Letter to Marian and Frank, February 5, 1969

My Aunt Marian kept many of the letters my mother, Donna Biel, wrote to her.  She returned them in 2010.  Most are recorded here.  They were not entered in chronological order, so the best way to view them is by year, found in the index on the sidebar.


Dear Marian and Frank,

We have read in the TIME magazine that the peak of the Hong Kong flu was in January.  We hope that those of you who had it have recovered.  There have been a few cases here but since it is summer, it has been no more than a cold.  So the newspaper says.

We had a nice rest at Bible Camp for our missionaries.  Bible students who are on vacation and work there during the summer take care of the children in the morning while we had Bible studies or listened to lectures.  In the afternoon there was swimming.  There were volley and basketball courts.  Cliff and men played against youth at a youth Bible Camp 15 miles from our camp.  The food was excellent but we had to wait up to 45 minutes to be served after we sat down and it was late by then- 1:30 for lunch and 7:30 for supper.  A couple of times Helen fell asleep before the food came.  There wasn't room for all of the families on the main grounds so four families had to be 1 and a half mile away.  We were the only ones with very small children and it was inconvenient as we only returned there just before supper.  One day, Rachel was sick with a fever and the next day she had diarrhea.  The camp is located in the mountains by Sao Paulo and was cool in the evening and excellent for sleeping.

On our way home we had car trouble and spent a total of 7 hours at a gas station in the country while Cliff went to a city to get different radiator.  It had a clean bathroom and eating place.  We got home at two in the morning.  We had a 20 year old youth with us that was going from the Missouri Lutheran school in Sao Paulo to near our city.  We met this youth when we went to visit missionaries of the Missouri church that are studying Portuguese in Sao Paulo.  One family is from Brownton, Minnesota and have met my sister, Olive, who lives there.  They spent part of one day with us at Bible Camp.

The church in New York where Cliff interned wrote and asked him to find a work of art to be presented at the end of April for churches in the Eastern States that have been promoting missions and that have mission interest.  It was hard to find something but Cliff got a primitive art of Jesus and disciples around a triangular table with flowers in the middle.  Above them is a curtain with gaudy ribbons to pull the curtain back.  The colors are vivid and the painting is simple but we found several things that are meaningful such as a table shape that could signify the Trinity, flowers for the ressurection, and the curtain could represent the sin which separates us from God and the red curtain could signify Jesus's blood which took away our sin, etc.  They wanted to spend $50-$80, but it cost $130.  Now we are going to wrap it for air mail and hope we can send it or else find an American going there soon.

While at Bible camp, we had a birthday party for 4 children that had birthdays that week.  I went to the nearest city and bought things to go with the cake that was made at the camp.  One girl was 2, another 5, Charles 5 and Rachel 7 and besides them, two adults and one teenager had birthdays. 

Since we got back two weeks ago, we have had someone for dinner almost every day.  The first few days other missionaries came through on their way to their homes, then a Brazilian boy from our former parish came here for three days and traveled two days with Cliff when he had services, and other Brazilians, mostly youth, have come on the other days.  We had Vacation Bible School here last week with about 26 children.  Next week it is in our country church.  This week Cliff is gone to another state for meetings on Evangelism.  He is near a beach and we could have gone along but I didn't think it would be much fun if the children couldn't be with cliff, as he has meetings all day and in the evening.  In two weeks he will be gone for 5 days for Bible camp in Londrina which is the time that many Brazilians celebrate Carnival before Lent starts.

The last two weeks we have been going to a dentist who is our neighbor.  Cliff had most work done- one tooth had an abscess and had been hurting but most dentists were on vacation.  Rachel and Charles had their teeth coated with fluoride.  I had some work done and Charles had two large and two small cavities.  In the States, Charles was given medicine to make him sleepy so here he almost didn't let the dentist work but with medicine on the gums he didn't feel the shots but it was hard to convince him of this.

Rachel starts Brazilian school in two weeks and we will continue with Calvert for English.  For her school she needs a white duster to wear over her clothes so that all the children will be dressed alike- some schools use uniforms. In August, we were told the American School plans to have second grade so we can send her then.  During vacation we have gotten some library books from the American School.

