tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37002900768797966842024-03-12T18:22:47.143-07:00lala landLalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029080164136900626noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700290076879796684.post-41623518509853373782011-08-06T08:53:00.000-07:002011-08-06T08:54:57.652-07:00Wrapping...Well, our vacation within a vacation has come to an end. Dana and I have returned to Santa Maria, and are enjoying a few last days with my amazing roommates and friends.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNj3nBcc0X3h305d-zJhdybur0ynPW9wTx8lPuQvNMnp_Dd9WbYwgeRl-mwJSppL8LeC8Qol8sBaWujpoGiafXhoGMOdt9ddTb9wOZdzq-xXzOeXklUeiVMF1d6HH3QKv_AXR83JPVNsE/s1600/255.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNj3nBcc0X3h305d-zJhdybur0ynPW9wTx8lPuQvNMnp_Dd9WbYwgeRl-mwJSppL8LeC8Qol8sBaWujpoGiafXhoGMOdt9ddTb9wOZdzq-xXzOeXklUeiVMF1d6HH3QKv_AXR83JPVNsE/s400/255.JPG.jpg" width="302" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>Traveling doesn't get better than these last few weeks. </div><div>First we went north to Foz do Iguacu, the most beautiful waterfalls I've ever seen. They were one of the first things I read up on when I started to consider coming here, and they didn't disappoint even after waiting 7+ months. It was the kind of beautiful that makes you stop and breathe and sponge into your memory an entire day of absolute thankfulness.</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3a9xf0KIZUo9QMeKreVSn1VRxJrJ6Zibn80DjeIF1KklkWDWz6RAdODxO-JHeSsFHjHpykto9HZUAnTD1oqU21JIwx53zqBesvxdMI9XmdQ-fF-MogedDSxRXi2E1tAbtunpjrpr66Ig/s1600/248.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3a9xf0KIZUo9QMeKreVSn1VRxJrJ6Zibn80DjeIF1KklkWDWz6RAdODxO-JHeSsFHjHpykto9HZUAnTD1oqU21JIwx53zqBesvxdMI9XmdQ-fF-MogedDSxRXi2E1tAbtunpjrpr66Ig/s200/248.JPG.jpg" width="151" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM0wZo6UfG46IEE0FnnZn4JAcU1nrKkvJssOnOqBSSUTGXv-BhSbYxxKcinu_zPq3LPt82SyX5JieXws49GNet_mLNeJci65aY3sE0yJipIb_L4HoDvec0FuOJjvuvr4Ruk-zdfzd7694/s1600/276.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="79" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM0wZo6UfG46IEE0FnnZn4JAcU1nrKkvJssOnOqBSSUTGXv-BhSbYxxKcinu_zPq3LPt82SyX5JieXws49GNet_mLNeJci65aY3sE0yJipIb_L4HoDvec0FuOJjvuvr4Ruk-zdfzd7694/s320/276.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrATwj9s2I3zV8DJ7MMXs_4E9pRFsrba7eh4ue6mPfWC9VrtPuAMoWToGKHm2jFUVqsjoCEjOSOl-Ta5a2iJ0hVWwGeKh6TvwxUaG75fSq6SmKqOvthPLwXxvDnA__wYiWrAbA-B2vYps/s1600/307.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrATwj9s2I3zV8DJ7MMXs_4E9pRFsrba7eh4ue6mPfWC9VrtPuAMoWToGKHm2jFUVqsjoCEjOSOl-Ta5a2iJ0hVWwGeKh6TvwxUaG75fSq6SmKqOvthPLwXxvDnA__wYiWrAbA-B2vYps/s320/307.JPG.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRJ8Qmb75vr3tkgSJiY0gSQNkNeZUrnp_a0w-4PytduDNHuZqYJACBZFmNY3mu5s4G9UIYsjrFgW_LFhDk0aExCnY7sz2GTBEiTA2ySNJedyAWrLbMF31beg6hoEbbEtSKHTecGwGvKqQ/s1600/283.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRJ8Qmb75vr3tkgSJiY0gSQNkNeZUrnp_a0w-4PytduDNHuZqYJACBZFmNY3mu5s4G9UIYsjrFgW_LFhDk0aExCnY7sz2GTBEiTA2ySNJedyAWrLbMF31beg6hoEbbEtSKHTecGwGvKqQ/s320/283.JPG.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div>After the falls, we kept trying to figure out how to see the Pantanal without spending one million dollars, but weren't coming up with anything. Tourism around the Pantanal is out-of-control expensive. It's forbidden in a lot of places (and dangerous, I've been told...) to go out solo, without a guide. You have to buy a tourist package to see a lot of the wildlife, which I think could be really cool, but just isn't an option on a student's budget. </div><div>Ben, at our hostel, said, "Screw it. Go to the coast." </div><div><br />
</div><div>Oh Ben, ye wise sage. Good advice.</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoRLv6iWuriojq0gHBJ0NWeQ9q_rSFZaJGNxY2JA9pth7WsxT0T-7K_jriUNBJjNaxH17VlaXhRGdl07m0TNWT77eNlh_cQ0UV10orLj9tqbA_ZAV9rJCmjIHPFHqJu-aLeGjBulisXH0/s1600/369.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoRLv6iWuriojq0gHBJ0NWeQ9q_rSFZaJGNxY2JA9pth7WsxT0T-7K_jriUNBJjNaxH17VlaXhRGdl07m0TNWT77eNlh_cQ0UV10orLj9tqbA_ZAV9rJCmjIHPFHqJu-aLeGjBulisXH0/s320/369.JPG.jpg" width="242" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3fAiUIapy3pSRZASe1a8J2ueEE2vwnqrc94i0AGxjrz_aaHgoSyY8MbGhwa6hF0uUtiPuaA3SCGdcT9d_FbXaoYLkXUke7iuPL5-4wpVKcBQzrbcEJjxDWx0F9A1RN30xOtK64kcs6E/s1600/370.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3fAiUIapy3pSRZASe1a8J2ueEE2vwnqrc94i0AGxjrz_aaHgoSyY8MbGhwa6hF0uUtiPuaA3SCGdcT9d_FbXaoYLkXUke7iuPL5-4wpVKcBQzrbcEJjxDWx0F9A1RN30xOtK64kcs6E/s320/370.JPG.jpg" width="242" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">yay! for cheap, pretty hostels!</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>I bought bus tickets and we took the 16-hour journey to a tiny coastal community called Maresias. I don't know what to say, except maybe that we got lost in the vortex of abandoned beaches, cute dancing surfers, messy hair, acai tigelas, beach bonfires, bare feet, and sunburned flesh. What was supposed to be a couple of nights turned into.... well, I'm still not sure. </div><div>Vortex is the only explanation I can provide. </div><div><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilzQEnD0M8ubSgp-QhaaZ3qIm50GdZAl7TAYwjq6X5qSzP8zcR-iai6eVGLgB8lGsjPEDI5gzz_IY5H7X15WdlxrWsaMFc_3BIpA95M4fScGXVKrWYEPP3sRqjzxS8evSpNOQMnehjs94/s1600/017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilzQEnD0M8ubSgp-QhaaZ3qIm50GdZAl7TAYwjq6X5qSzP8zcR-iai6eVGLgB8lGsjPEDI5gzz_IY5H7X15WdlxrWsaMFc_3BIpA95M4fScGXVKrWYEPP3sRqjzxS8evSpNOQMnehjs94/s1600/017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilzQEnD0M8ubSgp-QhaaZ3qIm50GdZAl7TAYwjq6X5qSzP8zcR-iai6eVGLgB8lGsjPEDI5gzz_IY5H7X15WdlxrWsaMFc_3BIpA95M4fScGXVKrWYEPP3sRqjzxS8evSpNOQMnehjs94/s200/017.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJZFru7DqBfaBJKsH8WOTy7Z9EHcq6GkJ1D28RGaYoG_jOSCck5D9qIiXaWy9xYCpwZwUYiW49heKy50THAihFMg3LaLDrKNwGLKr8yweUwoxL2w4q4pEZ_ALbVVIk8GQDGI2GJAiSZ70/s1600/036.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJZFru7DqBfaBJKsH8WOTy7Z9EHcq6GkJ1D28RGaYoG_jOSCck5D9qIiXaWy9xYCpwZwUYiW49heKy50THAihFMg3LaLDrKNwGLKr8yweUwoxL2w4q4pEZ_ALbVVIk8GQDGI2GJAiSZ70/s200/036.JPG.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp0pTAXQXfe0TgvQWFEdCepioAVD79xQiuqTl9cgXxO_N7aiuui5E1vcQw5WGsI1aU3dwY-zL99zP5XboVZe5-Ff270olkLFkBlLTa4PvauWTn25LqLCFAALhzM1jfvtYjdCSdL7ZQ1fw/s1600/137.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp0pTAXQXfe0TgvQWFEdCepioAVD79xQiuqTl9cgXxO_N7aiuui5E1vcQw5WGsI1aU3dwY-zL99zP5XboVZe5-Ff270olkLFkBlLTa4PvauWTn25LqLCFAALhzM1jfvtYjdCSdL7ZQ1fw/s320/137.JPG.jpg" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Yes. Those are islands in the background.</span></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjlfvuSpLDLKpQkcO2PAyfzS_vFXLnarZRw68UNONvzCnffTb56-5uHjkXLqLZiE7xaQmH-zuPwcliZEe-WEO_uhgt52LfmOTyAYgCEp-oE4YsNQv2KiMzRxbcUDa21-CsQGh3_MticOg/s1600/084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjlfvuSpLDLKpQkcO2PAyfzS_vFXLnarZRw68UNONvzCnffTb56-5uHjkXLqLZiE7xaQmH-zuPwcliZEe-WEO_uhgt52LfmOTyAYgCEp-oE4YsNQv2KiMzRxbcUDa21-CsQGh3_MticOg/s320/084.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">free champagne!</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>We also spend some time in Parati, which has a beautiful beach, as well. This was more of recuperation/hammock-purchasing/shell-collecting stop. </div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrgMz6ehyY6TJGW4MhcGUyjzzRhfBZHXazQGea5Hww1XZIfRXbcAdbp6k7LcuXMGEYiB4T_ljija5D5knk5ANgwwK2CLHPwcA2gD_WZXrheC_8zfN8QAZluIRvMzY7qeVx_GPWfkA6EDA/s1600/118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrgMz6ehyY6TJGW4MhcGUyjzzRhfBZHXazQGea5Hww1XZIfRXbcAdbp6k7LcuXMGEYiB4T_ljija5D5knk5ANgwwK2CLHPwcA2gD_WZXrheC_8zfN8QAZluIRvMzY7qeVx_GPWfkA6EDA/s200/118.JPG" width="149" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOyA2bWmgTqZ0gYYTxNj4A0I8QYIo2GeZFyKgugzB4zs96modol-Pq24LdQfhlzlIM4dapQfbBqmK1lRC26uVIv45g1FXV-qIkIaBCBlKaZq8BB4isJ2ewn-z6D-5pdgxy7yWEHLZKMqQ/s1600/096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOyA2bWmgTqZ0gYYTxNj4A0I8QYIo2GeZFyKgugzB4zs96modol-Pq24LdQfhlzlIM4dapQfbBqmK1lRC26uVIv45g1FXV-qIkIaBCBlKaZq8BB4isJ2ewn-z6D-5pdgxy7yWEHLZKMqQ/s200/096.JPG" width="147" /></a> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">our place in Parati.</span></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">corn pops on the beach.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUWmAI5DejJccGYBxuIMoNVn-zjsMCTGdWeOIpEo8f3CrW2-LSjtZMc6_Fq_Y0YJnTAZoI_UpJzmFakT4l6W5dq6HgNt_kdLsBI8_o3DurxV6F_bwYaEUN1znFksyyIe8nGbC6cAFaALY/s1600/106.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUWmAI5DejJccGYBxuIMoNVn-zjsMCTGdWeOIpEo8f3CrW2-LSjtZMc6_Fq_Y0YJnTAZoI_UpJzmFakT4l6W5dq6HgNt_kdLsBI8_o3DurxV6F_bwYaEUN1znFksyyIe8nGbC6cAFaALY/s320/106.JPG.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWI5DCY_ZqgmCYuiw7DQFDTYEM7Q1y3vWShfreYqtC1MDcwRD388kl1GHhVJ3vLmWguv2TVKh6xFhyphenhyphenj4MFQMGISKB89MChseIGBGqqKjVCNhpW0UG-D4gGbpVrNmYiyS9vAq8Ye4Lpx9w/s1600/169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWI5DCY_ZqgmCYuiw7DQFDTYEM7Q1y3vWShfreYqtC1MDcwRD388kl1GHhVJ3vLmWguv2TVKh6xFhyphenhyphenj4MFQMGISKB89MChseIGBGqqKjVCNhpW0UG-D4gGbpVrNmYiyS9vAq8Ye4Lpx9w/s320/169.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>On the way home, we were still drunk with beachiness, but enjoyed a stop in Curitiba, which I still consider the coolest Brazilian city. They have the largest recycling program in South America, complete with a garbage museum :) We made time for the Oscar Niemeyer museum this time around, which was also lovely. </div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>Now, I'm packing. And hugging. And crying a little. </div><div>This whole experience has been good for me in a formative kind of way. </div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>And then somewhere along the way, it just turned FUN. </div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div></div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUunNons1D3HRZ0imYj94QtqTpWk-ok3nG88rGzr2Ck-xlfpianBtnOGjs1P_t9xAFIRVRtGyq6-N2-BPpgPcw7xR4N3EUnjf7WCCldH4XHXZWuR2RXCsW09DCx6_qvwzb-w2OpISZhTY/s1600/170.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUunNons1D3HRZ0imYj94QtqTpWk-ok3nG88rGzr2Ck-xlfpianBtnOGjs1P_t9xAFIRVRtGyq6-N2-BPpgPcw7xR4N3EUnjf7WCCldH4XHXZWuR2RXCsW09DCx6_qvwzb-w2OpISZhTY/s320/170.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div>What can I say? I am the world's luckiest girl.</div>Lalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029080164136900626noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700290076879796684.post-15078554247904971552011-07-23T15:42:00.000-07:002011-07-23T15:42:41.612-07:00Text to Dad"Still doin awesome. Met some surfers and are staying at their beach house and drinking their beer. Life is good."Lalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029080164136900626noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700290076879796684.post-44042838719777651452011-07-15T10:21:00.000-07:002011-07-15T10:23:52.535-07:00One very good year...is what I'm looking forward to. It has certainly started out that way.<br />
I had a fantastic birthday weekend with my friends at Diego's family farm. When we arrived, there was a fresh lamb skin hanging over the driveway. "Lunch," he said, smiling. We had barbecued lamb for the next five meals. <br />
<br />
