First, it was great to get out of the cold winter weather of North Dakota in January. Second, it was wonderful to meet all of Camila's relatives and see the city where she grew up. Third, I wasted a lot of time worrying about the food. Whatever they fed me, I ate, and it was all good. They know how to cook. That's the big stuff, now let's look at a few specifics.
Sao Paulo was large, crowded and noisy. Our little vacation home in the country was like a small piece of paradise. The country agreed with me...the city, well, not so much.
Unfortunately, we couldn't speak Portuguese. I hope we learn because I would love to hear stories told by Camila's dad and her uncles. I did have young people who translated some for me, but I know I missed a lot. For instance, when I heard the relatives laughing uncontrollably, I would ask this one guy, "What did they say?" His answer was always the same, "It doesn't translate well."
Still, we got to meet a lot of people and they all had wonderful qualities. One of my favorites was Uncle Carlos. You could tell from the instant you met him that he had a wonderful heart and loved all of his family...even the new ones from America. He also was the chief chef at every barbecue. This was a position that he had earned and he took a lot of pride in. He was also a very hard worker at the barbecues...he would wash the grills, fire them up, trim the meat and cook it all to perfection. He was always the last to eat. He had a very lovely wife as well...she always wore a smile on her face. Another fascinating thing about Carlos and Eleana was that we kept running into them...at the market and at a shopping mall. Remember, Sao Paulo is a city of 20 million people so it's a wonderful coincidence when you actually run into someone you know. Carlos was also one of our many drivers who brought us to and from the city.
Camila's cousin Paula was also one of our many drivers and she took us shopping one day -- not to a mall -- but to actual stores, cramped and crowded in the city. We found many bargains there. In fact, the prices were the best in these small stores and the highest at the malls. Paula also has a daughter who speaks English and she holds a special place in my heart because we had a good chat with her mom and grandma because she could translate our words almost effortlessly.
Camila's immediate family were a treasure trove of love. Her brother Rodrigo was very playful. Because we were there during their summer, Rodrigo was out of school and spent many days at our vacation home with us. We enjoyed his playful nature while playing cards and swimming. And since he spoke the language of Brazil, he also helped us out at the store and dealing with our landlord at the vacation home.
Aline, Camila's sister, is beautiful and she has a wonderful, sparkling personality. A room really does light up when Aline enters it. She also was tremendously busy while we were there as she worked until 6 p.m. and also was the chief planner for Derek and Camila's beautiful wedding. She also drove us to and from the city on some of the nights when the highway was less than hospitable. One night, she drove in thick fog and one night the steam from a rain reducing visibility.
I spoke in the previous blog about Camila's parents. I still marvel at them as they had to be extremely brave to send their teenaged-daughter to the United States. They were both very gracious and loving to Derek and his family.
I hope no one feels as though I left them out of my blog, because all we met have a special place in my heart. There was a young man we met whose name is Rafael. He told me at the wedding that I would always be in his heart. He and his relatives will also remain in my heart as well. Even though we are about 5,000 miles apart, I know that Camila's Brazilian family and her American family all believe in the same God, so one way we can stay closer is by praying for each other. Tonight, when I'm on my knees in prayer, I will pray for each of them...and I'm sure they will do the same.
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