Do you remember the summer between 7th and 8th grades? The teeter-totter between child and teenager (or nowadays tween and teenager)? How you began to experiment with make-up and doing something with your hair other than putting it in a ponytail? Your body was likely changing, your friends became more important to you, you were really practically a high-schooler--it was only a year away. And all of the sudden boys--those smelly, noisy, loud, obnoxious creatures that had been hanging around your whole life with the purpose of being alternately playmates and annoyances (at least if you had older brothers)- began to look a little different to you. In fact some of them were kind of cute and sweet and interesting and wouldn't it be fun to get to know them a little better?
Okay, have I got you feeling 13 yet? Here's a reminder of what it might have looked a little like.
Social Butterfly and good friend, Peanut, last summer
Now imagine if your brothers' water polo team had a Brazilian coach who had a friend who was a coach in Brazil who had a team full of boys that wanted to come play water polo in San Diego for a few weeks in the summer. Then imagine that your mom (who really can't stand not having some volunteer commitment going at all times) said she'd be happy to be the trip coordinator. What if one of these Brazilian water polo players was going to stay with you for a month and your days would be jam-packed with water polo games and social activities like beach bonfires and jet-skiing at the bay and Padre games all with Brazilian water polo players that were 1-2 years older than you? And what if your friend could come with you for like the whole month? Do you think you'd like that? You know you would (I'm thinking especially of Bad Mom and Mrs. G and Debbie here--I know the secret boyfriend/man candy thing started somewhere)!
What if the boys showed up and looked a little something like this?
Imagine that they were very sweet and shy and polite and spoke broken English with Portuguese accents and had extraordinarily exotic sounding Portuguese names. Plus, they all wore the best-smelling cologne ever.
Imagine that the water polo team gives nicknames to freshmen every year and that year the nickname given to your next oldest brother, Danger Boy (the one that never gives you a break and is only one grade ahead of you), was "Baby _______" (where _______ = MVP's real first name). But the Brazilians just called him "Baby." Or, more accurately, "Bebee," in an utterly charming Portuguese accent.
How would you feel if every time Danger Boy gave you a hard time about anything for a solid month there was a cute Brazilian boy with a devastatingly sweet smile, saying "No, Bebee! Leave her alone, Be nice!"
Would you be pretty happy that even when they left they e-mailed you and visited your MySpace to say "hi"? Would you and your friend Peanut spend the next year exhorting your mother to figure out a way to get the Brazilians back next summer or better yet for the next school year (we're working on it)?!
Let's just say that SB and Peanut will remember last summer forever. First crushes are like that. Especially when they're innocent yet thrilling. It was a kick to watch--especially because the boys were just enough older that they would never look at the girls as anything other than little sister types. If they were to come back now . . . ?! There may be some unattractive Brazilians, but apparently they only grant exit visas to the gorgeous ones.
Holy Mother of God, you are like a Secret Boyfriend Goodwill Ambassador for the thirteen set-I love you, Bebeeee....
Posted by: Mrs. G. | June 20, 2008 at 12:21 AM
It's like an after school special without the scary drug, alchohol, teen pregnancy part.
Posted by: wenderina | June 20, 2008 at 12:26 AM
Can I go back in time and be your daughter (or even her friend) last summer??? PLEASE?!?!
Posted by: kcinnova | June 20, 2008 at 12:33 AM
Gosh, when I was thirteen I spent the summer looking at Sean Cassidy in Tiger Beat. This beats the heck out of that.
Posted by: McSwain | June 20, 2008 at 12:34 AM
Man, thirteen... I had my first "boyfriend" then (this was back when these relationships were brokered by friends) - I think I even saw him a few times in the halls at school. Oh, and we went to the dance together, which meant we nervously avoided each other in a crowded gym of our schoolmates while music was playing.
Brazilian polo players - so much more exotic and exciting!
Posted by: MamaMo | June 20, 2008 at 12:51 AM
OMG.I can sooo like like totally hear the shrill girly girl scream of excitement!!
