4/23/08 6:40 AM

I realized yesterday that much of my Portuguese is either positive or neutral. I didn’t know how to talk about negative things. I didn’t know how to ask whether Everaldo was “concerned” about environmental issues. I didn’t know how to say “argue” or “hatred”. I could say “pretty flowers” but not “disgusting bathroom.”

Now I’m a bit torn about looking such words up. How much would the new vocabulary also change the way I was thinking and feeling?

This morning, I awoke at 5 am to Mike vomiting (vomitando or provocando in Manaus, words we ironically did learn before). He said he had done it five other times already that night. He’s probably going to be ok – some reaction to food or milk, we’re guessing. But it may be time to at least learn the word for “sick.”