The youth of today. I've been reading an interesting article in the latest edition of Veja, a popular Brazilian current affairs magazine. Its talking about research conducted on attitudes among young people in Brazil. I found this quite interesting because it speaks directly about our client base - most of my students are middle class Brazilian adolescents. The basic point seems to be that teenagers have more spending power than ever before, cost more to their families, are so immersed in a digital word in which various gadgets (phones, ipods, computers) are like essential extensions to their own limbs and they have greater authority to make decisions about family purchases. They are pragmatic and not idealistic. In spite of all this, they are more "disoriented" then ever, says the magazine...

Here are some of the stats - remember that a large portion of Brazil's population is still very poor. Over 80% of young people use Orkut (like facebook) and MSN and 70% download music illegally. They spend, amazingly, 3 and a half hours online per day, almost as much as me (that's just a joke, by the way!). All of this has greatly increased within the last 3 years. In 2005, only 12% of teenagers wrote a blog, now 21% do. One statistic that really surprised me was to do with how many young people buy online - up from 14% in 2005 to 40% in 2008. Brazilians, as I've said on here before, generally distrust strangers, distrust (quite rightly) the mail service and doubt (also, rightly) the adequate provision of any customer service or returns procedures for products. Consequently, Marcado Livre - the e-bay of Brazil has never really flown like its counterpart in the UK and the States. So, while 40% is probably lower than the equivelent statistic in the UK, its still a lot higher than I thought it would be and, thinking optimistically, if young people experience success in their online purchasing, this all may mark a much needed up-turn in overall levels of trust within Brazil.

I've always been impressed how much Brazilians are able to assimilate new technology into their lives, homes and businesses so I reckon these statistics don't surprise all that much. What would the equivelent stats be back in the UK? I guess this is the kind of world, be it Brazil or back in the UK, that my own kids are growing up in so I'd better get used to it!

AN A-Z OF ADVENTURES WITH MUM AND DAD

L is for Language. With Mum and Dad here, I took the opportunity to "show off" my grasp of Portuguese when Rachel wasn't around by ordering food at restaurants, making enquiries in shops and asking for directions. Most of the time things went smoothly but I still found myself in occasional situations where, as a gringo speaking Portuguese, the assumption from the receiving end was that I could speak no Portuguese at all. In Joao Pessoa on one occasion, I found myself jamming my finger into a menu at the item in question (which was "Apfelstrudel") which clearly so flummoxed one rather pale-looking waitor, that he ran off. Ten minutes later back came a colleague of his who nervously said in very broken English "I help you?". Its funny how something like this can make one frustrated when one has poured out a lot of time and energy into learning a new language. WE DON'T NEED THE WAITOR WHO SPEAKS A BIT OF ENGLISH - WE JUST NEED THE ONE WHO UNDERSTANDS PORTUGUESE!

Another time, we pulled over to ask for directions. All I had to ask was "Sir, do you know where Marco Zero is?". So this is what I said to the security guard by a builing: "O senhor sabe onde fica Marco Zero?". A blank stare in reply. "Como?"came the tentative reply.

At this point, Rachel reached across the seat and spoke through my window. She said: "O senhor sabe onde fica Marco Zero?". The man smiled, relieved. He then helpfully gave us directions. Now, maybe this has more to do with the Brazilian man wanting to help out a beautiful lady, but in language terms WHAT DID I DO WRONG?

Fortunately, this kind of thing doesn't happen too often. Dad, bless him, actually worked quite hard at picking up some Portuguese (to add to the half a dozen languages he already knows) mainly so he could communicate a bit with Nelson. But, one afternoon we came across a (for these purposes, unnamed) employee of the Cultura Inglesa language school who Dad intended to wish a Happy New Year too. This was the conversation:

Dad (trying his Portuguese): Feliz ano novo!
Mr.X (in Portuguese to me): I don't speak English.
Me (in Portuguese to Mr.X): He said "Feliz ano novo!"
Mr.X (in Portuguese to me): Feliz ano novo? Wow! English is easy. That's exactly the same as it is in Portuguese...

February = No Man's Land. We're at a strange time of the year, where the summer holidays have ended and term has started up at the start of February but in reality everyone is waiting for Carnaval to finish (end of February) before they really throw themselves back into normal life. For an English teacher this means 3 weeks of teaching half-empty classes knowing that half the group won't come back until March, at which time they will promptly fail their tests for not having been in any lessons. Even the students that are here are not really here in spirit - homework doesn't get done. It also perputates the notion that Brazilians (at least up here in sleepy towns) know how to relax. Essentially, December through to the end of February is chalked off for summer. Any work done during that time is clearly a fortunate coincidence.

