Happy New Year!

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capoeira in the streets

Well yet again it’s been a while! To be honest I haven’t much to report - I wouldn’t want to bore you all with my endless tales of beach-going, and my complaints of the heat!!
December was a fun month - my first ever summer birthday and a summer Christmas! It was hard to get into the spirit though, given the heat and sun - but I managed to cope alright ;-) In the evening of my birthday we went to a Latin American party which was perfect! I hadn’t danced salsa in so long and was missing it! And I spent Christmas in a very traditional Brazilian way - I had the midnight dinner on Christmas Eve with my friend Thiago and his family - which consisted of turkey, farofa, a type of waldorf salad and rice! Yummy! And on Christmas day I hit the beach with my friends - not bad, hey?!
Unfortunately my best friend here, Doug, had to go home suddenly to the states (instead of staying here until July, like me) just before Christmas - so it was quite bittersweet. I was also missing English Christmas traditions - but my lovely family and friends (that’s you guys) sent me birthday and Christmas treats which was just what I needed! So thank you!
I still haven’t gotten used to not having him here; I think it’ll be more apparent next semester. Luckily I have had distractions in the form of Jess and Steph! Jess has been going her year abroad in Chile and is travelling around South America so popped over for Christmas and New Year. And Steph has come over to accompany me on my travels of Brasil! I’ve really enjoyed having them here - showing them around my life here! Steph arrived on New Years Eve, ready and raring to party! We celebrated in the true Brazilian way - wearing all white and new underwear in the colour of your choice - to bring you peace and luck in the coming year - and drank champagne on the beach whilst watching fireworks and jumping in the waves!

And now, comes the time (finally!) to go travelling! We’re leaving Friday and going to Foz de Iguacu (wider than Victoria Falls and higher than Niagara falls!), and from there Rio, Brasilia, the Pantanal (the world’s largest inland swamp and greatest concentration of fauna in the new world), Salvador - full of African influence, and Recife and Olinda for Carnaval - apparently the most traditional! And of course, the Amazon! I can’t wait to be back in the jungle!!

So I will try to keep you updated as possible! Happy New Year everyone!

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Photos

the kitten we rescued on new years
(and me fallen asleep with it!)