In the jungle, the mighty jungle

Today (since it is the national holiday of Corpus Cristo and I have no class), we took a car ride up into the jungle (yes, jungle) surrounding Rio. It was a rapid ascent completely in the cool shade of the trees and vines. Along the way, there were several points where we stopped and snapped some pictures of the city and the bay below. As always, it was beautiful. Later we drove through Recreio, which is the newest and quickest-growing area in Rio (where everyone goes to retire). I was suprised to see an Outback Steakhouse, Wal-Mart (so sad) and a TGIFridays along with many typically Brazilian stores at the mall there. The layout of the area reminded me a lot of the suburbs of Washington, D.C. After the drive, we went to lunch at a seafood place---really fresh; fresh because the lower level of the restaurant is a seafood market and the ocean is a block away. We stuffed ourselves on: camarao (shrimp), salmao (salmon), lagosta (lobster), bacalhau (cod), lula (squid), povo (octupus) and other frutas do mar (fruits of the sea, as they call it) along with (much taller) beers. At about 3pm we went to the beach at Recreio and chilled out as the sun set. That night, we went out to a bar called Conversa Fiada (Mumbo-Jumbo) with Felipe's cousin Karina and a few of her best friends. These are a few of my fav photos....

"Palma Mater"

This has got to be one of my favorite things so far in Brazil. The beaches are great, the food is amazing but this....... is fantastic. It is called the Jardim Botanico (Botanical Garden) in Rio. It is a mix between Central Park and a tropical jungle. The palm trees are about 30-40 feet high. This park was originally the property of the Portuguese monarchy when they controlled Brazil from Rio in the mid-1800's. Now, it is a public park. Much of the flora and fauna here has been preserved since the late 1800's (which explains the height of the palm trees at the entrance). The title for this blog entry actually came from a monument at the front gates that explains the history of the park. In it, it names these palm trees at the entrance the "palma mater" (no joke and even in quotations) for the rest of the park.

I love this fountain-- it's so romantic it reminds me of something from Rome or Athens. We took about a dozen photos (which I will send to everyone). These white gables are actually a pretty famous site here in Rio. Several soap operas have used this as a location and also a few movies.

This last photo was actually taken by a professional photographer who happened to be in the park at the same time. The place we are standing is the Japanese gardens portion of the park. Several parts have a theme to them but this was our favorite. The sun was setting as we arrived so, we got some really beautiful photos at the start but, then the sun dropped lower (and the park closed) so we had to leave. We only were able to see about a third of the whole thing so, we will try to schedule another day to go back and see the rest.

I'm having a wonderful time---actually TOO wonderful a time; I haven't gotten shit accomplished in two weeks here. That is highly unusual for me. I'm just racking it up as the "vacation" portion of this trip. However, the "work" part will have to start rather soon.....

On another note, Brazil is completely INSANE right now with World Cup fever. Every street has yellow and green streamers hanging from the lamposts and every other person on the street is wearing a soccer jersey or some other apparel with yellow and green. I have never seen such fervent nationalism and sports enthusiasm. We Americans take our football pretty seriously but we are party-poopers compared to Brazilian soccer fans. I'm enjoying, to be honest. I've never really taken an interest in soccer but, I have to admit, the games are pretty dynamic. Happily, Brazil beat Croatia (barely) 1-0. If things go well against Australia on Sunday, they might shut down the country on Monday in celebration---no kidding.

It's raining...

...and it might not stop for days (due to it being winter here in Brazil). I also woke up with a lovely Brazilian headcold. I feel like poo and my tan is melting, melting..... arg....

Itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny, little polka-dot bikini

Ok, it isn't really polka-dotted but ... finally!! I have not one, but TWO Brazilian bikinis. The one on the left is black and white and the pattern mimics the famous sidewalks in Ipanema. I was satisfied with one but the black and white one was such a deal-- US$15-- how could I resist? Admittedly, it is a bit tinier in the back than the one on the right but, hey, my butt's tiny too. The one on the right was a bit pricey but, well worth it. The cut fits like a dream, the material is sturdy and the print really brings out my eyes (or so Felipe says). I also used them, well the floral one at least, on Saturday. Felipe took me to the beach in Baja de Tijuca (exclusive, far away and practically deserted) and then to Ipanema (crowded as hell but really fun). I played it safe with this alien Brazilian sun and, in the end, gained no color at all; in retrospect I think I played it a little TOO safe. However, Felipe--adopted gringo that he is---got quite a burn on his back. If the weather holds up, we plan to go every day this week after my Portuguese class.

