Weekly Journals
July, 3rd
For
one week, I have been observing many houses with American flags hang out in the
windows or in front of the doors of the houses, apartments, stores,
institutions and buildings. This is an American way to wait the great holiday –
Independence Day. I appreciate this tradition; the people recognize themselves
like a free nation and really celebrate their liberty conquest. I also have
seen many stores on sale and I do not know if it is because the holiday. I have
to ask to an American about my doubt. In Brazil, the people celebrate the
Independence Day with other way. We don’t see windows and doors of the houses
with little flags or streets adorned like here but in my country the schools
and students prepare themselves to go and to participate of the parade.
July, 4th
In
July 4, I could see and feel the Independence Parade. There were people from
different parts of the world represented in the parade: Africans, Spanish,
Asians, Indians and so on. It means what America is: a mix of several
ethnicities. Many communities were on the streets showing their role in
America, showing what they do for America and how much they are proud of their
country. I could see The Major of Philadelphia: Michael A. Nutter and the Major
of Birmingham, Al: William A. Bell. I could see many bands, singers,
associations, communities. On the sidewalks there were many people celebrating.
I saw families, elderly, adults, teens, and children. Many of they were with
little American flags, others were wearing t-shirts, pants, hats, shoes with
American flag’s symbols. It is fantastic how American loves the life, loves
themselves and their liberty. “Life, Liberty and You” was written in a big
poster. The parade was a mixture of sensations: visual, hearing, feeling and so
on.
In
front of the Liberty Bell building, I saw some people protesting. They
complained about liberty. A man was carrying a poster “The 4th of
July is a got dam lie cause!!! Nobody really has liberty until everyone has
liberty”. I also saw religious manifestation. In addition, I thought about what
is democracy and about the human right to say what they think. All of us have
the right to choose what we want believe and follow, all of us have the right
to say what we are feeling. 
July, 5th
Today
I went to Franklin Mills Mall with my patterns from Brazil. In the road to
arrive at the mall, I knew the American typical houses and apartments. They are
different of Brazilian houses. The structure of the houses are different and I
can recognize the place through the houses` structure. The gardens are
different, too. I didn’t see anyone pet alone in the streets. The Americans
take care of their pets.
About
the Franklin Mills Mall. What big place! There are many big shops there with
low prices. I did many shopping. Here, in Philadelphia, the price of the
clothes, shoes and electronics are lower than Brazil. I paid half of the amount
paid in Brazil. The tax is minor and it is possible to buy more things. However,
I really need take care of my money because I`m going stay without money.
July , 6th
A
beautiful Saturday of summer in Philadelphia! I am studying, reading, writing
and thinking very much about my homework into my room at Sheraton Hotel. It is
been a big challenge experience for me and I am enjoying to be here. This
morning, I talked with a cleaner of the hotel room and she was very gentle. If
I live here in the Philadelphia how I would survive, what job could I work to
survive? Maybe like a Portuguese teacher or a cleaner of houses, hotels. How
much money do I need to get to survive here? It is a question that I don’t know
the answer yet. I know the price of clothes, shoes are cheap but the food price
is not so low, it is expensive to eat well. I will talk about this topic with
some worker here to get some answers.
July, 9th
Yesterday, July 08, 2013 we arrived at
International House. Now we are living among students from all around the
world. There are many flags in front of the building representing the students’
nationalities. I feel well here, I saw Brazil’s flag and this is my home for a
few couple of days. Therefore, I knew my room’s neighbors, the rules of the
apartment, how to use the kitchen, the living room, the bathroom, what I have
to do when I am here. The staff of the International House made us an
orientation about the place, how it works, the rules, how to use the laundry,
what happens if you lose your key card, the programs that are going to happen
in the International House in the next
days. All of them were very gentle and polite and they were clear, “If you lose
your key you have to pay $25 dollars. We don’t want your money so, take care of
it.” July, 11th
After my lunch at Dinning Drexel, my colleague
Sonia asked for two boys if we could do a little survey, a little conversation
and they accepted. We talked with two boys, Joe (14) and Ryan (15), from New
Jersey about their lives, parents, likes, dislikes, leisure, their cities,
goals to their future and so on. They are enjoying their vacation in
Philadelphia until next Tuesday, more exactly, they are practicing a new sport
but I really forgot its name. In our conversation, something have surprised me.
The first one is the boys were eating ice cream when we asked them to do the
survey and they were invited to sit down with us. They sat down and they
stopped eating their ice cream. Joe answered all the Sonia’s questions and both
didn’t eat nothing. So we said them “Please, you can eat because your ice-cream
are melting”. They gently ate their ice cream and after that, I did my survey
with Ryan. I thought it a very polite behavior for teens. I loved this
experience. The other good surprise that made me think about is their goals to
the future, Joe wants to be a business and Ray is not sure yet but he likes Science, and maybe he is going
to be a biologist. They are teens but they are being prepared to be successful
in the future. Finally, I had surprised me with their sympathy and kindness. It
was a great moment!
July, 12th
Today we did our service activity and I knew a
center care. The center care is opened 24 hours and receives kids for some
hours or a day, more than one until a week. There are different kids every day.