It is still very hot- 90 to 95 every day, but I have started to think of winter clothes as May last year was our coldest month.  I have taken apart some of my skirts that haven't been used for years and am having them made for slacks for the girls.  The many dresses we brought along for the girls are out of style for they don't use dresses with full skirts that tie in the back and for this hot weather, straight dresses are cooler but with material from full skirts, dresses can be made.

I read in the newspaper from my hometown that a girl who I at times babysat for when I was in high school, was elected as one of the representatives of the Lutheran Church of America for a meeting to be held in Brazil in 1970 of the Lutheran World Federation.  We hope that she will be able to visit us in our home.

We have given three male puppies away but have Luci, a white female and the mother.  Last week, a friend of Rachel's gave us a kitten but it doesn't like the dogs and has had to be rescued from a tree, the roof, and inside the attic of a bedroom.

We got pictures of Ricky and Shannon.  When do we get one of Eric and Lisa?  We have to try to get some pictures taken soon.

Love,


Donna and Joey

Letter to Marian and Frank, May 9, 1968

 

Donna Biel at a farm in Brazil.

My Aunt Marian kept many of the letters my mother, Donna Biel, wrote to her.  She returned them in 2010.  Most are recorded here.  They were not entered chronologically.  The best way to sort through them is to use the index on the sidebar and view them by year.
Dear Marian, Frank and Lisa,

We have had a taste of some cold weather.  It rained last Sunday and then turned cold.  Wednesday it was 41 at 7 a.m. and 49 in the house.  Fortunately, by Saturday it was nice again.  We got our barrels a week ago and have made use of our electric blanket.  The children have flannel sheets and Charles and Helen have sleepers.

Our barrels, gas dryer, sewing machine, etc. arrived in good condition.  Rachel and Charles were thrilled to get their toys as they have been packed since the end of January.  Boys in the neighborhood think the wagon is wonderful.  I spent one day separating things and putting each person's clothes in a separate barrel.  I have been doing some mending on the sewing machine.

Starting last Thursday, a girl from our church that is working in a doctor's office started living with us.  We had an empty bedroom and she has her own bedroom furniture.  She plans to stay here four months and then she will be married.  She does the supper dishes and pays about $9 dollars a month for food.  If we decide to go to a movie or visiting she will babysit.

Now I have a good helper who comes every day and stays until 5:30 and on Sundays until 3:00.  We pay her twenty dollars a month but she eats well and only weighs about 90 lbs.  She is 20 years old and had worked for five years in Sao Paulo.  I will need a good helper as it looks like the American school here will not have first grade so I will teach by Calvert.

The children and I went with Cliff to work in the rural areas.  One Saturday he had two services.  One was a wedding.  The kids were somewhat disgusted with the horrible roads.  On that trip, I got about 25 bites on each leg from a mosquito that lives near a river.  My legs swelled up and itching was terrible but this was taken care of by antihistamine medicine.

 Unpaved roads in Brazil in the 1960's

 

Friday we were gone all day to different farm homes.  Charles fell off a wall and on to cement where coffee beans were drying.  He scraped his nose and forehead and has big scabs but we were glad he wasn't hurt worse.

 Clifford Biel at a Brazilian farm in the 1960's

The farm homes that we were at were nice.  These families live about 12 miles from here, half of the way on country roads, but they come here to church.  Sunday we went to other rural areas where he usually has service twice a month.  The roads are better than at the other rural areas but when it rains hard he doesn't go as it is too hard on the jeep and several don't have cars.  It was interesting to see where Cliff goes but three little children who aren't quiet in church has made me decide not to go again except for Bible study once a month in the largest area.  In the rural areas the women preferred to speak German amongst themselves.  Sunday Cliff will be officially installed by a pastor from Curitiba representing the German church of Brazil.  A choir of 25 is singing for the occasion.  I hope they will continue to sing every Sunday.  In the afternoon, the women are having a tea for Mother's Day.  Cliff has started a Wednesday service with Bible Study and a film but so far the attendance has been poor.

Rural Congregations in 1960's Brazil: 

We bought linoleum for the kitchen.  It is pretty.  The other day parts of it had paint eaten away when we gave our sink a lye treatment.  I was cleaning with rubber gloves and the pail was accidentally spilled.  Now we will move the rug so the spots won't be so noticeable.  We were surprised to see that a wall of the living room was removable in three parts.  Now we have a dining room.

