2162 36th Street in Astoria is The Four Seasons compared to...

Morning

A shower, some buffet at a random restaurant (picture a pizza parlor with waiters dressed from Le Cirque) a granola bar and some packing.

I get a call at the hostel from a Clifford Nelson - brazillian guy with american name - he speaks english - tells me a man by the name of ARNOLDO will be by to pick me up at 1230pm. When a little old brazillian man looking like a little old italian man arrives - he gives me a wink and says Father Lorenzo (question mark). I say yes and we get into a Ford Pick-up truck where a HUGE man with four bellys is driving.

I pull out my brazillian portuguese translation book and start trying to have a convo. The miscommunication started right away as they told me It would take an hour to get to Fr. Lorenzo~s house, but we were there in less than a minute.

I~m feeling exhausted as I had very little quality sleep last night - my right middle finger aches for no reason and Im without a doubt malnourished by American standards.

They pound a gate while turning a key and then let me into an inner door to this 3 bedroom house that looks straight out of seedy parts of LA.

Appreciation for the Hostel - let alone NY - kicks in quick as I tour the facilities. Toliet bowl is ooooh man. Shower - well the Hostels was way nicer. There~s a coroted beday - what does a priets need one of these for(question mark)

The fridge is something out of the slums - with rotten fruit and their respective flies. Bad mayonaisse, old cheese slices and three beers. The kitchen is loaded with canned foods as if we are about to experience a hurricane. The house is loaded with old books and old clothes. There~s and old computer on a shelf in a spare room. My bed seems ok - tell you tomorrow.

Im alone here as Father Lorenzo - the priest I am to go with into the amazon - doesn~t arrive til Thur - I have the keys to the house and I dont think I will ever see Arnoldo or the big fat sweet driver again. Oh and there are so many nasty stray dogs around here-should of gotten a rabies shot - another thing you never think about living in America.

I guess I will catch up on sleep, read and journal - at some point I will find food - problem is, will they understand me (question mark)