It was also lambing season and babies were dropping like apples out in the field. So beautiful! We stayed in a tiny farm cabin, with a wood stove and large, welcoming front porch. It faced the small serra to the north, and had an outdoor bathtub. It was the first place in Brazil I thought I might be comfortable calling home.<br />
<br />
Maybe the best weekend so far. <br />
<br />
(<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Except the part where a horse rolled over on top of Dana, down a mountainside, and her face landed in a cactus. But don't worry Aunt Cindy, she came home laughing and unharmed. And it makes one awesome story.)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><br />
But, yeah, even still, amazing birthday.<br />
<br />
In one hour, we are getting on a bus and heading north. Classes are over(I passed everything! in Portuguese!) and Dana and I are heading to Foz do Iguacu. Then to Mato Grosso to see some parrots. And finally to an organic coffee plantation and nature reserve in Sao Paulo state.<br />
<br />
Time is going too fast right now, but other than that, everything is swell.<br />
Love you all. Tchau.Lalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029080164136900626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700290076879796684.post-56505726392608407672011-07-04T07:41:00.000-07:002011-07-04T07:45:38.676-07:00Happy 4th!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFk1MLygmCW2P55D2QtfAwbmmH8XsO37Zb-1lXfhrd1fmyHrFx9F3R0lqcrmujYc-WKPyKaq6GMJf2jN7R5Mk0fV-MwFSwUEEzM9SvvLLaG76faj3AvnVBqDW_JkT05ByMGGaeuCAVaT4/s1600/P1011956_large.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFk1MLygmCW2P55D2QtfAwbmmH8XsO37Zb-1lXfhrd1fmyHrFx9F3R0lqcrmujYc-WKPyKaq6GMJf2jN7R5Mk0fV-MwFSwUEEzM9SvvLLaG76faj3AvnVBqDW_JkT05ByMGGaeuCAVaT4/s200/P1011956_large.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
It's my favorite day! Happy 4th of July, loved ones! (<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">especially sisters</span>!)<br />
I have long loved this day, for a slew of reasons not pertaining to patriotism, like sweaty heat, good food, family, and fireworks that both remind you how tiny you are and make it easy to fall in love. After this year, I will still love it for all my usual reasons, but also because I love and appreciate my motherland in ways I didn't know about before.<br />
<br />
<br />
Wednesday, Liz put her fourth visitor on plane back to the States. As she was opening her fourth letter of the week last night, I realized how well connected she has stayed. Four letters in one week? Really? <br />
<br />
I got a little jealous.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
But I have a guest coming, too.... And not just any guest.<br />
<br />
Let the Dana countdown begin!!!Lalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029080164136900626noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700290076879796684.post-48898550795914473062011-06-30T12:34:00.000-07:002011-06-30T12:38:23.410-07:00Final crunch in classes. The last round of exams is coming in next week, with projects wrapping up this week. Busy, busy, and procrastinating as always. Maybe I should post today... Yeah, that's it. Post.<br />
<br />
Last week was Leonardo's birthday. We got all dressed up and went to Kiss, a club that I had not yet been to. It felt like a little slice of Vegas. <br />
<br />
<br />
They played trance music for a while, which was a little painful, but later in the night they switched to a gaucho band. This also makes me want to hide. Everyone always couples off and has a great time dancing the steps they have been rehearsing since they were six. Needless to say, it is nail-bitingly intimidating, standing there waiting for a guy to inevitably walk up and insist you join him for a dance. It is nearly impossible for them to remember a time when they didn't know how to move to this style of music, and I think they assume that everyone is just born with a sertanejo beat pulsing. And once a boy gets me on the dancefloor and realizes that "wow, this girl is a gringo," the music is usually so loud that there is no use in trying to win him over with my wit and armory of good jokes. He can't hear anything I say. And probably couldn't understand my thick accent, anyway.<br />
<br />
I was cringing in the corner when a couple of guys from school found me. They had a lot of fun explaining to me in very simple dialect which one of them was the more dangerous scoundrel. <br />
"He has many, many women."<br />
"No, no, he does. And he is too old for you."<br />
How old, I ask.<br />
"Twenty-seven."<br />
Yes, I agree. Far too old.<br />
<br />
Eventually, though, the 'old' guy, who doesn't speak squat in English, drags me to the dancefloor and I get the best lesson yet in gaucho dancing. Just perfect. He doesn't say anything, just makes me move around the way a good gaucho girl is supposed to move on the dancefloor, and doesn't accept any of my shy, white sloppiness. He doesn't hesitate to stop mid-step and say, "No. Your arm. Like this." "No. I go first. I am teacher." And I got it! And I advanced to harder stuff! I'm saved. I can dance here and not feel like a fool anymore.<br />
<br />
<br />
For some reason, pictures aren't loading right now. Maybe I'll try to get them later.<br />
<br />
<br />
In other news, this is my mango tree.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5URBktvDJ_Hh52HYmMXEblrLYd8O5g_dGx26nGGJjpg20AV3VJpFQGWVOVEKUvMIN_52NdxffP2pICekj18orKxbIlRtwXm1R6T3VgFdlUCr_FBPmiFFR1KnSaDtih6V_gijXfBtRNo0/s1600/100_0218.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5URBktvDJ_Hh52HYmMXEblrLYd8O5g_dGx26nGGJjpg20AV3VJpFQGWVOVEKUvMIN_52NdxffP2pICekj18orKxbIlRtwXm1R6T3VgFdlUCr_FBPmiFFR1KnSaDtih6V_gijXfBtRNo0/s320/100_0218.JPG.jpg" width="242" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Tomorrow, we are heading out on a class field trip. We are taking a bus to a town two hours away and (from what I understand) staying out all night dancing, crashing in a hotel for a couple of hours and then hitting the soil profiles around noon. And this is required for my class. I asked if it was optional, honestly thinking I would stay home and study, but the lab assistant looked at me like I was trying to sneak out of an assignment. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">He assured me that it is for a grade. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'll let you know how it goes.</div>Lalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029080164136900626noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700290076879796684.post-60116763061981627012011-06-21T10:21:00.000-07:002011-06-21T10:21:20.500-07:00Sugar sugar.Last week my class toured a sugarcane processor on the eastern side of the state. I was unaware that the cooperative was over three and a half hours away, and just grabbed a book and twenty reais on a whim before jetting out the door at 6am.<br />
After 45 minutes on the bus, I asked Felipe, "So how much further is this place?" <br />
He laughed at me.<br />
<br />
<br />
The ethanol plant itself is a little dated, but it's the only one here in Rio Grande do Sul, and it gives a good visual idea of how the whole process runs. We toured the field operations and got to see the planting, harvesting, and burning of cane plots in various stages of development. Afterward, we were guided through the processing plant that extracts the liquid and ferments it in huge vats. Then, to the quality assurance lab. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxt58RNblX9X6AXGmhCb8ri2G03TXFt-pdEXOtLB-Dh8GdahFKZuWR-8iHH8Y0kc8-KuIHq2NnGgZMBmg8MH6873I-dDEDldjkUDxRB8hVdQJNZveFipXGYE2lF2i-diJoojX5JDCoE88/s1600/100_0231.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxt58RNblX9X6AXGmhCb8ri2G03TXFt-pdEXOtLB-Dh8GdahFKZuWR-8iHH8Y0kc8-KuIHq2NnGgZMBmg8MH6873I-dDEDldjkUDxRB8hVdQJNZveFipXGYE2lF2i-diJoojX5JDCoE88/s320/100_0231.JPG.jpg" width="242" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmnAy8AibcEzpGPnG9R7AE72SKNnUjsK-h-p5F-VofGaCn3-2bVXoN0Rzp3Ke0F-nExFwjqa3VecIHZVY8_kGANcm3QaivCL_QrjDBBZKh6UDxdoaU9K345GUrEoqUMxgiD2nbiI9cAbc/s1600/100_0244.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmnAy8AibcEzpGPnG9R7AE72SKNnUjsK-h-p5F-VofGaCn3-2bVXoN0Rzp3Ke0F-nExFwjqa3VecIHZVY8_kGANcm3QaivCL_QrjDBBZKh6UDxdoaU9K345GUrEoqUMxgiD2nbiI9cAbc/s200/100_0244.JPG.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Yeah. That would pass inspections at home...</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8_DFiY73vMRslkhoRpP7RHcWNJBksmEvBq_PUo-DER_F1FHw5DzpmflP757kXpZWbEWS4ZGxUhhDp635gPtacr8eXVelFUJVW4Ce3gbLApXIXO7j5u-UvisC_nHtYLKIRzef3czqwsls/s1600/100_0232.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8_DFiY73vMRslkhoRpP7RHcWNJBksmEvBq_PUo-DER_F1FHw5DzpmflP757kXpZWbEWS4ZGxUhhDp635gPtacr8eXVelFUJVW4Ce3gbLApXIXO7j5u-UvisC_nHtYLKIRzef3czqwsls/s320/100_0232.JPG.jpg" width="242" /></a>Snack time.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Fertilizer.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1SVEvQxiZ4i22ZfFeAtXu6VNbi7gED0X4PMVeNFeGRP-vJ5QUQel6YwQbYIOCT3E-bKJDX97PsDA973oyNfidRIy8k7o_8HMhd7E8DB7MBbIn6dp6wL7hCBkNX1cJjarBDBw56NIxeKw/s1600/100_0237.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1SVEvQxiZ4i22ZfFeAtXu6VNbi7gED0X4PMVeNFeGRP-vJ5QUQel6YwQbYIOCT3E-bKJDX97PsDA973oyNfidRIy8k7o_8HMhd7E8DB7MBbIn6dp6wL7hCBkNX1cJjarBDBw56NIxeKw/s200/100_0237.JPG.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Extractor.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg45R0S2oO_a0y45QNxgfRwZrSbZHSiPGXk-h_XU3b5KoT1nhvt4AdRZ_Pp5hNdFm70gif-WI706escT_D1kohUvM8yJRhULbq2DjoB4zE62XC34BwBnjtCuQaRciNCJWUFHJRuf_00sOk/s1600/100_0286.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg45R0S2oO_a0y45QNxgfRwZrSbZHSiPGXk-h_XU3b5KoT1nhvt4AdRZ_Pp5hNdFm70gif-WI706escT_D1kohUvM8yJRhULbq2DjoB4zE62XC34BwBnjtCuQaRciNCJWUFHJRuf_00sOk/s320/100_0286.JPG.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is Professor Marchesan. He teaches the sections over rice and cane production, which have been my favorites this year. He is such a great professor, and as Leonardo says, "He takes care of you like you are his kid."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-GoD4DJvia0tenIMDMGlVoFNbggcPzUwqKhrL6CN7MdQ-YCMfWkqTcATCdI_7WIyQAbLBp7KHPYz6ATBSaGh3BCpKEx22AYIarqB6Xo0J-eUZ9KBSPe17u6x6mOgAlNfVD_9TBTTFb1w/s1600/100_0199.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-GoD4DJvia0tenIMDMGlVoFNbggcPzUwqKhrL6CN7MdQ-YCMfWkqTcATCdI_7WIyQAbLBp7KHPYz6ATBSaGh3BCpKEx22AYIarqB6Xo0J-eUZ9KBSPe17u6x6mOgAlNfVD_9TBTTFb1w/s320/100_0199.JPG.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="242" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Fermentation. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP66AndhypL90yGa8YtvXXhleZGScGWM8reFK4VqvN9J2Axh-3s2FrpBNFkkaaxQrjItNUXVnq0_Q8ikvD3Namzk8B-i6GGd7Nmh28RQSv8VYQ7REQZmDdg0t41Zmfc3GFO8LhY6vJoLE/s1600/100_0275.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP66AndhypL90yGa8YtvXXhleZGScGWM8reFK4VqvN9J2Axh-3s2FrpBNFkkaaxQrjItNUXVnq0_Q8ikvD3Namzk8B-i6GGd7Nmh28RQSv8VYQ7REQZmDdg0t41Zmfc3GFO8LhY6vJoLE/s320/100_0275.JPG.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5G-ldA8InmGm7-izMWKYLh_eVbo-wcvaXiozFRFwECIdq1LtLKtg0sGpWpwH9Yci3sTF772ISSSZIF0U0w5-pzH5nsRUod01Yer9swm8EV1FJEA_eyTejdJ83z2jHvgFdwvwaar9rXM/s1600/100_0287.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5G-ldA8InmGm7-izMWKYLh_eVbo-wcvaXiozFRFwECIdq1LtLKtg0sGpWpwH9Yci3sTF772ISSSZIF0U0w5-pzH5nsRUod01Yer9swm8EV1FJEA_eyTejdJ83z2jHvgFdwvwaar9rXM/s320/100_0287.JPG.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The ride home was so fun. I am living in a great part of this country, where the people are just plain nice. For some reason, I am always surprised by how inclusive my classmates are of me. It would be so much easier to just ignore the foreign chick that talks like a four year old, and misses more jokes than she catches. But they never do. I always have friends to eat with, walk with, talk with, sit with, laugh with, and hug me. I absolutely love it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJ8lEOvT_g48OasQ8AXf68dY4Gz_d_piq0w7h2d06reLPuUsLZpV3jLqBIKmRb_r4ytZVq5PkZdQ5aLA3eg-4s8ejRdGZ-d7M6GrmfUDoV_CSH-uWtYU62cttbGr38UjwedptEwmneHI/s200/100_0261.JPG.jpg" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">On the way home, the someone busted out the honey liquor, and the isle of the bus turned into a cocktail party on wheels. Literally. And what cocktail party is complete without a crew of sweet boys shouting South American cowboy songs like a band of drunken pirates late into the night?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz3FxAe_Dk-7ZOrEYlo3-dPKObMk-WUIAeqRpkHxk2g5OSGZNovAvSYLtqwSBVFJ8XfMKhJNpEyHza3Yor9zw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Lalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029080164136900626noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700290076879796684.post-31323325885903913622011-06-17T08:37:00.000-07:002011-06-17T08:37:37.281-07:00Oh yeah, I have a blog.Hello loved ones!<br />
