Tres Semanas

Well, today it is three weeks and one day since my arrival... Last week, I finally figured out how to flush the toilet.  I will not go in depth any farther, but let's just say that I am very happy with myself that I've got that one down!
On another note, I went to my first "festa" on the Saturday following my arrival.  Although "festa" translates to "party," to me it seemed more like a concert with a little bit of dancing!  It was a German DJ that played lots of electronic music. I was surprised by how much I liked it! Many things were very different from anything that I had ever experienced.  First of all, let me tell you that the stereotype is true.  Brazilian girls really know how to dress up!  I felt like I was in Beverly Hills; everyone was SO BEAUTIFUL.  I mean, I was expecting to be around beautiful people because I'm in Brazil, which is the home of the most stunning people in the world (in my opinion, at least), but a room full of perfect people? Not something I've seen before.
I really enjoyed the festa! With so many people dancing and having a good time, it would have been hard not to.  But around 3:00 am, I was afraid that I was going to fall over from so much pain.  Brazilian women make heels look like nothing.  They wear them shopping, to church, running errands, around the house, etc.  So I figured that one night as a Brazilian couldn't be so bad... Well, I wore my prom heels.  I think I wore them for an hour on prom and I thought that I was going to die then, so I don't know why I decided to wear them all night... DANCING.  I remember feeling light-headed and pain shooting through my legs.  It was probably the most pain I've had since 10th grade when I broke a bone in my hand.  Acutally, it was probably worse than that.  I have so much more respect for those women in high heels... Men, it's really something you should try out sometime.

Another thing that is new since my last post are the exchange students.  I couldn't have asked for a greater blessing than these people.  The first time I met Johan (an exchange student from Finland), I was with my host mom driving past the sidewalk along the beach.  It was then that I spotted the whitest person that I had seen in a long time.  With blonde hair and light skin, he stood out completely.  I must not have seen a white person in a long time because I remember thinking that he could lay down in snow and no one would ever find him with his matching bleach-blonde hair and light skin. I hopped out of the car and introduced myself because I was sure that he could only be the exchange student from Finland.  And sure enough, I was right!
Frank, an exchange student from Taiwan, arrived about one week after me.  Then, Rocco, an exchange student from Florida, USA, arrived another week after that!
Rocco and I are lucky to attend Motiva Miramar and be in the same class together, while Johan and Frank attend another school called GEO.
If I had to describe these three with a few words, I would say that Johan is quite intuitive, intellectual, and goofy;  Frank is considerate and the biggest sweetheart; and Rocco is compassionate, silly as well, and always thinking about others.  The best thing about this is the dynamics that our group has.  For example, today, Rocco, Johan, and I went to Mag Shopping (a small shopping mall in Joao Pessoa) and by the time we left, my face ached from so much laughing.  I haven't laughed so hard in years! Something small would turn into at least 10 minutes of good laughing.
I am endlessly grateful for having these exchange students with me to make me laugh through the amazing and the difficult.

There are so many more things that I could talk about, but I only have enough time tonight for one more: ELECTIONS!!
Everyone that lives in Joao Pessoa extremely dislikes this time of year because it can seem very obnoxious.  I, on the other hand, love it! Every day there are people standing in the center of the city holding flags, and every night you hear some sort of fireworks show.  But the best part of all, is the music trucks!  When you're walking on the sidewalk along the beach, these trucks blasting musical advertisements for the candidates will pass by.  I absolutely adore this.  It always brings out some of my dance moves.  Once I start to understand fast Portuguese, I may not enjoy these music trucks as much... but until then, I'll keep dancing in the streets!

Goals: Get used to wearing high heels!