Thanks for your card, Frank.  We were shocked to hear of Martin Luther King's death and yet I suppose it could have been expected even earlier.  We don't get the Time Magazine now but Andy Olsen's sent us a Newsweek on King's death.  We are waiting to see who will win the nominations for Presidential candidates.  Frankly, I can't see Bobby Kennedy as President but he seems to be popular.

Tomorrow our city celebrates its 21st birthday.  There is a parade and it's a holiday for this community.  The governor comes to dedicate some new buildings.  The Japanese ambassador will be here and a Brazilian marine band that took second place in the U.S. at a band exhibition.

Helen kissing the Brazilian flag at the parade.

Are your plans any more definite about moving?  How are you feeling, Marian?  Harvey wrote that Lisa has to have supports in her shoes due to poor arches.  I'm not surprised for her feet turned outwards.  Will she outgrow this or always need arch supports?

Helen is quite a talker now- says short sentences.  "Shut the door, it is mine."  She says Jesus, jelly, butter, etc.  She misses Rachel and Charles when they are at school 8am-11am, then she sleeps in the afternoon, so she doesn't play with them much until epm.

I went to the delivery room with the American teacher at the American School.  I helped her translate as her Portuguese is more limited than mine.  It was her first baby- total labor and delivery time was less than four hours.

Hope we get a nice long letter from you soon.

Love,

Donna and Joey

Letter from Donna, February 25, 1972

 Helen leaning against the church.

My Aunt Marian kept many of the letters my mother, Donna Biel, wrote to her.  She recently returned them.  The most interesting parts are recorded here.  This one was written on the back of a letter my father wrote.

The pillows are very cute.  Helen thought it funny that her pillow has a little pillow.  They will look nice on their beds.  They didn't have anything on their beds for decorative purposes.  I take it from the two different sizes of panties that you didn't know what would fit.  The smallest one fits.  I lost the 10 lbs. I had gained on furlough.  I should try to lose more but haven't tried.

...  If we go on our two month furlough next year we are thinking of doing what Gaylord Grant did.  With money that it would cost to fly Miami-Mpls, they bought a used car, went through Kennedy Space Center and did other sight seeing.  If we do this we could visit sponsoring churches in N.C. and Ohio plus visit you on our way to Minnesota.  I think we should plan on staying three weeks so we don't lose much time traveling back and forth.  We have asked for Mid-June to Mid-august.  That way the children won't miss much, if any school.

Helen had dilation of the urethra the 1st of February.  She stayed one day in the hospital with a catheter in.  I'm happy to be able to write that since then she hasn't had anymore wetting in the day time but still wears diapers at night.  Helen was sick a week ago with an infection of the larynx.  She had a high fever but with medication she was soon well again.  Next week she goes back to the Brazilian kindergarten after a 2 month vacation. 

I have received the Calvert Correspondence course for Helen for 1st Grade.  One of our missionary families was going to use it but they are resigning due to health problems.  This course is the same one I used for 1st grade for Rachel.  I have showed Helen many of the letters and how they are printed but she doesn't know the names of the letters.  Rachel and Charles will continue at the small American School in August.  Charles will continue to be the only one in his grade.

Their newest pet is Duchess, a lovely half grown kitten that is white except for black tail, ears, and one spot on her back.  Charles is already planning on kittens and hopes the father will be our male cat, Blackie.

 Dutchess and her kittens.

The past two weeks we have had almost continuous rain- either fine drizzle or cloud burst.  The ceilings have started to get moldy plus shoes we don't use often.  We had a cool summer with a lot of rain in December.  Some say it hasn't rained this much in 20 years.

The next page is a note from Rachel

Dear Auntie Marian,

How are you?  I am fine.

Thank you for the present and candy.  I got a bike for Christmas.  I also got a bracelet.  How was your Christmas?  Ours was nice except for the afternoon.  I was trying to ride my bike and BANG (big shaky block letters) into the tree I went.  I couldn't walk well for three weeks.  On vacation we had Vacation Bible School and I cut my hair.  Helen has her hair cut short also.

Well, I guess that's all so good-bye and thank you again.