I am applying to take CELPE-Bras, the official government test for foreigners learning Brazlian Portuguese. Last night, Rachel and I found that their official website had only been updated at the end of last year and the application page was shut down. Apart from this demonstrating the vulgaries of Brazilian beaucracy, it also reinforced the iron law I'm talking about here. When I suggested to Rachel we should call a number to try and make progress, she replied: "I wouldn't bother this week. Just check back after Carnaval".

AN A-Z OF ADVENTURES WITH MUM AND DAD

I is for Ice Cream. Much thereof consumed by all, including and especially Gloria.

J is for Joao Pessoa. Festivities either side of Christmas were held in Joao Pessoa. Mum and Dad participated in the traditional Barlow/Gueiros secret santa institution giving and garnering many gifts in the process. Mum and Dad also got to meet Marcus and Tamara, our good friends also based in JP.

K is for Kung Fu Panda. One of the films we watched when Gloria was in hospital, Mum even saw it too. Nelson's reaction was a thumbs down. Dad and Mum's reaction was a thumbs up!

The two faces of Brazil. The satirical online newspaper The Onion has put this picture on the front cover of its 2009 World Calender. I think the image captures something of Brazil's contradictions - beauty, devotion and religious fervour, on the one hand - favelas with gang violence which rival war zones, on the other. As the tagline I read for the photo says: "People at their most beautiful, humanity at its ugliest".

This addition should be added to this montage of alternative Christ the Redeemer photos I published on here back at the start of 2007. Click here for those.

Sorry, sorry. After such high-faluting resolutions this year has started rather sputteringly on the internet front. We've been away a lot, tired a lot and without internet at home. The regular semester starts this week so with routine will come normality. We've got Rach's sis Amy with us right now and we've had Mum and Dad and Rosie amongst others staying with us. The kids will be bored stiff when everyone goes and its just us for entertainment.

AN A-Z OF ADVENTURES WITH MUM AND DAD

C is for Church. Mum and Dad experienced the full breadth of church styles and sizes while they were with us. They got to see a contemporary Christian gospel group do a presentation, they went to our little church group where Dad spoke (12 people or so), they went to Pastor Gerson's Nazarene church and Dad spoke with the aid of Fernando translating (500 people or so) and they also managed to get to a charismatic Anglican church in Recife on New Year's eve.

D is for Driving. We spent a lot of our time on the road and all managed to fit into one car thanks to Rach's folks lending us their 7-seater Chevrolet Zafira.

E is for English. I managed to convince to Dad to help me out with a few of my final lessons before Christmas - in particular, talking to my group of pastors and also to a prospective Brazilian diplomat who was keen to interview Dad on his experiences in Africa. E is also for English because this is also the language that Nelson has trouble understanding - despite this barrier, by the end of the trip he had great rapport with both Mum and Dad.

Guest Blogger: Dave's Mum. As we come to the end of our stay in Brazil we have stored up in our minds some wonderful memories of special occasions with Rachel’s generous and friendly family – annual family reunions with lots of cousins, aunts and uncles which we’ve still not quite sorted out! And of course the many happy hours of just being with David and Rachel, Nelson and Gloria. Being able to see changes in both children just during the time we have been together has been such a special treat. We’ve been privileged to see more of the spectacular scenery of the northeast coast of Brazil and enjoyed many different beaches. Sadly, just as we were coming to the end of our visit, little Gloria fell ill and had to be admitted to hospital. I stayed with Rachel and Gloria in the hospital so was able to see first hand the workings of a Brazilian hospital and was impressed with the care and expertise of the nurses and doctors. How grateful we were that she received such good treatment and is home again. It was sad to say good-bye, but we will look forward with great anticipation to their arrival in Britain in August.

AN A-Z OF ADVENTURES WITH MUM AND DAD

(Due to not having internet at home at the moment my blogging plans have been temporarily scrambled. Letters C,D and E are to appear in the next post. Mum and Dad left this morning at 4am for their 24 series of flights to take them back to the States. One more post from Mum is due so watch this space).

F is for food. Lots of. And very delicious. The highlight for me was a fabulous meal in a restaurant based in a renovated old British train station just outside Natal.

