É O Jeitinho Brasileiro: October 2013

Today marks 2 months in Brasil. The past month as been just as adventurous as the first, maybe even with more experiences then the first.

The left off from the first month. On the first Thursday I took a trip to the south of the island and visited os praias das Armação and Matadeiro. The weekend brought a fun experience with an excursion to Balneário Camboriú with ISA and the other students studying here with me. On the trip we visited Parque unipraias, which we took a cable car ride to. As well as we visited a beach on the other side of the mountain and took a priate boat ride to see the city. During the time on the beach we had a pick up game of futebol with some of people who were on the boat ride with us, as well as had a nice meal with some fresh caught seafood. For the rest of the weekend I just relaxed at my house and spent time with my family as I was not up to par for doing anything else.

The week that came to follow had many activities that occurred. To start the week off ISA had a Forró night for us where we learned about the history of the dance and also tried to learn a little bit of how to dance Forró. It was quite an experience, I still have some more practicing to do though before I can become a professional at it. The next day after our class was finished, two other students studying with me went to Praia Ingleses, where we were hoping to take some sun in. Since though it was cloudy up there we just walked along the beach and kicked the futebol ball around. The adventures do not stop there. On Wednesday, which we have no classes, we took an adventure to Lagoinha do Leste, which is a secluded beach in the south of an Island, and can only be accessed by an hour hike. It was probably one of the most challenging adventures that I have since I have been here, but it is so far my favorite place on the Island and I plan on returning there. To finish up my week and move into the weekend was an experience. I was given the opportunity to go to a formutaria, which is a Brasilian graduation from college. It is not the same though as what we have in the states. The day before the actual ceremony there is a mass to celebrate the graduates. After that me and my family went to have pizza, and I was able to try pizza dulce, quite different but delicious. The following day was the actual party. To start the party off we got all dressed up, as this event is a formal event and everyone wears almost like prom dresses to the event. We left my house around 4 pm, which we headed to the place where the actual ceremony was going to be at. Around 6pm the ceremony began. During the ceremony everyone goes up to get their diplomas, difference is though they place their caps on their heads after they are given a blessing and that proves that they are officially graduated. After that many other things happen, though I did not fully understand it all. There was a part though that the graduates go out into the audience and give their parents a rose to thank them for all they have done. Once the ceremony is finished, and many photos are taken it was time for dinner. My host family and some other graduates had their dinner at a Churrascaria in São Jose. It was a great experience as I even got to try Caraçãozinho, which is chicken heart. After the dinner we went back to the place where the ceremony was held, this time it was time for the party. It was a dance party for them where all the guests and graduate go for the last part of the celebration. Of course my family stayed until the end, at 6 am. Once it was time to go, we headed home and headed straight to bed. That day we woke up around 12.30 and everyone got ready to head out to eat. We went to a nice little buffet place in Campeche. After we finished our lunch we went to Campeche beach were we spend some time walking around and taking in the sun, since it was a gorgeous day out. When we finished our beach time we went back home and relaxed outside with some popcorn. The weekend was a great experience and an eye opener to both similarities and difference here for things such as graduation.

The week after included several events as well. On Monday my class had a field trip to UFSC (which is the federal university here). We went to two museums there, once was about the Azorean culture and the other was over women rights. On the Wednesday we had off we went to take a trail in Barra da Lagoa that was suppose to end in Praia Galheta. Unfortuntely we were unable to find half of the trail, so we just spent some time in Barra da Lagoa, then hoped on the bus and went to Praia Mole, where there was another entrance to Praia Galheta. We walked up and down both beaches and took in some of the sites. Then since it was getting dark we decided to head back. On Friday was another funfilled day. ISA had a meeting and there we celebrated my birthday with bolo (cake). After the meeting me and two of the other girls in the program went out for sushi at an all you can eat place. It was probably the best sushi I had, and it was probably the most amount I have eaten at one time. The next morning I was given an opportunity to go visit my friends that I went to Balneário Camboriú with to celebrate my birthday and also other of the other girls, who birthday was during the week. We went to Jaraguá do Sul, which is where they lived. After having a really nice lunch/churrasco with my friends family, which I also helped to make, we enjoyed more bolo. Then we went over to her boyfriends house where we had a get together with some of their friends. We ended the night by watching Rockin Rio, which is a huge music festival that occurs in Rio. The next day was my Birthday! I had a great day, first I had a nice brunch at my friends house. After our lunch it was time for me to head back to Floripa. When I arrived in Floripa I was greeted by my family with birthday wishes and Havaianas! To end the day we made brigaderia, which is AMAZING dessert thats basically a chocolate ball. Although I did not do any special party or anything of that such for my birthday, I must say it was probably one of the best birthdays I have had. It was actually kind of emotional as I was just so grateful for what everyone did, even though they did not have to. It turned out to be a great day, and weekend that I will not forget.

The week after that was filled with traveling around the island and other events. To start the week off we took a trip to Ribeerão da Ilha, which is a fisherman village in the south of the island. There we went to a little restaurant and enjoyed some pastels. The next day we had a great experience by being given the opportunity to go to a favela in a nearby city called Palhoça. Although that day we did not do any work we became acquainted with the program. We will be working with CADI, working with at risk youth. It also does other programs to help the families, teach the families and children about health. We learned the week after that we would be showing the children movies about morals and ethics and play activities with them that reassure what they learned. Following that experience we went to the praia Lagoinha, which is in the very tip north of the island. There we just relaxed for the day. On Saturday I spent the day on UFSC with some of my friends I met there. We went out to a festa in Brasil that was hosted by a major at UFSC. Then I spent my Sunday with the family celebrating my host sisters birthday.

To these last few days I have done a few activities. On Tuesday since it was nice day out and we had no class in the afternoon we headed to the dunes in Joaquina where we just relaxed and walked around for some time. Yesterday we went back to CADI where we just found out what activities we would be doing with the kids and also planned our agenda for our first lesson, which will be next week. There are some events coming up that I am looking forward to, such as a trip this weekend to the mountains of Santa Catarina, where we will be rafting and visiting hot springs. Also I will be going to Blumenau to experience Oktoberfest. It is the biggest Oktoberfest outside of Germany.

My Portuguese is coming along quite well. I still have a lot to learn, but my progress is getting better.