Alignment

We spent the week getting ready for our "alignment" meeting. It was a day-long activity for the whole ICS department on Friday. We needed a presentation on what we accomplished and what we would accomplish this next half year. We also gave a presentation about our family - focusing on the grandchildren. We were to have an hour-long session for leadership training in place of the half hour each morning. We started the day with a breakfast - thank goodness for pão de quejo.

Breakfast time

 We had exercise, as usual.

Our exercise czar

 In our morning meeting, Emerson gave new assignments then we had the alignment where everyone gave the goals they accomplished and the new ones they were working on. By the time everyone else was finished it was time for lunch, so our part was postponed until after lunch. We had lunch at the Feijão de Corda, a restaurant close to our apartment. They specialize in food from the northeast. It was delicious.

Our department at lunch

 In the afternoon everyone gave an introduction to their families. We were the last and sure enough, we ran out of time. Diane talked about our family and I presented our accomplishments for the time we have been here then we all left, skipping the leadership training we had planned.

Paulo introducing his family

 With Evanir retiring we lost our expertise on Webcast. On Monday we had a Webcast test with Badu learning how to do it. A Tuesday meeting was webcast to various locations in Brazil. It worked fine until it suddenly stopped broadcasting just before the end of the meeting.

Some of the other senior couples teach English classes in the evening. Elder DePaula has had the beginning class. It ended up too big so he asked if I could teach half the class. It looks like we will be teaching on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

All the other senior couples attend the Morunbi Ward, but we attend the São Paulo 5th Ward (which is the ward we live in). The Morumbi ward had a missionary activity on Saturday night and asked the senior couples to sing. The bishop of that ward informed us that they will have a Sunday School class in English for the senior couples and invited us to attend. We decided to continue attending our own class in Portuguese.

Our women's section

Our accompaniment section (minus the harmonica)

Our men's section

On Saturday we decided to see the Higienópolis neighborhood of São Paulo. We took a bus to Paulista Avenue then walked to Higienópolis. This is the artistic and intellectual area of São Paulo. It is also the Jewish quarter. Being Saturday we saw quite a few going to and coming from the synagogue.  We also saw a lot of nice houses.

Not a typical house for the area

A hot sale going on at this house

If you end up in the dog house you might as well be in style

Now this looks more artistic

We passed one of the big stadiums in town.

The stadium

 Several groups of drummers were practicing in the praça.

Bass drum section

 they had a typical feira there offering "the Best Pasteis in São Paulo"

At least that's what the sign says

They make them on the spot.

Cooking pasteis

 This one has carne seca [dried meat] and cheese in it.

No, I can't eat them :-(

 Somebody decorated their car with wooden items for sale

Just married?

 We took a stroll through Buenos Aires Park. A lot of families were there for a leisurely Saturday.

Big sister is watching

It takes two to tango

We went to the Higienópolis shopping where we got some paninis for lunch. They made special ones with pão de queijo. They were small, but good.

Bookstore in the round

Dome in the round

Missionary in the round

We passed by the Museu de Arte Brasilia in the morning and found out it didn't open until 1 pm. We went back after lunch and found out that all of the exhibits were closed except for one with strange dresses. Pictures weren't allowed so I found some on the web.

Museu de Arte Brasileira

Chose your dress

Well, we will see what next week brings.