Love,  Rachel

P.S.  The candy is very good.

Letter to Marian, February 22, 1973

Passport photo, Early 1970's

Aunt Marian

My Aunt Marian kept many of the letters my mother, Donna Biel, wrote to her.  She recently returned them.  The most interesting parts are recorded here.

Dear Marian, Frank, Lisa and Eric,

Yesterday your package arrived.  It is quite nice getting presents after Christmas for everyone seems to enjoy or appreciate them more.  Rachel and Helen were thrilled with their music boxes.  At supper time we had enjoyable music.  Rachel can hardly wait to start her cat paintings.  Charles was busy shooting his gun and getting his games ready to play with Joey and I experimented the candy.  The calendar is hanging in the kitchen- it is lovely and the sachet has already made my clothes smell better.  The tie will go very well with a new suit Joey had made a year ago.  We had a Crazy Eight card game that got lost so the game was familiar.  I showed Helen and two of her friends how to play it.  The other one will have to wait a bit until Helen learns to read better.

I suppose by now you have another son or daughter.  We are anxiously awaiting the news.  You sent your letter to Loanda and it was forwarded to Maringa.  Our box number (caixa postal) is changing this year to number 1281.  We will still use 964 this year plus 1281 for it will take a while to notify everyone of the change.  The church did not have its own box number so decided when some new ones became available to buy one.

The children are back to studying.  Helen goes to first grade Brazilian school in the afternoon.  They have to wear uniforms- white blouse, navy blue skirt, white socks and black collegial shoes.  I wish she didn't have a uniform as she has plenty of clothes that she could wear.  

It is a grind to get her English assignment done in the morning- it takes about 2.5 hours. 

Rachel likes to wear bermuda shorts to school but she wore most of hers out during vacation.  I made four of them for her before school started.

Charles had a low fever for four days which developed into a bad cough.  I took him to a doctor and he is much better. 

Because of Helen's wetting problem we have decided we will fly right away to Rochester to see what treatment she needs.  I wrote the Mission Board to see if she can have an appointment for June 25th.  I told Joey that I can't possibly enjoy a trip until we get her problem taken care of.  We plan to leave here June 19th and may spend a couple of days in New York.

The week after Lent starts we will have a week of Evangelization.  It is more to wake up or alert our members for it says that our church doesn't have anyone converted to our church as many others do.  Joey was gone one week to two preaching points three hours from here.  He used the summer vacation time to give one week of Confirmation class and in the evening he held services. 

 Confirmation class in a rural preaching point in Brazil.

He got back in time to give three services on Sunday at different preaching points then took a bus Sunday evening to Joinville.  He had meetings for two days, then spent Wednesday traveling back here with the Regional pastor getting here in time to have a meeting with two men that came from a church in our district that is about an 8 hour trip from here.  Thursday Joey and the Regional pastor visited two neighboring cities to discuss problems with pastors there.  Now in a week he will be going to a Bible Camp for 5 days.

Joey has already read Zane Grey and Agatha Christie. I like Aggie, too.  At the larger centers they have books in English for sale.  I finished reading "Kim" by Kipling.  Many read this in college but I hadn't.  The Indian society is quite complicated and that boy certainly had adventures.

...  I'm glad the Viet Nam war finally came to an end.  Every time I took the children to their dentist he gave me a lecture on the war and wanted to know what is wrong with some of my people.  I told him most of the people wanted the war ended.  He said a magazine interview with a US colonel said that the war was necessary to test some of the weapons.  I told him that many career service men may be cold hearted and look at war as something necessary.  The time Magazine told how one little girl told in Baptist 5.5 that her father was a prisoner so when the mother went to a parent's meeting someone asked her why her husband was in jail.

I'm going to see if I can get the others to write now.

Love, 

Donna

Before I mailed this we received the candy and present you sent.  We had to pay only 50 cents.  I'm going to have Rachel and Charles write you letters.  I think my gift is from Hungary and it is beautifully embroidered.  Joey has been helping Charles with the Whiz-z-er whirler to see if it will perform everything that it is supposed to.  Those balloons should last a long time.  The panties we will save to use when in the States as they will need new ones about then.

