OI!!!!! Como vai tudo mundo? I am right now in disbelief that i am in the final monthes of my exchange year. I am sure all the other exchange students are feeling the same. And now i have so much more that i want to do before i leave, yet so little time. For the past three montes i have done nothing except travel. I can truthfully say, i am almost finished with covering the entire Brasil. It all began in December. My first host family decided that it would be good for me to get to know the capital of my state. So I did just that. Over the course of three days i toured the beautiful city if Curitiba. It was really nice, but unfortunately i was under the impression that it would be the same type of warm weather as my city, wasnt i wrong. Because its located to the south, it was cold, even though it was the beginning of summer. So as we were touring the botanical gardens and going out at night to see the christmas productions in the street, i was freezing with a little white light sweater. And when i say light i mean light. All it did was cover my skin, and not keep anything warm. I left Curitiba, only in time to have a few days before christmas, and another trip that i was going on for new years with one of my closest friends here in Brasil. We went to the south to a beach named Camborio. It was so nice spendiong New Years on a beach. I had so much fun wondering on the beach at midnight with a thousand and one other people, and tossing flowers into the water for good luck. Spectacular would be the best word to describe it. Ive never seen that many people on a beach, so Bahamas beaches will never be the same to me. They will look almost deserted, but still be considered (in my mind) the best beaches in the world. (ha ha) Well we left a few days after New Years because we had to return to wash clothes and rest up for another trip, The Norteste trip. The Nordeste trip is a trip for exchange students that tours the entire north east side of brasil. Its a culture enriched tour of the most cultured part of brasil ( NE ). My group consisted of 2 busses with 80 exchange students. 40 E.S. in each bus and 2 chaperones also in each bus. We visited beaches (many many many beaches), cities and took city tours in various states. It lasted for an entire month, from january 9th until february 8th. The cities included Belo Horizonte, Ouro Preto ( a city that is all old european buildings and churches, which they are famour for.), Brasilia ( the capital of Brasil. We visited many goverment buildings. And i found this very intresting, because all the goverment buildings had religious things inside. Such as Crucifixs and in one they even had a Catholic Chapel.), Chapada Diamantina - Lençois (the first place we visted where all our activites there were in the natural outdoors. Swimming in rivers, and taking nature walks etc), Maceio (the first beach we visited. I almost thought i was home in the bahamas. The hotel was on the beach, and it just reminded me of turist resorts back home), Natal (all i remember is visiting beaches), Fortaleza ( one of my favorite places in the nordeste. We went to the biggest club in the north of Brasil here. It was really nice. The beaches there were also really nice, and the outdoor market was huge.), Recife (This was also a nice city. It was very clean.It had a really nice mall...haha...), SALVADOR, my absolute favorite city in Brasil. This is where we saw SUN. I seemed to leave out the fact in al lthe cities that we visited before Salvador all had terrible weather whilst we were there. It rained the entire time. We spent days on beaches in the rain. So when we awoke the morning after arriving in Salvador and saw sun, everyone was celebrating. SAlvador is one of the cities in Brasil ( in my opinion) which has alot of brasilian culture. With a clean city that is split into "high" and "low'' parts, people who are all tanned unbelievably, amazing food, and amazingly gorgeous beaches, Salvador would be my choice city for the best city in Brasil. Unfortunately we only spent a few days there before we had to move onto Porto Seguro. Porto Seguro, which means "safe port" is only beaches and balladas ( clubs). Not to mention that is a big turist destination. Everyday that we were there we spent on the beach, except for one day where we did a city tour. I spent my birthday there also. It was nice. Turning 18 and having more than 13 languages of HAPPY BIRTHDAY songs and a sun filled day on the beach, who could ask for more......Except to end the trip in Rio de Janiero. Rio is without a doubt the most gorgeous city in Brasil (even though i like Salvador more). Its surrounded by mountains and hills covered in lush green forest. Absolutely beautiful. We tourewd Rio visiting, its national soccer stadium, carnaval street as it was being built, the Jesus that hovers over Rio. Now heres the joke with that. The day we ascended to see Christ, it started to rain, and fog completely covered Jesus. We were standing above the city in a cloud, waiting for it to go away and the rain to stop so we coudl atleast take pictures of Jesus visibly. I was like if this isnt ironic, i dont know what is. Im in a cloud to see Jesus. We also visited "Pao de Açucar", a group of cliffs that allow you to see the entire city and all of its beauty. The trip ended with a huge party at the Hard Rock Cafe of Rio de Janiero. It was really nice. I truthfulyl enjoyed my monthes adventure. Even though we had problems through out the trip with rain and bad weather, and people leaving because of drugs, it was indeed a great trip. I met so many exchange students, and made new friends. Sadly when i returned to my city i returned with a special present from the north east, a SKIN INFECTION on my face, leg and an elbow. I guess everywhere you go you should take home a souvenir.