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My wish list for 2011

  • Learn portuguese thoroughly
  • - Rio De Janeiro
  • - Pantanal
  • - North East Beaches
  • - Amazon

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

March

ss.tiffThis month has been great. Being in a new town, family and school meant that I could start of fresh. I really get on with my family great and at school I am now in class 3 which means im with older kids now (16-18 years). The other exchange students in my town are also very nice and have accepted me so well.
P1020409.JPGThis month was the month of carnaval, which was so much fun. I stayed in my town, went to a small gated of community for 5 days and also saw my towns parade. It wasn’t big like the Sao Paulo or Rio de Janerio but was still good to go and see. The costumes and music are amazing and how they all kept together dancing with huge smiles on their faces.
P1020592.JPGI have been to 3 of my Rotary meetings since being here and they are very different to Mooloolaba Rotary meetings. Also in Brazil they seem to advertise Rotary a lot more as they have large statues, plaques or other signs to show Rotary and the clubs in the town.
This month’s highlight for me was defiantly the trip to Falls Iguassu and Paraguay. I first of all caught a bus to Aracatuba and then stayed the night there at an American girls house. Waking up the next morning to catch the bus at 6am, that day (Sunday) was mostly spent in the bus travelling to Falls Iguassu city and the typical Macdonalds dinner.
The next day we headed of to the Argentina side of Falls Iguassu. I was very happy because I received yet another stamp in my passport. We spent the day at the falls in Argentina and saw the sights and took a lot of photos. There was one other Australain girl on that part of the trip with me so we took a lot of photos together. That night we also went to a Latin show that showed different dancing and cultures from Mexico, Brazil, Uraguay, Paraguay and others. There was a buffet and it had every kind of food that you could think (pasta, brazilain food, fruits, vegetable, bread) and the desserts were even better.
The next day was a lot of fun as we went to Paraguay. The Australain girl and I had a lot of fun in the markets bardering for prices and fighting over around $2. I bought a lot of cloths and little brick and bracks from there and had a great day. This day in Paraguay makes me want to go back and wonder on the streets looking at the markets all over again, and having people follow you trying to sell you socks.
That night we went to a pizza restaurant. This was such an experience as you would sit down and they would just keep on bringing you more and more pizza. Then in the end they would bring you sweet pizza (chocolate, strawberry, ice cream) this was very different to Australian pizza.
DSC00219.jpgThe next day was back to the Falls, but to
the Brazilain side. Which was my favourite side of the trip, we saw the falls and went on a boat ride under the falls. It was so much fun and I got so many great pictures. We also went to ‘Itapu’ a large powerplant made by water from the Falls, thay supplies power to most of Paraguay and Brazil. That night we had a talent show and the Australian girl and I sung “we are happy little vegemites” and then gave out vegemite for everyone to try. Surprisingly not many people hated it.
I then took a plane back to Aracatuba and spent the weekend there with my old friends and saw my old family.
I also went to a class of Capoeta (traditional African Brazilian fighting/dancing). Then on the Sunday night went to a party and dinner for Orphans, who have learnt Capoeta and helped out and watched them perform and have fun doing Capoeta. I am know back in my town Tres Lagoas ready to have another great month and Im already thinking “I have to live this because I only have 10 months left”

Friday, March 11, 2011

carnaval

hey guys, 
so i survived carnaval and partied 5 nights in a small gated of community around 20 minutes from my town. I have so many good memories from there and wont forget carnaval. I met so many amazing people and have gotten closer with all my friends. 
I think it is going to be very hard to get back to the Australain way of life in 10 months time. Becuase i am loving brazilain life !!!!