Last night Felipe and I went out to dinner at a Japanese place called "Miako". Felipe is crazy about this place and always told me how he used to go here almost every day when he lived in Brazil. It is close to the Japanese Embassy here so, everything (including the owner) is 100% authentically Japanese. The food was great and the restaurante is adorable; in the upstairs portion (only open during the day for large parties) has a tatami (low tables with cushions to sit on and woven floor mats). After a lovely meal of sushi (with mango--a first for me but quite tasty) and sashimi, we decided to have a beer. We ordered two choppes, which is Portuguese for drafts. So, I'm imagining the kind of draft that they show on TV ads-- tall, chilled and foamy...but this is what we got... ...two of the smallest beers I have ever seen!!They must be about 10 ounces each; when the waitress brought them we just started couldn't help but giggle a little. Felipe thought it was so cute that they fit perfectly in my small hands that he insisted on snapping this picture. Since Valentine's Day in Brazil is Monday, we kind of celebrated a bit early but we will probably do something nice the day off as well; he suggested we spend the afternoon at the Jardim Botanico (Botanical Garden) downtown so, that is the plan as of now.

Rape on the second floor????

Sorry to anyone who was scared by the title of this blog entry. Let me start off by saying that everything is fine and it is just a joke...this picture should make things a bit more clear....

As you can see, "Rape" is clearly located on the second floor (219) of this shopping mall with "female style" underneath as the description....oh, so wrong. Perhaps I have a sick and twisted sense of humor but when I saw this I laughed so much I was crying. People walking by must have seriously wondered what the hell was so funny; we got even weirder looks when he snapped the photo and I was shaking with giggles. At first we were like, "Whoa, that's terrible. Maybe we should tell them." Then we just couldn't stop laughing. Felipe often remarks that the most unusual (and sometimes highly usual) things make me completely lose composure and he is, of course, right.

On a very different note, yesterday was my first day of Portuguese language classes. The classroom is small but neat and tidy. (I sent out the photos on Shutterfly.) Originally, I was going to be the only student but, at the last minute, a British med student named Paul joined me. My teacher is a woman named Zacaria. She's short and stout (though lacking the handle and spout) and I don't like her very much. She is a naturally very loud and animated speaker and the class is small so the echo is killer. If I don't understand something or have a question, in addition to an explanation, she speaks as though I have I severe hearing problem, which gets annoying really quickly. As a language teacher, I guess I'm really biased as to how to teach and since she doesn't fit that style, it bothers me. Paul said he had her last summer and she was pretty good so, I guess I just have to give her some time. I have taken to calling her "a bocao" (the big mouth). The workload is reasonable and the lack of students means that Paul and I have to speak up all the time so, we practice a lot. I apparently bought the wrong textbook through Amazon so, I had to buy the correct one this morning before class. All in all, things are starting well in spite of minor set-backs.

Prayin' and Playin'

I find myself a bit atrasada (behind) due to Internet connection issues so, I will now catch up a bit. Sunday, Felipe's parents, Felipe and I went to the Monastery of Sao Bento for mass, then to the Soccer/Sports Club (Fluminese) that his dad has been a member of since he was about 8, and finally we went to see a colonial fort built in 1765 on the other side of the bay (a city called Niteroi). No funny stories--- churches and military buildings don't tend to be funny places-- but we got a lot of amazing pictures. When I say a lot, I mean A LOT! Between us we seriously snapped 1,000; God bless digital cameras!!! Here are a few of our favorites....

The Monastery of Sao Bento--one of the most beautiful churches you could imagine--was built in 1565. Everything is gold and it is a textbook example of the Baroque style. It leaves you breathless when the sun shines in.

This is just a general overview of the tennis courts of the Fluminense Futebol Clube.

This fortaleza (fort) may not seem like much but it has quite a history and quite a view...

