Oi gente,


   Last weekend was a lot of fun! On Saturday I had to prepare for my AFS' welcome party ( I think it's funny calling it a welcome party, since I was already there for a month). For the party I had to make a presentation about Boulder and also bring a food from my culture. Being from the states, I made it easy as can be and prepared hot dogs. Now here in Brazil, they only have cachorro quente com molho (hot dogs in  sauce), the sauce is tomato based and also has onions, peppers, and sometimes beans in it. The idea of a hot dog only with the bun seemed really strange to them. I then explained that we eat hot dogs with many condiments such as: ketchup, mustard, onions, relish etc. which helped brighten the idea of eating  an "american hot dog (without sauce)" as they would say. Takgiie from Thailand made Coconut curry and Risa from Japan made delicous Japanese sandwiches with Japanese pickles and a savory sauce.  The future Brazilian AFSers  made Guacamole (Mexico), Croissants (France), and a Danish Desert. We also had a "talent show", and I don't really have a talent so I spoke Hebrew to them.
     After the party, I went to the amusement park we have in the city and met up with my friends from school! After we went on all the rides, we sat down and started had a deep heart to heart. I really enjoyed the night becuase I feel like I got to know everyone way better and vice versa.
     School has been really hard lately because we've had a lot of tests. It's hard because I spend most of the time with my dictionary translating everything rather than actually getting the test done. Then there are some classes where I don't even know what the teacher is talking about all the time, so I don't even know how to answer the questions. I guess it's ok because I have only been here for seven weeks and I shouldn't expect myself to be getting good grades when I'm not even fluent (yet) in the language.
    I'm supposed to have a regional orientation in Lauro de Freitas with Sylvia and Jennifer and I'm really excited to see them and the rest of the exchange students that will be going. I'm also going to go bowling next weekend with my friends from school which will be really fun! Hope all is well with you.

Ate logo,
Nevo

                                           From left to right: Risa, me, and Takgiie

Hey Everyone,

    I feel really guilty for not posting as much as I should and I have a lot to tell you, so here goes.
Last friday night I went to a concert with my host sister, her boyfriend, and another friend of hers. Before going to the concert I asked everyone at school If they liked Pablo (the name of the singer), and mostly everyone said he was terrible and they didn't like him, and so I went to the conert expecting the worst. While waiting in line a few gunshots were fired and suddenly everyone around me was laying down on the ground. It was kind of scary, but it happened really fast so it didn't affect the rest of my night. We quickly entered the venue and headed for the camarote. It was different than one in carnaval, a bit more simple and amatuer looking, but a camarote is a camarote and their is no complaining. The opening band was cool playing music varying from samba to pagode and axe to funk. And then there was Pablo. I didn't think he was that bad. He is just different from your typical Brazilian Music.  Although I didn't know all of the songs it was fun moving along to all the different beats. I even learned how to dance arrocha ( a dance defined by the sharp swaying of the hips).  The night went on and the music kept playing until it was time to leave. As we arrived home
I was exhausted, so I slipped into my bed and closed the curtains as the sun was rising. The following day consisted of mostly sleeping and recovering from the long night of dancing.
    The day after my family and I went to Salvador for a sunday lunch/family reunion (sunday lunches are always a big event in Brazil), becuase my host dad's grandma wanted to see everyone. She lives in a favela (a Brazilian term for a slum) and at first I felt really uncomfortable. After some time and a stomach  full later I was feeling comfortable, but that was right before we left. Later, we headed to Salvador Shopping, a huge and modern mall located near my other host grandma's apartment. Gustavo and I decided to go watch a movie, while Camilla and Angela went to do some shopping. Gustavo wanted to watch Ghost Rider 2 so we watched that in 3D. It was so so, you know just a typical Nicolas Cage movie. Anyways, the next day we  went to go make my Brazilian ID at the airport. We had some troubles, because we didn't schedule an appointment before arriving at the airport, but in the end everything was resolved.
    This past week was boring and consisted mostly of school, but I went out with some friends from school to eat lunch, which was nice. This weekend we went to the beach in Cabucu. We stayed in a really small house with basically two rooms. It was a really different, but that's what this whole exchange is about, right? I feel like I haven't dedicated one post to my daily schedule, so I guess that's what my next post will be about, that and some other events that are bound to happen. I almost forgot, yesterday was my month mark which is crazy because I don't feel like I have been here for that long.

Ate Logo,

Nevo

                                                                    The beach in Cabucu