I think it's time for a little update. Not surprising, I managed to make myself busy in only one week :-). Lately, I'm gone almost all day, up early to exercise then from biking at the beach to coffee with a new friend, to volunteering with Maria at a daycare center of a favela...

I definitely got comfortable fast, I learned the metro system, still need to learn the bus though. I know my area better and the beach a little better, I'm kind if addicted to the beach. I know it's their winter but it's perfect summer weather for me. I rented bike the other day and rode around for like 2 hours, it felt SO good! I felt at home again. And nothing is better than coconut water after a hot ride... Just like in Costa Rica and Colombia they just use a machete to cut open a fresh coconut and stick a straw inside, so delicious and fresh!

Volunteering has been great too. It's a daycare center just at the entrance to a favela so it's mostly kids who live in the favela and their parents are working. I help with the babies during feeding hour, to play with them while they wait and help put them down once theyre done eating. Not only are these babies adorable but they're so well behaved I can't believe how easy they are! When they cry, you pick them up and they stop. When theyre tired you lay them down and they fall right asleep. It's so fun and for me, it's interesting to be so close to the favela and see subtle differences, see more poverty, I'd like to volunteer a few times a week so that I can get to know it more and experience that side (it's the first pacified favela here so it's known for being safe, they even give tours which is kinda weird/sad).

So basically it's going great, it's Brazil so of course it's great haha. I've already met great people and I'm making friends which is really nice. And I'm working on my tan, mostly my butt so I can try to fit in. Haha! And my Portuguese is coming along, just sometimes I speak English then it's hard to switch back again or I still think in Spanish so I stumble on my words but I'm definitely doing good and getting around okay.