I was placed in Dona Gasparina's house. She is an amazing woman! At age 10, she took on the responsibility of running the household when her mother became sick. Third grade was the end of her school career because her father could not afford to send the girls in the family to town for scool. At age 16 she married, and by 25 she had 7 kids. She raised her kids pretty much as a single mom while her husband trucked lumber in and out of Brasilia. She completed 4th-8th grade when she was 54, and is thinking about going to high school! She's still full of energy, loves to cook, is always smiling, adores her 17 grandchildren, and still does laundry for three of her adult kids (some things will never change!).
For example, the main entertainment was for me to "converse" with visitors and family who came to her house. This was a difficult pass-time for me to participate in, considering my limited language skills, but I found that I was generally able to follow the conversation and participate as well. By the end of the week, I could even follow the jokes and sarcasm of the older grandkids!!
There were definite moments of confustion for me too. The first full day I was there, Dona Gasparina took me to a church meeting. Four and a half hours later, as the sun was setting, we were walking home. I curiously asked her what the word "Paragrino" meant, because I'd heard it several times that afternoon. She looked at me a little dubiously, and said that was the name of the program they had been learning about for the entire meeting! So obviously, not much stuck from that meeting, but at least I learned the word for "sunset" on the way home too!
It was really a wonderful, "real-life" experience with a very generous and welcoming family!! I am now back at school for one more month of classes before I head down to Sao Paulo to start work.