G is for Gloria. In the month that Mum and Dad have been with us, Gloria has changed considerably. She had just mastered clapping her hands and now, by mid-January, we think she has her first word (a mumble that sounds like "Mum") and she can walk along the side of a sofa and she has hair which could be brushed. Progress indeed. Its been great for Mum and Dad to have time with her.

H is for hotels and hospitals - where we spent large chunks of our time. We spent 4 days over Christmas in Cabo EcoResort lodge down in Porto de Galinhas (as described by Mum in an earlier post) and we managed one night away in Pipa, the coastal town close to Natal. We picked out a hotel in development (there was no breakfast included) with a HUGE pool. Nobody else was there - the views, the sunset, the company were excellent.

Unfortunately, after our trip to Pipa Gloria contracted a nasty infection resulting in frequent fevers. After several days and not much improvement, she began to vomit too. Rachel and Gloria installed themselves in a hospital which is where they stayed for the best part of 4 days. Gloria has my inherited blood problem and so a blood transfusion was felt to be necessary. All went well, and she is her usual pink, beaming self again - she was so grateful to be home, I was surprised her first words weren't "For goodness sakes, don't ever take me out of here again! Where's my cot?".

Thanks to many of you who prayed and to an awesome God who heals.

AN A-Z OF ADVENTURES WITH MUM AND DAD

A is for Amusing uses of English. I think I understand what the above helpful messages are saying, or do I... Also, is there anything wrong with this option on a menu: "A chest of backwoods chicken"? My Mum ordered it. We think it means, "A breast of country chicken".

B is for Beautiful. The most uttered adjective when viewing sunsets, sunrises, spectacular views, New Years fireworks, food, wildlife, birds, the swimming pool, the moon and so on... Some pictures of the above are now revolving in the slideshow to the right.

Guest blogger: Nelson with "Nelson's column" - a review of the last year.

Hello everyone,

Dad asked me to write the Christmas letter for us Maclures but, as you can see it’s late. This is primarily because I am not even 3 and don’t have a fully developed concept of time. Anyway, what I can recall I will write here.

2008 in review

2008 was quite a year for me. Accounting for nearly double the amount of life I had before I can honestly say that, relatively, I have accomplished a great deal within the last year.

Just like my Mum, I love talking away – I speak Portuguese but sometimes mix it up with the language my Dad speaks. Its all very confusing. Right now, Granny Sally and Grandpa “Click your fingers” are here from somewhere far away (they came on an airplane “bem loooonge”) and they only speak to me in this other funny language. I get some of what they’re saying but when I speak back to them, they don’t understand… how strange. I love them very much though. Granny Sally makes great cookies shaped like cars and Grandpa fixes my toy cars.

As I have said many times before, cars are my favourite things. I recently discovered Herbie and think these films are really ace. I also like swimming. Mum and Dad say I am a very good swimmer because I don’t use arm-bands and I am somewhat fearless in water. Other children who are bigger than me ask me how I can swim so much. I don’t know the answer. I just practice a lot because there is a swimming pool in the same building as my apartment. I can jump in by myself and swim half the length of the pool. I am yet to master breathing underwater. When I do, I may just choose to live in the swimming pool.
I have many friends at my nursery school. My best friend is Rafa. He is one of the only boys who also has fair hair like me. My teacher is Tia Mona Lisa and she is really nice. Often, Mum or Dad walk me to school and I chat to the various pets we see on the way and point out how many red cars I can see.

I have met many excellent people this year. Gracie came to visit me (with her parents Danny and Caz) last January when we lived in our old big house. Now we live in our new apartment and here we welcomed in July a big family with tons of people (with Hugh “amigao” and Timmy “amiginho”) and also Tia Hooty and several other people including, as I already said, Granny Sally and Fingers. Some other Barlows, some from Manchester, some from Switzerland, have also been to visit.

I love going on trips in cars (but especially airplanes) to visit my cousins Johnny “bem pequinino” and Melissa and also to see Gaga and Gugu (my Grandparents) in Recife who I adore, and Tita the dog who I also adore. My Uncle “Doidao” (Nelson) and Tia Mamyha (Amy) live somewhere far away (you have to get an airplane there) and I miss them very much.

Gloria Gloria Hallelujah.

Sometime ago (Mum says “only 8 months ago” but it feels a whole lot longer than that) I went to visit Mum in hospital and found that she no longer had a big tummy – and instead there was a small baby nearby. After some days this baby did not go away. I later made the startling realization that this was my sister Gloria Safi Barlow Maclure and that I was to be her big brother. Gloria is good fun – I knew this as she gave me a present of a car when I met her for the first time.

