Although moving to a new place is a fun adventure, making real friends can be a difficult and slow process.  So far, we have made friends naturally through our housemates and their friends and also at work.  The first few weeks at work were a little lonely while the other housekeepers sized me up to see if I would stick around or not (out of the 6 new-hires in our original group interview only two of us remain).  There was many a day when I sat alone at the staff cafeteria staring into my cooked peas and feeling like I was in middle school all over again (how can this be when I am almost 31 years old?!)  Thankfully, two months later, I now sit with friends.



I knew I was on my way to being included in the social goings-on of the veteran housekeepers when my supervisor approached me a few weeks ago after work and invited me to a party.  "It's Spanish or Portuguese speaking only, because we're tired of having to speak English all the time," she said.  "I'll be there," I replied.  But in my head I was thinking, "Ahh! I got invited to a party!" and "I'm self-conscious about my rusty Spanish!" and also "I'm afraid to go alone without Sean giving me confidence!"

Last weekend after hanging out with Sean downtown he dropped me off at the house where the fiesta was being held.  Needless to say, I was feeling a little anxious because a) I was the newest housekeeper there b) I don't speak Portuguese  c) I was the only person there who was not from some part of South America and d) Parties make me anxious and sweaty.

Me, Leissy (Chile), Renata (one of my supervisors from Brazil), Adrianna (Argentina) and Sue Ellen (Brazil)

Upon entering, someone who I don't know greeted me at the door and said something to me in Portuguese. I can honestly say that I had no idea what they were talking about so I said, in English, "Um . . . I brought some wine (it was a half-full bottle I had gotten from a checked out room earlier that day, classy, I know). Where can I put it?"  The person looked at me strangely and said, in English, "You no speak Portuguese?"  . . . .  It was a rough start.

Can you find the Gringa?

Things got better after that though.  I went to sit in the Spanish-speaking corner with the other housekeepers that I know and we had a good time eating fancy snacks.  After a glass of wine or two I was feeling a little better.  I was so amazed at how different everyone looked out of uniform - the transformation was incredible!  There was singing, dancing and lots of chatting.  I actually had a really good time except that I was one of the few who had to work the next day and thus had to leave fairly early.  This weekend there is another similar get-together and I am invited but this time Sean gets to go too! 

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