Thursday, April 12, 2012

The Last 6 1/2 Months

Well, I figured it has been a while so I decided it is time to write another post.  I have just a number of days left now.  I never actually thought this day would actually come, and to be honest I am actually kind of sad.  I made it though all the holidays here, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, my birthday, and now Easter.  Each was very different.  I made my first Thanksgiving dinner complete with mashed potatos and gravy, stuffing, turkey, and some Brasilian foods.  It was delicious, and great to have families together. I did miss the actual homemade traditional American Thanksgiving, but something is better than nothing.  Christmas was very different, we did a secret santa, then had dinner at midnight on Christmas eve and on Christmas day we just ate lunch then sat around by the pool.  This was completely different compared to the weather in Minnesota.  I told everyone this would be my first and last Christmas in a sun dress. A couple days after Christmas, my family and I made our way to Guarapari (a beach city in Esperito Santo).  The weather was awful!  Everyday it was cloudy and most days started to rain, but the beach was still nice even with clouds.  For new years, we watched fire works from the beach, with everyone wearing white to symbolize a new fresh start to the year.  It was incredible!  We spent a week and a half there, and when I arrived home, I went to Sete Lagoas to see my best friend I made in Brasil before he left (back to Australia).  I have to admit after that it all kind of just hit me.  Seeing everyone in the airport crying and seeing how much of an impact people make in your life in such a short time.  You realize how many great friends and people you really do meet here, and for that we are so lucky.  After that I spent a couple days with an exchange from France, which was amazing!  We had a great time, her family was the same as my Australian friend and how close the family was and how important they made me feel, was amazing.  I went straight from there to Salvador, Bahia.  My first of my trips with the other exchange students.  I spent 4 days there and it was incredible! I met so many people and an amazing area with beaches and beautiful cities and culture,  I loved it.  When I arrived home I changed families for the first time.  I have to say I was nervous to adjust to a new house and family but that first night they made me feel so important and at home.  A week or so after that school started up again, I dreaded going, but when I arrived the atmosphere was so different.  Everyone was so friendly and I felt really wanted and like I had many friends it was great.  For Carnival, my family and I went to a secluded beach, Costa Dourada in Bahia.  The beach was great and so was the weather so I would consider that a successful Carnival.  Comm'on everyone loves the beach!  When we arrived home, it was my 19th birthday.  They surprised me with a barbecue and cake.  It was amazing, I had no idea that they would do that for me.  It was a good birthday, and one to always remember.  In March I had a rotary conference in Tiridents, it was super fun to be able to spend those couple days with the other exchanges, not to mention the night I stayed in Belo Horizonte (the day before the conference) I went to Applebees with some of the other exchanges.  Felt just like home!  After that I also went to one of the new natural wonders of the world, Iguassu Falls.  It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen! I also traveled to Argentina and Paraguay for a day.  That trip was incredible.  And bringing us up to the recent future, we just had Easter, it was a very relaxed day with family, nothing too big.  Coming up I am going to visit some friends in a city near here for the weekend, Next week I am going to Rio de Janeiro for the weekend (this time with NO RAIN!), then I have my last rotary conference, my trip to the Amazon, and getting ready to return back to the states.  It is crazy how fast time flies!
Thanksgiving

Guarapari

New Years in Guarapari

Salvador

Salvador

Costa Dourada

My 19th Birthday


Iguassu Falls (Brasil)

Iguassu Falls (Brasil)

Iguassu Falls (Brasil)

Iguassu Falls (Argentina)

Iguassu Falls (Argentina)

Iguassu Falls (Argentina)

The Three Boarders (Argentina)