Saturday two Missouri missionaries stayed overnight.  Each has two children, one which is a baby.  We had a barbacue dinner.  One of the families stayed with us in July.  They live quite far away and were on their way to see the water falls of Iguazu, about a six hour drive from here.  They happened to get a hot time- about 100 in the shade every day this last week.

Guess I had better get this in the mail.  Thanks for all that you sent.

Love, 

Donna and Joey

Donna Biel

Green Acre School: How Missionary Kids Learned English in Brazil

We were bi-lingual kids, speaking English at home and Portuguese everywhere else.  Most of our parent's missionary peers sent their children to study at the American School in Campinas (EAC), but my parents felt that we should be at home.  We had some home schooling from my Mom but then were fortunate to have an enclave of American families that were connected to the Bible Institute of Maringá (IBM).  Several families came together to form the Green Acre School.  Brazilian schools normally have a four hour day so that students can pick to go in the morning, afternoon or evening.  We went to a Brazilian school in the morning and to Green Acre in the afternoon.

Éramos crianças bi-lingues, falando inglês em casa e português em todos os outros lugares.  A maioria dos outros missionários da nossa igreja mandaram os seus filhos para a Escola Americana de Campinas (EAC), mas os meus pais decidiram que nós deveríamos ficar em casa.  A minha mãe nos ensinou parte dos nossos estudos em inglês, mas tivemos a boa fortuna de ter o Instituto Bíblico de Maringá na nossa cidade com várias famílias Norte Americanas conectadas com o Instituto.  Estas famílias se juntaram para formar a escolinha Green Acre.  Normalmente, as escolas Brasileiras são de 4 horas, manhã, tarde ou noite.  Nós fômos a uma escola Brasileira durante a manhã e a Green Acre no IBM nas tardes.

 Helen (Biel) Faber

Rachel Biel

Two families from IBM made their mark on my life during this time, the Mattesons and the Carpenters.  Both sets of parents were like uncles and aunts to us.  Jenny Matteson and I read and dreamed and talked and laughed and were like sisters.  My brother, Charles, and Danny Matteson came up with crazy schemes that proved angels exist: they survived.  Helen and Tim Matteson were the same age and I know that she liked him a lot when they were kids.  Uncle Don Matteson was a youth leader and built a Bible camp, Acampamento Água Viva (Living Waters Camp), a place where I helped set the bricks, dug trenches and participated in once it went live.  Aunt Verda Matteson made everything seem like home.  She radiated joy, baked endless cookies and just made everything feel safe. Jenny and Danny were always at our house and Charles and I were always at theirs.  Or, so it felt.

Duas famílias do IBM marcaram a minha vida durante esta época, os Mattesons e os Carpenters.  Os pais das duas famílias eram como os nossos tios e tias.  Jenny Matteson e eu leíamos, sonhávamos, conversávamos, reíamos e eramos como irmãs.  O meu irmão, Charles, e o Danny Matteson estavam sempre entrando em esquemas loucos, provando que os anjos existem:  eles sobreviveram.  A Helena e o Timmy Matteson tinham a mesma idade e eu sei que ela gostava muito dele quando eles eram crianças.  O Tio Donaldo era um líder de jovens e construíu o Acampamento Água Viva, um lugar aonde eu ajudei a criar, carregando tijólos, escavando e depois participando quando foi constuido.  A Tia Verda sempre nos acolhia.  Ela brilhava com alegria, fazia bolachas que nunca acabavam e tudo parecia ser bem protegido.  A Jenny e o Daniel sempre estavam na nossa casa e nós sempre estávamos na casa deles.  Ou, assim parecia.

Jenny Matteson

 

Danny Matteson

Tim Matteson

The Carpenters were a little different.   Aaron and Andrew were a year older than me and Mark and John were very, very old, so I never got to know them very well.  We didn't hang out at their house, but I loved their parents very much.  Aaron and Andrew excelled at everything they tried: sports, academics, girls...  they were popular, elegant, and as identical twins, got all the attention a kid, or pair of kids, could ever want.  There was something gentle about all of the Carpenters.  I can't vouch for Mark because I really don't remember him very well, but I do remember John as being gentle and sweet.  Aaron and Andrew always seemed to be in a good mood and have a helpful hand.  A couple of scenes:

• We were rollerskating.  Andrew fell and when he got up, he was as pale as sheet.  "Look at what I can do!"  he cried out.  He had broken his arm and was holding it with his other one, lifting it and lowering it at the broken part.
• Aaron showed me a lady bug and put it in his hair.  He had a big afro then.  We waited and waited for the bug to come out and looked for it and couldn't find it.  Finally he said, "Oh, it will find its way out one of these days..."  and he went on reading.

