant down the street.
Mary took me (and the six boxes I had stored at Bruce and Audrey’s place) back to Northgate. I walked all around the park-like campus of North Seattle Community College in the evening.
SUNDAY, July 1, 2007
I got up at 6:00, so I’d have time to enjoy the baked apples Mary had fixed for breakfast. Mary took me to the rental car place, where I said goodbye, and got into a new PT Cruiser. I drove down I-5 to Oregon, a route I’ve traveled two or three hundred times before. I turned in the car in Beaverton, where my sister Carol met me. She took me to Newberg, where I was reunited with my parents after being separated for 11 months.
After lunch at Friendsview Retirement Center, Carol drove me to Salem. We met my grandmother’s great nephew and his wife, who were visiting from Arizona. I had never realized that my grandmother and Bing Crosby had the same grandfather. I knew we were related, but I never knew how.
I had strawberry rhubarb pie at a restaurant, and Carol drove the visitors and me around Salem. In the evening, Carol drove me back to Newberg, where I spent the night on the living room floor at Mom and Dad’s.
MONDAY, July 2, 2007
I enjoyed having breakfast with Mom in the Friendsview dining room: waffles and strawberries, as well as granola. We took Dad to dialysis a mile down the road, and talked to his nurse and the social worker. Mom and I headed to Fred Meyer, where I became reacquainted with some of my favorite consumer goods and vegetarian products. I wish we had a place like this in Anápolis.
We picked up Dad from dialysis, and drove to the produce market, where I got cherries, melons, strawberries, cherries, blackberries… and rhubarb.
In the evening I walked along the canyon trail next to Mom and Dad’s complex.
I called Brian and Bob in Brazil, to talk about the difficulties our lawyer is having getting our fine waived… and to talk about the property that Brian has found outside of Anápolis. Bob thinks it’s just the place that Gringolândia needs for its teacher-training retreat center.
WIDGETIZE
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