Almost a Week… A quick recap.

My host family is amazing. There are so many things to get used to, and they are making it so easy. - **Food.** Lunch over here is by far the biggest meal of the day. Everyone sits down to lunch and the food and conversation is non-stop. Dinner, is much less of an affair. Most times it’s squeezed in between the beach and going out somewhere, so you grab whatever is around or fix something up quickly. I’m enjoying the food immensely, as Rodrigo’s mom is a fantastic cook. Black beans and rice are a staple, along with a meat dish are normal. Salad and Farofa (a type of flour cooked with butter, I think) are sometimes present. Fresh squeezed juice (lemonade, mango, orange, and other fruits that don’t exist in US supermarkets) and dessert are a constant. Yum. **Parties.** Of course, my first week here is somewhat atypical (I think). Rodrigo is on vacation from studying for his test to become a judge. (Get this… people study for years for this test, just to get into the school. You pretty much have to know everything to get in, and then once you’re in, you’re kind of ushered through.) So the days have mostly consisted of the beach and going out. Tonight is my first night in, because I chose to go to dinner with some other friends, and skipped out on the ‘’show” or concert. I think I’ve been averaging sleeping at about 5 or so. Average. It’s a good thing I’m not an 8-hour or else type of person, because Brazilians don’t seem to run out of energy during vacation. **Relationships.** Men here are distinctly different here in their relationships with each other. I like it. There is much more camaraderie. They are more physical, which I think is healthy. An embrace or pat on the chest is normal when you greet someone (for women, it’s always kisses on each cheek). I went to a churrasco, or barbecue for a friend’s birthday, and upon meeting Rodrigo’s friends, was immediately invited to soccer games, carnaval, and general nighttime activities… I noticed with groups of people talking, and when dancing, people didn’t really couple off, despite the party being mostly couples. It was more the guys all dancing in a big group and yelling, singing and dumping beer on whoever ended up in the middle. The girls had their own groups, which were less rowdy. - **Beach.** The Rio “Carioca” culture of the beach is something I’m getting used to. I’ve darkened quite a few shades already, and I’m sure it’s just the beginning. My family is not really the tanning type, for obvious reasons, so I’ve never been used to just lying on the beach. People here love it. And the beaches are beautiful. You go there to meet friends, to hang out, to have something to eat. Sometimes you take a dip in the water, sometimes you don’t. In the US, it’s popular to read or listen to music. I haven’t seen much of that here. People juggle soccer balls like hacky sacks, or play this racquetball game that is much harder than it looks. Mostly, they sit and talk. I’ve been bringing my Portuguese textbook. After a while, my head is spinning from trying to follow the conversation, and it’s easier to read. Obviously, I definitely haven’t gotten rid of the “I need to do something productive” mentality yet. - **Running.** Well, so far it’s been less than fantastic, as I’m living in a city. I have to leave the apartment, and fight traffic, run a half mile through a tunnel before getting to the beach. Thankfully, it’s easy to run at the beach. The first day, I took a longer route and fought with cars and sidewalks that seemed to end whenever they felt like it. The first day, I argued with Rodrigo and his mother before leaving, as they’re not really used to someone going running. I was forced to carry money and their address, which I guess was not a bad idea. Now they’ve gotten a bit more used to it, but I swear I turn down food at least a dozen times before I can get out the door in the morning. The heat is something to get used to. Luckily, the bedrooms are air conditioned (although not all the time), because coming back from a run in the hot Brazilian sun (there is very little shade at the beach) and riding in an elevator smaller than most closets is quite a feat. - **Water.** I’m quite used to not drinking from faucets in other countries, so that hasn’t bothered me much, but I am fighting to get remember to drink enough liquid, as I’m losing it all day. It doesn’t help that cups here are only slightly larger than shot glasses. I guess we live in the world of large things in the US. Supersize me please.