Another day at the beach

I hadn´t been to the beach, since Erica, Michelle and I went to Praia do Forte almost a week ago. The day was perfect to just lay out on the beach and tan, but unfortunately for our butts we didn´t bring a bathing suit. It was so sunny and the water was just right to go in for a dip. I took tons of photos of the ocean and us just fooling around on the rocks.
After we (or should say they) went sand boarding on the dunes and it looked like so much fun, but i just felt so drained that I didn´t do it. I really love the beaches here they are so nice and remote. I did alot of souveneir shopping too, everyone back home better love the gifts that I got them!

4th of july (brazilian style)

So today, is America´s independence day and here we are in another country! The day started off really nice as we had class at 10 a.m. and watched a video on the culture and people of Brazil. It was nice to get a history lesson on how the brazillian people have come to be brazillian. I thourghly enjoyed it. I took an etnic studies in the u.s. class at CSULB and it was interesting to compare the culture of the u.s. to brazil. I believe brazil is a complete 360 degrees opposite of America, with a few exception.
Brazil is a developing country with enough resources that americans feel comfortable living here and not feel so remote. I think that this is a very cordial culture with its roots of this type of behavior stemming from the african heritage that lives in brazil, much like that of the south in the u.s. (i.e. southern gentlemen). It is alot to examine in just one blog, but it is very complicated.
Vince, Michelle and I went to the tattoo parlor that Michelle´s friend works and I got my first tattoo. It didn´t hurt as much as I thought it would, but it makes me happy that I finally got it. I have been wanting to get one since last year, but with my finances and certain people discouraging my actions I couldn´t. It is the word "balance" written in Japanese. It sits on top of my pelvic bone and I think it is wonderful! Vince got a beautiful butterfly on his arm and the word "peace" written in portuguese. i really like it! The others went to Atalibi, a brazillian churascaria, for the 4th of July, I really wanted to go and eat tons of meat. That place is sooo good, i love their teramusu (sp?).

The battle was intense

Rounding off our third week, and tensions began to whirl. Vince and Matt got into a fight earlier that weekend and so everything just felt a little weird to be around people since we have become very cliquesh. But, we deceided that it was best just to have everyone keep their cool. Today, was pretty quite no new adventures or crazy bar stories to tell just another day in Florianopolis, studying the culture and meeting new people. It is weird because I have become so accustomed to living here in Brazil, that it feels like I´m living here not visiting the country. everyone is so inviting and beautiful it is no wonder that everyone gets along here. well, i am just preparing to get my tattoo tommorrow, so i hope all goes well.

World Cup fever

On Saturday, the Brazil soccer team was going up against France in the World Cup.
Everyone woke up early and the girls deceided to get on a bus and go to campeche to watch the game there. I got lost at the mercado and so in my pissy mode went back to the hotel to watch the game, since Iega´s was going to be closed.
As I took a shower and laid down on Erica´s bed, I felt my throat get itchy and then the fever set in. I feel like I will be catching a cold in the states with the drastic weather changes. I feel asleep, hair soaking wet (since my blowdryer blew out) and just sniffled a little. I want to go home.
I remembered how I felt so excited to come to brazil and just take on the country, but somewhere in between the first week and now, I just wished that my family was here to experience all the beautiful wonders this country has to offer. The groups dynamics are too hard to keep up with, and at this point too much effort to be pleasing to them.
The fight between Vince and Matt is proof that student exhange programs should be just that, where a student lives with a family and the family´s kid lives with yours.
After the tension between the boys and everyone settled, the next morning Vince and I went on a boat trip to the continent and we visited two forts. I had a really awesome time with Vince, and I kind of wish that me and him would of hung out more, because he is one cool cat.
We had this battered and fried fish, topped off with this sauce made out of tomatoes, shrimp, onions and cilantro. YUMMMY!! White rice and french fries was our side dishes.
The tour was in Portugese, but we met this couple from Brazil who spoke English. Actually the wife was an English teacher at some middle school in the northeastern part of the country. Her name was Karla.
Also, we met two young girls from canada that were backpacking through south america for three weeks, they spoke english too.
This weekend was really nice, and I have met so many people. I will miss the brazillians. I plan on coming back with my family and boyfriend in November after my 21st birthday. brazil is beautiful!!