<br />
Very low key week here in the south. I toured an ethanol production facility yesterday with my Agricultura Especial class, but haven't uploaded pictures, yet. Instead, you get a crock-pot-soup of pictures from the previous three or four weeks. I'll post more about the ethanol later.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">...Serious business. It's for a grade.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG6_D4khqTkl2HeKuceq_ulo3lj1V3zauNodIDgHfhVyEYqIrke63vr9EoVTQgFWKCwgytVsTq9xCLAf61zrjM82HT6LXEWleIK2JJY85uNg6ov-s7j14469v2vdJPH7x3ziTdddO1DvQ/s1600/SANY0280.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG6_D4khqTkl2HeKuceq_ulo3lj1V3zauNodIDgHfhVyEYqIrke63vr9EoVTQgFWKCwgytVsTq9xCLAf61zrjM82HT6LXEWleIK2JJY85uNg6ov-s7j14469v2vdJPH7x3ziTdddO1DvQ/s320/SANY0280.JPG.jpg" width="242" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcDHsSRm_B3cxrUdTdYEVRD7c5lVwyRcHQz72ITuYMBJjTN7zL8mLjBtvPdVmI-8zwd8bBDPNszWBNDjXPKzzsVTT2Z-oefKUvClihNyj4bjZG7M4TL8H-jMy7_HRXKM1Sm6luCSNnSn0/s1600/SANY0282.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcDHsSRm_B3cxrUdTdYEVRD7c5lVwyRcHQz72ITuYMBJjTN7zL8mLjBtvPdVmI-8zwd8bBDPNszWBNDjXPKzzsVTT2Z-oefKUvClihNyj4bjZG7M4TL8H-jMy7_HRXKM1Sm6luCSNnSn0/s200/SANY0282.JPG.jpg" width="151" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6YOLN4Si3R2fHi9xsJh7VGgC6LbciPOLOjgRS9_cvckAt7Y20VWX56_pUTDVteJ9CPBtvkMTqXKgYLERnaRjJzCKuQgWlEgs1rC-7eZg8WrjeqbFd2maNTQE8ZjqE6yVXYHpvYOb-Vyo/s1600/SANY0284.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6YOLN4Si3R2fHi9xsJh7VGgC6LbciPOLOjgRS9_cvckAt7Y20VWX56_pUTDVteJ9CPBtvkMTqXKgYLERnaRjJzCKuQgWlEgs1rC-7eZg8WrjeqbFd2maNTQE8ZjqE6yVXYHpvYOb-Vyo/s200/SANY0284.JPG.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A giant emu! And I saw some in the wild yesterday, grazing* in the passing field. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We were on the bus, and Felipe leaned over and said, "Look at that bird. Have you seen one before?"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"Oh, yeah, my family has one for a pet."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"No, not the parrot. The big bird, in the field."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"Yeah, I know. We have one. His name is Lyle."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">He gives me his oh-so-familiar stare of confusion.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"This is crazy..." </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGe7cLrfEswT0B7X6EnAK-_nZmAgiTkip6UjxXwdOlKZl1zYG58TxtNIIRw16C9qhbdWnvYRp7_hCL88xXI-vUiJgekeQtyaLsGk2O_Swn_0NZgXLAMAV_lDmPVGm6_OngVvOjUO0AT3Q/s1600/SAM_0599.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGe7cLrfEswT0B7X6EnAK-_nZmAgiTkip6UjxXwdOlKZl1zYG58TxtNIIRw16C9qhbdWnvYRp7_hCL88xXI-vUiJgekeQtyaLsGk2O_Swn_0NZgXLAMAV_lDmPVGm6_OngVvOjUO0AT3Q/s320/SAM_0599.JPG.jpg" width="242" /></a>*grazing? hmm, not sure.... </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Well, I think<i> this</i> is crazy.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfbzdWM9pgXsjxlqLf2zybJ7xvr-3Wlp0fm3sW7e2UuiQVbqHuTzn7QVQB_-7J43DkNhpuxry-xs7nTOTvE2XXW7gnD_yE8KXKsjV1fwnUh20uRAHdPBhqa3yLzc_7brNGJvbwxzKkb-U/s1600/183.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfbzdWM9pgXsjxlqLf2zybJ7xvr-3Wlp0fm3sW7e2UuiQVbqHuTzn7QVQB_-7J43DkNhpuxry-xs7nTOTvE2XXW7gnD_yE8KXKsjV1fwnUh20uRAHdPBhqa3yLzc_7brNGJvbwxzKkb-U/s320/183.JPG.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">That's right, folks.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Right on the bark.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Professor Daudt's winery and vineyard.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoDG2fLEpLn0Traqzmh9FYmptV3QwZICacnERihU_6KAkleqcmy8TuN_Ac1o41eA189tN0BaEbFYR4XYTmRMmhCCmVffVNHzFyqEIIK1YqoZ12dx4yH06WmgGd-6cLBj_h6u3k9GyTLzY/s1600/157.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoDG2fLEpLn0Traqzmh9FYmptV3QwZICacnERihU_6KAkleqcmy8TuN_Ac1o41eA189tN0BaEbFYR4XYTmRMmhCCmVffVNHzFyqEIIK1YqoZ12dx4yH06WmgGd-6cLBj_h6u3k9GyTLzY/s320/157.JPG.jpg" width="242" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghrqYcNm9y59PGiKV1fxMLJw8MWW_5LF1Tce9AecE70lY7R6OmN3tto1TC0463jWxFJbJkFDxA6s5Sck91gl7iIa8sC_f5stPbjzFrftG5zHFGWxOiNcCHD8Dg141HNaTTrez-cKSfkbk/s1600/148.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghrqYcNm9y59PGiKV1fxMLJw8MWW_5LF1Tce9AecE70lY7R6OmN3tto1TC0463jWxFJbJkFDxA6s5Sck91gl7iIa8sC_f5stPbjzFrftG5zHFGWxOiNcCHD8Dg141HNaTTrez-cKSfkbk/s200/148.JPG.jpg" width="151" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigQwmRMg6qwknboPOeFxgVf3rGSzsqXR_bictE1o51UyIX-h_4N2KzPrSx4nUe5yC3GiJLCJ7Bunnqhqx-2qcIkPgtq8Sm5ftAWUA0MK6nB-i262DtcCRAGRLua66u-GgW8HrI8siEodM/s1600/160.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigQwmRMg6qwknboPOeFxgVf3rGSzsqXR_bictE1o51UyIX-h_4N2KzPrSx4nUe5yC3GiJLCJ7Bunnqhqx-2qcIkPgtq8Sm5ftAWUA0MK6nB-i262DtcCRAGRLua66u-GgW8HrI8siEodM/s200/160.JPG.jpg" width="151" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Surveying during<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> prática.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVuIfONA0H-aCFfBLxHnkDi-2VHfyi4eEXVfAqYSxLQQLbyX3afIw9BvglEhSKcPk3GlyfMlC78R-AzDz4w4Hiv_yI9cvQLYKJsXZtcULC7IMGyz3tncUOK56O8e032HmyWHUuIdmxA_k/s1600/250.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVuIfONA0H-aCFfBLxHnkDi-2VHfyi4eEXVfAqYSxLQQLbyX3afIw9BvglEhSKcPk3GlyfMlC78R-AzDz4w4Hiv_yI9cvQLYKJsXZtcULC7IMGyz3tncUOK56O8e032HmyWHUuIdmxA_k/s320/250.JPG.jpg" width="242" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">More later.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Beijos!</div>Lalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029080164136900626noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700290076879796684.post-38456567642529779082011-06-06T08:27:00.000-07:002011-06-06T08:27:18.058-07:00Curitiba and Ilha do MelIt seems like things just get better here.<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I went to the city of Curitiba last week, with all of its urban bike trails and good music, and then to Ilha do Mel on the Parana coast. I don't even know where to begin. Liz found a couple couches for us to sleep on in Curitiba. Our host was Emi, and she was such a fantastic tour guide. We went for bike rides in the city, and ate really yummy Japanese food, and did Tai Chi in the mornings. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBih2pZAF-kxWKw2j4OLfWWbfFbAe-1fisk6wTh0TMD9g5fQTXPosMgFl7vigEZQpK5JIhK5_t0VqXF5asQYxcT-5iK6leuTe6EUBtsdTjaMI9Er_VYrRkraKAlWIrrgyt1WWbQSnhPxA/s1600/150.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBih2pZAF-kxWKw2j4OLfWWbfFbAe-1fisk6wTh0TMD9g5fQTXPosMgFl7vigEZQpK5JIhK5_t0VqXF5asQYxcT-5iK6leuTe6EUBtsdTjaMI9Er_VYrRkraKAlWIrrgyt1WWbQSnhPxA/s320/150.JPG.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Oooo, and her family had homemade apiaries!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFJR17vJs2oko67_JvziSTFZvAApB_qp3hOkl7f7brkrsWiHIQRN7ctBJH44tiAun-tRNB3YSh9_Gs91Ol-VFQWb-D39ReG6lMtoXVFy7DRpLuXjN2ZiUwvPy5NnFFCdPXn70F6c1LGmQ/s1600/020.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFJR17vJs2oko67_JvziSTFZvAApB_qp3hOkl7f7brkrsWiHIQRN7ctBJH44tiAun-tRNB3YSh9_Gs91Ol-VFQWb-D39ReG6lMtoXVFy7DRpLuXjN2ZiUwvPy5NnFFCdPXn70F6c1LGmQ/s320/020.JPG.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvq0yb2jEjAtW-QFgTOchX-TFOWEqUi5sM1M4Ne9W3uqHypOTulzNZP4nIWtKTpEug4iHSC3DE3qIu35rG2vSyvMKpX6dnG2OBnxB7qnrs0meLJSvdjefAdTvYmOPw7PW2r-7jyZ1VCjg/s1600/032.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvq0yb2jEjAtW-QFgTOchX-TFOWEqUi5sM1M4Ne9W3uqHypOTulzNZP4nIWtKTpEug4iHSC3DE3qIu35rG2vSyvMKpX6dnG2OBnxB7qnrs0meLJSvdjefAdTvYmOPw7PW2r-7jyZ1VCjg/s320/032.JPG.jpg" t8="true" width="242" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Then, Nathan Money flew into town and the three of us caught a train to the coast. We hired a fishing boat for ten reais a piece to take us to Ilha do Mel. The boatride took two hours and we got to sit back and relax with our caiprinhas. On the way, we met up with some Brits, a Frenchie, and an <span class="hps" closure_uid_8ia018="79" title="Click for alternate translations">Alemão</span>. We had good company, good food, good sunshine. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdDU5rZMwqWa5yE4htzRjoxD3ohEXzfl2LvlUFGnLCYcuxAhw-_HIAjuJnruS41B_lUVri3tYiJKT-tvlCtOjPvnLjrbIQBz706leBFoz5SXOF4HRT27tN7fW16XxWryDWH4Z4yNLp3yU/s1600/164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_YNfISYzA0BDyJNqttXjTxdWCqkqvMqFlov3qY-tOwwtVyV8zvYUs2_zwFFA3CGNuSrpS8TA_iW2OrRTE6ZRGj2x5nlSlwPAbRp4_FDCurDi8pg5Qmgp_GYYEtAxPCGXbd3Jec1yPMqY/s1600/153.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_YNfISYzA0BDyJNqttXjTxdWCqkqvMqFlov3qY-tOwwtVyV8zvYUs2_zwFFA3CGNuSrpS8TA_iW2OrRTE6ZRGj2x5nlSlwPAbRp4_FDCurDi8pg5Qmgp_GYYEtAxPCGXbd3Jec1yPMqY/s320/153.JPG.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQOz4IVFxrK-ZNfsSGxBdfVYC1iiS0fYSvREvr4t3Jppg1q4cH_jMWT6HBRTEEtcYnae9rdJEJ08IMX8nUC2pmkxYmdHmLIi95dfrnDaAOIfAyZ0nWrsq7R5vMEmflGmxRpOY_paWYYg/s1600/188.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQOz4IVFxrK-ZNfsSGxBdfVYC1iiS0fYSvREvr4t3Jppg1q4cH_jMWT6HBRTEEtcYnae9rdJEJ08IMX8nUC2pmkxYmdHmLIi95dfrnDaAOIfAyZ0nWrsq7R5vMEmflGmxRpOY_paWYYg/s320/188.JPG.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I do not have the time to write this story right now, and do it justice. The island was absolutely magical. No cars, no streets or streetlights, no TVs. Just sand and rainforest and stars. And midnight dance parties in the surf. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4-W6v4As2QZCz4xxz2F-bVDjQ31qjkQn-HfxMHND6j5YAdjGeAZR74Vdcf_Zo-PZBxdyqsl3POcAY88IYBvoWRm2HDXMTFul4Jcg4a19Xk8_VwKJIRLjfsK7o9c4qt-ctjS5fHv1yYdQ/s1600/221.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4-W6v4As2QZCz4xxz2F-bVDjQ31qjkQn-HfxMHND6j5YAdjGeAZR74Vdcf_Zo-PZBxdyqsl3POcAY88IYBvoWRm2HDXMTFul4Jcg4a19Xk8_VwKJIRLjfsK7o9c4qt-ctjS5fHv1yYdQ/s320/221.JPG.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
