Beijos and abraços

Today is my last day in Brazil. I am getting on a plane this afternoon and flying to Argentina.



I've spent the last week saying goodbye to the friends that I have made during my six months here and finishing up final papers for classes. I just finished the longest paper of my life yesterday - in another language. Regardless of the quality of my paper, I consider that an accomplishment.



I think my grades will turn out pretty good during my semester at PUC thanks to my professor's gringo grading scale. It's much more forgiving than the normal grading scale and the more gringo you look, the more forgiving it is (and you can't look much more gringo than me).



It will be strange visiting another country and another culture after living in São Paulo for the last six months, but I am looking forward to it. Buenos Aires is South America´s version of a european city, and I hear that it is a lot more aesthetically pleasing than São Paulo. Of course, that wouldn't take much.



I'm leaving behind a lot of memories here. Just for fun, here are five experiences that were absolutely unforgettable:



1. Hang gliding in Rio. I had never been hang gliding before - let alone hang gliding in one of the most naturally beautiful cities in the world. I had the beach, the forest and the city all from a bird's eye view for an amazing 15-minute ride. Sure it was overly touristy and set me back a pretty penny, but I would do it again in a heartbeat.



2. Foz de Iguaçu. Just an amazing natural wonder. I cannot overstate the beauty of over 200 waterfalls side-by-side, including Garganta del diablo, which makes Niagra look like child's play. Standing at the mouth of Garganta felt like the whole world was being sucked down the drain. Now that's the power of nature.



3.JUCA. Definitely my most amazing weekend with Brazilians. Sports at all hours of the day. Beer at all hours of the day. Randomness at all hours of the day. Almost like being back in Bloomington. JUCA was supposed to be my opportunity to play basketball in this basketly-challenged country, instead, it turned out to be my time to be the token gringo. Eh, you win some, you lose some.



4. Seeing Protestors against the red, white and blue. When President Bush visited in March, there were some people who were not happy and took to the streets to prove it. It was a very interesting experience to see a bunch of people trashing the flag of your country and depicting your country's leader in a negative light. (Although the latter part you can get at home.) I think it really speaks to the prominence of the United States and the responsibility we have as a global leader.



5.Meeting people from all over the US. Not only did I get to chill with Brazilians here in São Paulo, but I also became friends with people from coast to coast back home. It was really interesting to see and debate about the cultural differences that exist right in my own backyard. Of course, I defended Indiana at every opportunity. Our highways rock.

JUCA and my last trip

Wow, my last month here is really flying!

If you'd like to read about my amazing weekend at JUCA with the cachorros loucos, click here. It was a very unique experience being the only gringo among a bunch of wild and crazy brazilians, and I doubt I will ever hear my name chanted again repeatedly like it was at JUCA.

Only thirteen more days in São Paulo. The 28th of this month marks my sixth in this country. To commerate this grand achievement of surviving outside one's country of origin for half a year my Brazilian travel visa will be expiring, and I will be getting on a plane for Buenos Aires.

I'm looking forward to exploring Argentina for about three weeks before returning to the United States. It will be fun to see another part of South America with a very different culture, and who knows if I will ever get another chance to revisit this continent.

For now, it is final papers and assignments.

Oh, and soccer. Soccer game tomorrow. But that's a given.

UPDATE: The soccer game between Corinthians and Parana was another scoreless thriller. If you're keeping track at home, that means I've been to three soccer games in São Paulo and witnessed one measely goal! What a sport, huh? I think soccer is the only sport where the fans cheer for narrow misses. Which is kind of like congratulating Charlie Brown for almost kicking the football. Good grief!

The end is near

Now that June has arrived, I can say that I am in the homestretch of my abroad experience. This month will be my last outside of North America for awhile. Anything that I had planned on doing in Brazil and haven't done yet better be accomplished in the next 30 days or so.

Actually, I don't really have too many unfulfilled wishes left. And now that the weather has turned for the worse (cold and rainy today), I am actually looking forward to a little midwestern sun in the states - but not before going on one last trip-to-be-named-later.

This week I felt as if I was starting to get a better understanding of the culture here in Brazil and some of the problems and contradictions that arise from this culture. Many people have predicted that Brazil will be a world power someday, but I can say with confidence that it will not happen in my lifetime.

If this nation is ever to become a world power, it will be completely unrecognizable from the society that resides here today. Too few businesses and politicians are held unaccountable in today's Brazil, and many of the interests of the common man are neglected. Despite being one of the world's leaders in agriculture and possessing ample resources, millions of people go hungry every day in this country. This is only one of many discrepancies that exist here.

For now, I am attempting to make it through my last month with three pairs of long pants, two sweatshirts and a light jacket. I've parted ways with the tropical paradise of January and February. It's a mental struggle to peel off the warm comforter every morning with the cooler air circulating the house.

Next week, I will be participating in a college sporting extravaganza for the communications schools of São Paulo called JUCA. Basically, a bunch of college students take over a small town outside of the city for four days and play sports, have parties and sleep on uncomfortable mats. I will be playing basketball for PUC and carrying the albatross of being the only American on the court. I will do my best to carry on the tradition of excellence created by exported American basketball players, but there's a reason we play overseas and not in our country of origin.