The Office: Week 1 (Recurring theme: Culture Shock)

Wow, what an experience.
Everything in portuguese.
1 hour with each boss. the rest, of course, that's up to me to figure out.
I learn "Um abacaxi" which is a pineapple, but the expression is used when something is a huge mess or difficult to solve. In my vernacular, this is a shit show.
This is what I have walked into. My two bosses have two totally different ideas of what's going on and clearly don't talk. The channel is a bustle of uncoordinated activity and I'm apparently the one woman fix it crew. Right. So you all know I'm only here for 6 months, right? oh and when you all speak portuguese in meetings, I don't know what the hell is going on. Okay, just making sure.
Hmmm.
In better news, I get kissed hello every morning. Most mornings I usually get told I'm beautiful or some other comment about my outfit or general appearance. great!
I also got told by one of my bosses that I will be successful since I'm an attractive person (um, thanks I think?).
In meetings, the fact that I'm single and could be set up with various people is also a going topic of conversation.
And, in the best news, I make my first friend! Mariana! My new partner in crime.
Now the real stories can begin.
:)

Culture Shock is setting in.

Today in our kick off sales meeting for the region, they brought in a groupe of kids to sing and dance. This was some sort of social program for favela kids. They kids were super talented but I couldn't help but be distracted by these 12 year old kids shaking their shit.
Immediately posted FB status with" Today's lesson from the Brazilians: learn to shake it at an early age."
This was followed by another all day meeting entirely in PORTUGUESE. Am I getting everything? Um, no...safe to say I'm not.
In this particular meeting the Managing Director for Brazil decided to introduce me. So imagine, 6 hours of portuguese and then all of a sudden your face is on the powerpoint slide in a room full of 500 people and the MD is waving the microphone towards you. Oh, I'm saying a few words? NOW?
I should I add I was out dancing salsa at Rey Castro with the Business Objects team till 4am the night before. My few words were stellar anyhow. Of course. But it was the best. nap. ever. after that!

On arrival

Yesterday arriving into GRU was quite the experience. I got off the red eye (never in a good mood after that) to 3 hours of absolute mayhem trying to get through customs, all the while trying to avoid getting in between the fights that were breaking out between old Brazilian men, due to all the people cutting in the line with their huge, over loaded luggage carts. That airport is insane. And I was trying to push my own cart of SIX suitcases (a clear exception to my "don't pack what you can't carry" universal mandate - due to the fact that this is a move here people!). Anyways, Good lord. So then my driver didn't show and when I called him he didn't speak English so we never got anywhere. So, I had to figure out a taxi and not a single ATM in this country takes cards on Cirrus. All that added a solid hour to this already 3 hour adventure. Thank god checking in to the apartment was way easier. Its in a fantastic neighbourhood, which I love already and is very safe according to everyone here. It is totally my style, I'm already in love with the cute outdoor restaurants and bars. It has everything else I need - a grocery, drugstore, laundry spot, nail place. Oh and banks that don't take my ATM card (finally found a couple that work though finally!). The apartment is alright, I really like the little balcony I have and I am already getting used to having a maid come in every day.

The job thing is going to be interesting. I showed up at the office today on my own accord though neither of my new bosses had any intention of meeting me there or making sure I got in the building. Thank goodness there are a few people I know here today. I'm sure this week is going to be very interesting as I have to start figuring out what the heck I'm going to be doing (no one yet seems to know, or has a different idea of what they think I should be doing. Nice). Also I need to learn some Portuguese immediately, its going to be tough to get by without it. I did buy the rosetta stone before I left, must add studying to TO DO list.