I have been experiencing withdrawls for the last week.Lalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029080164136900626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700290076879796684.post-34437872258438199242011-06-03T06:28:00.000-07:002011-06-03T06:28:50.348-07:00SaudadeI sat in a little cafe in the southern hemisphere last week, and watched the news story covering a tornado. It is global news. I see a twister tearing through my home, miles and miles away, and understand words like <span class="short_text" ec="undefined" ei="4" id="result_box" lang="pt"><span class="hps" closure_uid_unzd9="214" title="Click for alternate translations">destruição</span><span closure_uid_unzd9="215" title="Click for alternate translations">,</span> <span class="hps" closure_uid_unzd9="216" title="Click for alternate translations">perdidas</span><span closure_uid_unzd9="217" title="Click for alternate translations">,</span> and<span class="hps" closure_uid_unzd9="218" title="Click for alternate translations"> tragédia. The world is at one moment, very small yet very vast.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="short_text" ec="undefined" ei="4" lang="pt"><span class="hps" closure_uid_unzd9="218" title="Click for alternate translations">I ache for my loved ones right now, but send prayers and love, and hope that you can feel them reaching you.</span></span><br />
<div class="g-section" id="gt-res-tools"> </div>Lalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029080164136900626noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700290076879796684.post-60751508425782207192011-05-20T11:49:00.000-07:002011-05-20T11:49:25.401-07:00Ranchin'Ah, sweatpants-Thurday. I have been looking forward to you. Yes, that means I am staying in my house ALL day, and reading and writing and cleaning my tiny bedroom, which currently resembles the homeless man's camp in the lot next door. Yesterday, I was feeling ambitious, and made a list! Today, I have marked only five things off, two of which were 'soak beans' and 'check Ravelry account'. Soon, I will scratch off 'blog'. Anything that may involve 'enrollment' 'exercise' or 'graduation' will clearly be pushed onto tomorrow's list. <br />
<br />
<br />
Last weekend, my good friend, Gabi, invited Liz and I out to her family's 200 year old cattle ranch. A group of vet students were all going out to help vaccinate, tag, and preg check, so we decided to join in. Her grandmother made huge, very Italian meals everynight, with handmade pastas and slow cooked meats. I was miserably fat for the entire extended weekend. Behind the house, there was a beautiful orchard with oranges, lemons, limes, bergamots, figs, apples, peaches, avocados, carambolas!, kiwis!, pecans, pears, mangos, grapes, and others that I couldn't identify. I came home with a feedsack full of bergamots and a mouth full of those tiny ulcers that only excessive amounts of citric acid are capable of causing. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQNuUhmYmj9p9g90_JOtz2L9qZzugCoOmxvsObEI6wQalnKLN_oQRBky-JH3Ee-waZDn8wo-8dWl9dTYzx_fNmTGVvRMCGPPwV90t9Sl8vyUQGlrDAHMb-dz6XmjbZc3jKCndDUmm35k/s1600/078.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQNuUhmYmj9p9g90_JOtz2L9qZzugCoOmxvsObEI6wQalnKLN_oQRBky-JH3Ee-waZDn8wo-8dWl9dTYzx_fNmTGVvRMCGPPwV90t9Sl8vyUQGlrDAHMb-dz6XmjbZc3jKCndDUmm35k/s320/078.JPG.jpg" width="242" /></a>Francisco. </div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Za5Q9de_2weA4qEU21yY5guOg53XkcBwHaJI6rpqfMTFfLX3UFx3KTgGRYDh6CbXNXkPNByi8fHWsLWErad7j7MxFhKIBQ0718SMFnYGwUhoHeyW2jTQEtIXa1HRdWPxzz4zFrMu8zM/s1600/057.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Za5Q9de_2weA4qEU21yY5guOg53XkcBwHaJI6rpqfMTFfLX3UFx3KTgGRYDh6CbXNXkPNByi8fHWsLWErad7j7MxFhKIBQ0718SMFnYGwUhoHeyW2jTQEtIXa1HRdWPxzz4zFrMu8zM/s320/057.JPG.jpg" width="320" /></a>Squeeze chute. Made of wood. And really fancy.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFvZ_-hNYM4u0x_WQ3I6Le1CURBuMG-D89CEP4UJXit0RNw-ATtRFEHChJTWpoKo5dkexYPZcz7_NZa460jruiJ7WwMjU4i5U_jqOdntp6ai0ivB3PodRZ8XcGeNo3xPbRUaB0lPZBxxM/s1600/SAM_1925.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFvZ_-hNYM4u0x_WQ3I6Le1CURBuMG-D89CEP4UJXit0RNw-ATtRFEHChJTWpoKo5dkexYPZcz7_NZa460jruiJ7WwMjU4i5U_jqOdntp6ai0ivB3PodRZ8XcGeNo3xPbRUaB0lPZBxxM/s320/SAM_1925.JPG.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Money shot.</div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXwlLTW8fCDhtvljHfT9tPElC9JZWHMXm7FTxdKcwSrARTPn8OcBIWHfJ61LUaI2bII4V-GOJHxuJLD5O1kU_VXQjRIvjQLKcoVcyq2_3esstvG9Ih367s3T7JMgBTj3xYXJN29J6W7WI/s1600/138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXwlLTW8fCDhtvljHfT9tPElC9JZWHMXm7FTxdKcwSrARTPn8OcBIWHfJ61LUaI2bII4V-GOJHxuJLD5O1kU_VXQjRIvjQLKcoVcyq2_3esstvG9Ih367s3T7JMgBTj3xYXJN29J6W7WI/s400/138.JPG" width="300" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Gremio and Inter played each other on Saturday. They are the two futbol teams in my state and form the fifth most aggresive rivalry in the world. I live with Leonardo, who is a purebred, steadfast Gremista, and because I value my hot showers, I also cheer flambouantly for blue. Unless, I am staying with a red Inter family. Shhhhhhh.......<br />
Gabi's family is totally red and I witnessed her 74 year old Catholic, grieving widowed grandmother morph into a jumping, shreiking, horn-blowing dancer when International beat Gremio in Gremio's stadium on Saturday. She blew off fireworks and got out her old CD player to blast Inter's victory anthem and made the only Gremista in the house dance with her while she sang all of the words. Somebody has a picture of the woman wrapping me in a headlock.<br />
I know what's up. I cheered red, too. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrboBleNywy1zWMWAGct2OBWqOHBNeFNIrCI9FQMt6hzG3zUTgQtd7xVIdbEAkyfrBX2oCJ_6VcyexaWMjqOWMuugoXZhrC-CkvFyCMwHAz82vxVVolfft2BcpeD313djy72ZRuFZfEqs/s1600/144.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrboBleNywy1zWMWAGct2OBWqOHBNeFNIrCI9FQMt6hzG3zUTgQtd7xVIdbEAkyfrBX2oCJ_6VcyexaWMjqOWMuugoXZhrC-CkvFyCMwHAz82vxVVolfft2BcpeD313djy72ZRuFZfEqs/s320/144.JPG.jpg" width="242" /></a></div>Vovo gave me a lot of warm handknitted things to wear. I'm going to replicate this one, I wore it all weekend.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Lemon Drops.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMt2g6VdlIUXTzhOek_Wue-HPxClC3uSfVqh_DV42C-0UfwWi6f2fu3KcEGMJ3LqSHWfus_69XARQLGnuMNGb9mtmccTELm4ZKXu6eWNAQ76CHFeDgme2laIEtrh918St5JXlzqFWyVt8/s1600/025.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMt2g6VdlIUXTzhOek_Wue-HPxClC3uSfVqh_DV42C-0UfwWi6f2fu3KcEGMJ3LqSHWfus_69XARQLGnuMNGb9mtmccTELm4ZKXu6eWNAQ76CHFeDgme2laIEtrh918St5JXlzqFWyVt8/s200/025.JPG.jpg" width="151" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp9BDqX4rtkrYQCOZuL4rGUe7LklPAkN2QCgfLVLiipIlHTul29AlVmMxLAN83UathWb7a_H83hFpVjm3bhvHBL8ZvvdsevC-T5cMz7DSuRljF16BoFkVB0cney2y6wr3pTu32Uuo6Y5E/s1600/134.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="151" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp9BDqX4rtkrYQCOZuL4rGUe7LklPAkN2QCgfLVLiipIlHTul29AlVmMxLAN83UathWb7a_H83hFpVjm3bhvHBL8ZvvdsevC-T5cMz7DSuRljF16BoFkVB0cney2y6wr3pTu32Uuo6Y5E/s200/134.JPG.jpg" width="200" /></a>Homegrown kiwis!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxXJSpZ-KC-sxaveR4FgAfXiIp8k82RIz4JFYbl-qZRGrx1UFdaMsudewtinYjMtq6Qdhz1SUo5SvRXGHxlGwB9lNVH7pUB7y9nPmbivPt1uQ55Jmk7EoxrfuUVPBIOWfDIKr6GAXIP4s/s1600/124.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxXJSpZ-KC-sxaveR4FgAfXiIp8k82RIz4JFYbl-qZRGrx1UFdaMsudewtinYjMtq6Qdhz1SUo5SvRXGHxlGwB9lNVH7pUB7y9nPmbivPt1uQ55Jmk7EoxrfuUVPBIOWfDIKr6GAXIP4s/s320/124.JPG.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">View from my room.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiilotgoKzwOx1S7C_3KR3kgwpVlZEzOn714KfWsgIBpPniatyvC4hQc-58Ai4D5mYqzw7hBnVlqLLSH4lM5afjSzdCzHKglHagdh_e_rPKiXE2b7SsAWbS3WX-zr84sACXLCaN0SDi4n8/s1600/SAM_2000.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiilotgoKzwOx1S7C_3KR3kgwpVlZEzOn714KfWsgIBpPniatyvC4hQc-58Ai4D5mYqzw7hBnVlqLLSH4lM5afjSzdCzHKglHagdh_e_rPKiXE2b7SsAWbS3WX-zr84sACXLCaN0SDi4n8/s320/SAM_2000.JPG.jpg" width="242" /></a>Commencement of the churrasca saga.</div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNBXXC-ADdjJIa6MlGx82HoFsQNZFDeeKA9gjfkreZ5ko9SCqElx65gBucAqs_NZRSgmlt4yb_IjKOH83BhmW1djCtCBne0FnIAqiSd2p5MrXtcF7dyGlUIlCRlFR1eYfdvrpLNA6U480/s1600/097.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNBXXC-ADdjJIa6MlGx82HoFsQNZFDeeKA9gjfkreZ5ko9SCqElx65gBucAqs_NZRSgmlt4yb_IjKOH83BhmW1djCtCBne0FnIAqiSd2p5MrXtcF7dyGlUIlCRlFR1eYfdvrpLNA6U480/s320/097.JPG.jpg" width="320" /></a>Orchids everywhere.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Horseback exploration.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgbss8AqBjPjt6JyHDAwvGnZyfzUiK5G1orgmbNt-ZavhMu6Pf1SFiFOefYzbdEVHOQY9X3Eigo2ybFnJPGJE35gBA3RJqybrH_fLRcFU6Oy9qN5wOXKESwcyvdB3XcssZ4GQspRQIKT4/s1600/SAM_2026.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgbss8AqBjPjt6JyHDAwvGnZyfzUiK5G1orgmbNt-ZavhMu6Pf1SFiFOefYzbdEVHOQY9X3Eigo2ybFnJPGJE35gBA3RJqybrH_fLRcFU6Oy9qN5wOXKESwcyvdB3XcssZ4GQspRQIKT4/s320/SAM_2026.JPG.jpg" width="242" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_mLM388Gb1AsA3oC6YJRjIIqjt8lijhTaiXUGxuGX7H33rK9MzprSYq96Do9-f73xUI8FrIhmkGE6UGwfGMvs67FiOAKqrAWWLSSvfkXNLiCDdMo9YiCvMwHxXy9BdgKiAJzgOTNCeKk/s1600/113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Oh, Aaaaaaaand... While working cattle the last day, I got bit by a fly on the hand. Leonardo told me last night he thinks I might have "a little worm" under my skin. But no big deal, he says, when it is big enough, we will put sugar all over it and lure it to crawl out. He tried to be reassuring, but I saw the single-second flash of hibby-jibbies betrayed in his face. Ha!</div>Lalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029080164136900626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700290076879796684.post-20039433990225184152011-05-10T19:31:00.000-07:002011-05-10T19:31:48.787-07:00RoadtripsI'm putting up pictures from a trip I just went on. Down to Uruguay, over to the ocean, then up to wine country. Cities, beaches, national forests, vineyards, and beautiful high plains. I love this state. Arguably, the second best state in the world. At least in my opinion.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ECQhxVOnXmcx17m3Qq5xp1wmsoYjXDm1r_ZsF7pDXP55s7ZrNR2-claotzrxAZcUEkyKZ8aZogth44qLafEQewdc0JU8xQ0aUE_RdLOSM_qeq_kMJYvGqeD8mCESeMPx-yIfiP2vvlY/s1600/SANY0161.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj455tCpqzlM1ew-QTnYZKRrCeQDy1HykXfspR703KYpLpakmoJ0n3QoomnBace20PEhT-757jSLhifHJKDk0wzBVeOlYX2eLop1oomtIEx9RK1s0FFIxyfeZxW4uU7HlXG9CJRMn4h_F8/s1600/SANY0040.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj455tCpqzlM1ew-QTnYZKRrCeQDy1HykXfspR703KYpLpakmoJ0n3QoomnBace20PEhT-757jSLhifHJKDk0wzBVeOlYX2eLop1oomtIEx9RK1s0FFIxyfeZxW4uU7HlXG9CJRMn4h_F8/s320/SANY0040.JPG.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">First up, Rivera. Ah, border towns: delightfully overwhelming Americans, the world over. I got some cheap boots. And met a yarn lady. Score. </div>We stayed in a hotel, ran by Jorginho, and shared a bathroom with construction workers.<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Next up, Pelotas. Incredible architecture, gross city. We went to a circus in the middle of town that featured a dance chorus full of leathery grandmas and a motorcycle in a tracked cage. And the knife thrower... oooo, don't get me started. The poor grandma/showgirl that had to be subjected to that act was soooo not into it. I got the impression he'd jacked up before...The bigtop had the seating capacity for about two hundred, but only brought in about twenty-five. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFOgx_ygFWY6ncYMdhyphenhyphenZK1T9NhyJtMBtQjZj2tTx1jJjmu_N-_jzmFYLLeKtr2m5SdvRiZ7qgS_8NuWHmuRhjZQ9-MnN0enDGiUkdTO7tDs6nhIM8EPiEIfacEmJuD2hki4jts26OhSXY/s1600/SANY0148.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFOgx_ygFWY6ncYMdhyphenhyphenZK1T9NhyJtMBtQjZj2tTx1jJjmu_N-_jzmFYLLeKtr2m5SdvRiZ7qgS_8NuWHmuRhjZQ9-MnN0enDGiUkdTO7tDs6nhIM8EPiEIfacEmJuD2hki4jts26OhSXY/s400/SANY0148.JPG.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">oo. heeby jeebies.<br />