 ____

A história com os Carpenters foi um pouco diferente.  O Arão e André eram um ano mais velhos que eu e o Mark e John eram super velhos, então nunca os conhecí muito bem.  Não brincávamos na casa deles, mas eu semprei tive muita afeição pelos pais deles. O Arão e André sempre tinham muito sucesso em tudo que tentavam fazer:  esportes, estudos, namoradas...  tinham popularidade, eram elegantes, e como gêmeos identicos, ganhavam toda a atenção que um par de crianças poderia querer.  Existia uma qualidade suave sobre todos os Carpenters.  Não posso defender o Mark porque não lembro dele muito bem mas o John parecia ser um doce.  O Arão e André sempre estavam de bom humor e prestes a ajudar qualquer pessoa que necessitava uma mão.  Duas cenas:

•  Estavamos patinando e o André caiu e quebrou o braço.  "Olha o que eu posso fazer!" ele chamou, levantando e abaixando a parte quebrada.  Estava pálido como um fantasma.
• O Arão colocou um bichinho no cabelo que desapareceu.  Naqueles tempos ele tinha um afro enorme.  Buscamos mas o bicho sumiu. "Ah, não importa.  Logo ele sai" e continuou lendo.

 

Andrew Carpenter

Andrew was kind enough to be my date for my Senior prom.  He went all the way to Campinas, a 12 hour bus ride, to keep me company.  It was such a kind, kind thing for a friend to do and I will never forget it.  I haven't had contact with Jenny, Danny, Andrew or Aaron for years now, but I have so many good memories.  Ironically, the one I knew the least, Mark, is now the one I feel that I have the most common ground.  Mark, John and Tim are on facebook, so we are getting to know each other again.

O André me fez um grande favor quando tivemos a nossa festa "prom" na escola Americana em Campinas.  Não sei explicar em Português, mas ele viajou 12 horas de onibus para me acompanhar e nunca esquecerei a bondade dele.  Não tenho tido contato com a Jenny, Danny, André ou o Arão por muitos anos, mas tenho muitas boas memórias.  Ironicamente, o que eu menos conhecía é quem mais me identifico hoje.  Mark, John e o Tim estão no facebook e estamos nos conhecendo de novo.

 

Aaron Carpenter

John Carpenter

Mark Carpenter

Aaron and Andrew Carpenter

 

 

A School Play at Green Acre

Not all of the memories at Green Acre are good ones.  I was tied to my desk with a rope because I got up too much, a substitute teacher made me stick gum on my nose, some of the doctrine we were fed, even then, seemed hard to swallow, and a kid can have a hard time anywhere in this world.  We were a one room school, all ages together, so it must have been hard to keep things in control.  I will never forget when my brother, Charles, kept asking if he could go to the bathroom because he didn't feel well and the teacher kept saying no.  Finally, ha made a dash for it and his body arched into a spasm as he became a fountain of vomit, smack in the middle of our room.  Ah, the memories...

Nem todas as memórias da escola são boas.  Me amarraram a minha carteira com uma corda porque eu me levantava demais, uma professora substituta me forçou a colocar o chicletes no nariz, e umas doutrinas, mesmo naquela época, eram problemáticas para mim.  Uma criança pode resmungar em qualquer parte do mundo! Estávamos estudando numa sala, todas as idades juntas e deve ter sido difícil manter controle.  Nunca me esquecerei de quando o meu irmão, o Charles, pediu permissão várias vezes para ir ao banheiro porque não se sentia bem.  A professora não deixou.  De repente ele deu um salto e correndo, tentou chegar ao banheiro, mas o corpo dele deu um golpe e ele se transformou numa fonte de vômito, bem no meio da nossa sala.  Ah, sim...  memórias.