(above) Felipe and I enjoying the sunny day and the great landscape :)

"I´m a (Brazilian) cowboy, baby..." (Part 2)

In the afternoon, the three of us went to a ´Feria Nordestina´(Northeasterner Fair)--Rio is located in the Southeast, just so you know. This fair celebrated all things from the culture of the Northeast of Brazil--food, crafts, clothing, music, etc. We ate at a great open-air restaurant called ´Estação Baião de Dois´(comes from a typical dish from Ceará where rice and beans are cooked, "dance" together so, it means ´Place Where Rice and Beans Dance Together´ in Northeastern slang). I thought that was cute. Above is the restaurante and below a photo of what we ate, which was a traditional collection of dishes from the Northeast. By the way, all the Brazilian flags hanging are for the World Cup (soccer) coming up--Brazilians are crazy about soccer.

We had white rice, thinly cut steak, fried yucca slices (Brazilian version of french fries), feijão (black beans with peppers, diced cheese, green onions, bacon, pumpkin and okra), and farinha (yucca meal with strips of dried meat and spices. I drank Guaraná which is a typical soda in Brazil that is made with guaraná fruit. After lunch, I had a cafezinho (little coffee) that packed a big punch but went down smooth.


The last photo is Felipe wearing a traditional cowboy hat from the Northeast--it´s a bit different from the American version, hehe. Tonight if everyone isn´t too tired, we will go to the local mall and I´ll get my very first Brazilian bikini!!

"I´m a (Brazilian) cowboy, baby..." (Part 1)

Today was a lesson in Brazilian culture that mostly involved food....ahhh, so good...and some sight-seeing. In the morning, Felipe, Protasio (Felipe´s father) and I went up to ´Mirante Dona Marta´ ("Dona Marta´s Look-out"). The weather was clear when we left but by the time we got there it had turned a bit gray and cloudy with a light rain. Despite that, the pictures we took are awesome. One of the best views in the city, I think; looks like a postcard...the mountain you see is called The Sugarloaf. The photo below that is Felipe and I at the look-out that faces ´Cristo o Redentor´(Christ the Redeemer).

Though the view from my bedroom window is rather nice too...

...yup, that´s the Christ statue that Rio is always identified with--not too shabby :) After the look-out, we went to the ´Rio Carioca´(River of Rio-residents) and the ´Largo do Boticario´(Boticario Square). It is a historic (colonial) part of the city that has been restored for tourism.

More to come....

Tapioca and a few good pricks

I´m a bit behind in my blogging, as I suspected I might become. Yesterday was so busy I just collapsed so, I´m writing about it today. First, I´ll start with what makes me happy--- FOOD!


The picture to the left is what I had for `cafe da manha´---breakfast. It is a pancake made from tapioca flour. It´s kinda chewy and kinda crusty at the same time; it tastes pretty good and instantly fills your stomach. Brazilians usually spread butter on it when it´s hot out of the pan to make it a bit more flavorful. Beside it on the plate there is a square of cheese from the Northeast of Brazil. Brazilians tend to like really soft, white cheese. This kind is usually browned on a skillet and rolled into the tapioca pancake. It´s quite yummy but rather salty.

Here to the right is what practically everyone eats for cafe da manha--- a toasted roll or some other kind of bread and hot, black coffee. This is usually accompanied by some kind of fresh fruit---mangos, papayas, oranges, etc. Brazilians are pretty healthy eaters in general, I find. I anticipate gaining a ´healthy´5lbs. or so by the time I return, haha.

Also, Felipe gave me my first Brazilian bus experience. We went downtown to Copacabana to my school--IBEU-- so I could take my placement test. (By the way, I scored really well. Into Level 3, which is the highest level you can start with!) Buses in Brazil are nothing like in the U.S. First of all, Brazilian drivers are insane and really seem to WANT to hit pedestrians, other cars, animals or anything that may get in their way. They weave in and out of lanes, straddle both lanes and cut one another off constantly--unlike NY, no one honks--go figure. Hailing a bus is rather scary because they come plowing at you and get so close to the curb that the front hubcabs scratch the curb. When you board a bus in Brazil you go up the steps and come to a turnstile where you pay the driver or a person sitting at a little desk to the left. Then you must sit down very quickly because they lurch forward right away. When you get off you have to watch your step because sometimes the driver starts to go while your foot is still on the last step. The subways are much cleaner and nicer-- I will probably use them more often. I guess I´m just a country mouse but, it all seems so insane (and rude) at times but a city is a city, right?