In an amusing kind of way, of course.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGGdaDuWvqka2LWxf4uiIuMGPWE-q_uIaMYuU7r9ozUR6lIbYIb35KFRQNb1q_umtM8X0zyOSIYIcmlwshlKfVstQlh_8Yw-55DI02Gl-q5FvyBRwPnuc0z9MK7tKCcfQ1UrTYlySYAy0/s1600/SANY0154.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="151" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGGdaDuWvqka2LWxf4uiIuMGPWE-q_uIaMYuU7r9ozUR6lIbYIb35KFRQNb1q_umtM8X0zyOSIYIcmlwshlKfVstQlh_8Yw-55DI02Gl-q5FvyBRwPnuc0z9MK7tKCcfQ1UrTYlySYAy0/s200/SANY0154.JPG.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><img border="0" height="151" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ECQhxVOnXmcx17m3Qq5xp1wmsoYjXDm1r_ZsF7pDXP55s7ZrNR2-claotzrxAZcUEkyKZ8aZogth44qLafEQewdc0JU8xQ0aUE_RdLOSM_qeq_kMJYvGqeD8mCESeMPx-yIfiP2vvlY/s200/SANY0161.JPG.jpg" width="200" /></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The beach at Pelotas was equally dirty, but there were many nice beaches to come, and I took that time to practice driving the rental car on sand.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu7ZOQhImcgsPrjsVY6JnnbF4x_mAYZbCiyw1ZLUpB_Az99CO6fIPXiOYzLL0jKB2GWPk5Yj3iTG6zUiACXAyXLibEEh3EBjyD1JrbZODmHDEYb-wm-n3l7vms1bKlRyko4N7VOcGC430/s1600/SANY0141.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu7ZOQhImcgsPrjsVY6JnnbF4x_mAYZbCiyw1ZLUpB_Az99CO6fIPXiOYzLL0jKB2GWPk5Yj3iTG6zUiACXAyXLibEEh3EBjyD1JrbZODmHDEYb-wm-n3l7vms1bKlRyko4N7VOcGC430/s320/SANY0141.JPG.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtnLnwWOw4f2wi45e2EDHdwJsx2EDldp009z4Huq1Q2ILHGPOTsTs0I9n7rE8ktZBlK5LByrBn7phK9tgiTlECHbnjVx-LBN2Y5lDLN25G9JUsG-3k2cidDaLQ69oGjcPfIimvRe9XGxI/s1600/SANY0142.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtnLnwWOw4f2wi45e2EDHdwJsx2EDldp009z4Huq1Q2ILHGPOTsTs0I9n7rE8ktZBlK5LByrBn7phK9tgiTlECHbnjVx-LBN2Y5lDLN25G9JUsG-3k2cidDaLQ69oGjcPfIimvRe9XGxI/s320/SANY0142.JPG.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6nXMKYmthgJ2WX0rChtstAGPtcGIfqhSXx46gGe01y6V2s6xNv28YAnfDzLJEIySnx0DL7RHgiDF2zi8ZeBPqXmyFnliuAxx_-nRtkx2NBma9VD4FIy1vAyctzC57eJxP2GV9RcYQ0WI/s1600/SANY0173.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6nXMKYmthgJ2WX0rChtstAGPtcGIfqhSXx46gGe01y6V2s6xNv28YAnfDzLJEIySnx0DL7RHgiDF2zi8ZeBPqXmyFnliuAxx_-nRtkx2NBma9VD4FIy1vAyctzC57eJxP2GV9RcYQ0WI/s320/SANY0173.JPG.jpg" width="242" /></a>This is a capybara, the largest roaming rodent on present-day earth. He made noises like a guinea pig and let me pet him. Fun fact: they eat their own feces to get maximum absorption of nutrients.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><br />
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hey... What the..... </div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">-Canela, RS</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM7grabuksZAUecGC5ozT3qmKhOiFCQLhaus0d8hpVafC9_qWDcFtN0-Q7adkVpz7ZaQF6YR6N2poBfe2ukwu5toYN5yIecsLFAD5WgoHZgetr53oCL8xN-yWn9FPPA6eCsC1NhREHk6A/s1600/SANY0258.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM7grabuksZAUecGC5ozT3qmKhOiFCQLhaus0d8hpVafC9_qWDcFtN0-Q7adkVpz7ZaQF6YR6N2poBfe2ukwu5toYN5yIecsLFAD5WgoHZgetr53oCL8xN-yWn9FPPA6eCsC1NhREHk6A/s320/SANY0258.JPG.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And last but not least-</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I couldn't forget May Day!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZwFn6vw96wKQiZfuWvRIiPddSf4SkkJgwa-UpTUITQN2baHuwOXa6jEcC_F14IhBJ-QGDouWZEME_QQ4Nx7D3_rpXbqQzTJRoF8CEdrfNzm7uzo10JZ1XDwHfU4C23iVJZ6FFtnvzMyA/s1600/SANY0180.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZwFn6vw96wKQiZfuWvRIiPddSf4SkkJgwa-UpTUITQN2baHuwOXa6jEcC_F14IhBJ-QGDouWZEME_QQ4Nx7D3_rpXbqQzTJRoF8CEdrfNzm7uzo10JZ1XDwHfU4C23iVJZ6FFtnvzMyA/s320/SANY0180.JPG.jpg" width="242" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV4L97I2U9N6w20CHen1wwsjmfovXS5amPBk-IolEU3nF3FAGbpnX3IYLbX8AQ1LElEht6P9_hKfmvgr8qUM9h_VP-gGxw3-jC63t9L6F3Ahp5lXhvr69Y8rNbDPB2dt7vfY40ziv1oGM/s1600/SANY0183.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV4L97I2U9N6w20CHen1wwsjmfovXS5amPBk-IolEU3nF3FAGbpnX3IYLbX8AQ1LElEht6P9_hKfmvgr8qUM9h_VP-gGxw3-jC63t9L6F3Ahp5lXhvr69Y8rNbDPB2dt7vfY40ziv1oGM/s320/SANY0183.JPG.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDLSr_4HoLLhg5Zrbwmgqo7Uc7agX0yKeUX9EEkHkF7psfbHitUsvq9oAutFHLn-yH586BzdikRw1RELJ9eGxAeBxR2y_Cz72DZ9bxGIyAD0p29a97_o_yq2NB-M35tvByXZu-ot2FNYE/s1600/SANY0177.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDLSr_4HoLLhg5Zrbwmgqo7Uc7agX0yKeUX9EEkHkF7psfbHitUsvq9oAutFHLn-yH586BzdikRw1RELJ9eGxAeBxR2y_Cz72DZ9bxGIyAD0p29a97_o_yq2NB-M35tvByXZu-ot2FNYE/s320/SANY0177.JPG.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Lalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029080164136900626noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700290076879796684.post-8184249196803827722011-05-03T11:25:00.000-07:002011-05-03T11:25:05.038-07:00I'm a jerk.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcKTHjMvOFvXm5Uaiex4gPYb-RP4TKiA-r7EiZ6INtZT6pUvaV2hp-EWz1SwSQbs-B_ZdzwEUupYfnw81-lmhWO7jLXVb1BL4mu2BC1lONqY0u9q9fLVs06-eTJzMyuee7f2pe4oELiW4/s1600/SANY0024.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcKTHjMvOFvXm5Uaiex4gPYb-RP4TKiA-r7EiZ6INtZT6pUvaV2hp-EWz1SwSQbs-B_ZdzwEUupYfnw81-lmhWO7jLXVb1BL4mu2BC1lONqY0u9q9fLVs06-eTJzMyuee7f2pe4oELiW4/s320/SANY0024.JPG.jpg" width="242" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Next time, I will remember the note for Dad, too.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Oops.</div>Lalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029080164136900626noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700290076879796684.post-6360327888662644202011-04-27T06:38:00.000-07:002011-04-27T06:38:27.177-07:00Easter, and then some.Two birthday parties, one baby shower, two mass services, one cow milked, an epic flood, and one narrowly-averted arranged marriage later... I have finally returned from Easter break. <br />
<br />
While in Campina, I met so many nice, nice people, who overwhelmed me with churassca and bolachas and cerveja and beijoes. The Easter bunny visits here, too, and I came home with about a half-kilo of chocolate and four jars of homemade pickles. 'Totally overwhelming' seemed to be the theme for the entire weekend. We went for a walk and I asked Carla what type of tree was growing along the streets.<br />
"Canela," she says, distractedly.<br />
........<br />
<br />
"Canela?"<br />
"Sim, canela."<br />
..........<br />
<br />
"Para sobremesas?"<br />
"Sim."<br />
<br />
Click, click, click go the gears up top. After some time, something decides that this is, in fact, real life and not a dream.<br />
"WHAT? Where am I?!"<br />
<br />
<br />
I am in Rio Grande do Sul. And these very common trees- the ones that I walk by everyday and pay nearly no attention to-are cinnamon trees. Cinn-a-mon. I broke out in Double Rainbow fashion. <br />
<br />
Everyday. Something new, and usually quite unexpected.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I had my first prova on Monday for Agricultura Especial, which went okay, I think. I had another today in my wine appreciation class. Next week- wine tasting! For now, it fun to have to have a good excuse to try new wines at our apartment.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="242" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ63_3ONPreCtig2ldBgWS4FPk87f1xx3EYzL2d8vxX0RvgByC3Tr-9CohYxkbK1HlK3YyXc7RA1D3gpiZGzHNPjTyU_9kccXLgWVtYWCkZNxfS7gMH5ZYNX8RPKwUHhqQWMCm4VzLFpk/s320/SAM_0849.JPG.jpg" width="320" /> "It's homework. Duh."</div>Lalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029080164136900626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700290076879796684.post-17318761684953261822011-04-21T12:11:00.000-07:002011-04-21T12:11:08.365-07:00QuickySo, so much going on.<br />
<br />
Here is a sampling:<br />
<br />
<br />
Went for a beautiful hike with the trekking club.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOl7NQZ7zmMiWC40aeYv6HqU1ds1dy7TQwvzb57Z2nVCH5jdcnxTJT63VXw_Mk7XtjsoNENPRi4HdBOoAJNN6THnC_d1XN_CPDo_PiIgT55-itoPYvtGJqTDjluAGsySf7yqhXVtsaDc/s1600/SAM_0938.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOl7NQZ7zmMiWC40aeYv6HqU1ds1dy7TQwvzb57Z2nVCH5jdcnxTJT63VXw_Mk7XtjsoNENPRi4HdBOoAJNN6THnC_d1XN_CPDo_PiIgT55-itoPYvtGJqTDjluAGsySf7yqhXVtsaDc/s320/SAM_0938.JPG" width="320" /></a>This is the view we had of my city (through binoculars). </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-MKOrMQrTEycHXQGExWwSIugyEZCsvI3MYOci_alzIoc9xS9QlxTRhF04c7BTIF84r8ZycIUUNnZ_NSumx1qRkCzlBPifMsBhjJz_OHX_gAkyyu3B3C-RSyQC3t1lTUWeFfOpB3EE6pQ/s1600/SAM_0950.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-MKOrMQrTEycHXQGExWwSIugyEZCsvI3MYOci_alzIoc9xS9QlxTRhF04c7BTIF84r8ZycIUUNnZ_NSumx1qRkCzlBPifMsBhjJz_OHX_gAkyyu3B3C-RSyQC3t1lTUWeFfOpB3EE6pQ/s320/SAM_0950.JPG.jpg" width="320" /></a>The organizer gave me some native seeds to plant on the hike back down. I immediately like him.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<br />
<br />
Bought a kilo of sausages from the old guy down in the park. What will I do with a full kilo of sausage? Oh, you know, gain 12 pounds.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOMyHqZpdv1xpP4XuhyHCqNvLpuFTyTDCqAEoppUS3nHt0zseELM146LrdGcfd-GbbmZy9MjfhoHvE4vuUZoCrYyfFtS-BtygVHkxMShnJai4NXtXI8wRuxiFfgRH9PTzAU8ItpGi5Rn8/s1600/SAM_0867.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOMyHqZpdv1xpP4XuhyHCqNvLpuFTyTDCqAEoppUS3nHt0zseELM146LrdGcfd-GbbmZy9MjfhoHvE4vuUZoCrYyfFtS-BtygVHkxMShnJai4NXtXI8wRuxiFfgRH9PTzAU8ItpGi5Rn8/s320/SAM_0867.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Pictures are really slow to load today for some reason. Will need to continue some other time.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Spending the holiday with friends in cute little German town of Campinha. Most of the people speak German here.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Will catch you up later.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Love you all! Have a happy Easter!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div>Lalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029080164136900626noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700290076879796684.post-56108702470241378552011-04-09T17:34:00.000-07:002011-04-09T17:34:06.870-07:00DeliveryI got mail!! Aww, mail is one of life's greatest underappreciated joys, in my opinion.<br />
<br />
We don't have individual mailboxes here at my apartment building. The maintenance man, Sou Milton, acts as mail courier, delivering mail to our apartments and sliding it under the door. If you receive a box, he waits until he sees you and then brings it up. Apparently, he was so excited to get it to me, that he stalked Leonardo's parking space in the garage, to know when we were home. He likes having Americans in his place. He thinks we are fun.<br />
<br />
Anyway, my box was packed full with great things like pictures, notes, a camera, delicious new shampoo. And knitting needles!!! And new glasses! Oh, I was absolutely squealing.<br />
Thanks, DAD!<br />
<br />