Although Gloria is a very smiley child, I am the only one in the family who knows how to make her really guffaw with laughter. I do this mainly by pulling faces at her, squeezing her, kissing her, shouting at her, poking her, prodding her, pinching her, hitting her, tweaking her, tipping her over, rugby-tackling her, talking to her, whispering to her, headbutting her, pushing her around on her little chair and so on. Sometimes these things make her cry too but she seems to like it a lot of the time. Mum and Dad tell me off about all this occasionally and I have to sit in the naughty corner which I DO NOT LIKE. Dad once said he doesn’t know how I could have learned such a repertoire of pokes and pinches. I don’t know the answer to this – I think it comes naturally to big brothers.

Gloria is quite different from me. She doesn’t seem to be interested in cars (a shame) but she seems to like clapping and dancing to music (a good thing). She also appears to have a very different philosophy of sleeping. Whereas, obviously, sleep is something we need to get through as quickly as possible to be able to have energy for the next exciting thing coming along, Gloria sees all this differently. As far as I am concerned sleep is an annoyance that needs to be fought. Amazingly, Gloria seems to tolerate sleep to the point where I think she actually enjoys it. She patiently plays for half an hour at a time waiting for the next nap to come along. When Mum and Dad put her down and give her little blanket she sticks her thumb in her mouth and positively beams back at us all (in gratitude at leaving her alone for a while?) and nods off for a few hours. Why does she do this when she could be playing with me? How utterly boring! No matter how much sleep I’ve had during the night I will always insist on waking up at the crack of dawn, shouting out for Dad to play with me. Gloria stays in bed for a few more hours with Mum. I don’t always understand girls.

Mum and Dad

Mum and Dad are OK I think. They work hard at the Cultura Inglesa English language school. I’m always asking Dad if he has to work because if he does it means I have to spend the afternoon with Gloria and Mum and sometimes it´s difficult to share Mum with Gloria as well if nobody is around. I am fascinated by shoes and clothes (especially football shirts with numbers and badges) and am well aware when Mum and Dad are in their work clothes and shows I am in my school clothes and shoes then we probably aren’t going to be seeing as much of each other as we would if it were a weekend.

Speaking of weekends, something we do every Sunday is go to church. Dad asked me recently why we went to church and I said “to run a lot”. Which is true. I do run a lot at church. I love it there because my good friends Johnny and Kaka and Tia Veronica play games with me and let me run. It´s true we also learn about “Papai do ceu” (Heavenly Father) and his son Jesus and I think these stories are strange but interesting. Sometimes I get confused though. Like for example, what’s the difference between “Noé” (Noah) and “Papa Noél” (Santa Claus). Dad showed me a picture of an old man with a white beard on a boat full of animals and I’m sure it was Papa Noel. I mean, they both have big beards. They both hang out with certain types of animals.

Sometimes Dad speaks at the church service although he says he finds it difficult in Portuguese. Mum also meets with other people and talks with them about God and prays with them.

Also on weekends we go to the beach, or to the shopping centre, or to the park, or to some attraction to see animals, or tractors, or big cars or fast cars. Sooner or later we always end up at Habib’s – a fast food restaurant which has a play area for me. I can now climb up the slide, an achievement for a not-yet-3 year old, I think you’ll agree. Habib’s is not the best place, though. They don’t really serve my favourite food or drink: beans and rice washed down with a glass of cool coconut water. Also, I fell out of an open window at Habib’s (I thought it was closed – this is the problem with clear glass: you can’t see it) and landed, splat, in a bush. My new year’s resolution is to not let that happen again these next twelve months.

Well, that’s long enough, I guess. Hope Dad’s happy enough with this, the task master.

Happy New Year
Nelson.

Happy New Year! Where were you for New Years eve? I was in the same place I've been for the last two years - in Recife, once again on the roof of a skyscraper overlooking the city, seeing the fireworks lighting up the beaches.

I just wanted to write a brief note here to say thanks for reading my blog in 2008 and I hope you keep reading until July 2009 which is when we'll stop (as we'll be leaving Brazil, actually).

Just a few end of year stats, miscellany and thanks. The blog has steadily averaged 200 views per month, with a peak last year in May (coinciding with Gloria's birth and the 10 extra posts I did about that). You readers have been treated to more posts this year - 124 as opposed to 107 in 2007. That's well over my two posts a week policy.

