Language

I tried to learn the language before coming to this country. I bought a little phrasebook and studied each letter. They were so strange and I wasn't sure if I was saying it right. So I turned to youtube, where I watched clips of people trying to teach me Portuguese. Then I realized my mouth didn't know how to make these noises. Intimidated and frustrated, I gave up, hoping that the immersion of being in the country would make something click and I would get Portuguese.

I realized how flawed that plan was as soon as Ben and I made our first airport transfer from Sao Paulo to Rio. The stewardess looked at my ticket and said "hee-o?" I starred at her, trying to process what that could possibly mean. I finally decided to pointing at my ticket while saying Rio, trying my best to roll the RRRRRRio. She nodded and pointed me on to the plane. I later found out that here in Brazil, Rs at the front of the word make a Heee sound. She was simply saying "Rio." I didn't even know how to pronounce the name of my own city.

My learning through immersion (i.e. desperation) hasn't been a total flop. Sabrina has been an excellent coach and teacher. She first taught me the basics: "Hola, mao nome e Sarah. Eu nao fallo Portuguese. Uma cerveja, por favor." Recently I've been moving creating more complex sentence, including " Eu quiero uma cerveja, por favor.” We’re still practicing pronunciation. Apparently Ben and I are too nasally, which is typical for Americans. Sabrina says we have to sing each vowel and use our lungs and stomachs to create the sounds. We fill the room with whale noises each time we practice. She swears we’re getting better.

In the city, everyone's reaction to my lack of language is different. Some act as if I hadn't said anything and continue rattling on in words I don't understand. A few act annoyed. One lady laughed at me with her friend. But my favorites are the people who smile and make animated hand motions with me. It's like a game of charades in line at the grocery store. In the end I feel like we're friends.

I was surprised by how many people don't speak English. In Europe, everyone seemed to know a bit of the language. Not here, at least not in Itaipu where I live. I've met just two people on this side of the bay who speak English (besides Sabrina and a few of her friends). In fact, hearing English here, in their neighborhood, is very foreign to the locals. Children and adults alike have no shame turning all the way around to stare at these strangers in their land each time we open our mouth. The other day at the beach a little boy walked right up to our table and just gawked at us as we spoke. Sabrina said there are never gringos (foreigners) here, and no one can believe what they're hearing.

Our adventures in language continue when people haven't heard us speak and assume we know Portuguese. They pat us on the shoulder and begin to talk, maybe asking for directions or if that seats taken. They say welcoming things through a smile when we're checking out at the store. Other people try to make jokes with us, which we emphatically nod and smile to before telling them we don't know what they're saying. Then we all share another laugh.

Sometimes I do get frustrated, not only because it’s difficult to get around, but because I know we're missing out on an entire part of the culture with this communication road block. It's like only being able to see yellow in a colorful painting, or tasting only the flour in a cookie. We're missing a big chunk of the flavor of this country.

Yet in a way I like it that no one understands me. It makes everything more exciting. As Erica (who's been in similar situations) pointed out, even ordering a cup of coffee is a huge achievement that you can be proud of all day. Ben and I are also enjoying the secrecy that comes with it. We've found ourselves cursing a lot more in public and proclaiming ideas and opinions that would usually be whispered in private. It's our own secret language. We're still trying our best to learn Portuguese, so that when we get back to the States we'll have our own language once again.