Talking politics with older men

So yesterday, I was really not feeling all that great, as you read in my blog "Today I am American", but despite the PMS and patriotism, I along with the whole group minus Vince went to a night club. Against all my inclination to get some rest and prepare for my pet overpopulation story, I am glad that I went.
The club was kind of a punk underground club named Gaileo´s near Centro and it was pretty rad. It was a really small club with tons of cigarette smoke and lack of girlie drinks, but amidst the shy girl act I put on all the time, I met somebody that was very interesting to talk to.
It wasn´t an attraction thing, because he was not attractive at all, but he had the same mindset and outlook on life, that I wanted to talk to him more.
His name was Gustavo, age 35, and a native Brazillian. He was shocked as well to be talking til 3 in the morning about U.S. politics and the origins or Arab influence on the northern part of Brazil. He is a sagitarius and like all sags we are talkers, we love philosophy and to learn about all things in the world. Perhaps, a reason why I would be good in journalism.
I drank a beer and a caipriniha de vino, and danced for a little bit with Michelle who was digging the tattoo artists who brought us to this location.
Erica and Janette were getting pretty buddy buddy as they defeated these two Brazillian dikes at pool. Erica was so cute when she made the winning shot, tipsy and happy. I like when she´s happy, well I like when everybody´s happy. Matt being the brazillian socialite got some flyers from the club-goers and talked about being from California.
I had a good time as I staggered into my room with Michelle at 4 in the morning. I have never had this much fun in my life, I ususally am a home body but going to another country has really opened up my eyes to new things. I don´t want this feeling to stop. Its Friday, time to get crazy!!

Today I was American

Today, for some odd reason, I felt American. This whole time, I grew secretly frustrated with my group saying that they were frustrated with the language barrier, but today I understood. Having this article due tommorrow is frustrating without having a translator, it isn´t as easy as it seems to just get information, for most people here do not speak english or spanish.
Luckily, for me I met this columbia women who is studying at UFSC to become a mechinical engineer and she spoke spanish. Being that today was rainy I couldn´t stand being cold anymore and deceided to buy a pair of jeans, sneakers, an umbrella, and school supplies.
The columbian girl´s name was Patricia Ortega, and if she reads this I want to say "thank you so much for your kindness and generousity". She was so amazing and maternal, she and her friend Julianna which I met at the store where I bought my jeans. I have been moving around town fairly well, and seem to be well orientated with the local spots. However, today, I just didn´t want to attempt to speak portugese or spanish. People seemed disgusted with me only speaking english, but whatever, that´s my native language. I think I will go to iega, the local pub down from the hotel and get something to eat, today was a productive day.

Damn was that good

Finally, a meal worth raving about. Don´t get me wrong, Atalibi steakhouse rocked and the fish at Praia do Forte was the best I´ve had so far, but the restuarant that we went to in san baqui was soooo good!
Vince, Janette, and I all shared a big heaping plate of cubed pork and potatoes served with clams and seasoned with I believe oregano. I just wanted to have more and more!
Everyone except Erica and Grant was there.
Wednesday, was also the 10 day mark before I leave Brazil. I really miss home, but yet I don´t want to leave. I will miss the people, places, and good times that I have had in Florianopolis. I keep having these bad dreams about going back to work and getting hasseled by my boss, and them screaming at me that I didn´t buy any souveneirs for them. I plan on doing that this weekend.
The restuarant in san baqui was located in an ancient azurian village, which is a native tribe here in Brazil, which settled many of the towns and villages in Florianopolis. I had a fairly good time spending time with Reis and my classmates. I love when Matt screams "Sergioooooo!!!" it cracks me up, please don´t ask the details.