Sitemeter informs me I have readers in Norway (I'm guessing ex-International Students), the States (you know who you are in Utah and Seattle!) and throughout the UK as well as occasional readers from other continents. I know who you regulars are and I'm grateful for your interest! However, some mysteries still present themselves - who is reading the website regularly from Portugal? And there are others within Brazil reading as well, it seems. Whoever you are, thanks!

I have a lot of plans for the final 6 months as there's still so much to write about, especially if I want to complete my 100 lists of things I miss and things I love! Also, in true web 2.0 spirit, if you have any ideas, suggestions, questions, corrections, etc. concerning content please let me know.

Once again, feliz ano novo!

Funny video. Q: What happens when you work a 7-month-old baby hard in the swimming pool then leave her to eat her lunch? A: A small child asleep on a plate of soup. See here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bc57qS7PN4g

Guest blogger: Dave's Mum. We have celebrated Christmas in many different ways in quite a few countries and this year is at the top of the list as perhaps one of the most special and most unusual! Above alI it is a wonderful joy to be together with our family who we’ve been apart from for too many years. This Christmas was celebrated in a beautiful resort on the beach south of Recife with Rachel’s family. (Sorry for everyone back home struggling with snow and freezing temperatures!) We had our own family time of worship and giving gifts which was great, but I guess we did miss the joint worship with other believers and singing the familiar Christmas carols. Nevertheless we have been overwhelmed by love and generosity on all sides and feel thoroughly spoiled. God has been so gracious in sending His Son the Lord Jesus at Christmas to bring us salvation and He continues to pour out wonderful blessings as we follow Him.

Sally Maclure

Guest Blogger: Dave's Mum. Wow! What a joy and privilege to be here in Natal after all the past months of planning and anticipating coming to visit David and Rachel, Nelson and Gloria. (The two most beautiful grandchildren in the world!) Natal is a lovely city with beautiful beaches stretching north and south along the coast of N/E Brazil. It is surrounded by amazing sand dunes covered here and there with bunches of trees and bushes. Its lovely and warm, not too different from Florida where we came from, but not as hot as Chad. There are many reminders of Africa – mangos, paipai, pineapples etc, some bumpy roads, horse drawn carts etc but all mixed in with high rise apartment buildings, huge beautiful malls and interesting old churches. Everyone we meet is friendly and pleasant – probably because David and Rachel have made many friends here and for us it’s a great joy to see something of the life and situation in which they are living. Our only regret is not being able to speak Portuguese, especially with Nelson who is not keen on English!

Sally Maclure

Internet goals 2009. A bit like new year's resolutions and a few weeks early, I've decided to follow the suggestion made on dailyblogtips.com of making a list of blogging/internet aims for 2009 and publishing them as a post. The idea is then to check this next year and see how I've been getting on. So, in no particular order, in 2009 I will aim to:

1. Finish and finish well Maps and Legends when I leave Brazil in August.

2. Rachel and I are working on an idea for a website called, tentatively, "BRitain BRazil BRidge" which, as the name suggests, aim to be a bridge between these two fantastic nations. By this time next year the website should be up and running with half a dozen key articles and full resources sections.

3. To get over 100 daily hits on maddogsandenglish.wordpress.com.

4. To read the internet more efficiently and to apply (in my life, in my writing) what I like about what I read.

5. Write better blog entries. This entry from Jim Estill posted on copyblogger is a good model to start with, although I don't want to "dumb down" just for the sake of it.

6. Write at least 1 article per month for a website/publication which I am not a regularly contributing writer.

7. To be somewhere further down the road on understanding what God thinks of the internet and what he wants us to do with it.

8. Give twitter a go...

What are your internet goals for 2009?

Mum and Dad are here! I've not had the time to even say this - but Mum and Dad arrived positively on time at Natal airport on Sunday lunchtime. We've had a great, if full, few days. Nelson seems to be handling the English coming at him from his other Grandparents quite well. Gloria has learned to clap which impresses her Grandparents no end. I haven't told him yet, but I may try and get Dad to "guest" blog on here.

Christmas blogging. I'm expecting this may slow down a bit over Christmas as we'll be travelling and doing a lot. So, wishing everyone a happy Christmas and fantastic New Year if I don't get many opportunities to say so...

Anderson and Kessia on their wedding day. The good news: they didn't get food poisoning.

