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FELIZ
NATAL E FELIZ ANO NOVO!!!
I know it has been quite a long time since my last report, but I have just
been so busy down here!!! I will try to update you on everything on
everything that has happened since my last report. Well, at the end of
November I went to a Rotary function where Rotary donated a van to the
Cancer Clinic of Londrina. I also went to a battle of the bands concert
because one of my friends was playing in a band that was performing. It
was really neat, I had never been to anything like it, all the bands were
Christian rock, and I had a great time. A week later I also went to a
Sertaneja concert (which is Brasilian country), it was so fun! Dancing all
night long!
Also the school year finished the last week of November, and then I spent
the first three weeks of December traveling with my friend Hannah, another
exchange student from Minnesota, and her host family. I had the most
amazing time! First we went down to the state of Santa Catarina, spending
a weeking exploring the beautiful city of Camboriu, and and a day driving
all around Florianopolis Island. So many beautiful beaches, in such a
different form of beauty than the beaches in the Bahamas. In Santa
Catarina the beaches are smaller and surrounded by lush green mountians,
the sand is a lot harder than in the Bahamas, the water is darker and
rougher- lots more waves for cute surfer boys! Haha!
Then we drove back up to my state, Paraná, and spent the last couple weeks
at Hannah's family's beach house at Pontal, which is unofficially called
the Point of Paraná because just about everyone in Paraná that can afford
to do so owns a summer beach house in that area. It was a lot of fun, and
more relaxing than the first week. We played a lot of cards, a lot of
water volley ball in their pool, hung out at the beach, and ate A LOT of
food! Haha! Also one day we took a ferry to Ihla do mel (island of honey)
and explored- so beautiful!
When I finally got back to Londrina on the 19th of December, I was ready
to be back home and my own bed! On the 20th I took my final exam in my
portuguese class at the universty, and I feel great about it, so I am sure
I did fine. Christmas and Christmas Eve was one of the hardest, but most
interesting couple of days I've had since I arrived here. I was pretty
home sick the couple of days leading up to Christmas and on Christmas too,
but that was distracted by all the activities going on. There is a lot
less Christmas spirit down here, in the society, probably because there
are so many people that are too poor to have a nice Christmas.
Well on Christmas Eve my Bacha (grand mother in japanese) spent he day
teaching me how to make sushi, which was soooo cool! The whole family went
over to my aunt's house for Christmas dinner, which consisted of the sushi
that I made, sushimi, and a lot of other japanese dishes, and a few
brazilian. There was so much food! I guess that's the one thing that is
common every where on Christmas- a lot of food! Haha. After dinner every
one exchanged gifts and just hung out until around 2:30 am. At midnight
there was a lot of fire works going off in the ciy, and since my aunt
lives on the 15th floor of a building in the center of town, we had an
amazing view of the fireworks- it was really beautiful!
Christmas Day on the other hand was really quiet. Everyone slept in and
then went back over to my aunt's house for lunch- which consisted of left
overs from the day before. Haha! After lunch my host mom and I went home
and just watched movies for the rest of the day. It was a really quiet
day. Well these days I am just getting everything ready for my North East
trip that starts on January 2nd. Yesterday I finally sent in my
applications to University, and today I plan on going shopping for a white
dress for New Years Eve- because it is bad luck in Brazil to wear any
other color on New Year's Eve. I was really scared that spending 3 weeks
with my American friend at the beach would ruin my portuguese, but I seem
to be fine! I guess once you know it, you don't forget it.
Thank you so much rotary, for everything, this has been and continues to
be the most amazing expirience ever. Every day is a new adventure, and
every day I learn something new! Obrigada!
Lindsay
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