Giving fruit a chance

Showing my parents through Florianopolis was one of my favorite things I think I have ever done with them. I loved it, showing them the beautiful island that I am so fortunate to live on. Watching dad drive a stick and me reading the unhelpful Floripa maps. It was an adventure, but I must say I did a pretty good job getting them around! We stayed in the North part of the island for the first three nights. Ate at a pasta place escorted by our dogs that had a habit for chasing cars. We ate in Lagoa, saw the sunset in Santos De Antonio de Lisboa, and enjoyed more cold beer and Ciprianas on numerous beaches. Ate at another Churasscaria with my host family. We all went to Beira Mar grill and ate, well except poor Rodrigo who was constantly translating for my parents. I was so glad my parents got to meet Sergio and Beatriz. I had informed Bea that my mother talks faster and louder than I because I often get called a machine gun for talking so fast. However, mom was on her best behavior so I was told that I talk faster (we know the truth however).

Mom and dad got to go to Costa da Lagoa, and we got to go to many markets.
One day we went down to the south end of the island (I hadn’t been there before), and it was beautiful. We managed to find a few street vendors so mother and I were very happy. I introduced my parents to Casa do Pastel and Yellows Pizza. It was a great time even if mom only ordered Lime ciprianas. I kept telling her how they have all different kinds of fruits in cipirianas, but she always got lime. Finally, she decided to “give fruit a chance” as she said and had a pineapple. Needless to say after that I will never hear “Give peace a chance” and not think of mom sitting there trying to sing the song (just as off tune as I would be). Although Mom and Dad didn’t get a chance to try quijo on the beach, will never be able to pronounce cipriana, cachca, or Jurere, I think we had a good time. They took four bottles of cachaca home with her so she can make ciprianas “for friends” and some nice bathing suits!

In the Photos: 1. Mom giving fruit a chance, 2. Us at the sunset at santo antonio, 3. &4. playing on praia mole, 5. mmmmmm introducing mom and dad to casa do pastel!, 6. enjoying the view from praia almaço, 7. Mom and dad meeting vôo, bea and sergio, the siblings at beira mar grill, rodrigo was just complainnig about having another sister, 8. Meus pais, 9. yes karly that is us at yellows pizza enjoying my favorite, white chocolate with strawberries!

A girl from Ipanema goes walking

Rio was gorgeous! We stayed at an amazing pousada (similar to bed and breakfasts in the states). It was the top floor of an apartment complex with a beautiful balcony that overlooked Copacabana beach. It was amazing, just beautiful. I had no idea how mountainous and rocky Rio was, it was inspiring. The first night, we went to the best churrascaria in town, which is like a buffet where they have all kinds and cuts of meat they grill and they offer it to you at the table and cut you a slice, fantastic. We walked around Ipanema, Copacabana, the Hippie market and went to mass. The highlights however are Pão de Açúcar (sugar loaf), and Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer).

The day started off with breakfast with all the people staying at the pousada. All of them were American, and really friendly. It was great getting to meet different people traveling around. We had a driver drive us around Rio and make our way to the Cristo Redentor. He was great, and spoke a lot of English, I even had my Portuguese come in handy! He played a cd full of Brazilian music, including the wonderful “Girl from Ipanema”. I learned how my grandpa Aubrey loved that song and would sing it all the time when my mom was growing up. The Christ was phenomenal. It is of course one of the symbols of the city and of Brazil in general and when seeing it up close I know why. I always thought it was just a big concrete statue but it’s actually hundreds of tiny triangular and odd shaped tiles. It was beautiful. Next we made our way into the downtown, saw an amazing church, and ate at a famous coffee place in downtown. Then we went to Sugarloaf. Pão de Açúcar is the name of the mountain that sticks up from the bay and from the top gives you a view of the whole city. You can only get there by cable car, which was an adventure in itself. Mom was super nervous but “had to do it”. Well it consists of two separate rides, the first one is to a shorter Ucra mountain and second up to Pão de Açúcar. Well after the first, Dad wasn’t so sure about the second, but I managed to get my parents on them, a little fear helps keep the adrenaline pumping. Of course it was foggy when we got up there but it cleared in time for us to see the colors fade on the beautiful city. It was the perfect way to end a wonderful day.