Football round up. The Brazilian season is over and Rach's Dad's team Nautico survived on goal difference from being relegated. Sao Paulo won again. Corinthians were promoted and now look to have Ronaldo playing for them (or sitting on the bench for them). Vasco, Romario's old team, were relegated. But, more tellingly, my sister in law enjoyed a VIP salmon dinner at Stamford bridge with flowing champagne overlooking tonight's Champions League fixture. As the English teacher of several of the Chelsea staff, including Scolari's coaching assistants, she's entitled to her Christmas dinner, I suppose...

6 reasons why Dave is thankful this Sunday morning... (a belated Thanksgiving post)

1. Anderson and Kessia's wedding went really well. A couple from our little church group organised a small and intimate wedding gathering involving just a few of us to officially dedicate their relationship to God. Rachel and I had to speak at the service which involved me preparing a talk in Portuguese. It seemed to go OK thanks to my wife proof-reading the whole thing beforehand. It was a very special evening. Anderson and Kessia (with the help of their three beautiful daughters) run a fantastic little restaurant called "Sal da terra" (Salt of the earth - notice the biblical reference there?). I was telling Rach that their restaurant which serves fantastic homemade Brazilian fare with delicious meat for a good price is like our local pub, like "Central Perk", like a home-away-from-home rolled into one for us.

The painful irony is that Anderson and Kessia hired a friend to cater their wedding - preferring not to do it themselves on this occasion. This guy is a lovely Christian man and a mutual aquaintance and has catered for us before. Unfortunately, and this is not the first time this has happened, I and a few others got food poisoning the next day. (This rasises a thorny question in Brazil - you are obliged to provide business to people you know personally if you can. What now? Are we to keep using this guy just because he's our friend and a fellow-Christian?). Well, my prayer is that Anderson and Kessia didn't feel any after effects of the grub!

As the restaurant takes up their entire time (they never get holidays) they were to have a 1 day honeymoon on the Saturday with their daughters manning the ship while they were away. It would be awful for them, who have a reputation for cooking such great tucker, if their one holiday had been undermined by somebody else's bad cooking!

Anyway, I had it pretty bad last night. It wasn't helped by being at a kids party where I had to chase Nelson round for a couple of hours. But after an early night...

2. I feel much better this morning.

3. Carnatal finishes today. Carnatal is Natal's carnaval (you see what they did there?). Knowing a bit more about the sort of stuff that goes on there, knowing how it puts a strain on emergency services (sirens were the soundtrack to my night), knowing the mayhem it causes to the city in terms of clogging up traffic, knowing how much it disrupts my students who fail to show up for their final exams because they're too hungover or drunk... we'll be glad to see the back of it.

4. Natal's Christmas tree is nearly up. The town council have really not held back in lighting the town up for Christmas this year. Being a city that is obviously named after the festive occasion, Natal prides itself on attracting its tourists with the biggest and best lighting displays. Recently, as I have been driving home each night, I've noticed they've added more and more to the trees in the central reservation of the main road. I'm beginning to think they look a bit garish now - they certainly aren't very subtle. I also have no idea what its doing to Natal's power grid. We had a power cut at the school yesterday. Carnatal + Christmas lights = no power for anyone else.

In any case, Natal is once again making a bid for having Brazil's largest (fake) Christmas tree. This was what I said about last year's effort. Not to be undone by Rio who keep putting up bigger ones, Natal have put together an ENORMOUS crane and scaffolding-like construction close to our old home. This bohemoth of metal will be lit up in the shape of a Christmas this week, I guess.

5. We haven't been in any road accidents. Having talked about Natal's road safety in recent posts I thought I should mention an incident yesterday. It's not uncommon to see people shunting or rear-ending each other. Traffic volume does seemed to have increased in Natal recently and I am spending more and more of my time in jams. Consequently, I see the aftermath of small traffic incidents once a week, more or less.

But, yesterday, we arrived at the scene of some particularly nasty carnage probably within 30 seconds of it having taken place. Natal is situated on a triangle of main roads with a national park in the middle. For the last few days, we've been driving down the other side of the triangle, down Via Costeira, a tranquil but lengthier coastal road which has all the main hotels dotted along it, to get places because of the disruption caused by Carnatal.