Bleeding green and gold again

Adapting is quite easy for me as I am an adventerous person by nature and never remain in the same place for too long. So, with my newly bought Brazil shirt I thought I was going to feel right at home, but instead it turned out to be the worst night here in Brazil.
After wiping the eye buggers from my face to get ready for my 9:30 a.m. class, Matt, Meg, Erica, Jannette and I caught a cab at the hotel to be on our way to watch the Brazil game at a friend´s of a friends house. We arrived to find a swarm of horny Brazillian boys ready to pounce Meg and the others, but first act of business was the Brazil game.
Without any effort, Brazil beat ghana 3-0, and the socializing began.
I danced to the reggae and techno music that they were bumping but I just couldn´t wrap myself around the scene. I just wasn´t feeling the sex talks that were circulating around the other girls and waiting for a pizza that took 8 hours to make.
In the end, the pizza was thin, I got a hangover, and threw up about three times at every bus stop. So maybe I can´t fully adapt...

Felicita yacht and champagne

Over the weekend, Erica, Michelle and I had the best time ever!! On Saturday, Erica and I went to La Goa and ate at this seafood restuarant. We ordered this seafood sampler that had tons of shrimp, two crab cakes, and a fish dish. It was so much food for so little money, only $42 reais, equivalant to $22 american dollars. It was a shame that we had to throw it away. But as we were finishing our meal, I was admiring the lagoon that the resturant was sitting on, and just happened to say "I wonder where we could rent a boat?". There were these three middle-aged women that were watching us the whole time, and right after I muttered the word "boat" they began to talk to us. They told us that they had a boat and invited us to go if we wanted to go on the water. Erica and I jumped at the chance and quickly got the bill and paid it. We caught up to the Brazilian desperate housewives who introduced us to their rich husbands, which there after we climbed on their yacht, named "felicita".
While on the boat, we all drank champagne and ate american junk food, I was having the best time ever! The owner of the boat was one of the ladies named Mia, who was boasting about being 50 and looking great. The two other women agreed and said that they were living the life. One of the husbands was on board too and another woman chatted with us in broken English, asking us questions to satisfy their confusion of why two american girls from long beach were in Brazil? We must of been convincing in our answers as our next stop was Mia´s weekend mansion on the La Goa cannel. Her house was HUGE! It was so beautifully decorated and I just wished our hotel was our house. It also made me wonder how much houses here in Brazil are? But, as we got back to our hotel, I concluded that what turned out to be a pretty crappy morning turned into the best night I had in Brazil.

heading off to the beach

me and erica are going to La goa today, since everyone has gone who knows where. I would like to see the beaches and get some good seafood. I wish I knew where everyone was at, but since I don't I'm not going to fret it to much. Michelle met a vegan boy and his girlfriend yesterday at the june festival and they invited her to go to a record store, I hope she is having a good time. One thing that I like about the brazillians is that they are so laid back and inviting. Things are slower here and people don't worry as much. I am starting to get used to the people greeting me with kisses on the cheek. I'm hungry right now so i'm probably going to get som cake or a burger, I really want seafood though, or a nice plate of pasta. The day is young, so I must be on my way to explore.

Rocking it in FLN

Last night, the whole group minus Grant went to the june festival, it was pretty awesome. At first, it didn't look bumping at all, but in the end it rocked as I got to see some really cool Brazillian rock and punk bands. Normally, I'm not one to listen to that kind of music I'm more of a reggae, 311, type style person but one of the bands called "my soundtracked life" rocked the stage. They are a mixture of rage against the machine and slipnot. I ended up buying their cd which was only 12 reais. I also met this brazillian vegan named pedro, I told michelle that I really liked him, but i think it was more just more my drunkard senses that attract me to him. He had a real cool personality and I liked his style, but he's just one of the many people that have extended their generosity to me.
Earlier that day, some UFSC students helped me out with my story as I ended up doing it on the journalism deptarment. Truth be told, I'm really homesick and kinda frustrated. I have not liked how my group just leaves, I guess I'm old-fashioned, but inviting people to things even if yo don't like them is just a step in common courtesy that they should learn. They just get up and leave without telling anyone, and you think that are going to doing something cool as a group, and then they jet. I like the locals more than my group, only erica, michelle and vince are the only ones that I could trust to be there.
Since the others left, me and erica are going to head done to la goa and get some seafood, michelle went with her ufsc vegan friends to go to a record store. I hope today ends up okay. til tommorow, pray for me.