Even after leaving Rio I still think about the Cristo Redentor. It’s amazing to see this figure with its arms out stretched to a city so full of crime, poverty, corruption, and fear. This city however has hope spilling out of it. I keep reading about all the crime in Rio and in the next sentence all the churches. After being there I understand completely. Hope is what drives Rio even for most of the people in the favelas that cover the town (there is over 300 different favelas) put there faith in Christ. It was amazing to see so much poverty living with so many rich. Favelas would be directly beside the nicest neighborhoods in Rio. The poor, rich, powerful, homeless all share this city equally and all the culture, beauty, and crime under Christ’s watchful eye on top of Corcovado. As heartbreaking as the city can be, I have that same hope for it and a desire to go back and explore more of the majestic Rio de Janeiro.

In the photos: 1. sunset from our balcony over copacabana, 2. views of the crist, 3. on the balcony with our wonderful host, 4. dad and I walking along copacaban, 5. ,6., 7. the christ, 8.the view from the crist, 9. the really awesome church, 10. the sun setting from sugarloaf! It cleared for a little while!

Gods Wrath

When I saw Iguacu falls for the first time on Planet earth, I knew nothing about it (or that I was going to be in Brazil) or where it was, but my immediate reaction was “I am going there one day”.

It is great when you get to live out those dreams. Iguaçu is more than anything anyone can describe. It is just phenomenal. It really makes me feel like I am witnessing God’s wrath. God, in his beautiful creativity found the greatest way to take out a little of his extra fury in the falls that dump 350,000 gallons of water per second from the 275 falls that lie within two miles of the river! I loved it, there is nothing I can say. We stayed in the park on the Brazil side of the falls (they are on the borders of Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay). We got to hike and view the falls after the park closed, had a great dinner in our beautiful hotel and I even got my own room! Saturday we went on a boat ride up to the falls, and even in a few, that was a rush! We also had to take a jeep through the forest through the woods and all I kept thinking about was Jurassic Park, it really was like we were in the movie. I was waiting to see a Brontosaurus head above the tree tops. Then we went over to Argentina and walked out the catwalk to above the part of the falls called Devils Throat. It was beautiful! It is a full sensory experience. The roar of the falls, the mist covering you, the blue green and white fury of beauty, the smell, and the taste of the water as you stand jaw fallen in awe of the splendor. Like I said: indescribable. I also got to ride a helicopter up to see the falls Sunday morning! I got to sit in the front (with the glass all the way around, even at my feet) (I felt like I was on Lost…) and see a bird’s eye view of one of Go ds seven wonders (I am going to make a list)

In the photos:
1. Our first view of the falls, 2. first view of devils throat, 3. view of one of the falls during our hike, 4. sitting on the banister, not the brightest idea..., 5. devils throat first hand on the catwalk, 6. Daddy and I on the hike, 7. Yay rainbows, 8. the catwalk out to devils throat (the old pillars are from the one that collapsed into the falls about ten years ago...), 9. view from the boat ride, 10. during the Jurassic Park hike ( i know my hat is awesome), 11. my feet with the falls, pure awesomeness, 12. bring on that H2O, 13. the cute animals... eating the trash, mom loved them, 14. for Karly, this is almost as good as getting the tattoo..., 15. The wonderful hike in the park after it closed! Good job Mom!, 16. The view from the helicopter!

"I dont know what alface is..."

So my parents just left from a ten day trip, I am not even sure where to start…

I flew up to Sao Paulo and met them last Thursday. Other than the fact they made me take a six am flight… everything was great. I was very excited to see them but nervous about showing my very obvious gringo parents (sorry I still love you) around two cities I knew very little about…. But Sao Paulo was very… huge and down right exhausting, but I enjoyed it. I introduced Mom to ciaprianas, and dad to Brazilian cold beer - two staples in Brazil. We saw a beautiful church, a crazy market, live music (from a woman…), had a taste of Brazilian carne, and moms favorite coffee (thanks lonely planet).

After Sao Paulo (just one night) we were off to Foz do Iguaçu. I think it calls for its own blog. After Iguacu came Rio for two days, and then Floripa. I think I will have separate blogs for each, to many photos.

In the photos:
1. In the airport! 2. Mom and I at the great coffee place, 3-5 the really neat cathedral in Sao Paulo

Aula!!!