At a seemingly innocuous point we saw a taxi and a car had just met in a nasty head on collision. The road was impassable because of debris, including a bumper strewn across it. Fortunately, it seemed most people had seatbelts on so they were shaken up but not seriously hurt. Nonetheless, an ambulance was called for the driver of the car. As we pulled away, and after saying a prayer for all those involved, I donned my (figurative) Hercule Poirot hat and tried to deduce how that could've occurred. In short, (and driving home the same way confirmed my suspicions), the driver of the car must have been from out of town, perhaps a guest at one of the hotels along the stretch. About 20 yards before the incident the road splits but, based on the non-conclusive road markings (scroll down to Nov 24 post for more on that), he may have assumed he was to carry on straight, the split being only for traffic entering the hotel. If you hadn't been along there before it's more than possible you would draw this conclusion. The taxi driver, an old hand at Natal's roads, probably quickly pulled out as the road was clear (in the direction it should've been!) and would never have expected somebody coming up the wrong side to his left. A nasty shock for both, then, as they pummeled into each other front to front. Both cars totalled. I pray no lasting injuries.

6. Mum and Dad arrive a week today!

Sorry the hiatus. I love the word "hiatus" and am always looking for ways to worm it into my writing. Anyway, sorry for the sporadic posting. General end of semester busyness is to blame. Also, our internet has been dodgy but then so has everyone else's across the city. I think (with the opinion of a complete layperson on these matters) the servers are melting in the summer heat. It has been hot around here.

Too much to write about. I love writing and rarely seem to encounter writer's block. On the contrary, I often have the opposite problem which I will call "writer's flow" meaning I have a bunch of stuff to write about but not enough time to do it... how frustrating.

So, just two stories from yesterday...

Nelson the jovial dentist. Rachel (with kids in tow) was in a medical centre near here for another reason and was stuck for a place to sit and wait. Nelson the jovial dentist let her use his waiting room. He was so jovial, jolly and kind-hearted we decided to make him our family dentist. (Scroll down to November 7th for my first impressions of the man).

So far, he has proven to be a great dentist, just inefficient with his time-keeping (a problem, it has to be said, for 95% of Brazilian medical professionals). He works for 10% of the time and banters for 90% of the time. When he's not bantering his cheerful assistant takes up the mantle. Unsurprinsgly, they both banter with me about my two small children, endlessly. Yesterday he even showed me he had a picture of Gloria on his cellphone... In turn, I learned about his older son (who is studying computer science at the university) and about my dentist's passion for cycling and also that the procedure he was using on my teeth was invented by a Brazilian dentist from Sao Paulo who has the extraordinary name "Iraildes Jesus de Deus". All this with the astonishing view from the 16th floor of the medical centre of Natal's via costeira and north side beaches. And all this with piped Celine Dion and Enya coming out of his CD player...

Brussel sprouts. Another tale from the supermarket. One of my first destinations upon entering the hallowed aisles of Nordestao with my shopping list in hand and empty squeekless trolley is the back of the veggie section, where a cooler resides with imported or special goods which are only occasionally stocked. I'm always dying to know what they've got in. Sometimes the price is extortianate for something that is relatively ordinary in the UK: fresh mushrooms, asparagus, fresh broccoli and rocket salad spring to mind. But, yesterday, for only the second time that I can remember, they had brussel sprouts. These dozen sprouts looked a bit dissheveled for the price I was paying for the quantity contained but I went for it anyway as I was to buy a roast chicken and potatoes in order to fix a faux English roast lunch for Rachel.

At the check out the two baggers suspiciously eyed my brussel sprouts. One of them muttered something to his colleague along the lines of "what the @*$# is this?"

I decided to chirp up at this stage with an explanation. I accounted for the fact that I was a gringo and that this was popular where I came from. Both baggers, who were what Americans would call "blue-collar workers" and who may never have spoken to a foreigner before, returned a look of utter incredulity. Neither of them had any idea how to continue the conversation at this point. Eventually, one of them asked me something so fast I had no idea what he said. After a couple of repititions (where I apologised - like a true Englishman - for not speaking very good Portuguese) I got the gist. He was asking me what it tasted like. I confidently began my reply. "They taste just like small cabbages!". However, inexplicably, the word for cabbage had, without telling me, taken a hike out of my brain and I was left open-mouthed saying: "Tem sabor de.... de.... de... a coisa que voces tem ai... esqueci o nome!". At this, both baggers wore expressions that suggested they were conversing with a recent fugitive from the nut house.

I smiled and chuckled inwardly. It should never have been this hard, surely...

"Couve" is the word for cabbage, which I remembered, of course, once I was in the car park and on my way out.

Life is life. So, over a week since my last update on here. Basically, we`re pretty busy! The kids were also ill last week which really reduces all systems to survival mood. Having said that, we had a quiet long weekend (thanks to a saint`s holiday on Friday) and I think Rachel and I are refreshed to a certain degree. This is the final busy week before the semester starts to wind down... some kids are already on their summer holidays and won`t be back at their schools until February! Not surprisingly, they complain a great deal about still having to come to English lessons.

