Monday, April 30, 2007

Out-of-towners

Yesterday I slept almost all day - why? - because I just spent one week showing a Norwegian woman and her partner around Rio, Buzios and Nova Friburgo. It was great fun and I have a high energy level, but they ate and drank me into the ground. (which with the drinking is not hard to do) I complain often that Camillo and I never go out at night and that we never go dancing. They wanted to do both and I had to say I was sorry but I was capoot. We needed Riorose and the Comandante to take over for us on the night life but, of course, she's not here when I needed her for generating energy and ideas.
The problem was not my ability to enjoy the tourist sights again nor that I am getting old, no, no, but that I was the one responsible for asking the taxi drivers, the waiters, the shop keepers for everything in Portuguese. I wasn't physically tired as much as just mentally emptied by the need to drag out of my brain all the phrases the I know. Now that I have had a day of rest, I am also very proud that I was able to speak so much Portuguese and to be understood. There may be hope for me yet. GingerV

1 comment:

Riorose said...

yeah ginger. just like they tell us, practice and necessity is what we need to conquer this tough language. I wonder if the readers have figured out that there are 2 writers here. someone asked if I was from Texas. I gues a woman with 2 heads could do all this.