World Cup Fever

Today was pretty special since it would be my first Brazil game in Brazil. I arrived at the restuarant where we the brazillian students from UFSC invited us, and I was late but by the sounds of the fireworks I knew that Brazil had scored one point. The Brazilians are extreme soccer hooligans, and especially when Brazil plays the whole country stops. None of the stores were open, and the streets were deserted, even the stray dogs that usually walk the streets weren't out.
Once I entered, I got a Bohemia beer and sat down to watch the game, it felt kinda impersonal since I really don't watch or like soccer, but the spirit was energetic which was exciting. I liked that everyone from the journalism department go together, I wish that CSULB was like that because nobody knows eachother, whereas here it's a big community. Anyways, I knew that Brazil was going to win as the Ronaldo hit a goal and made it 4-1, which would be the ending score. I thought that there would be an afterparty, but it seems like the game was the party. I thought it was cool, and look forward to Tuesday's game against Ghana, I need to get my Brazil shirt to show my love for the country. until tommorrow stayfresh.

Whose dat doggie in the window

The day began pretty stinking as I had to take my clothes to the lavaderia to get it washed, but as I was paying Michelle from across the way yells out, "Look, look there is a chihuahua". Having a little chihuahua myself, I automatically was delighted to find out if brazillian chihuahua's look the same. I rushed over and automatically feel in love with her, she was a 3 week old coco brown color and so cute. I wanted to hold her, but the translation part was once again difficult, they thought I wanted to buy her, but I said no 'solamente quiero cargarla' (I just want to hold her). Finally, this man came up to me and said that his wife knew English, so we spoke and she told me that I could adopt the dog and take it home if I wanted. Another chance oppurtunity I thought, I really wanted the dog because I've been thinking about getting another one, but also I know that it isn't just about getting another dog, it is taking on a whole new responsibility, which I don't know if i want or need right now, so i opted to not take the dog and leave it up to fate.

Ist day in Brazil

I woke up at 8:30 this morning and I just jumped out of bed, since I had to be at breakfast at 9:30, for most people that is enough time but not me I take forever to get ready. My roommate Michele and I got ready and we headed down to breakfast to meet the rest of the group. I was so tired since last night everyone stood up until 2 or 2:30 a.m. just talking about everything. My first actual day in Brazil was weird since nobody was at the hotel and there was really nothing to do within walking distance of the hotel. Quiet frankly I was so tired from the 19-hour plane ride that I just wanted to go to bed, but the minute that I got off the plane I had a burst of energy to explore the city and the people around it.Everyone back at home was warning me to be safe and don´t go out at night alone, which is pretty universal advice on safety, however, the actual experience is quite different as people here are so nice and it isnunusualalal to see couples stroll at 10 p.m. walking their dogs and going out to eat. I still haven´t adjusted to the time, I have a serious case of jetlag, but I feel like I just need to keep going since sleeping would take away the time that I could be spending with my group or the sites.Prof. Reis is really chill, aa lotlot of people in the group are cool, my favorites would be my roommate Michelelle, Vince and Matt, the others seem pretty cool, but I haven´t gotten to know them that well.The language barrier for me isn´t too bad, as I speak Spanish and most words in Spanish are translatablPortugueseguese, however, there have been some times where I make to "no comprende" face and its hard to get across what you want. The locals try to help you understand which is very generous of them and a sigsincerityerety on their part.I still can´t believe I´m in Brazil, it feels still surreal, still so far, but ultimately after the three weeks are up I could remember it with such splendor. I really feel blessed that I have gotten the opportunity to come and interact with people of other cultures. Even if I didn´t speak Spanish I would still appreciate the experience and not let it get me down because my personality is one of curiousity and exploration, despite some people´s wishes to just go out and party I like that I get the chance to learn something beneficial. I feel like it is a good balance, I sure want to go to the beach and go bar-hopping, but also learning a thing or two won´t hurt. I really feel good at this time and hope that the feeling rides into the last part of the trip. Until them, stayfresh.

posted by Cristina Madrid @ 10:39 AM 0 comments
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