Ahhhh, once again a lot of time has passed and I have failed to blog. However, it has been less than a month since my last blog, so in some ways, this is an improvement!!
Life has been busy and going very well! Research is going well, and June has been a busy month with a trip I took with some friends last weekend to a beach resort (though it was low season and CHILLY, but super fun), my birthday, and the world cup!! So here’s an update on some of those events!!
First, in early June I went with my roommates to a Festa Junina. It’s hard to explain what Festa Juninas are because I don’t really get it, except that they are parties in June that involve Brazilian-ish square dancing and “country”ish things. For a better description, check out the Wikipedia article here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festa_Junina.
It was fun and I really enjoyed it!! Here are some pics from the Festa Junina we went to!
My roommate Chris and I
My other roommates Simone and Livia
The four of us at the festa junina
Playing bingo!
At the bingo table!
Bingo!
Brazilian "square dancing"
Bingo!
Chris and I
In front of the Festa Junina entrance
In the cab home
A few weekends ago, my friend snuck me along to a family friend’s wedding! It was super fun and I’m glad I got to tag along!! The wedding was pretty typical of other Jewish weddings I have been to in the U.S except the ceremony seemed a bit longer and they had more Jewish songs/dancing aside from just the Hora and the song where the people are in the chairs. Oh yeah, and there was a MASSIVE chocolates table which WASN’T even the dessert, which was like nothing I have seen in my whole life. I’m glad I got to go to a Brazilian wedding!! It was a great experience!
Before the wedding started
My friend Michele and I
During the wedding
The dance floor
The infamous chocolate table!
Michele and I
Some of the chocolates, but NOT desserts
The brigadeiro station!
People devouring the chocolate table
Then!! My birthday happened!! My birthday was on a Monday, so it didn’t really make sense to have a big party on a Monday, so I had a dinner at a Pizza Rodizio Restaurant. (Pizza Rodizio is where you pay one price, and the waiters walk around with various flavors of pizza, both savory and sweet, and you can request different flavors, etc.) Almost all of my friends came and it was a really fun time!! I have some friends coming to visit in the coming months and I cant wait to take them there! The pizza flavors range from normal like pepperoni and margarita to stroganoff, corn, hearts of palm, bacon and from banana with cinnamon to chocolate and strawberry! It was a lot of fun!! They even made me a sweet pizza cake!! Here are some pics from my Birthday dinner! Also, right around 1am the late night/early am of my Birthday, two of my roommates came in and surprised me with balloons, a candle, a cup of chocolate mousse, a card and flowers. And then my roommates still gave me a present and card at my birthday dinner. I really lucked out with my living situation!!
My world cup themed table at the Pizza restaurant
The full table (though a few people came later)
My friend Laura and I
Livia, Laura and I
Livia and I
My Birthday Pizza Cake
Simone, Livia and I
Reading the card from my roommates
Oh yeah, I don’t know if you heard, but the World Cup started!! Well, FIFA has these things called FIFA Fan Fests that they have set up in various cities around the world where they have massive screens and you can go watch the world cup games for free (and they also have food there, concerts etc). My roommates and my friend and I went to the RIO Fifa Fan Fest for the first Brazil game, and it was a LOT of fun. It takes place on Copacabana beach but they have built a full arena for the event—it’s very neat. It was great watching the game with all the fans (20,000 people!) at the FFF, but I did have some mixed feelings watching North Korea. I felt bad for their players and their “fans” and “cheering” sections looked so fake, forced and unhappy, that it seemed unfair for them to be playing a team with such devoted fans. Nonethless, I think both teams played a good game, and I actually think the Brazilians around me were shocked at how well North Korea was playing, especially in the first half. Here are some photos from the first Brazil game. I think for the next Brazil game, on Sunday, I am going to go to a bar with some friends to watch, to have a different viewing experience, but I had a blast at the FIFA Fan Fest!! (Also, there were no vuvuzuela horns there so that was good, but I could hear the drone of them in South Africa while watching the game).
The FIFA Fan Fest on Copacabana beach
Chardet and I decked out in our BRASIL gear!
People in funny wigs and different outfits
In front of the FIFA screen
The game started, we stood the whole time
Simone, Chris and Livia
Some plane flying over
Chardet and I after the game
Chris and I
Comments, questions?!!?
Until next time!! I hope you all are well!!
Beijos,
Hannah
