Hello All,

In an effort to continue my blog, I will give a brief update. Life here in Rio is going well. I continue to perfect my Portuguese, using my Spanish to fudge a little. I have gotten quite a routine with classes in the morning, and excursions or cultural classes in the afternoon.

Highlights from the past week or so. I spent an afternoon going up to Corcovado Hill, where the large statue of Christ the Redeemer stands. The view atop shows the whole of Rio below, with the Southern beach zones of Copacabana and Ipanema and the Lagoa(Lake) to the right, and the Center of the city and Guanabara Bay to the left. Quite worth the $20 ride to the top in the train. Pics attached.

Last weekend, a few classmates and I took an hour busride from Rio to Petropolis, the former summer home of the Emperor and his court. The town itself is nothing too exciting, but the ride up is well worth it. One climbs almost the moment one leaves Rio into the mountains, rewarded by lush green views of the valley and city below. For now that is all.

Interesting note of the week. Brazil is a former Kingdom. When Napoleon invaded Portugal, the King of Portugal and his court all packed up and moved to Rio de Janeiro, a move which changed the infrastructure and importance of the former colony forever. Also, if you would like to see some pictures, click on the following link. http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AatGjZy5ZtmeG&notag=1

I Made It.

That's right, everyone! I'm in Rio. Sunday, I landed in the Cidade Maravilhosa(Marvelous City) and since then, I have been learning why the Cariocas(Residents of Rio) gave it that name.

I arrived to my home on Avenida Copacabana and Rua(street) Franciso Sa and was greeted by Zenira, my host mother. At home, I am living with Zenira, her mother who I affectionately call Aboa(grandmother), her son Raphael, another exchange student from Britain named Robin, and the maid named Jenny. The family, and most Brazilians that I have met are very warm and friendly, almost touchy by American standards. Home is one block from Copacabana beach, on the southern end near Ipanema beach. They are both beautiful places and when the weather is good, these 5 miles of beaches are full of tourists and locals drinking coffee, beer, juices, playing sand volleyball, sand soccer, jogging, biking. It is really a regular gym (although even though everyone thinks Brazilians all have perfect bodies, there is what I call a very full range of all people, and all people who are very comfortable with their bodies).

I started class on Monday, and it is going well. My school, BridgeLinguatec, is located in the historical business and political heart of the city. I take the metro there every morning at about 7:30, and am in class until 12:30. After that, my classmates and I usually head out for lunch at one of the many lunch buffets where you pay for food by the kilo. The food is everything from fried chicken to any kind of fruit imaginable. In the afternoons, there are educational outings. Yesterday, I took a trip across the bay to the town of Niteroi, where my classmates and I went to a museum(pic attached). Other than that, usually about evening, I head out to the beach and run along the boulevard for a few miles for some excercise. Don't worry, it is comfortably safe, although safety is a concern here, and you usually just carry enough money for your person on that day.

And of course, I must thank the Rotary of Copacabana, which invited me to dinner on my first night in Rio. My host counselor, Alexandre, met me at the Hotel Sofitel in Copa, and I was treated to a nice meal and a presentation about a Rotary Conference attended in the Isle of Man. I hope that I can attend more events and become involved in their activities.

That's all for now. Thought for the day. Did you know that the salutation Chau or Ciao in Italian comes from the word "slave"? It is a Venitian word that was used to imply respect to the person addressed, as in "I am your slave". I thank my Sicialian classmate Alberto for that one. Boa Dia!