Orientation!

Oi todo mundo,

   Last weekend I had an orientation in Lauro de Freitas (a suburb of Salvador)! It was like vacation from being an exchange student if that makes any sense. I finally got to see Jennifer and Sylvia (two of the other four American exchange students that  arrived with me in February) again since we first arrived here. It was a lot of fun reuniting, getting to hang out, talk, play games, etc. Other than us their were six Thai girls, a Japanese girl and boy, and a Latvian girl. I learned how to make origami  and how to say hello in Thai. It was a weekend filled with many different cultures.  Something I realized is that while in another country I am way more patriotic then I am in the U.S. I brought the American flag with me to the orientation and Jennifer, Sylvia and I took many pictures with it.  Not only that, but we sang a bunch of patriotic songs like: "I am proud to be an American" and "America, America", hahaha It was pretty funny.

   I was supposed to go with Fisk (classes where Brazilians go to learn English) on an English tour of Salvador tomorrow, but it's been raining  a lot so they postponed it until next Saturday. Also, on Sunday I will only have two months left! Can you belive it?! Where has the time gone? I've been talking to AFS Brazil and I have been talking to them about doing a "mini exchange", which is when you pick any region in the country and stay there for a week or two thus being called a "mini exhcange". I really want to go to o sul  (the south) because it is so much different than the Northeast and all the places I've already been to in Brazil. Never the less I have so much pride in being a "Baiano" and I know that I will always have a part of Bahia and Brazil in me. Only now I'm starting to regret choosing the semester program...


Ate mais,

Nevo


 

                                                                 Everyone at the Orientation

Pictures!

Here are some pictures from Micareta and Salvador:

                                                                    Me in Seu Maxixe's bloco

                                                                 Micareta from the  Camarote

Ivete Sangalo, one of the most famous singers in Brazil!

Tomate's bloco

The Mercado Modelo from the inside

                                                                The Elevador Lacerda

                                                                 A church in Pelourinho

                                                                     A street in Pelourinho

                                                            Another church from a far

                                                       The Elevador Lacerda after the sunset

                                                       The beach in Barra,Salvador                        

                                                            Another Picture at the beach

                                                                 After Bahia won the game!  

Hope you've enjoyed them,

Nevo

Oi todos,

   "Wow", is the first word that comes to mind when I think about Micareta (my city's carnival). It is a smaller version of Salvador's carnival, but not any less fun. I'm so glad I went to Carnival before because I got to know all the music and get a taste of what Micareta would be like. It went on for five days , and I went out during every single one.  Some days with friends, others with my host sister and her boyfriend and even with some of my AFS volunteers. The singers I saw included: Ivete Sangalo, EVA, Seu Maxixe, Tuca Fernandez, Pablo, and Seu Maxixe The first four days I went out in a bloco. For those of you who don't know what a bloco is, here is a brief explanation. So every singer has a huge truck with a stage on top that he or she sings on. Surrounding the truck there are ropes, and you can only be inside the ropes if you buy the ticket for the bloco. During the night you move with the truck and the crowd  through the circuit that is set in the city.It was very crowded, but a lot of fun. On the last day, I went to a Camarote ( a balcony type lounge where you are above the street), and to my surprise it happened to belong to one of my friends from school! It was awesome to spend the last night of Micareta, with my host sister and friends. Micareta, was one of the best events I have experienced here, and I am positive I won't forget it.
 
 Last weekend I traveled with my family to Salvador and it was one of the best trips I've had here! Here's a list of what I did:

• Visited the Mercado Modelo, a former slave market that now is a touristic market with many souvenirs.
• Visited Pelourinho (the historic part of Salvador that has many Portuguese style buildings) and the Elevador Lacerda (the first elevator in Brazil)
• Went to the zoo which had many tropical animals that the Denver Zoo does not have.
• Swam at the beach in Barra!
• Watched a soccer game, Bahia against Vitoria da Conquista (Bahia won)!
• Shared great moments with my host family!     

May 15th I might be going to Salvador to see Bahia play again, and on the 19th I'll be going to Salvador for an orientation where I will be seing Sylvia and Jennifer! I can't wait!

Tchau gente,

Nevo