Posted by: Julie | June 20, 2008 at 12:52 AM
if all of that happened to me between 7th and 8th grades, then maybe, i wouldn't ALWAYS say, when asked about middle school "i'd rather lose a limb than go back to middle school". maybe if MY mom got ME a half dozen cute brazilian swimmers to fawn over me when i was in middle school, then i wouldn't still sort of want to kill everyone i went to middle school with. is get her some cute brazilian boys mentioned in Love and Logic? it should be. that's totally logical.
Posted by: kate | June 20, 2008 at 12:55 AM
WOW - now that is a summer I would not have easily forgotten either - how fun for EVERYONE!!!
Have a good Friday - see you - Kellan
Posted by: Kellan | June 20, 2008 at 01:34 AM
Oh, we had a Yugoslavian summer guest when I was about that age. Takes me back. I sure paid attention to my hair that summer!
Posted by: Nora Bee | June 20, 2008 at 01:40 AM
WOw, that must have been the best summer ever. I want to go back and have THAT summer myself. Those boys are so cute.
So, where are you having them shipped in from this year? Italy? France?
Posted by: Suzanne | June 20, 2008 at 07:41 AM
my first crush was a Portuguese boy. we spent a summer in figuera de foz and for a year after he wrote to me almost every other day. Those were sweet times for sure.
Posted by: claudia | June 20, 2008 at 08:19 AM
Could we add a real live 20-something Brazillian water polo team to the entertainment at the Women's Colony?
Posted by: standing still | June 20, 2008 at 08:20 AM
Oh my Brazilian Boys are CUTE! That story is like a Disney movie. What a perfect summer. Somehow I would guess there were many photos to choose from for this post.
Are there any grown up Brazilian water polo teams for the mommies to watch?
Posted by: Karen | June 20, 2008 at 08:23 AM
Wow, and I thought I had totally repressed the fact that I was 13 once. :)
And... I'm waiting to hear your answer to Karen's question...
Posted by: CircusKelli | June 20, 2008 at 08:36 AM
I would have filled up an entire diary with my Brazilian fantasies/wedding plans.
Posted by: The Mom Bomb | June 20, 2008 at 09:01 AM
Woa, those boys are P-R-E-T-T-Y!!!
No wonder your daughter will remember it forever!
Posted by: Denise | June 20, 2008 at 09:14 AM
Brazilians are extraordinarily beautiful. Rescue Rangers Exquisite Girlfriend is Brazilian.
Posted by: Mary Alice | June 20, 2008 at 09:33 AM
My own junior high years blew chunks compared to what my own kids have experienced. I'd trade places with them (or with yours) in a New York Minute.
Posted by: apathy lounge | June 20, 2008 at 11:12 AM
It's nice to read a post about Brazilians that has nothing to do with hair removal.
Posted by: Smalltown Mom | June 20, 2008 at 12:24 PM
And 40 years from now, when asked to remember that summer, they will *sigh*
and recall the sweet innocent crushes and how it made them feel.
The only thing cuter than Brazilian boys are the Cuban boys I've met from Miami.
Posted by: Little Miss Sunshine State | June 20, 2008 at 12:34 PM
hahaha your whole post had me cracking up :-) The American boys won't stand a chance after this summer ;-)
Posted by: Janet | June 20, 2008 at 12:52 PM
Tough for the boys from the hood to competer with that!
Posted by: david | June 20, 2008 at 01:12 PM
oh man, I would have been loving that summer if I was SB. :)
Posted by: Shamelessly Sassy | June 20, 2008 at 01:33 PM
That summer definitely could have been a Judy Blume book.
I thought the picture of SB was a picture of you at 13. What a resemblance!
Posted by: Manic Mommy | June 20, 2008 at 01:45 PM
You. Are. The. Best. Mom. EVER!!!!! If she EVER wants to complain, remind her of "that perfect summer." Whew. Secret Boyfriends Forever!!!
Posted by: The Girl Next Door | June 20, 2008 at 02:29 PM
I LOVE kcinnovas comment! I think my life would have taken a different turn, had I had someone like you for my mother!
