catching up Day 6

Internet here has been very erratic and we have been sort of scheduled up. We have been having a meal a day with the Missionary and school people here. This has been fun and helpful to us as we are learning how to get around a bit. There have been many high lights and a few lows as well.
My lows:
1. Mopping the floor 3 times in one day. Once to get it clean(er), once when things dripped all over because the machine failed to spin, and once when the door opened and a couple of gallons oops, liters, of water ran out. Still haven't figured out the machine.

2. We have a demand hot water system fueled by propane tanks... The tank ran out when Nancy was in the shower. This was a low for her too apparently.

3. The GPS is great but it seems indiscriminate. Somethings are not really roads.

Highs
1. Nancy is my hero... found the Post Office, meds for Nina's allergy, so many other things.
2. Driving safely (and fast)
3. successfully lighting the gas stove (X2), changing the gas tank, cooking a meal.
love
Mike

Nancy begins:

Kati has discovered her favorite food so far is cabbage soup...who would have guessed!

So far my Portugese consists of "obrigada" thank you, "bon dia" good day, "saldo" sale. I tried finding the post office yesterday by saying "corrios" but I got such a confused look from the fellow I was asking that I resorted to pointing to a letter and saying "post office" with what I thought might be a Portugese sounding accent. He suddenly smiled and directed me to the post office. A trip to the "farmicia" brought about similar confusion as I tried to ask for allergy medicine for Nina whose allergies have kicked up. First the young lady directed me to a mask. I said no and acted out a sneeze. I guess all those games of gestures is paying off.

Two days ago one of the missionaries took us to the beach. Mike and Kati were the only ones who got in the cold water...they even used the boogie board. While I laid under an umbrella our friend, the girls and anothe young single teacher who is here short term like us climbed some steep cliffs at one end of the beach. Mike started the climb but returned to the shade under the guise of not wanting to leave me alone.

Nina has become our official GPS person. She has done a great job of directing Mike as he drives since all of his focus has to be on the twists and turns of the road...she is learning much about the metric system and even the shortened term for kilometers which is "clicks". One place we have been told about and looked for but have not yet located is the Chinese store...known in the US as the dollar store. We need a few small items for our home and think that would be a good place to buy them. Mike is amazing driving these roads...although I think that at times he is pretending to be a race car driver.

Yesterday Nina and I spent time getting my classroom ready. I went through all the materials to see what I have and don't have...she made numbers for my calendar time bulletin board and printed some other things for me. She is an amazing helper. I'm thinking maybe of letting her skip this year of school so I can keep her in my classroom as a helper...(just kidding).

We have two more meals scheduled with the missionaries and then we are on our own. They have been wonderful and seem like just warm, friendly people. We know our way to the grocery store now and Mike knows how to light the gas stove so at least we will be able to eat.

I have to say it eases my mind to know that Joyce and Cal Volker live right next door to us. They are the ones who run the school. I asked Joyce yesterday what happens if one gets sick and she said, "You are a Christian, aren't you?" Meaning of course "pray". Then she said don't worry there are doctors here and of course we are right next door and you can call on us anytime day or night. But seriously please do pray for good health for all of us.

Today we are off to the Jumbo mall...the biggest one in Europe. Mike and I were taken there to do some banking and get time added to our cell phones but the girls haven't been there yet.
Tomorrow we have our first chance to go to church...it will be in Portugese...should be interesting.

Love to all.
N

PS Mike is still working on getting pictures onto our blog.