OI! Yes, I am still alive here in Brasil! It is as beautiful as ever! I started class four weeks ago now and they have been interesting. If you want to know how classes are, my answer is always, there in Portuguese…. As I am sure all of you know, I have a problem with daydreaming (especially in class) and I have learned that not knowing the language makes it so much easier to not focus… I should just tell you about my first week of class, it was eventful enough. Tuesday I have my recreation and leisure class at EIGHT in the morning (as much as I miss crew it was easy to get used to waking up late). Well I have to take the bus and its about an hour ride more or less, well I get to campus with ten minutes to spare, go to the list to find out what class room my class is in and learn that my class is actually on the mainland campus (about an hour and a half from where I am, and I have no idea how to get there). So with a collect call to Rodrigo, scrounging for change at the bus stops, I made it for the second half of class (class here is 3 hours once a week). I had to borrow money to make it back home, so needless to say, very interesting first day. The second day my class wasn’t till 7pm, Tourism Events, so Rodrigo was going to get his ride, my friend Gabby, to pick me up. Well at 6:30 he wasn’t there… so I had to bus and was 45 minutes late. I finally got it right on Thursday for my people management class (nao gosto) that was at 830. I was actually early, and the first one in my class till 840. Incase I haven’t mentioned, people in Brasil are ALWAYS late. Out of the 4 times I have been on time to class, my teachers haven’t, and 2 times I was late, my teachers still weren’t there. I fit right in…

In the pictures: My host family before a graduation party that was more like a wedding reception

My sweet pad

Alright so I forgot to put up my address, but better late than never, just write it exactly like this:

Aubrey Anne Groeber
Rua Joe Collaço 605
Santa Monica 88.035-200
Florianopolis - SC
Brasil


YAY everyone should write me!!!

Busses, Bikes, Brellas

So after Carnaval we had the rest of the week free. My friend Sam and a friend David went off to travel and they were planning on stopping in Curitibia last where Sam would bus to Belo Horizonti (where her and Karly were spending there semester). Karly and I talked about meeting them there on Friday, but we changed our minds (Thursday afternoon) and decided to go Thursday night after the going away pizza for Karly and Jonathan (he’s going to Porto Allegre). It was an adventure to say the least (our 3:30 bus arrival and attempt to tell the taxi where we were going). Karly and I had all Friday to ourselves, and we explored, I learned a lot about Curitibia. For example, there busses, famous for how efficient they are, only work because they NEVER stop. Don’t trust them. I also learned that I had a great sense of direction, don’t deny it Karly, but am oblivious to when I actually get to where I am going. Brazilian boys are even cuter with guitars, even if they are singing in some foreign language that I will never understand. Getting lost is fun, except when its raining…and Karly is tired… ha ha (at least it wasn’t cold or dark). The random gas station always has the snack you want and cant find anywhere else, Karly needs a new umbrella (one that doesn’t shout IM AMERICAN). Curitibia is the capital of Parana (the state right above me). People here are very very ecofriendly. We saw a group of bikers petitioning, and saying “more adrenaline, less ethanol” and it was pretty awesome. I look very Brazilian, the check out guy at the café told me, in English bc he started the conversation in English bc he could tell we weren’t Brazilian I also learned that I am a bad photographer (almost all the photos on my blog are thanks to Karly and Sam, so now the photos will not be as good) (but keep reading) You have to specify if you want the room with a/c but all rooms have heat (not sure why since I swear it is forever over 80 here)… Hotels here don’t have shampoo and conditioner, you can’t stand on the top of the tourist bus. That’s actually a funny story. We met some Americans while on this tourist bus, and at one point the top was full so they were standing, well the bus stopped and they came on the intercom and kept saying you aren’t allowed to stand on the top bc your head could get chopped off (it was an open air on top bus), so everyone stared at them as they kept standing bc they couldn’t understand it! That was Curitiba in a nutshell. I already miss Karly, Sam, and Jonathan. Classes start this week, so that should be interesting. “Hey Sam the bus comes in three minutes.” “Ok I’ll go ahead”, (in her head) “cause I’m getting juice!” We had a blast, I will miss them and those cookies Karly always bought, I don’t even know what they are called…

Sorry about the title I wanted three b’s







In the photos: Karly and I at the tons of waterfountains where I had to pee and couldnt find the bathroom... You may be wondering where sam is, she is just getting some juice... 2. Karlys disgusting candy apple at the opera house, 3. dancing at the oscar neimyer art meuseum, 4. awesomeness in the form of mirrors, 5. the view of curitibia, 6. once again enjoying the art, 7. Sam and I at the gardens, it was beautiful, 8. I really liked this so we imitated it... its the eye at the neimyer museum.