Back onshore and using my new oven

Hey everyone,

 

First of all, I meant to tell you all that I eventually did get off the rig on September 19th.  My flight was delayed by three days, but eventually the weather cooperated and the helicopters met the maintenance checks at the same time- allowing us to leave.  There was a mini going away party for us in the briefing room where we waited for the helicopter.  It was sad to leave, but 24 days was enough time.  I was glad to get back to land, the ability to walk for more than 3 minutes in one direction before changing direction to avoid falling in the ocean, socks with no numbers on them, a selection of clothes larger than three t-shirts, make-up, and jewelry.  Since then, I've been keeping in touch with a bunch of guys from the rig- from the roustabouts (low man on the totem pole) to the tool pusher (big boss).  So far, I've turned down all the proposals to date them or any of their family members.  (You can laugh, but I've had at least five offers, and it's rather ridiculous.) 

 

When I got back, my boss gave me four days off.  Woot woot!  As an international employee, I'm not supposed to get days off.  I think my boss had pity on me, and decided to bend the rules a little to help maintain my sanity.  I spent 3 of the four days at the base anyway, doing stuff on my computer that I don't have time to do when I'm in the workshop all day long.  All the guys gave me a hard time for being at the base, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.  It wasn't enough time to come home for two days, and I don't have people to travel with when all my friends are working.  I could sit at home by myself, but being the extreme extrovert that I am, I preferred to be where I could interact with other humans.

 

I like making guacamole.  Random, I know.  I wouldn't say that I'm the most domestic person I know (massive understatement), but there are certain food items that I really enjoy making (and eating).  Guacamole is one of them.  Anyway, I was at the grocery store with Gabi and Bruno and I was perusing the produce section.  I was thinking about making guac this week, so I wanted to make sure all the ingredients were available for purchase at our semi-sub-par grocery store.  I didn't see any avocados, so I asked Bruno if he saw any.  He pointed me to a vegetable that was at least twice the size of any avocado I had ever seen.  When I expressed that I thought it was really big, he looked surprised and said that he thought they were rather small.  Snap!!  Brazilian avocados are gargantuan!

 

I went downtown with Gabi last weekend.  The shops there are only open during the weekdays and on Saturday morning.  Of course we work on the weekdays, and if we don't work on Saturday, it's rather depressing to wake up early to catch a bus downtown to run errands.  Anyway, Saturday, Gabi and I gathered our motivation to wake up and tackle some things we needed to get done.  We made purchases for our apartment, but they almost didnt happen on account of our multiple stops in clothing and shoe stores.  Gabi loves shopping, so do I occasionally, and the dollar is doing really well compared to the Real at the moment... all in all, a dangerous combination.  The most notable purchase was a mini oven.  Yes... an oven!!!  It's extremely exciting.  We christened the appliance with a frozen pizza, and it was delicious and convenient. 

 

The only other thing to note was the party I went to two weekends ago.  It was a country party, meaning everyone went dressed up like a country person.  Country people are different in Brazil than in the US.  Apparently, all the girls wear frilly mini-skirts in awful, ugly prints and bright colors and matching shirts with puffed, short sleeves.  I didn't have a ridiculous costume, and for this, I felt slightly ridiculous and conspicuous at the party.  It was like halloween, only everyone decided to go as the same thing.  It was pretty funny.

 

Well.. that's all for now.  I'll continue the stories of my life later.

--
Jessica Schulte


jessica.j.schulte@gmail.com

jessica-jordan.blogspot.com
picasaweb.google.com/Jessica.J.Schulte

+55 22 2763 5301 (office)
+55 22 9217 6526 (prepaid cell)
+55 22 2106 6800, (Reception at home, ask for apartment 601A)

Rua Paulo Sérgio C Vasconcelos, 424,
Granja dos Cavaleiros CEP:27930-310,
Macaé - Rio de Janeiro - Brazil

"Oh Lord, You are the God of the early mornings, the God of the late nights, the God of the mountain peaks, and the God of the sea.  But, my God, my soul has horizons further away than the nights of earth, higher peaks than any mountain peaks, greater depths than any sea in nature.  You who are the God of all of these, be my God.  I cannot reach to the heights or to the depths; there are motives I cannot discover, dreams I cannot realize.  My God, search me."  -Psalm 139 paraphrased by Oswald Chambers