After that, we came back and had lunch at his grandmother´s apartment. Later, I got the grand tour of her place and also his Aunt Nilza´s apartment too---she has a jacuzzi!! Must take full advantage of that later :) Over lunch, Felipe´s mother tells me that she has made an appointment for me to have a facial with a woman named Fatima, who has done it for her for years. Felipe takes me downtown to her apartment and the whole way there I´m really excited because I´m thinking I´ll get: lathered up, rinsed, moisturized, exfoliated and then sent on my way. Oooohhh no, my friend. Facial has an entirely different definition in Portuguese, apparently; pain=beauty in this country. She was a very nice lady and she´s damn good at what she does but, IT HURT LIKE HELLLLL! She plucked, pricked, scraped, popped, twisted and zapped my face until my eyes watered. She said I have very good skin and that I obviously care for it; unfortunately, I had one pimple on my chin---big problem. She has a rod with a needle on the end that she uses to prick open the pore and then she has a little rod with a loop on it that she presses on while scraping it over the opening. This pushes all the dirt and other stuff up to the surface. She repeated this process on that spot about 4 times to ´get everything out´ and then she got a little machine that gives you a small electric shock that sears the open pore closed. At one point, it hurt so much I just burst out laughing. I guess I was laughing at the irony of the situation-- I was expecting a mud mask and I got the electric chair, hahaha. I heard the woman ask Felipe--- Is she ok? She´s laughing! She´s a little crazy one. That only made me laugh more until tears were coming out---again. I was worked over for an hour and a half which felt a LOT longer than it sounds. In the end, I´m glad I did it. My face looks great and feels great. Though, on the trip home from Fatima´s house, I looked as though a gang of wasps had kicked my ass---every pore on my face she had worked on was bright red. As Fatima says, `Only women pay for pain--that´s why they get married.´

I´m here...finally...

Sweet Jesus, what a day! I´m just happy to be on solid ground again. All said and done, I flew for over 18 hours-- counting all the extra time, of which there was a great deal. First, we drive to Pittsburgh in sweltering heat. I arrive at the airport with a Tina Turner ´do thanks to the open windows and I´m quite soaked in sweat. That was the easiest part. Then, we get to the check-luggage desk and we get a woman on her FIRST DAY OF WORK!! Baaaad sign. We stood in line while she checked, double-checked and called her supervisor about 200 times. We´re sweating because time is ticking away and we still haven´t passed the first stage. Finally, we get our luggage tags. Then, she informs us that our next flight has been completely re-routed from Chicago to Washington, D.C. (Dulles Intntl). Surprise! Oh, AND that flight is delay 45 minutes. So, we board the tiniest freakin´ airplane I have ever seen. I was expecting to see newspaper shreds fly off when we started taxing. There were about a dozen of us and it was cramped. The take-off practically shook the brains out of my head. Arrival in D.C. is delayed 20 minutes because we were taxing around trying to get clearance for one of the gates. Again, we´re sweating because our ticket says that our connecting flight leaves in 20 minutes and we haven´t left the first plane. So, we finally get off, grab our carry-ons (which, by the way, were too big for the overhead in the Pitt plane---it was only about 6 inches high and deep) and RUN LIKE HELL across Dulles, which is about a mile in length--no kidding. Sweating (again) and out of breathe we arrive at the correct gate and approach the desk. The woman there says, ´Why the hurry? Your flight has been delayed 45 minutes.´ Just lovely...so, we sit and wait. We board the Dulles flight, which has given us totally crappy seats due to the re-route. I´m in the middle of a row of people thinking-- I´m gonna puke. Luckily, I didn´t; I took some meds beforehand so, I was just queasy for 9 hrs. Not to mention the fascinating array of characters that encompassed the flight. I won´t even go there because I would be typing all night. In any case, we went through Sao Paulo and on to Rio de Janeiro. The flight from Sao Paulo to Rio was the best--- there was hardly anyone there so, I had a window seat the whole way; though it was only a 30 minute flight :( Felipe and I snapped a bunch of photos from the plane which I will try to get online for everyone soon. Whew. So, now I´m here at his parent´s home which is quite lovely and his family has been extremely nice. I think I´ve learned about 50 words today just by conversing with them and watching Brazilian TV-- which I´m already addicted to. That´s all for now so, I´m going to bed. It has been a VERY long day...

"I'm leavin' on a jet plane..."