And the rest of you fine folk, feel free to send me something. I'll make you a mixtape.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Yesterday, I was riding the <span class="hps" closure_uid_kw9xl8="93" title="Click for alternate translations">ônibus</span> home from school and an old lady sat down next to me. <br />
Now, old ladies are the worst. They never know how to slow down their sentences, and have total disregard for your ineptitude. You can't play the 'não <span closure_uid_kw9xl8="84" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="hps">entendo</span></span><strong>'</strong> card with them. They just continue to abrade you with more involved, faster versions of the same question.<br />
<br />
She was old. She was lost. She needed help and she wouldn't be quiet.<br />
I tried to pawn her off on the girls next to me, but she was persistent.<br />
Long story short, I saved the day... in Portuguese! She made it to her destination. <br />
<br />
Because<strong> <em>I</em></strong> gave her directions. <br />
<br />
Because<em><strong> I</strong></em> knew my way around downtown. <br />
<br />
And because <em><strong>I</strong></em> speak Portuguese. <br />
<br />
Kindof.Lalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029080164136900626noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700290076879796684.post-55403314998724552192011-04-07T07:46:00.000-07:002011-04-07T16:45:44.551-07:00"...the flooded rice fields lay shining in the sunlight like a broken mirror."<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I am enrolled in Agricultura Especial II this semester, in which we study management practices and physiological development of important crops. Since we are in the fall semester here in Brazil and approaching the winter growing season, crops of focus include potatoes, oats, ryegrass,.... and RICE!! Three cheers for rice, which helps to sustain nearly four billion people, and to which we are virtually strangers in the state of Kansas. Never having seen rice in production, and understanding the weight of this plant's importance on food security, I've been completely stoked to get started. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Last week for the practical, we loaded up in a school bus and took a field trip to the nearby processing facility. We saw the storage units, the scales, and the dessicator (powered by a large wood burning oven).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdsLpwa4QShKFIl4KcPV5a3T9xE9CPCicCdATYe6qTUqo_NHZeeYwEfZL6kxvs66UDwUR5_2qG8HAn6juyssfkX-__FYQg6xbBtzdu1q4z426tJw7c7Oq9hSOu1SakjHm9ZQEHBedm0zg/s1600/SAM_0736.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdsLpwa4QShKFIl4KcPV5a3T9xE9CPCicCdATYe6qTUqo_NHZeeYwEfZL6kxvs66UDwUR5_2qG8HAn6juyssfkX-__FYQg6xbBtzdu1q4z426tJw7c7Oq9hSOu1SakjHm9ZQEHBedm0zg/s320/SAM_0736.JPG.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
This facility sells rice as a food product to distributors, but also sells seed for farmers. Lots of seed..... like enough to climb up.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga_rGznNoeR7nDcDQgx9AYhTE5DN08NSA6ZTRhS2snC71Mjh2KsuPJxW2zq4pIjDTWXldLhbBdX_gzonMgghKMmHUdwfBaK9R5u0ahyphenhyphenFjLFKuE20UBNuIxdaIRnvj_81BnJEId9e2U0zo/s1600/SAM_0706.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga_rGznNoeR7nDcDQgx9AYhTE5DN08NSA6ZTRhS2snC71Mjh2KsuPJxW2zq4pIjDTWXldLhbBdX_gzonMgghKMmHUdwfBaK9R5u0ahyphenhyphenFjLFKuE20UBNuIxdaIRnvj_81BnJEId9e2U0zo/s320/SAM_0706.JPG.jpg" width="242" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="242" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwll8HRUZm2vk2tVB0j2P3SJ5-IUkCcg6sCWqj_zvOCvMLSeCT8z1IgiwI8EZtPlwXuU2gLA251EAsWnxamJaly2EHqEtXxEDCtjhZW9wEEwDi_jlRszeK-F4FOSdgE7dfvHOxO1EXJkM/s320/SAM_0801.JPG.jpg" width="320" /> Later in the week, Leonardo offered to show us his research plots. Rice production is responsible for relatively high emission rates of methane, and his team is studying how various production practices can influence gas production. That's me- Sample Girl.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjfjJ6waD4rODV4p1IQJnT0CCb-Kah-l3INEVQ-WTkeZ6J0BbFVqkmK3IAnW26wj1unl1Ip3N4prjRboDZx_tLuvaPo5mNRxXkwb0_drvtBud37_cU9xxjZJOR6oTCHOm54OJlSvyuZiQ/s1600/SAM_0786.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjfjJ6waD4rODV4p1IQJnT0CCb-Kah-l3INEVQ-WTkeZ6J0BbFVqkmK3IAnW26wj1unl1Ip3N4prjRboDZx_tLuvaPo5mNRxXkwb0_drvtBud37_cU9xxjZJOR6oTCHOm54OJlSvyuZiQ/s320/SAM_0786.JPG.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
*Sidenote: I love the science. But I also just appreciate the chance to dig my fingers into some soil and walk around with no shoes on.<br />
<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZzS1no_xm47_2MOjkBj7uj6l4rZMCDvJAmnoAIl4GxzN3AQQIJSGS259nhEad4UKRVsDYEY8XSwJCWiD1395lVSFVCdoObgbe6d7huazSec_LrhWJ-5d5lBwCYkto5Tvwy3atZEwYYko/s1600/SAM_0780.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZzS1no_xm47_2MOjkBj7uj6l4rZMCDvJAmnoAIl4GxzN3AQQIJSGS259nhEad4UKRVsDYEY8XSwJCWiD1395lVSFVCdoObgbe6d7huazSec_LrhWJ-5d5lBwCYkto5Tvwy3atZEwYYko/s320/SAM_0780.JPG.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><br />
<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And it dawns on me, I'm working in a <em>rice paddy</em>. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwll8HRUZm2vk2tVB0j2P3SJ5-IUkCcg6sCWqj_zvOCvMLSeCT8z1IgiwI8EZtPlwXuU2gLA251EAsWnxamJaly2EHqEtXxEDCtjhZW9wEEwDi_jlRszeK-F4FOSdgE7dfvHOxO1EXJkM/s1600/SAM_0801.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_twJkttyh0Lo39gU5b_ML47keOELeZuqAuQDBxBGmUJdx0zEcwb0jKKO3uW_wLPTngRhRJC3Ua2p9RrUOBK1ZaarXb7hSucAF97aq5s2F3UmGQK3khQXQpeK1RCJ-qWXy0Q2Oq66Bo4/s1600/SAM_0798.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwD7joUB92k_lF5Y0sLv2vF4obe4yzhEIddflJ8JNAjOutTO2ph-IsicgonmLJd2jBqj-pCGU8qKf3oEKVwWSHZFiDxCfYY5b2pO0efU0lahI6_Jxjut4wFGQ_WBWEF8fMsRKcYYKVCFY/s320/SAM_0776.JPG.jpg" width="242" /> God is good to me.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwll8HRUZm2vk2tVB0j2P3SJ5-IUkCcg6sCWqj_zvOCvMLSeCT8z1IgiwI8EZtPlwXuU2gLA251EAsWnxamJaly2EHqEtXxEDCtjhZW9wEEwDi_jlRszeK-F4FOSdgE7dfvHOxO1EXJkM/s1600/SAM_0801.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>Lalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029080164136900626noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700290076879796684.post-84585503513934688952011-03-30T09:08:00.000-07:002011-03-30T09:08:02.472-07:00I just had the best Saturday. A long, lazy day filled with books, yarn, mangoes, and Blitzen Trapper. A necessity for sanity, really, and hard to come by of late.<br />
<br />
Dr. Rice has returned to the states and we are now halfway through our intensive Climate Change and Agriculture class. It is given at night, three hours for ten days. There is a fifteen minute break in the middle, which usually turns into a youtube free-for-all on the big projection screen, reminding me over and over again that I am, indeed, very far from home. We can move from discussions on the economic feasibility of greenhouse gas mitigation to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95MOiVNy6H4&feature=related">this</a> in just under 20 seconds. Or <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRpeEdMmmQ0">Shakira and futbol</a>.... jeez, that drives the gauchos louco. When Telmo, our Brazilian advising professor, tries to wrap up for the break, it goes something like this, "So those are the main differences between biological and thermochemical processing routes for second generation biofuels. And now, here is my fat doctorate student, Paulo, winning a cerveja chuggin contest last fall."<br />
<br />
Ah, good times.Lalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029080164136900626noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700290076879796684.post-40560686760491799312011-03-21T08:49:00.000-07:002011-03-21T08:49:48.702-07:00From my apartment balcony, a vast sea of concrete is all that is visible.<br />
<br />
I have never lived in a place like this before.<br />
<br />
Yesterday, I went for a much needed walk in the woods. I found some grass. And a bunch of weeds that I knew the scientific names for. I found a lime tree. And a guava tree. And an avocado tree. It was heartlifting, to say the least.<br />
<br />
<br />
Today, our Kansas State Distinguished Professor Dr. Chuck Rice will be giving his first of many lectures here at UFSM. He is here during K-State's spring break, and I am looking forward to the class, which addresses connections between agriculture and climate change, and potential areas for improvements.<br />
<br />
Dad has mailed me a box of things a few days ago. When I told him to just ship it the cheapest way, he replied, "Well, we'll see what Joe says." And I thought 'Yeah, Joe! I miss Joe.' I think when you miss the postman, its a sure indication that you are experiencing bit of homesickness....<br />
<br />
On the flip side, I had the sweetest mango of my life for breakfast this morning. And that was nice.Lalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029080164136900626noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700290076879796684.post-85137853127575273932011-03-16T11:02:00.000-07:002011-03-16T11:02:32.931-07:00<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Oi, family.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">This has been a very full week in Santa Maria and Cruz Alta. I am currently in Porto Alegre spending time with some friends in a hostel and checking out public markets and leather stores. Diego is being a very patient and thorough tour guide this weekend. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I spent Carnaval with Leonardo and his sweet girlfriend, Carla, in Cruz Alta, RS. While there, I met some really swell people, some of which will be in the agronomy program with me at UFSM. In Cruz Alta, most people gather with friends and drink beer and dance and eat and frolic, until the real party starts around 2:00 in the morning. </div></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIG1ovEwRtOVowT-2SdB5pJwcrmfnO8UCdiDQ21FGCqFokrCVqirpv7CibpIcu2NgPgUZOijEDPsEqLDWTBst-8fHnoPVyi5OKVFJ7HWvSHbkfAjRfrv3aAPyCtAoABV5FKbZzmAFdWJY/s1600/March+13+092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIG1ovEwRtOVowT-2SdB5pJwcrmfnO8UCdiDQ21FGCqFokrCVqirpv7CibpIcu2NgPgUZOijEDPsEqLDWTBst-8fHnoPVyi5OKVFJ7HWvSHbkfAjRfrv3aAPyCtAoABV5FKbZzmAFdWJY/s200/March+13+092.JPG" width="175" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9023MQlF3rDlhW0t-i3wP0F9WcOBlLQ71o6Hv3-EEdt0kxAIf7Pmy3RlsTcQJOgHeLUXlp9YHNym_HZODnmRd2C50xMNErXoUuaEO7kBt-uJmIXNvy6nLa1jYhAEkaQw8j2vUD6kN4UE/s1600/March+13+090b.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="274" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9023MQlF3rDlhW0t-i3wP0F9WcOBlLQ71o6Hv3-EEdt0kxAIf7Pmy3RlsTcQJOgHeLUXlp9YHNym_HZODnmRd2C50xMNErXoUuaEO7kBt-uJmIXNvy6nLa1jYhAEkaQw8j2vUD6kN4UE/s320/March+13+090b.JPG" width="320" /></a><img border="0" height="150" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQPNdy5iAk8vf-vvoZoFhwaBTVISiQJlcRuC3z9uS87UadSHNz_KEaH813982lw617TUX4cVrCZPsnD3t_-F6FcPXfR4xX4I_tMr0ZYNiUGDp-xSEMFdg1U6y5fYO9De33XD9jCmrudzU/s200/March+13+074.JPG" width="200" /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Carla bought me a goodie box and chocolates for Carnaval primping (which some nights took over an hour). We got help from Leonardo's sister, who had loads of fun make-up. That's right, I picked blue eyeshadow. If not for Carnaval, I don't know when. I gave Leonardo's nephew, Theo, some lip gloss, but no one thought it was as funny as I did. Hmmm..... oops.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Oh, he's cute.