Sou Brasileira

I keep finding out that I am actually more Brasilian than I thought I was, and this is great news. I have a propensity to use 5 words where only 1 is necessary, and I'm pretty sure my friends and family suffer for it. You've already experienced this through reading my blog and emails. Or perhaps you have received one of my "just calling to say hi" voicemails, in which I basically have a conversation with myself for a solid minute. "Hiiii....I was just thinking about you, sooooo I thought I'd call and see how you were doinggggg....something funny happened today (insert funny thing here) and it made me laugh so hard because remember that one time when (insert funny memory here) happened and we couldn't stop laughing? Sooooo, anyway....call me back if you feel like it....and if not.....then I'll just talk to you laterrrrrr!!!" Yep, it's annoying. I know it. But it's me.

So today my friend Sergio was asking me how to phrase an email that he was trying to compose in English to Americans. I said: "Say this: 'Hi, Our plans for our Thanksgiving party on Saturday have changed. It will now be at 12 instead of 2. I hope you can still come! See you then!"

"That's all?" he said. "Yep...you're writing to Americans, right?" I asked. "Yeah....but I don't need to say anything else?" I heard the discomfort in his voice. I recognized it. It was the same discomfort with which I told him what to write. "I know, right?" I said, "With Americans, it's perfectly acceptable to be brief, to the point. No need for flowery language and 5 words where 1 will do. They appreciate it." "Okay...." he said.

As he walked back downstairs, I smiled to myself. Now I know where I get my verbosity. (Okay, I really got it from my dad...) And now I know why it has never gone away. And now I know why I'm perfectly fine with it...

Eu sou brasileira!!! (I am Brazilian!)