A Funny List

Brazil has been great.  But for some reason fate or karma has made my stay here a little... uncomfortable, from time to time.  A few minor ailments have come upon me little by little in the time I have been here, and they didn't seem like that big of a deal in the time they happened, but when a friend pointed out to me yesterday, they make kind of a funny list when told together all at once.  So I thought I'd list out some of them.

• While the group was getting ready to leave the apartment one night, I had to go to the bathroom real quick.  On my way out, the hallway was pitch dark, and I didn't know where the light switch was (Brazilian houses have them in the most random spots sometimes), so I just decided to go by faith.  Unfortunately there was a wall in front of me which I did not see, into which I cracked my forehead and my big toe.  My forehead missed a nail that was sticking out of the wall by about an inch, which was lucky, but my big toenail broke.  We were in such a big hurry that I didn't make any mention of it to the group, but while we were walking I noticed that it started bleeding quite a bit.  
• While playing in the waves on the beach, there is a long, barnacle-covered rock halfway up the tide that a friend and I decided to go to.  I decided to sit down on the far side of it, which sloped down towards the ocean.  While I was sitting, a big wave came and literally pushed me back up the rock, sliding me on my back and arm.  Needless to say, the barnacles didn't sit too well with my bare skin.
• At night, sleeping in a hammock was starting to wear down my back, and I was waking up feeling like an old man, so I decided to sleep on a mattress next to Jaren.  Taking advantage of the situation, local mosquitoes/spiders/bedbugs/some other fourth thing decided to execute an attack on my newly-exposed legs.  They succeeded in getting pretty much everywhere that wasn't covered by gym shorts, but for some reason they picked one spot on my left leg, right in the back of the knee, where they seemed to have a kind of a little blood fest, so that part turned out looking like it has some kind of a disease.
• I started sneezing pretty profusely in the mornings, until it finally broke the morning barrier and lasted throughout the day.  My nose started omitting a never-ending stream of mucous, which I tried stopping with tissues like a bloody nose, until my host family decided that what I most needed to cure my ailments was some honey mixed with garlic.  Literally, chopped up garlic put into a container of honey.  Eaten by the spoonful.  The taste was so repugnant that after one day I told them their concoction had miraculously cured me, and I tried to make my sneezing not so obvious.
• I'm not sure if it was due to the garlic honey or some other thing, but my lips started feeling kind of funky and slowly started swelling up.  It started just a little bit in the corners, and over time spread to the middle of my upper lip, and now its inching along the lower one as well.  Its not too horribly bad, it just feels kind of weird when I try to eat and brush my teeth.  But it seems fine if I try to keep my mouth shut as much as possible.
• I've been shocked a couple times by bumping the electric shower head while taking a shower. 
• I was stung by an ant on the finger.

So there you have it, kind of funny when its all bunched up together in one list.  But in all honesty, I have been having a wonderful time here--I haven't been sunburned, or bitten by sharks, and until now there hasn't been any sign of a stomachache.  I haven't been mugged or attacked or flirted with by anyone sketchy.  The family's poodle that likes to wander into open bedrooms and leave his mark on beds and pillows hasn't made it to mine.  Thus, I have zero reason to complain.  Brazil is still too legit to quit.

Our Apartmento

This is Logan in the hammock I slept in for the first week.  There's six of us living together in the same apartment: Logan, Nick, Taylor, Brian, Jaren, and myself, along with Thiago and Fernanda (our hosts), and Fernanda's mom, and her son Luiz Henrique.  Luiz Henrique just left today to go spend the holidays at his dad's house in São Paulo.

 This is the dining area, where we enjoy our breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

 This is about the most delicious thing you can eat, açaí.  It's a berry that grows in the Amazon but you can buy it anywhere in northeast fairly easily.  Before I arrived in Recife they'd gone and bought a big huge box of it for over a hundred reais, and it lasted us about a week.  It is so addicting, I can't put words to how incredible it tastes.

Jaren's in the kitchen hanging out with Chica.

 This is the view from the window in the front room.  You can't see it that well since it's night, but that's the beach outside across the street.

 Luiz Henrique on the left, Thiago on the right.  They live on the 2nd floor (3rd floor by American standards) of their apartment building, and the elevator (which they are in right now) is right outside their front door, which is super convenient. Also, ever since we have arrived, Thiago has enjoyed wearing this hat that I'm guessing someone gave to him during his mission.

Thiago and Logan.  Thiago's holding the fireworks he is about to fire off.  (They make a lot more of an explosion than they look like they would.)

This is Brian; he was on the plane with me to Brazil.  He is really liking the reading we have for our classes.

This is Thiago, "dono da casa."  He likes to stand next to people while wearing this shirt, and take his picture with them.

São João

If you go to Google.com today, you will see in their graphic what I have been celebrating here this week.  Every June in Brazil, especially in the Northeast, they have what is called the celebration of São João (St. John), or the "Festa Junina" (June Fest).  Its a really big deal here, the men and women dress up in checkered clothing and dance in square motions (quadrilha).  They put up those colorful banners all over the place.  Some of the men wear straw hats and some of the women paint freckles on their cheeks.  Children paint mustaches and little beards on their faces. To be completely honest with you, I'm not sure why. 

But last night we took a bus to a city in the interior where there was a big party.  They had a couple of bands play some music called forro, and we learned how to dance the forro.  We were there super late, and we all woke up in the afternoon and have been dead tired.  There is another party tonight and there will be more tomorrow.  Brazilians love to party.

First Day Together

What a good-looking group.  Our first day of class was Monday the 20th, and this is a picture of all of us together at ABA, the English-learning institute.  This is where we meet for classes.  Everyone is so happy to be here, just look at all the shiny faces.

 Everyone's so excited to start off the study abroad.

 Esses caras--Nick and Taylor.  Always up to something.  To the left is Rachel, interested in what Danyelle is saying, and behind them is Logan, interested in the packet he received from Francisco Gomes de Matos.

 Jaren and Jessica, so happy to begin a new journey.

 Amelia and Joanna are so excited.  Maybe a little too excited.

 This happy couple, Clark and Michelle.  Also, the only couple.

 Vanessa's wonderful stripling sons.  Danilo's the most excited, followed by Felipe.  Marcello is kind of looking off into the distance with his hands in his backpack straps.

 Diana and Berkley are so happy to begin their studies of Brazil.  They also have cool bags.

 Jaren and I together.  The forces of excitement and joy combine.

 Vanessa is so happy she can hardly wait to teach us about Brazilian culture and civilization.  She is a wonderful teacher, and Jaren is next to her.

My camera can do these sweet panoramic shots, so you can get a better feel for what it's like inside of ABA.  Here we go, to start our new adventures.