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi08OEf7yLPmIKstHDSAjLMWFMKEhLSCGtTANyj7RhREVOlpFqS4ADDYaLrWB2fzUy4GF2IuQAvVMdY4FrEA60WG73a_96z-T5dSElRzy8T4vUkhxWJnftS-ta7sq7t0C-IsnnSuoNR4Q/s1600/March+13+101b.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi08OEf7yLPmIKstHDSAjLMWFMKEhLSCGtTANyj7RhREVOlpFqS4ADDYaLrWB2fzUy4GF2IuQAvVMdY4FrEA60WG73a_96z-T5dSElRzy8T4vUkhxWJnftS-ta7sq7t0C-IsnnSuoNR4Q/s320/March+13+101b.JPG" width="181" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"> Our group (like most) bought matching t-shirts to wear out. I was handed a bright red t-shirt with a dolled- up-Carnaval Homer Simpson printed on the front. Too cool. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">It was a little small so I cut the neck and shoulder off.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Carnaval was a fantastic experience, but kinda wears me out when I think about it too long. Sometimes, it's hard to hang here.</div></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">While Carnaval was going on, I stayed at Leonardo's parents' home. It is a beautiful home, and his parents make incredibly gracious hosts. Leonardo's dad was especially patient with me, reworking all of his sentences into their most basic forms, so that I could sometimes understand him. He had an indoor churrasqueira that he would cook huge slabs of seasoned meat on every night. I severely underestimated the amount of beef true gauchos consume here in the south. It was impressive, despite the fact that I had a sore belly for days after. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTKK65AFUZoWCEo6QIRR059FauSo5l8xDroX6-ESSkpUgoyddpfeqYvbghLgmhp1SILiKQW1MIVy3CZ5Xn5Pk6zZcvSyKHot8Yk7S4EJbrdmu-_1Md0JxG8XjcPlCKb1BUdWweoSuDiEk/s1600/March+13+086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTKK65AFUZoWCEo6QIRR059FauSo5l8xDroX6-ESSkpUgoyddpfeqYvbghLgmhp1SILiKQW1MIVy3CZ5Xn5Pk6zZcvSyKHot8Yk7S4EJbrdmu-_1Md0JxG8XjcPlCKb1BUdWweoSuDiEk/s200/March+13+086.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNLjLvBDVz3gyBD14EvhoQB2gdj3k5z4hfmMMR3PN_L3x1SWXpe0bMn0dGdUw9jDQcepRqC92S3R6vq-n3bmKjsNIEr4VfvuRavk45iCRhvaDw0iGSFRVzf2_TCDGqvH21uvCk8MI-CKY/s1600/March+13+089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNLjLvBDVz3gyBD14EvhoQB2gdj3k5z4hfmMMR3PN_L3x1SWXpe0bMn0dGdUw9jDQcepRqC92S3R6vq-n3bmKjsNIEr4VfvuRavk45iCRhvaDw0iGSFRVzf2_TCDGqvH21uvCk8MI-CKY/s200/March+13+089.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwQ40wvVjW5tAygWimNmc6eUJN0mXqUv2iY4TphTltctJNHVgF94BKxRSm-kk1pJQLnECZ9EMdVc0riCXgQE_Oi6VwKvF61cLyKX3Sp3o9XFVncoj87pfIwmuBlEi2f7tG9GNYRongCvU/s1600/March+13+083b.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwQ40wvVjW5tAygWimNmc6eUJN0mXqUv2iY4TphTltctJNHVgF94BKxRSm-kk1pJQLnECZ9EMdVc0riCXgQE_Oi6VwKvF61cLyKX3Sp3o9XFVncoj87pfIwmuBlEi2f7tG9GNYRongCvU/s320/March+13+083b.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
School has starts this week. Well, kinda. It officially started last week, but the professors apparently weren't feeling it because it was too soon after Carnaval. So, they didn't show up. The new first day is Monday.<br />
<br />
<br />
Update: Forgot to hit post. Dangit! Its Wednesday. School is hard. Write later :)</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQPNdy5iAk8vf-vvoZoFhwaBTVISiQJlcRuC3z9uS87UadSHNz_KEaH813982lw617TUX4cVrCZPsnD3t_-F6FcPXfR4xX4I_tMr0ZYNiUGDp-xSEMFdg1U6y5fYO9De33XD9jCmrudzU/s1600/March+13+074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div>Lalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029080164136900626noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700290076879796684.post-15225962388439699312011-03-06T18:47:00.000-08:002011-03-06T18:47:22.719-08:00CarnavalLoved ones! Hello!<br />
<br />
It is Carnaval time in Brazil. And I cant keep up!<br />
<br />
I am safe and happy, and lovin the sequins and feathers. I left my computer at my new apartment in Santa Maria, and am not on the internet often right now. I will soon post pictures of this week and fill you all in. <br />
<br />
<br />
One revelation:<br />
Contrary to passed confidence, I am not that great of a dancer in Brazil. Which hurts a little....<br />
<br />
But Brazilians dont care.Lalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029080164136900626noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700290076879796684.post-4216476890342609852011-02-24T12:18:00.000-08:002011-02-24T16:14:03.842-08:00Tempo para fotosHowdy loved ones,<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Dad says he wants some pictures, and since he asked in portuguese (with fewer grammatical errors than I would have made), I'm happy to oblige him. There are some from right before I left New Jersey, as well as a few from Brazil. I haven't taken as many as I would like, but... I'm busy, yo.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyCUQ0v_yRKj1zLw9_ioG2rZnRZ13YDm1KQCmM3ZeW-Gb-65FbjlOhqHY1NscKPOLS8eAcHOKKiLrf9ns3fGZh5JZ5cGwHZLaFujmee0gFhHCwKpcZeZxoB-R6BzAhZ0sPRV5VA0U4Omw/s1600/Feb.+2011+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyCUQ0v_yRKj1zLw9_ioG2rZnRZ13YDm1KQCmM3ZeW-Gb-65FbjlOhqHY1NscKPOLS8eAcHOKKiLrf9ns3fGZh5JZ5cGwHZLaFujmee0gFhHCwKpcZeZxoB-R6BzAhZ0sPRV5VA0U4Omw/s320/Feb.+2011+005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> Back in Jersey, Summer made a fantastic dinner and we fed some pretty great people. Mike Sparrow found out the previous night that I had never tried a durian, and showed up with stank in hand. I hear people like them, somewhere in the world. I don't get it, but that's cool. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiItn0SrLC9TXr5hrkuLJaeRuhHYM7-RW-c-cz-Jc5HJj2qbkVkslsH84Y7oSppg5m-iRHgv6v2uLyLsu24p4ke1QH3UdtF7XVZyDbGRWLW7N8U1qHGKX8WInPrIpZMsNN6vrEhMyvKQxg/s1600/Feb.+2011+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiItn0SrLC9TXr5hrkuLJaeRuhHYM7-RW-c-cz-Jc5HJj2qbkVkslsH84Y7oSppg5m-iRHgv6v2uLyLsu24p4ke1QH3UdtF7XVZyDbGRWLW7N8U1qHGKX8WInPrIpZMsNN6vrEhMyvKQxg/s320/Feb.+2011+015.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqaRpLJkyLsCESGaUywoMJ3QCS9jcieg9iu8RvBvUqkv-IBlnV1CenriRri5lqdI1XOl-dSgJXQoNm6jqQrv9O4Oj_nayyrzDOC4UTSOWE5IhpROWPvm_zA41dByR2YRs2nxVKUNz3jJ8/s1600/Feb.+2011+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqaRpLJkyLsCESGaUywoMJ3QCS9jcieg9iu8RvBvUqkv-IBlnV1CenriRri5lqdI1XOl-dSgJXQoNm6jqQrv9O4Oj_nayyrzDOC4UTSOWE5IhpROWPvm_zA41dByR2YRs2nxVKUNz3jJ8/s320/Feb.+2011+007.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I left Kansas with 40 pounds of 'necessities' stuffed into an army duffel bag that dad bought out of a surplus magazine of some sort. By the time I made it into Newark, I realized just how preposterous that whole idea was. I'm not sure why an army would design a bag so crippling to the human frame. Maybe it was for bootcamp torture/training, and not for actual missions. Anyhow, I was forced to go to REI, where I selected the largest backpack available. It was on sale, so I went ahead and bought another for the AT adventure next year with the bff. Oopsie. After wrestling my clothes into space saver bags, I had ample room for a bag of knitting needles and a couple of books. Never know when the urge may strike to bust out the old yarn and circulars... There's just nothing like knitting a wool sweater on the beach to drive the men wild.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIN-YIGsjXN3AYxbtr_vE36tMUGd8Tco7F9ONfGv-I8s1Sl8J2Unmxwtv3uuSuDCEOpomb_v23perq-h_K1FhLbedx_G_8IZuGQ7Jq9-WAz4w48kMZawMgR0pdiFg8BeuEVq6taEbwnlY/s1600/Feb.+2011+024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIN-YIGsjXN3AYxbtr_vE36tMUGd8Tco7F9ONfGv-I8s1Sl8J2Unmxwtv3uuSuDCEOpomb_v23perq-h_K1FhLbedx_G_8IZuGQ7Jq9-WAz4w48kMZawMgR0pdiFg8BeuEVq6taEbwnlY/s320/Feb.+2011+024.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjssXtuHn_QkiOG8clli48BgfBi6pIpKbO5R3_8w_shu4_zGk2Uko0ZjS2P_vPzRL3ufuUIXNqBlxOMrOhmzwMCkgUI_c3P5Nb8USjw0-Erc8AerphbMtG4K5jdZd6icbWcrYCEpiezHyI/s1600/Feb.+2011+021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjssXtuHn_QkiOG8clli48BgfBi6pIpKbO5R3_8w_shu4_zGk2Uko0ZjS2P_vPzRL3ufuUIXNqBlxOMrOhmzwMCkgUI_c3P5Nb8USjw0-Erc8AerphbMtG4K5jdZd6icbWcrYCEpiezHyI/s320/Feb.+2011+021.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> Liz picked me up at the airport in Floripa and helped me find the house I'm staying in. Like I mentioned earlier, my host family is super nice. They keep a canary on the balcony, and that makes me happy. When we went to watch the samba school 'rehearsal', I got to see downtown Floripa. The centro has a 130-year-old tree that is just amazing at night. My Portuguese teacher, Jonas, took my class there a few days later. He said that newlyweds circle the tree three times together, and afterwards, they never separate. He and his wife did it when they were married. I think I will, too, when I get married. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisq0Lu-7bLa6kV9XHdUMKRvWedNDLCBYh8QMRtpE_Fy_MKJsSILJVOyeEOOEq6ANQ_u1bfETtrdxvHkHfrPfTgfZZKEpgzawJ7lZY_4vNngPmLrPT_dj8HMlBYObCLAak2aqnURQzZmYc/s1600/Feb.+2011+044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisq0Lu-7bLa6kV9XHdUMKRvWedNDLCBYh8QMRtpE_Fy_MKJsSILJVOyeEOOEq6ANQ_u1bfETtrdxvHkHfrPfTgfZZKEpgzawJ7lZY_4vNngPmLrPT_dj8HMlBYObCLAak2aqnURQzZmYc/s320/Feb.+2011+044.JPG" width="240" /></a>This is the queen of the samba school. I don't know for certain, but speculate that she sold a little soul to get those skills. I can't over-exaggerate how unnaturally talented she was.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr5IpDcjjFxP9XtT9vlRenzS0qtTfsfKHao4Pnjt84xG7OiPkLzKCgfImkdKoWPvzl5XuWkwPrOF35Uf0Y1u34dbqrCtoNXfN00679VrXpzbW5FxY3zap4IYzEgeoNoorbTnxPXZbyu9k/s1600/Feb20+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr5IpDcjjFxP9XtT9vlRenzS0qtTfsfKHao4Pnjt84xG7OiPkLzKCgfImkdKoWPvzl5XuWkwPrOF35Uf0Y1u34dbqrCtoNXfN00679VrXpzbW5FxY3zap4IYzEgeoNoorbTnxPXZbyu9k/s320/Feb20+001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbMxfzQqqWex26aupCwmkUNH8mSbAuVuUmiQ4i0VN5G9x_NpXab4AwbmHC-qxbE6rpLNNY3RlmWQu42GyqUHplN4Cy4FkxgjokcEgnFjYuhN9qQ_2yo1P926ohoQfupmhhVZNRaUcwv9A/s1600/Feb20+053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbMxfzQqqWex26aupCwmkUNH8mSbAuVuUmiQ4i0VN5G9x_NpXab4AwbmHC-qxbE6rpLNNY3RlmWQu42GyqUHplN4Cy4FkxgjokcEgnFjYuhN9qQ_2yo1P926ohoQfupmhhVZNRaUcwv9A/s200/Feb20+053.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Last weekend, Liz and Kerry and I went to explore the south end of the island. We stayed in a sweet little pousada called Alemdomar, owned and operated by Paulo. Paulo let me borrow a field guide to help me ID the plants. That also made me very happy. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv6WFV6VeEIffBEfkY0ZgnqVA70p5c5aRmhUIDhwrM35HHv5g8VVwMz0gpHEgtpluXmfVZmBMW8jXMFvy9krlKl0chX4GTwm33lt86u6naf2Mbjov9EmYd3Q1uW3mRVGWYsLwgpsV_2lY/s320/Feb20+009.JPG" width="240" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbE3yPjhwyF-MT76dUmiorTj8OdTYhpSAk9jkK-yMIza2SiFuvOsyoh8FZ0wmI-sidMRl8EnxklnZfsKU9gWGO3j-hfaAlximgTEGuzn5h_dHg7Cv8_opC810wl_VNGJppG4uhRI4lrlI/s1600/Feb20+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbE3yPjhwyF-MT76dUmiorTj8OdTYhpSAk9jkK-yMIza2SiFuvOsyoh8FZ0wmI-sidMRl8EnxklnZfsKU9gWGO3j-hfaAlximgTEGuzn5h_dHg7Cv8_opC810wl_VNGJppG4uhRI4lrlI/s320/Feb20+012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB8vn8tEQIt6k66UMdHq3AA429JihfYjluqZJ63sBnZIMwSd0sLADmxGkKImPFH68Eq8UZNrIZdstkjeoWS08HW1ca8stBnBW8gNiSxcwlK5XCqGr75ka-KhN6PuEVf1DleG-66wTzLQE/s320/Feb20+020.JPG" width="320" /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">People on the island are in constant strife to keep the vegetation under their control, but the tropical climate here seems to lend the upper hand to the foliage. I love how commonly ferns pop up on rooftops.