The Brazilian Invasion - Part IV
TULSA
I left Aurora and went to Chicago. Waited 2 hours for the bus to
Tulsa. Not the best thing since the station was full, there was
no place to sit and I was carrying my so famous 4 bags... and I
wasn't specially happy when I found out that I would have to
change buses two more times.
I got the bus (completely full) at 2:30pm. There was this man
from Alaska who simply couldn't stop talking, not only with me
but with everybody. It was a long 4 and half hours till we
arrived in Effingham, IL. Another hour waiting at the bus station
(ha, when a MacDonald's in the middle of nowhere can be called a
bus station, that is). Boy it was cold! And all the bags with me
again...
8pm. On the way to St. Louis, MO. As I said before I gave up
sleeping this week, what for anyway?
9:45pm. One an a half hour freezing at the bus station in St.
Louis, waiting for the last bus, finally, to Tulsa.
6:45am. The trip is over, after 36 hours in buses and almost 10
in planes!!! I can't even see the word *Greyhound* anymore...
It was still dark and cold. I went to get my 2 big suitcases just
to find out that there was only one. Ok, it will be on the next
bus, don't worry. In fact, everybody on the bus station seemed so
confident about it, that I didn't really worry that much... And
they're right, it was on the next bus.
As I enter the station, Cyndi and Randy are waiting for me with
beautiful flowers (which are still in my bedroom) and the cutest
Panda in the world! :) She took pictures and I still can't
believe how we could be that happy and noisy so early in the
morning... (well, as Cyndi said it was the middle of the day for
her because she woke up at 4...)
We went to have breakfast in a nice place and Randy insisted that
I had to try pancakes (I always told Cyndi that I couldn't see
myself eating them for breakfast...). Well, not that bad... :)
For my luck, they're having a Computer Sale here in the same day.
So, when Cyndi went to work, Randy and I went there and bought
the parts I needed for my computer (I've sent my HD, sound and
video cards, fax modem and CD-ROM through FedEx before leaving).
Good prices. Of course, we had all kinds of problems to make
everything work after that, but this is another looong story. Now
my computer (a great AMD K-6 300Mhz with 64Mb of RAM) is just
perfect! :)
Unpacking was quite an experience... the ferrets trying to help,
Cyndi wondering how did I manage to put so many things in the
bags, it was really fun. :)
We went to an Italian restaurant at night, and I was still
shocked with so many new things (hell, I still am!). But I liked
the city, it's better than I thought. (Cyndi's words: "Tell
them the truth....it's just now starting to grow on her. At
first, she couldn't believe she moved to a place where the
restaurants close at 11pm and the bars at 2am. And the only
delivery is pizza. She thought she had moved to Hell..."
-- not exactly... I think...)
The first weekend was even more crazy... we did lots of things.
Including, going to my first Hockey game (hey, Cindy and Jill!).
Unfortunately, the Tulsa Oilers didn't win. But it was
interesting... I'm afraid it will take a while until I can watch
it without being scared when they hit one another... :}
And, of course, I first saw my lovely car
this weekend. :) Just saw it, because you all know how long it
took me to really *have* it... (one month to get that damned
driver's license!)
On Monday, we went to TCC
and I took the placement test. The English was perfect, but I
flunked in Algebra. :( Not big surprise here, since I always
hated maths. That's why I had to pay off my karma going to Beg.
Algebra classes twice a week. :P
Classes started on March 3, and finished in the last week of
April. It was not too much studying since I just took Algebra and
American Federal Gov. (they allowed me to take just 6 credits,
since it's my first semester here). I got two B's. :) Fall will
be another story...
We had snow here 2 days before my b-day. Nice present!
She's always taking
me to cool places (like the Zoo),
thinking about nice things to do, and always helping me with
everything. I couldn't ask for a better friend... :)
Amazing as it can be, Cyndi and I are getting along so well that
she asked me if I would stay here with her for the Summer (I was
planning to find a place of my own). And I decided that I'm going
to stay. :) Sure I love her as the sister I never had, but we can
never forget the better economic perspective of this deal... :) I
think I can survive any tornado after her...
besides, I love the animals!
We're *a little*
crazy indeed... but so many funny things happen when you *change*
your relationship, you know. Like the day I told her that I would
send her an email with a new pic of JC... ok, stay in your room
so you can get it as soon as I log off... :) what? Ask her to
come to my room and see the pic? Too easy. :) And, of course,
even with just one phone line I added her to my ICQ list...
(Cyndi's words: "I log on the other
day, and I find out she has added me to her ICQ list! I walked in
her room and asked her how in the world we are supposed to chat?
She can send a message, then log off. I log on, send a reply,
then log off. And so on??? We laughed for ages over
that one").
We're having a wonderful time together. In fact, sometimes it's
really scary... I guess the Internet broke the peaceful balance
of the Universe, we're supposed to stay in different hemispheres
to give Earth more chances to survive... :)
