Brazil!

Hey everyone! So today I got an email from my Aunt Lynne saying that I NEED to catch up so all you at home can live through my traveling. And it’s been over a week, so I guess I should catch up on what’s going on.

Well we were in Brazil from the 1st to the 5th of February. I had tons of fun, especially in Rio. I went on a Rio like a Native trip through Semester at Sea from the 2nd to the 4th and it was amazing! One the 2nd we had to wake up at 3 am to catch our flight, and I did not feel good at all that morning. I actually threw up on the bus ride to the airport. When we finally got to Rio then we went on a bus tour of the downtown district and went to their Cathedral. This Cathedral was insane looking. Did not look anything like a Cathedral I had ever seen. It was shaped as a cone with 4 huge stain glass designs going down from top to bottom. It’s hard to explain but when I get home I can show you pictures of it. It was pretty weird.

Then we went to lunch at this amazing place, which was a gaucho-styled churrascarias. It was a buffet type meal which tons of fish, seafood and fruit. There were SO many choices to choose from. Then the waiters walked around with different meat on a stick and they would cut off a piece for you if you would like. They had different kinds of beef, pork, chicken, lamb and even frog legs. I still had a really upset stomach, so all I had was a small piece of Salmon. I was actually really upset because I would have totally tried everything but my stomach would not agree with any food.

After lunch I took a nap and then it was off to a dance workshop at Casa de Danca Jaime Aroxa. We learned the samba as well as other dances. Kristen, you would have LOVED it! I was okay at it, actually was pretty crappy, but I’m sure if I would have taken more lessons I would have gotten it down. In Brazil their culture is to grow up listening to this music and dancing so these men and women were so good at what they do. They did a dance for us after the lesson and it was just amazing to watch how good they were and how easily they flowed from one move to another.

That night we went to a Samba bar called Rio Scenarium. It was amazing. It was three stories that had music blaring on all three levels. Also, the walls and floors were full of different antiques, which were very cool to look at. The music was live all night long so it was really cool to hear and dance to the music. We also ordered an appetizer that night, which was a native food. It was similar to a hot pocket, but was fried. In the middle was some cheese and tomatoes. It was very good.

The next day we toured all over Rio (and I got a little burnt ). We went to the sugar loaf, which is this mountain that you take cable cars to get up to the top and it overlooks the whole city. It was amazing because you could see everything. Watching a sun set or rise there would have been beautiful. Then we went to the Santa Teresa District for lunch. We had another native like food, but I thought it was disgusting! Some fish with rice and then this thing that looked like applesauce, but was definitely not applesauce. Then we got in 4 x 4 jeeps and drove around the District and then up to the Corcovado Mountain to the Christ the Redeemer statue. From the city, the statue looks extremely small, but once you get up to the top, it’s HUGE. This mountain is taller then pretty much all the other mountains and so you really look over everything in the city. It was beautiful. The jeeps took us right to the statue, and then we climbed the 216 steps (instead of taking the elevator) up to the statue. By the time we got up there we were sweating extremely bad. I don’t think I have ever sweat so much, even with all the sports I’ve played growing up, as I did in Rio. Pretty much I’m counting down the days until it’s laundry day because I’m running low on clothes. On the way down the mountain we went through the rainforest and saw some monkeys! They were so cool! They were playing in the trees outside of this beautiful closed hotel. The hotel was amazing, but totally empty and rundown. There are SO many buildings in Rio that are empty and closed. If someone would buy it and refurbish them it would be amazing, especially this hotel.

When we got out of the rainforest we ended up at the beach and parked. When we got out this guy approached us about going hang gliding. There were 25 total people in our group and about 17-20 of them went. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I knew that I did want to go, but then again I was having doubts. So this guy in the group told me to live my life to the fullest and go. Pretty much after talking to him I went. The car ride up to the mountain I was SO nervous! I was seriously shaking and could barely talk. Everyone else was laughing and having fun. When you get up to the top I looked down and I couldn’t believe I was just going to run off a mountain and into the sky. The guy who I flew with (who had been doing it for the last 10 years) made me comfortable and all of a sudden it was my turn. I just went for it and ran down. It was seriously amazing! One of the best things I have ever done in my life and I am so happy I did it. While flying around you could see the mountains, ocean, rainforest, city, favellas, and where the rich people live. You felt like a bird just flying around. When I got down I gave the guy who talked me into it a huge hug because I was so thankful that he talked me into it. I got a DVD of take off, landing, and about 8 pictures from the flight so when I get home you can all check it out.

That night we walked through the night market & had dinner at this outside restaurant. When we looked around, there were tons and tons of prostitutes where we were. It was definitely way different then what I was used to, and what anyone in my group was used to. Oh well, it’s definitely a story.

The next day we woke up and had this drum workshop. We learned how to play some of their drums and beats to a Brazilian song. It was so cool. They had huge drums, snare drums, a cow bell like bell, shakers and other instruments. I had a blast because as you all know, I love rhythms and I am actually pretty good at it.

Then that afternoon we had free time. So a group of us decided that we wanted to go to Ipanema beach, which was supposedly next to Copacobana (which was the beach where our hotel was). So we walked. And it probably was 2 miles away. It was SO FREAKING HOT OUT and I sweated like no other. But it was still fun to walk along the beach and see everything. Afterwards we went back to Salvador.

The next day we got to go to a soccer game in Salvador, which was so much fun. Brazilian people are crazy when it comes to their soccer. They had drums everywhere and everyone was decked out in their team’s colors. They also had firecrackers and other firework type things going off. The game ended up being 1-1 so it was a pretty good game.

Now were back on the sea headed towards South Africa. We get there on the 14th, and we left Brazil on the night of the 6th, so we’re on the ocean for a while. Things on the boat are good. I’ve found a great group of friends that has been shocking that we’ve gotten so close considering how long I’ve known them. Most of them are from the east coast so I may have to take a little trip over there sometime. There is one girl that lives in Southern Oregon so that’s pretty cool. Also, I’ve lost some weight! I’m not really sure how much, but all of my pants are falling off of me so I’m sure it’s a good amount. The food here is very repetitive and not that great, so I don’t eat all that much. I am trying to force food down me though because I know it’s bad that I’m not eating that much.

I’m way excited to go to South Africa. I’m going to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was kept in jail forever. Actually, for every port we have an interport lecturer who comes on the ship. Our one for this time is a poet who lived in South Africa during Apartheid. He actually fought against it and ended up being thrown in jail with Nelson Mandela. I went to a poetry reading of his last night and he told us some of his stories which are amazing to hear. I’m going on a 3 day safari which I can’t be more stoked about. I’m also going to a Township and a Township Music. And going white water rafting. So I’m going to be amazingly busy, but should be a blast!

Anyways, I love getting emails from you all. (Jamie- you’re cracked me up today!!) And for those of you who I haven’t heard from, I would love you know what’s going on in Oregon. Keeps me connected to what’s going on at home because this trip has truly felt like a dream. It’s amazing. I feel as if I am going to wake up any moment and be back in Oregon going to Concordia. It’s really an experience that has been the best probably in my life!!

I love and miss you all!!

Katie

Oh on a sad note, I’m really sad the Seahawks lost and I wasn’t able to watch the game. But they did let us know the results. Everyone here is a Steelers fan so of course I was going for the Seahawks!