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.
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.
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