YMCAA

Birthdays in Brazil are huge! Since I am staying with a host family and Bea is one of seven and Sergio is one of eight, I have some kind of party all the time. I have been to graduations, baby showers, anniversary parties, but the most important has always been birthdays. Easter weekend was one of Bea’s brothers 50^th birthday. He lives in Brasília but came to floripa for a long weekend. He is Luisa’s dad, the cousin who was here when I first got here, so I was very excited to see her again. It was a crazy couple of days. His birthday was Friday, and there was a big party at Vo’s house. There were tons of people there. I learned a very interesting Brazilian card game, mastered singing happy birthday (the goal was to sing it 50 times during the entire day) so it would randomly burst out at any time. There was shrimp and guarana flowing (it was good Friday so no meat… even though none of them were catholic!). It was so great being there just to watch all these people come together. It made me really think how alike all people are no matter where they live. They are all happiest around the people they love and just enjoying good food and conversation.

Bea’s cousin, Sheila, and her daughter, Luisa, stayed with us for the weekend as well. They were really fun and spoke great English. We went to the beach together, and talked about Europe, Shelia traveled through it alone when she was younger. (just saying) As you can see we got along well!

Saturday was the big fiesta. They had a banquet room at a hotel overlooking the lake and a huge party with dinner and a band. It was like a wedding reception. When Luisa said lets go dance, you know I was on the dance floor in seconds. I was belting out the lyrics because the second I got out the band started “First I was afraid, I was petrified…” and all was downhill from there! I sang and danced we had a huge circle in the middle of the floor. When Brazilian music poured out I attempted the forro with a couple of people, I mastered it… They tried to teach me there dirty dancing as well near the end. There were two moments that stuck out in my mind the most however. Dancing in a circle of Brazilians to YMCA, yep YMCA. It was surreal to be so far from home, and yet everyone busted out for Youngman! The other was when I was doing my beautiful moves to “its raining men” (another very excited moment for me), and one of Henrique’s daughters turns to me and asks, “is that how everyone dances in the states?” I looked at her, grinned and said “Yes”. So you are welcome friends, Brazilians think that you can dance as well as I do because I couldn’t tell them, that everyone only WISHES they could dance like me. I know all of you will sleep well to know somewhere out there Brazilians are dancing to American songs in full AA dance fashion!

Rodrigo decided to video tape the wonderful dance lessons! It is pretty long, sorry but just watch the beginning and you can get a taste!