Rachel- Halloween costume winner

So, what does all of this have to do with learning English?  Well, the families represented were from different areas of the United States and Canada, but mostly from the Midwest.  All of the parents patiently corrected us and ensured that we would be fluent in both languages.  Our main teacher, Aunt Jeanette Faw, had the patience of a Saint.  She was from Canada and worked with us for several years.  We did have to learn the Canadian national anthem because of her...  "Oh, Canada..."  sigh....   English did become my primary language.  I left Brazil when I was 18 and later learned Spanish and used it more than Portuguese.  I feel that my vocabulary is still that of a teenager, although if I read a magazine or book, I do understand almost everything.

E, o que tudo isso tem a ver com o estudo de Inglês?  Bom, as famílias representadas eram de diferente partes dos Estados Unidos e do Canada, mas a maioria eram do Meio-Oeste.  Todos os pais tinham muita paciência, nos corregindo e assegurando que seríamos fluentes nas duas línguas.  A nossa professora, Dona Janette Faw, tinha a paciência de uma santa!  Ela era do Canada e trabalhou conosco por muitos anos.  Tivemos que aprender a cantar o hino nacional do Canada por causa dela...  "Oh, Canada..."  (suspiro)   O inglês acabou sendo a minha língua principal.  Saímos do Brasil quando eu tinha 18 anos e depois aprendí espanhol e o usei mais do que o Português.  Sinto que o meu vocabulário ainda é de uma jovem, mesmo que quando leio uma revista ou livro em Português, entendo quase tudo.

Tim Matteson

My father had an incredible command of the Portuguese language.  He often told the story that when a foreigner arrived in Brazil, in the first year people said, "Oh, you are an American!  Welcome!"  After five years, people would ask, "Are you American?"  Then, after ten, the question was, "How long have you been in Brazil?"  It took about 15 years for the question to become, "Are you Brazilian?"  When we first moved back to the United States, Dad would say things in Portuguese without realizing it.  Language is the key to connect to a people and a culture.  Every Brazilian thinks he or she is a poet and a philosopher, so to understand the music, the innuendos, the jokes and to really become a part of the social psyche, language is the entry way.

O meu pai tinha um comando incrível do Português.  Ele contava a história de que quando um estrangeiro chegava no Brasil, no primeiro ano as pessoas diziam, -Ah, o Senhor é Americano!  Bemvindo!  Depois de cinco anos, as pessoas perguntavam, -O Senhor é Americano?  Depois de dez anos, a pergunta era, -A quantos anos o Senhor está no Brasil?  Demorou uns 15 anos para a pergunta ser, -O Senhor é Brasileiro?  Quando voltamos aos Estados Unidos, o meu pai dizia coisas em Português sem perceber.  A linguagem é essencial para ter uma conexção com um povo, com uma cultura.  Todo Brasileiro pensa ser um poeta ou filósofo, então para entender a música, os inuendos, as piada, e para realmente participar na sociedade, a linguagem é a porta de entrada.

I feel extremely blessed by all the effort and care that all the adults at Green Acre invested in us.  They made sure that we would have the tools to survive in an English-speaking world, provided us with a solid faith foundation, and gave us excellent role models as what loving, caring and conscious adults can achieve in a multi-cultural world.  Many thanks to all of them!

Me sinto super abençoada por todo or esforço e cuidado que todos os adultos na escola Green Acre investiram em nós.  Eles asseguraram que teríamos o que precisávamos para sobreviver num mundo aonde o Inglês domina.  Nos deram uma base sólida na fé e nos mostraram como adultos podem ser carinhosos, amáveis e concientes num mundo multi-cultural.  Agradeço a todos eles com todo o meu coração!

Waiting At The River

Waiting for the barge.  Mom and Helen are in the car.  I'm trying to get something from my brother.  Below, we see it coming.  We went over many barges during this time period- a sensible replacement for a bridge.  The problem was all the waiting and waiting and waiting...

-Rachel

A Princesa The Princess

Helen always dressed up like a princess when she was little. She told me recently that her dream came true as to her husband and kids, she is their Lady Helen.

A Helena sempre gostava de se vestir como princesa quando era pequena. Recentemente, ela me contou que o sonho dela se transformou em realidade. O marido e os filhos dela sempre dizem que ela e a princesa deles!

Rachel/Raquel