The time has come, the walrus said...I'm goin' to Brazil! I'm packed, my bills are paid in advance, I've received my grant money, I have books to read, my research is ready to go, tuition is paid, my Portuguese is rather good and I'm starting to get butterflies. We fly tomorrow night from Pittsburgh and should arrive in Rio de Janeiro the following morning.I would leave everyone an entry on the day of, but I know Felipe and I are going to be crazy busy right up until the flight. We've been running like headless chickens for the last few days to buy presents, pack, clean house and just generally get our lives in order. I'm day-dreamy about the trip now...wondering how everything will look, sound and smell. I've given my whole family and many friends a link to my blog so they can tune in to my adventures. Right now, I'm dead tired and rather hungry. I just want to go to sleep and magically wake up in Brazil without battling my way through O'Hare and the various other lay-overs we have; not to mention customs :( In any case, by the time most of you read this, the trip will have officially begun!! Until next time...

The ants go marching one by one, hurrah! hurrah!

The annual invasion has begun: primary objective-- my kitchen. Every time I set up those little ant traps, for some crazy reason, I get the song "The ants go marching" stuck in my head. I hesitate to tell the world these kinds of things lest they think "Hmm...this is the kind of grad student that's teaching my child??". Frighteningly enough, yes. Back to the ants...I have lived in my apartment for about 5 years now and the same thing happens every year at about this time. My kitchen becomes the hatching habitat for about a million ants; too bad they aren't the cute Mexican variety like the above picture, hehe. I suppose this is the curse I am given for living on the ground floor of my building. If I am vigilant enough as the designated Orkin-woman, the wave should subside in about a week or so.

In other news, I leave the country in 8 days!! Agh! I'm not ready yet! Well, technically I am but, it never feels that way. I'm the kind of person that always walks out of the house feeling as though they've forgotten something--- imagine that person faced with international travel as opposed to driving 5 miles to the grocery store. I'm turning into a maluca. Getting everything in place for research is the biggest mental hurdle for me. As Dr. Jacobs said, "Niki, you're OUT HERE and you need to be in here." I just like way too many topics and I get intellectually passionate about things too easily. Plus, I love to write so, 100 pages seems like cake but, in reality, it always takes longer than anticipated; not counting the translation I'll have to do. Anyway, I need to get focused and then relax...Felipe keeps telling me to breathe...though, breathing isn't the thing I forget-- it's sleeping, eating, bathroom breaks, etc :(

The Picto-Personality Test You are a person who is very ambitious, and constantly thinking of ways to further your own goals. When alone, you like to relax and dream about the future. You are romantic, and when you are with your partner you like to woo them with your imagination. In the future you will be prosperous, wise and healthy.

Click here to Take This Test Quiz Galaxy

Belly Laughs and Guerilla Tactics

A big thanks to my girl Amy for sending me this link-- it definitely gave me a good laugh for the day-- Go 'Eers!!

WVU Sprint Commercial

On a much darker note, in São Paulo, Brazil, gangs have taken to the streets and are practically waging a war against the police force. It all begin as a result of a new piece of legislation aimed at preventing a prison uprising. Gang members that were incarcerated were opposed to it and asked fellow members on the outside to act in retaliation. As always, it is a more complex situation that what meets the eye. This NY Times article explains it much better than I can:

5 Days of Violence in São Paulo leaves 115 Dead Before Subsiding

I'm just glad Felipe and I are going to Rio de Janeiro, which is a significant distance away. Hopefully, things will be under control by the time we land in Brazil; I hope even more that my Mom won't find out about all this-- she'd be really worried, even though it isn't necessary. Below is a link to a Brazilian newspaper, in case anyone knows Portuguese and wants "the rest of the story".... only about 11 days left...

O Jornal do Brasil

Photo Finish

I have so many events to catch up with, I thought I would just post some snap-shots-- since a picture is worth 1,000 words, or so they say. First of all, I met with my high school buddy, Marian the other day at Panera. It was a lot of fun catching up and I'm happy to report that she is still the funny, sweet person that was oh-so-good-a-friend back then. Here's our "auto-portrait"; she looks cute but I look rather bedraggled.

Next, there are a few photos from a dinner that Felipe and I attended at the house of Lupita (my surrogate Venezuelan mother). I love the shot of me and the three guys--I'm like everyone's little sister with these guys. How nice is the shot of the whole group? Que guapo, no?! Looks like we planned it.

The last one is just me (fresh off the highway) at my parent's house with my girl Kitty.