Noisy driving, night driving and drink driving. Continuing the theme of Brazilian driving habits started in recent blogs... our apartment block is on the corner of two main roads and it is one drawback that the noise level can be quite high. Windows will invariably be open to let some cool air in, and you`ll be halfway through a conversation when a motorbike with severe exhaust problems will tear down Alves Fonseca or Albrto Maranhao and you`ll have to stop and ask everyone to repeat what they just said. If sleeping at night is a stuggle with two small children it isn`t helped by night time traffic.

Two nights ago, I was woken at 3am by a man driving very fast beeping his horn without ceasing until he was out of ear-shot. "Why on earth...?" I bleerily thought to myself. Last night, the same thing happened again and I twigged what it was. Brazilians have a different set of road rules after dark. Basically, in the interest of security folks will ignore red lights so they don`t have to stop their cars, thus potentially falling prey to carjackers. This used to be more popular in Recife but it seems to be catching on here. What this means is you can`t trust a green light after dark - you have to look both ways anyway, and it means if you`re prepared to play chicken with a blind junction you can drive across on red. In order to make one`s presence heard and to announce that you will follow on through on red, one repeatedly sounds the horn to warn the greenlighters you`re going to be in the way. At 3am, somebody obviously feels its not even worth waiting for traffic lights to be any colour - they`d just rather drive home, across red lights without slowing and have their horn on 100% of the time. Nevermind, all the sleeping residents.

Last year a famous footballer, called Acosta, who was playing in Recife for Nautico at the time crashed late at night in an incident probably caused by two people driving across green lights. The other guy, whose car was a wreck, was alright and he hung around for the police and ambulance. When it transpired he had crashed into a Acosta`s car, he was reported to have broken out into a cold sweat. As a Nautico fan he couldn`t face the fact that he might have just hospitalised his team`s star player. His pals and fellow fans would ostracise him! When the medics arrived, his first question was: "are his legs OK?"

Night time accidents are also common because of drink driving problems, especially with motorcylcists who somehow seem to feel they are immune to road laws and traffic rules. I noticed a motorcyclist zoom through a red light in broad daylight this weekend and I commented to Rach "It seems that the smaller the vehicle you are in, the more you feel you have the right to ignore road rules". Come to think of it, the opposite is also true - the bigger you are (like public buses) the more you can aggressively and illegally boss the roads at the expense of others.

The Brazilian government has recently clamped down on drink driving and stricter laws are in place across the country (including no alcohol at football matches!). Adverts for alcohol now all have to contain the statement: "Se for beba, nao diriga" - If you`re going to drink, don`t drive. So, things are on the way up, but driving under the influence is still a severe problem in this part of the world. And, whatever you do, don't trust the traffic lights!

Dave is a ninny. It's Saturday night and I'm home alone writing another blog entry... I should be in Recife with Rach and all the family but this morning I missed my flight to see them.

The flight was due to leave at 4.15am so I dutifully set my alarm for 2.30am to ensure maximum time to get up and drive out to be at the airport at 3.15 or so, an hour before I needed to be. I woke up at 1am when I heard noise outside. Seeing that I still had plenty of time for sleep I put my head back down and next thing I knew it was 3.35am. In a blind panic, I threw some things in a bag and raced out the door. I bombed down the main road to the airport arriving at about 3.55am. But the lady there said they had already closed the doors on the plane... As we were only going to stay until Sunday, Rach and I decided it wouldn't be worth getting another flight and so I've been enjoying a quietish weekend here. I've been able to Skype several people today, do some paperwork, watch some football, go to the cinema as well as read and pray too - the sorts of things that usually get pushed to the side in the busyness of life.

Rach and the kids were in Recife because this weekend is a national holiday. The reason I was coming down later was that I stayed in Natal to help with a spelling bee competition at the language school. Annoyingly, I lost my voice this week after a cold so I wasn't much good at the spelling bee reading out words or even judging on the panel. It went OK though, the winner being a young girl (who had negotiated the tricky word "symphony" at one point) scooping an ITouch for the top prize.

Why is it called spelling bee? Wikipedia informs us: Although its only modern usage is in spelling bee, the word bee has historically been used to describe a get-together where a specific action is being carried out, like a husking bee, a quilting bee, or an apple bee.