It works like this when the parents need to go out, or to look for a job, or
something that impedes them to take care their children they use the service of
the center care. The kids are between 2 and 5 years of age. In Brazil, we don’t
have this kind of service. We have public and private center care and both of
them have to follow the federal educational system law principles. Only parents
that need to work out of their homes can leave their children in the center
care. The parents have to do the registration and the kid goes to the center
from Monday to Friday.
July, 13th
My colleagues and I went to Atlantic City, New
Jersey. We used the SEPTA transportation to arrive at 8th street.
From there we used the PATCO transportation services and after that, we used
the bus transportation. When we entered into PATCO station, we found a machine
where we could choose the destiny place, the amount of tickets, and the price
of the ticket. When you buy a ticket from the machine, it delivers for you the
ticket and the change, too. The subways or trains systems are easy, you meet
information that you need from the walls of the tunnels, from the
employers, and into the train, you get
announcements about the stops and places and there are maps showing the exactly
place. The subways are also very fast. The intrastate buses are very
comfortable and clean. The driver records his/her voice and after plays loudly
with speakers the announcements to the passengers. Another interesting fact is
the prohibition to drink, to eat, to smoke or to injury someone or the bus
driver into the bus.
My first impression about Atlantic City was a
beautiful city of East Coast with many tourists in a Saturday of summer. The
beach’s sand was darker and the seawater was colder than the beaches from East
Coast of Santa Catarina, South of the Brazil. I visited “Taj Mahral building”
and the casinos. I enjoyed but the sun burned my face and my shoulders! No
problem the trip was amazing!
July, 16th
I arrived in Philadelphia on June 22nd
and since this, I have being noticing
some features of American people ways. I saw they are always walking very fast
and determined, they look ahead and are focused in what they have to do.
Usually they are walking and eating something or drinking something at the same
time. There are near the sidewalk many food trucks (lunch truck, ice cream
truck, breakfast truck) selling snacks, sandwiches, juices, water, fruits,
cookies. People make lines, order their food, pay and go on walking and eating
or drinking. I know that it is not the general way but many Americans do this.
Other very interesting thing is the use of polite words like sorry, excuse me,
and thank you. I have being listening these words constantly. Yesterday I was
walking and behind me, I listened a voice “Excuse me”. It was a guy that was
passing close me.
July, 17th
I met a cleaner from a town called Servia,
Greece. She works at International House. She learned to speak English here;
she took a course for 2 months in an employment agency. Her family has being
living here since last year. Her husband doesn’t work, he can reading and
writing in English but can’t understand American speaking so he can’t work.
They are here like immigrates, and their strongest reason to be here is because
children need to study and they will get college in Philadelphia. Her children
learned English and they know communicating, reading and writing, too. She
complained about Health System, according her it’s hard for her and her family
to live here because she knows just a bit of English language and the insurance
is expensive, bureaucratic, and the health is not good, but her children need
to study here, in Servia there is no study after high school.
This conversation shows me that there are many
immigrates living here from all around of the world. They are here with an
objective. I know many Brazilian examples. They came to America to study, to
work and get money and sometimes they got married here and don’t come back more
to Brazil.
July, 19th
Today we visited Philadelphia Museum of Art. We
went walking on the streets and it was possible to appreciate the beauty of
city. The sight of the city over the bright is fantastic! All around the Museum
building there are beautiful trees, grass, stones, and other plants. The place
is harmonic. There are some statues all around the Museum, too. A guy offered
himself to take pictures of us with Rocky Balboa statue and after I had to tip
him. When I arrived in front of the
stairs the first thing to do was imitated Rocky Balboa running up the entrance
of the Museum. Many people and my colleagues were doing the same. Visitors and
tourists like to do it. It is a traditional action! It was very hot but there
was wind and the wind spread us the water of the fountain. The whole building
is a big and marvelous monument outside and inside. Into the museum, I could
see art, history, and science. We received a tablet with three activities to
develop while we were visiting some specifics spaces Diana, Arm and Armor, and
Gallery of Art. It is a project of a researcher about science in places we
think there is no science and it is just one of the attractiveness of the
Museum. We did the three activities and looked other spaces. At 5 o’clock every
galleries are closed. Then we waited for the jazz presentation. The space was
crowed, many families were there with their children. They were sat down in
chairs around tables, or in the stairs, drinking, eating, and enjoying the
show. It was amazing! I read about that Museum organize programs for kids with
different themes every week. Each week a new theme, so they come back
repeatedly to enjoy and learn about art, about culture. It is a great option to
entertainment and learning. Since little, the children have the opportunity to
grow up inserted in Art.
July, 20th
The objective here is to describe a night into
a club in Philadelphia. So, I went to a pub and I think I really needed to hang
out and relax because after that I was very nice again. My friends and I
arrived about 10:45 p.m., people were eating around some tables, and others
were drinking front the bar and some waiters were working. Inside the pub is well
appropriate to a night, darker and with a climate to welcome everyone. About
11:00 o’clock, the waiters collected tables and chairs and organize the space
to start the music and dance. Some couples started to dance, others alone or
with their friends. During the night I noticed respect between men and women,
they only talk, drink and dance. About 1:45 a.m. was announced in fifteen minutes
the bar would be closed. Then, people come back home. We went and came back by
bus.