In the summertime, de-de-de-de-de

My parents rock. They are always thinking how to give back all that we've been given, which I really admire. Saturday morning, we went to Pennsylvania to a fishing competition for kids. It's something that my brother and I did every year when we were little (where I beat ALL the boys' butts every year) so, it was fun to go back and see all the kids. In memory of my grandfather who was the ultimate outdoorsman, my parents gave away fishing rods and gear to some of the kids who seemed really enthusiastic about fishing. We took pictures of the kids, got their names and I wrote up an article that was recently submitted to a local newspaper. Most of the participants were below the age of 8 so, needless to say, they were all so adorable I just wanted to take them home with us. I wish I could post the pictures on this blog but, I don't think the parents would appreciate that. In any case, it was very sweet to see the kids get SO excited over "winning" the gear. Just makes you go "awwwww".

Today, I READ whatever the hell I wanted, which doesn't sound like much but it was great for me. I just got my water bottle and my shades and sat out on my parent's deck all day long with my book. I seriously didn't have time to read more than about 3 books for pleasure for the entire Spring semester. I plan to make up for lost time this summer. I have a stack on my coffee table in Morgantown just calling my name. Some people are just not reading people---which makes me very sorry for them. Tomorrow, I look forward to meeting with an old girlfriend from high school that I haven't seen since graduation; then, it's back to Motown to be with my honey.

Going home

Last night was a blast! I organized a Ladies Night with a group of about 10 of my craziest girlfriends. We went to dinner, had a few drinks and then went dancing. If we had been a bit less tired, it would have transitioned into a night of hard-core karaoke. Alas, everyone had something important to do today so, we had to wrap it up at 1am. I only wish that going out didn't mean reeeeeking of smoke when you return home. There aren't any pictures of last night...which is probably for the best...hehe ;)

Anyway, I am now packing up to return home for the weekend for Mother's Day and my Dad's birthday. I love my little house and my parents are awesome. It's always nice to have someone cook for you, fix your car, and force a fistful of money on you as you leave. How can I resist? Plus, it will give me a chance to see my extended family as well, which is always an adventure! (This is actually my house ---->)

Cleaning house

Well, I'm very proud of myself. I've cleaned my apartment from top to bottom and I'm not even moving out! It really needed it--- it was really dusty and we even had cobwebs in the corners of the living room. I'm usually good about keeping things clean, but this first year of graduate school had me running all the time. Next year will be about the same, maybe more so. My coordinator wants me to do either the department webpage or the annual newsletter. I'm up for either one, really. I love technology and I love writing too. We'll see, I guess; she said I seem a bit over-extended already so it might just go to someone else.

In any case, I feel so much better now that the apartment is clean. It's also like a psychological cleansing of the past year-- getting all the useless cobwebs out of my brain. I also gave away two trashbags filled with clothing to Goodwill and one filled with shoes which gives me much less clutter in my closet. My roommate asked me if I just wanted to have a yardsale but I HATE yardsales and the trashy rednecks who frequent them. That was a big NO. To me, it's just dumpster-diving with an exchange of a few bucks. Why would anyone buy someone else's trash??? I guess I just don't get it or I've never been that desperate. So, I'm now enjoying my clean house, my spacious closet, and the mountain of good books I've been meaning to read all semester. Ahh...I love summer! 19 days 'til take-off!

I'M DONE!!! Time to party...

This was a really fun night...though how it ended is a little fuzzy--sangria is heavy stuff when made right. I'm SOOOO happy to be done, finally. Now I can completely concentrate on Brazil. I'm starting to get excited. It's funny, though, it still doesn't seem quite real. It probably won't until I actually board the plane. Only 21 days left!!!!

Stupid Girls

Pink- Stupid Girls or, if that doesn't work, Pink-Stupid Girls or maybe Pink- Stupid Girls

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this video. She says exactly what I think. Watching it has been a nice brain-break while I grade final exams...

Random stuff for a random day

Your Sexy Brazilian Name is:

Luciana Ambrosio

What's" Your Sexy Brazilian Name?

Just had to post this Brazilian name quiz...found it rather amusing. I'm just taking a break from writing endless papers about "deconstructionist theory" and "literary musicality"--arg. Received this photo from my girls "The Annas" from a cook-out that Felipe and I attended at their house last week. Thought it was nice so, I'm sharing it...they're so cute.

Well, I think that's all for now. Gotta get back to work since the swelling in my arms has now subsided....only 29 days to go!! :)