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-XzMeA1i-ddwxLzTNNenTZX-PEv7YBhqQMnEUaaK495Bo2QELcNvtTzgV8b_GeF49kVMcTuCWfsfNU2z1v-X58YeteUDP4dohSLPapAb8HalDLlENtXr6SnQG1LlpkRjpxlJmr4_ZQmQ/s1600/Feb20+022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-XzMeA1i-ddwxLzTNNenTZX-PEv7YBhqQMnEUaaK495Bo2QELcNvtTzgV8b_GeF49kVMcTuCWfsfNU2z1v-X58YeteUDP4dohSLPapAb8HalDLlENtXr6SnQG1LlpkRjpxlJmr4_ZQmQ/s320/Feb20+022.JPG" width="240" /></a>Just because you are someplace new, doesn't mean you need to touch everything you come across. Some things don't like it. And they have evolved to produce physical defensive structures containing potent secondary metabolic compounds to deter you.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCsmGMn7cpwvrYdFsOU8f5FcMUf11m8f3ZA_G6An0Do3q9Tfupf2c5dHnNM-4yiK8phdW2jdofeA6DQFItdOe8tccoPsRscR6RgDgpflRM-bPen2vxDT9EzLpcv7oJY25BYJSQ4DJOop4/s1600/Feb20+043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCsmGMn7cpwvrYdFsOU8f5FcMUf11m8f3ZA_G6An0Do3q9Tfupf2c5dHnNM-4yiK8phdW2jdofeA6DQFItdOe8tccoPsRscR6RgDgpflRM-bPen2vxDT9EzLpcv7oJY25BYJSQ4DJOop4/s320/Feb20+043.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGcqn3pNDqYafPuBHZY6GkGa7URd_YpWQKAh-bET-BxWzYrvyhKwrVZgGcEtJv2_PRw9hyG6eCps-RZiQnDy00D84t6EqHP6FWN6V2LZdqhSWABOJ2C09OyXTSBmwGd6Dfj6rmoHBB0p4/s1600/Feb20+040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGcqn3pNDqYafPuBHZY6GkGa7URd_YpWQKAh-bET-BxWzYrvyhKwrVZgGcEtJv2_PRw9hyG6eCps-RZiQnDy00D84t6EqHP6FWN6V2LZdqhSWABOJ2C09OyXTSBmwGd6Dfj6rmoHBB0p4/s320/Feb20+040.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">These are from Praia Matodeira, which translates roughly as Whale Killer Beach.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"> I didn't go in too deep.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<br />
That's all the pics for now. Today, I didn't go to class. My host mom works at the hospital, and when she found out I hadn't got my yellow fever vaccine, she promptly made an appointment. When I showed up, the doctor took one look at my vaccine record and started writing a list of things I was not up-to-date on. You all know me... I immediately went into fight/flight. I bellied up for the MMR and Yellow Fever, then told a tiny lie to get out of tetnus, and just flat fought the <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv6WFV6VeEIffBEfkY0ZgnqVA70p5c5aRmhUIDhwrM35HHv5g8VVwMz0gpHEgtpluXmfVZmBMW8jXMFvy9krlKl0chX4GTwm33lt86u6naf2Mbjov9EmYd3Q1uW3mRVGWYsLwgpsV_2lY/s1600/Feb20+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>ambiguous syringe full of "combination". Really, two shots in one day should be the limit. The cool thing is, I found out that the public hospitals in Brazil all give free vaccinations, even to gringos. I've decided to get the tetnus shot when I get to Santa Maria. I had kindof a traumatic experience today. I just need a little time.Lalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029080164136900626noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700290076879796684.post-65811217881329406462011-02-20T09:31:00.000-08:002011-02-24T09:47:25.958-08:00Arrival<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Ola from Brazil! I have just wrapped up my first week in beautiful Florianopolis. I am spending the first two weeks here for sure, as I attend Step 1 Idiomas intensive language training. Before jumping into college level courses on soil physics and erosion, I am supposed to have some sort of basic working knowledge of the Portuguese language. As of this semester, Kansas State does not offer a course in Portuguese, so instead, I am trying cram a foreign language in my noggin in approximately 15 days. They were right- it's intense. <br />
<br />
Step 1 is a program that incorporates total immersion into its teaching structure. They set up home stays for all of the students, and I am staying in a little home with a nice Floripan family. The daughter has given up her room so that I may stay in it with some privacy. The extended family owns four houses on this street, and many know a little English. As a result, there are a ton of visitors who stop in, all wanting to practice their conversational skills with me. It’s nice, but they are learning way more English than I am Portuguese. The kids and dad are great, but I am a bit intimidated by my host mother who speaks very fast, and does not smile often. She goes out of her way to do nice things for me, so I know she likes me a little. We do a lot to avoid conversation, however, because we have, as of yet, not understood a single sentence from the other. <br />
<br />
In my class this week, there is a guy from Texas, a Columbian girl that I really like and understand pretty well conversationally, and a guy from Peru who tends to mumble a mixed up Spanglish-guese dialect quite frequently. In a more advanced class, there are a couple of Tico twins that I hang out with regularly. They are outrageously funny, like Click and Clack with super foul mouths. They have a killer act down; one that has been twenty-five years in the making.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Turns out they are also National Champions in Costa Rican tennis doubles. <br />
<br />
<br />
At school, the only language allowed is Portuguese. And there is no formal introduction. You are tossed into a class with students from all over the world, some of which are new and some of which have been at Step 1 for a few weeks. They are super strict on the whole immersion deal. You wanna ask the dude from Texas where you can exchange your dollars for reais? You better be using your dictionario to figure it out in Portuguese. Ouch. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I don't think the typical Brazileiro requires as much sleep as we Americans do. They go and go and go.... I've been here a week, and have packed so much in already. I'll try to post some pictures; no promises though. A few nights ago, I went to see the samba school practice for the competitions during Carnaval. This 'practice' included a huge street party with 200+ drummers and 300+ dancers parading around the town square and the population equivalent of Baxter Springs singing along in attendance. While hiking in the nearby state park, I saw some incredible new flora, birds, and insects. I've also been to the local churrascaria to dine on roasted chicken hearts. On the southern beaches of the island, I got some sun and enjoyed huge, cheap, delicious oysters (one of my favorites and hard to come by, back home on the prairie).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> I have tried the most famous Brazilian drink (caiprinha, made with sugar cane liquor and limes), been witness to the infamous micro-bikinis on Brazilian beaches, and got down on the dancefloor, with an oh-so-talented, bronzed Brazileiro. So far, I like it here, and language aside, I think I'm assimilating quite well. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Lalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029080164136900626noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700290076879796684.post-78251461095009393992011-02-10T12:12:00.000-08:002011-02-20T09:51:58.999-08:00First Post<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It’s sortof strange, planning an introduction to a blog. Do I say I’ve never tried this before?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Warn everyone in advance that I may flake out and let it wither within weeks?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or remind them that I’ve spent the last four years either out of school, or in agricultural school, neither of which help out a writer in the creative ways that allow for slick, hiccup-free blogging. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I have elected to spend a semester in Brazil. To help fund this experience, the Study Abroad Office at school has generously awarded me two scholarships.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In order to receive this money, I have to commit to a set amount of work hours, and the list of work options kinda looks like fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Options include a flicker account with all my<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(“decent lady”) pictures of the experience, a blog documenting the travels, classes, food, and dancing I am so looking forward to, visits to local high schools recruiting for K-State, womanning the study abroad table at the fair, etc….. I mean, come on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is work?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This sounds fishy to me. But, I bit. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This blog is born for two specific reasons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will help fulfill some of my obligations to the International Affairs Office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, the more I think about it, the more I wish this was my idea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will be in a completely new country for almost seven months, with no phone, and a family at home that is capable of worrying holes through stones. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a perfect opportunity to keep them up on life in Santa Maria without having to call all fifty of them on my free weekends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I am tired and don’t want to put forth the effort of formulating complete, adult-level lines of thought, I plan to just post some pretty pictures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Brilliant!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Now, if I could only get there, maybe I could start to sleep.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the date on my itinerary nears, I find myself awake in the quiet hours of the night, scribbling lists which form a mad woman’s novel: get epi-pen prescription updated, give Katie her tights back,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>email out visa application checklists for my family, find bowl for fish….. oh, crap, TAXES…..<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>cancel car insurance, phone service, utilities….<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Scrap papers litter the floor around my bed, the cup holder in my car, the extra fridge space, the pockets of all my old man sweaters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So much has been done already.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything I own is in a 10x12’ storage unit, my mail is forwarded to Dad’s office, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>my financial aid is all lined out (I hope), I finally got my visa, I have given away my fish and my worm farm (which would be difficult for most people, but my family is just so cool… ), And yet, every night, another lightbulb sets off a chain reaction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This whole thing has more of a feel of migration than temporary observation. That is to say, it feels big.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But don’t tell Dad and Goggie I said that…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There just aren’t stones enough</span>.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span>Lalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029080164136900626noreply@blogger.com8