I have news. Some of you may be surprised but most will not. I decided to stay longer in Brazil. Before arriving, I had been open to the idea but once I arrived I started to ask around and search the possibilities. I met quite a few foreigners and locals who gave me adivce, suggestions, and even better recommended me at English schools that they knew. Within just 2 days I already had 2 schools hire me (problem is it takes a little time to build up hours). Now aft...

After about 6 weeks of slight suffering with fantasies of authentic Mexican food (tacos al pastor, enchiladas con salsa verde, chilaquiles)... my dreams have come true. Well, almost. I found a Mexican restaurant with the secret= CORN! They make corn tortillas and chips to tacos, nachos and other genius Mexican glories. They even have guacamole. Dont get me wrong, it´s not exactly the same but it´s close enough. Desperate times call for desperate measures lol. ...

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 bea...

Ok this blog is dedicated to Danielle and Jen, my linguists :-). Portuguese... is playing with my head. I like listening to it, it sounds really cool but Spanish both helps and hurts me. Some words are exactly the same with an accent and others mean something totally different. Examples: •Presunto- in Spanish "presumed" and in Portuguese "bacon"...? •Embarazada- in Spanish "pregnant" and in Portuguese "embarrassed" •Atender- in Spanish "to attend at a ...

Ok so Rio... it is very unique within Brazil and the world. It's way of life, the climate, the mix of cultures, their strong Rio accent and unique slang. One of the most interesting things of Rio is the situation of poverty, the famous favelas, the contrasts of rich and poor areas. The huge gap between rich and poor is right in your face. Everyone knows about it, everyone acknowledges it, yet it's accepted. The informal system of the favelas (which are governed...