First week of school

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which means that next week there will be some new people and to them it will seem like I know everything! Well that is how it seemed when I started, when all I knew was how to get to the shopping centre and to class. Now I know, erm well, how to get to the beach and how to ask for a coconut water! I am really enjoying learning Portuguese, the pronounciation is very difficult, and confusing for those of us who have learnt Spanish but it is a fun and expressive language. It is very frustrating not being able to communicate properly and I want to be fluent now. But that is just my nature and I have to be patient and not give myself a headache. There are just three of us on the class, Florian from Germany and Hana from America, so it is a laugh and we get to practise a lot (which we need). Most people are studying at the school for a 4 week intensive period, and therefore go back to lessons after lunch, but not for me! My lesson is 8.50 to 12.30 then lunch and then to the beach with my friend Begonia from Mexico. There are so many opportunities to go on trips and to go out with my new friends, that I am having to be careful with both my money and my energy. I have to remember that I am backpacking for 10 months, and not on holiday, but I found a balance by only saying yes to two nights out last week and not three! (I was too tired for the third one anyway, people may think that I am 25 but after a night out I sure don't feel it).

I had a lovely week, with a boat trip around Baia de Todos os Santos (All Saints Bay). It is a huge bay and we had a two hour boat trip in a replica Portuguese ship, one of the ones they 'discovered' Brazil in (they probably have a proper name, but I don't know what it is). It was very relaxing and we watched a beautiful sunset. I have stolen some photos from a friend so that you can take a look.

So that was the official tour and now for the unofficial tours....Tuesday night we headed into Pelourinho, the 'old town' and tourist hotspot, every Tuesday there is a band playing in the main square and on the streets off of this there are bands playing, drum corps, reggae bars, stalls selling Caipirinhas, it is absolutely amazing the area becomes a huge, free outdoor nightclub. You just follow the sounds of the drums to find the next street party and dance and dance and dance. I can't wait to go back there, the music and the beat reverbarates through everybody and everything, I can hardly listen to Western music now as it sounds so boring! The taxi driver got lost taking me home after we had dropped of Nicola and Begonia, so cue torrential rain, and me having to run up the hill in my flip flops, I got home drenched so I felt quite at home. Next night out was on Friday with a leaving meal for one of the guys who went home on Sunday, we went to Sertao Bom, for a meal and forró dancing. It's so great to be in a country where all the men can dance. It's pretty easy, like salsa but with two beats, and a lot of fun. And I seem to have found somewhere that Fred and Nara don't know about...I'll show them it sometime...!

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Photos

School boat trip
group photo

Comments

[Marie Dams]

Jealousy springs to mind
Yes jealousy, everything seems so wonderful Lyana, sounds like you are doing ok, your Mum will be so pleased that you have settled down so well, long may it last, look forward to reading all about your "stuff"x

[Marie]

Daft chit chat
Boa Tarde Lyana, cuidado, adeus, yes I know pathetic, but it will get better and longer I promise, you seem to be getting on fine Lyana and making lots of friends, your photos are lovely, your Mum must be wetting herself with all the info and photos, and I am so happy for her that she has a lovely Daughter like you that is keeping in such close touch, she needs this closeness with you. Well, as I am sure you are aware, the weather, well here at least, is awful, it just does not stop raining, but hey it is November, hope its not too hot for you there, hate to think of you on the beach getting too hot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And yes I have now found your comments, silly old bint that I am was not looking in the right place.x

[Larna]

Bonita Marie!
É ai? Don't worry I am still so confused with the Portuguese language, it's so hard not understanding everything that people are saying to me but I am getting by! I have lots to update on, things are still going well and I am going to Praia do Forte tomorrow to meet one of Dani's friends and then one of my friends I met at school is coming to join me at the weekend so it should be a nice few days. It is so hot here, but sometimes I treat myself to an umbrella on the beach and always an ice cold coconut water! take care and love your comments :-) x