Posted by: Trudie | June 20, 2008 at 02:42 PM
The Rocky HOrror Picture Show song "Time Warp" is running through my head. I am thinking SB would like to replay that summer NEXT SUMMER
KEEP BELIEVING
Posted by: Angie | June 20, 2008 at 02:55 PM
By the way, thank you for the nice comment on my enjoying my appearance on my blog. Have you been talking to Brian? Seems like I hear that a lot. Seems like I can't take much of a compliment, lately, too.
KEEP BELIEVING
Posted by: Angie | June 20, 2008 at 03:00 PM
Oh, my....SO FUN! I'm definitely 13 again.
Posted by: JCK | June 20, 2008 at 03:06 PM
When I was that age it was all about Spring Break in downtown Palm Springs, which was crazy back then, before Sonny Bono passed the anti-thong law. I kid you not. My friends and I would take the bus there and try our best to look older while all the college students got arrested.
Posted by: Memarie Lane | June 20, 2008 at 03:23 PM
You had me at bebee!
Posted by: phd in yogurtry | June 20, 2008 at 03:43 PM
Oh....Brazilian boys....my first real kiss was by one of those fabulously tan, beautiful and nice smelling Brazilian boys...like two decades ago....I remember it like yesterday!!! They will always break your heart!!
Posted by: Brittany | June 20, 2008 at 04:31 PM
You brought me right back to the summer I spent in Brazil in a CISV camp. Right down to the accents, the bare chests, the 'bebee'. Good times!
Heidi
Posted by: Heidi | June 20, 2008 at 04:53 PM
Oh, I remember the thrill of the 13 year old crush...
Posted by: LifeAsIKnowIt | June 20, 2008 at 05:50 PM
Suddenly, I wish I were 14 again. :)
Posted by: Carrie | June 20, 2008 at 06:15 PM
~~sigh~~ oh Jenn...you had me at the title!!
I'm sitting here just smiling and yes, chuckling a bit!!! My good friend's husband in Brazilian and when I hear his (in a VERY loud, booming voice!) "De-beeeeee", I know that I am going to be the recipient of a wonderful hug (which almost always follows one of those 'running through a field of daisies' kind of intro!!).
and again...~~siiiiiiggghhhhhh~~
Yes...SB and Peanut will remember that summer forEVER!!
Now...I have the "weekend of the Portuguese men who came by sailing ship" that pretty much takes up most of my memories!!!
You gotta love that "eye candy"!!!
Posted by: debbie | June 20, 2008 at 09:33 PM
So, were you asking if I'd like to have a gaggle of Brazilian water polo boys hanging around when I was 13, or now? Because the answer is the same both ways, frankly.
Don't judge.
(Great story, well told)
Posted by: stephanie (bad mom) | June 21, 2008 at 12:36 AM
Oh my!
I think at 13 I would have died!!!
At 19 I was asked to dance by a Brazilian man (maybe 25) at carnival in San Francisco. I can't dance, but he cast some kind of spell, because for 15 minutes he had me sliding across that floor! It still makes me smile just thinking about it.
Posted by: Zip n Tizzy | June 22, 2008 at 01:37 PM
I love the way you capture the moments Jenn. Just lovely story.
Posted by: Just Jamie | June 22, 2008 at 06:38 PM
Oh thanks for taking me back there. I remember my summer...and the fun. I didn't have Brazilians, but there was a first crush. :)
Posted by: Grandy | June 23, 2008 at 12:46 AM
OH.MY.GOSH!
You earned mother of the year, right?
You do from me, and you aren't my mom!!
Posted by: Marie | July 11, 2008 at 03:36 PM
My husband was in San Diego on a soccer scholarship when he won me over with his Portuguese accent. And he wears the BEST cologne! What a great summer for everyone involved.
Posted by: Mamasphere | July 23, 2008 at 12:08 PM
O meu primo está nessa foto. O mais branco que está nas duas fotos. Essa foto é antiga. Como eu vim parar aqui? Será um presságio? O_O "This boy in photo is from my family!"
Posted by: Mayara Stuckert | December 13, 2012 at 09:51 PM