July, 24th
This week is being very busy. I am a little bit
worried about some projects and sometimes I do not know if I am in the right
way, if I am doing it correctly. My head is hurting and I am anxious. I hope
this ache passes fast because I have to work hard in my action research and I
need to do many readings about the theme of my research question. In addition,
I would like to do some of my own projects like interview American people in
the streets about their daily routine, about education system, about healthy
system, sports, religion, employment, leisure. Some interviews about
politicians I already have done. I interviewed three Americans and they gave me
very similarly answers. All of them like the Major Michael Nutter and the
President Barack Obama. A particularly thing called my attention, the city
councils are chosen in the election process by region and American are not
obligated to vote. In Brazil, every Brazilian up 18 years is obligated to vote
for choosing their representatives and there is not a regional city council
he/she can vote for any candidate that is running in the election.
July, 26th
Quakers. Today we went to Arch Street Meeting
House and we knew a bit more about Quakers philosophy of life. I impressed me
with the building, big and clear windows all around the walls. It was projected
to receive the sun light and then they do not need so much electricity. The
building has big and large rooms, we do not see wall dividing the space. In a hallway,
I could see the six framed Quakers’ beliefs: Simplicity, Peace, Integrity,
Community, Equality and Stewardship. We visited the first floor and the system
to collect the rainwater. What is big and effective system! In many big cities,
there are problems with the rainwater flow. This kind of system is very good to
prevent the cities floods and reuses the water in a sustainable way. If all of
human being were so careful with the environment, the Earth would be better. There
would not be so much pollution and trashes. The last room visited was the local
of meeting house. The responsible for the meetinghouse explained us about the
way that Quakers behave in that local. There is no priest, no minister, no
front, no bible, and no music. They go there, stay in silence. Sometimes
someone stands up, tells about his inspiration, and shares his thought with
others. Sometimes they stay in completely silence for 40 minutes or an hour and
go out. It was very interesting!
July, 27th
The bus delayed 1 hour and 30 minutes. We took
the bus at 6:30 a.m. and arrived in Washington around 10. I was frozen because
the air conditioner but I walked and I warmed up very fast. Washington D.C. is
very beautiful! I had a sensational experience in the capital of United States.
The Union Station is very big and
very close to the mainly points of the capital. There is a splendid park with
beautiful and flowered trees, several kind of flowers surrounding the most
important places. All the streets are
very large, plane and the buildings have the same height. I saw Washington Monument and I visited Peace Monument, Ulysses Grant Memorial, Garfield Memorial, the U. S. Capitol, U.S. Supreme
Court, Russell Senate and Dirksen Senate, the Botanic Gardens, and finally I knew The White House. It is beautiful and the name of the house is
perfect, a house very white with beautiful garden. My dream was almost realized
I couldn’t see nobody in the White House. How many tourists surrounding the white
House I impressed me with so many Brazilians in the same place! The most important desire was realized to know
the U.S. Capitol, The White House. After that, I went on walking. I never had
visited so many interesting museums in a short period. In just one single day,
I entered in three big museums: Air and
Space Museum, all about planes, rocketry, planes, spacecraft, polo and man
in the moon. I couldn’t see everything! It was very much information. I’d need
an entire day! American History Museum,
I just looked the carriages and some plates. Natural History Museum I really appreciated this museum. I’d like
to have my two children with me to see the dinosaurs’ skeletons, and the pre
historical sea animals, the mammals, the butterflies, the elephants evolution.
There was not more time to enter into the other two museums, so I just passed
in front of the American Indian Museum and
Hirsh horn Museum. There were other interesting places to be
visited but my body was very tired and I couldn’t support myself. So I came
back to the Union Station to take the bus to my lovely home at International
House in Philadelphia!
July, 28th
Last week in America! When I was in Brazil I imagined how
would be here! I was afraid to miss my family, to be far from them would seem
be unbearable but I knew I couldn’t lose this marvelous experience. So I
challenged me to face the distance and time. In the first week, I had big
problems to understand what I was listening, the spice food, and the long and
fast walks because I was already tired since Brazil departure. I stayed blocked
and afraid to speak. Some people told me it was very normal, relax and enjoy,
soon you’re going feel well. That’s a big truth! These weeks here enhanced my
professional development and my vision of America, of American culture,
authentic communication. I did things here using the English language. I knew
students from several parts of the world and we changed cultural information
about our countries. I did many purchases. I visited amazing places in
Philadelphia. I went to three different cities New York, Atlantic City,
Washington D.C., I visited many museums, parks, memorials, malls. I appreciated
very much to be here and I am coming back to Brazil much better than when I
arrived here, I am happy and thankful to all the Staff from English Language Center,
Drexel University, Brazilian government
to pay for our program and American Government to host us, Sheraton Hotel and
International House, Fulbright and Capes. The program BETUSA/PDPI will be in my
life forever. All we live help us to improve ourselves, our minds our thoughts
and attitudes. Thank you so much Ben! I appreciate your classes very much! You are awesome!
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