T xx

Monday, March 7, 2011

late febuary - early march = crazy times

Hey guys, 
So sadly i had to move towns and this meant new everything !!! family, school and life. 
I am know in a small town called Tres Lagoas that is around 1.5 hour drive from my old town. 
There is not much to do here but I find things and love to just go and explore. Of coarse i turn heads because i stand out so much.
I am the only girl here out of 4 exchange boys from Mexico, Germany and France, but I love them so much and they are like my brothers and have accepted me sooo well.
My new school is different to my school in Aracatuba, I am with older people (class 3) and they are all soo nice and funny. I really enjoy school, but it can be soo boring. But i have bought myself find a word books and portuguese for dummies and im slowly working through them. 
At the moment it is Carnaval and I have gotten my name onto a list to go to a small gated of community around 40 minutes drive away that has parties for 5 days for carnaval. It is alot of fun there and im meeting so many new people and being invited to so many things each day. I am loving carnaval becuase we have a 5 days long weekend :D
As I said last time, Brazil defiantly gets better everyday. Even with its ups and downs I can feel it is making me a better person and much stronger. 
My portuguese gets better everyday and I can understand more and more everyday. This is defiantly a life changing experience and it is soo unpredictable what your day will end up like. 


T xx

Saturday, February 19, 2011

schooling and getting to know Aracatuba

Hey guys,


So Exchange is getting greattt !!!! I am now attending school at Toledo and it is defiantly a new experience and completely different to Australian school. Im in class 1 which is younger kids but they are all still very nice and have accepted me into there class soo well. I have made new friends and have a good time at school (even if i cant understand what the teacher is saying in class). A lot of the time in class i sit there or sometimes translate things into portuguese, and ofcoarse talk alot hahaha. 
I have also been meeting the exchange students and going out with them. 
My days in brazil are getting better and better everyday and i am enjoying it soo much and also enjoying having internet all the time. The Brazilians seem to want to know me and speak to me and my portuguese gets better everyday :D 
Im sorry for not blogging to much. 
T xx

Monday, February 7, 2011

new home n vitoria !!!

heyy guys
So i have now moved to new town Aracatuba, it is soo great and i love my new family. it is a bit hard coversing with them but they are still soo nice and i get along with them really well.

I only spent 2 days in Aracatuba and then went to Espirito Santos, Vitoria. It is sooo pretty here and just like the brazil you see in photos of the rolling hills and the white sandy beachs with umbrellas. I am staying here with 2 girls that are 14 n 16 and they are super cool !!!! we also went to a family weddings, i got my hair and make up done and had such a great time. I learnt how to samba and do funk ....

The exchange is defiently getting more and more interesting and im meeting so many new friends and getting invited to more and more things. tomorrow I am back to Aracatuba to start school and meet up with the exchange students in my area.
T xx

Monday, January 31, 2011

31st January

Hey guys, 
Im sorry I havent been posting alot but I didnt really have anything to post in my blogg as I have been mostly chlling out and not sightseeing. 
Probably the highlight of my last 4 days was going out to a bar with a guy I randomly met at the pool that had travelled to Australia for 8 months in 2005 and lived at Bondi Beach for 6 of the 8 months.
I will be moving to my town in the next few days, so that is something to look forward too :) as i will meet new people and see a different town and get to unpack my bag and settle down in a home. 
Oh and im super jealous of your Australia Day celebrations ... it just isnt the same in a different country, but i wore my I love aus singlet with pride that day :D
Not much else to say !!!!

T xx

Sunday, January 23, 2011

3rd & 4th day in Sao Paulo city .....

heyyyyy hope everyone is well,
My third day(22nd Jan) in Brazil i went to a soccer match and it was Sao Paulo vs Ponte Preta it was soooo great they are sooo crazy all the fans. But sadly the team that everyone was going for lost so everyone was so devastated. BEfore the game we also went to Sao Paulos largest and most expensive mall. The malls here are verryyy different, but are very pretty. It is funny seeing all of the Brazilains walking around some carrying dogs. Then after the game i went and met my first host parents Lucia and Ronaldo before they went on there cruise. They are suchh lovely people, but the no english is a bit of a worry as i can hardly speak portuguese. So i guess my translation books will come in handy and sign language :D

Football match - Largest staduim in Sao Paulo
Botanical Gardens - Sao Paulo




My forth day (23rd Jan) I woke up the earliest i have in brazil (11am) and went for a run in the equivalent of new yorks central park. It was soooooo busy, and i nearly got ran over by so many bikes, skateboarders, joggers and rollerskators. Sadly though i got the worst stitch and i couldn't run all of my already exchange student kilos off. 


Also tonight i watched the new movie called "Black Swan", wowowow it is weird and i recommend everyone to watch it. Especially if you liked movies such as Inception or Shutter Island and can put up with a little bit of ballet.

T xxoo