Once, twice, three times quierida

 Querida is a Brazilian term of endearment that translates to something like "dear one." It is super common. We don't use it ourselves, because we don't know the rules but we feel all warm inside when people people use it with us. There is a small market at the bottom of the hill where we are living. I walk down there a lot and usually need help to find what I'm looking for. The first time I couldn't find juice, the second time I couldn't find coffee, the third time the lady called me querida and sent a kid to help me. Same thing at the rotisserie. The third time we stopped there the guy outside called me querida and the guy inside gave Carol a business card and said he could help us find an apartment. In our experience, Brazilians can be pretty quick to warm up. At the first encounter you are a stranger, the second time you are recognized and by the third time you just might be a querida.