Today was a great day!

This morning it started with a great Portuguese class! I actually understood what was going on and feel great about the progress I have made so far. The school I go to is called Step 1 Idiomas and I highly recommend it. It can get very frustrating (see earlier posts!) because they only speak to you in Portuguese, but I feel it forces me to understand more Portuguese in my day to day activity.

I really enjoy the task of trying to learn a new language. It works a different side of my brain than I am used to using, plus I want to get to know as many people and make as many friends as possible! The option for new friends with a different background is the biggest motivator (that being said, it is crazy how more similar than different we are - (cue the kumbaya music)). Portuguese is of the top languages spoken in the world and by knowing it, I can communicate with so many more people. What worries me is I know I will really need to keep motivating myself to keep this up when class ends this week, especially when I go travel to the Spanish speaking countries in South America and then back to Chicago. If anyone has tips for learning a language while living at home, please share!!

Back to my day, after class, I went jogging on the ocean path. It is absolutely breathtaking. Check out the photos!! It reminded me a bit of running along the path in Chicago. I ran about 5 miles and it felt great to burn off a few of those Caipirinhas these weekend! So far I have had caipirinha with lime (traditional), with kiwi (amazing), with passion fruit (also amazing), strawberry (eh), and with vinho(my fav!!) I will definitely be adding these drinks to my already impressive list of cocktails I make amazingly well.

Once I was ate lunch and cleaned up, I headed to the city center and mall to buy hiking boots for the 5 day Macchu Piccu hike I am going on in early July(I wanted to get the boots early so I could break them in). Whenever I have a specific item to buy (see phone mentioned in earlier post), it is always a challenge because words like "waterproof" and "breathable" aren't among the first words taught in class! My lack of language skill coupled with the fact I don't normally hike, was a recipe for another disaster!

Brazil (and several other countries I have been to) tends to have smaller stores than the US. A department store here is about 1/10th of the size of one back home (I still am not sure what I prefer). Meaning, I wasn't about find a Dick's sporting goods store anywhere. After browsing for an hour at several smaller, I finally found a store with boots! I had to ask the clerk for help with sizing etc. and managed to have the entire conversation in Portuguese!! Granted the grammar sucked and my verb tenses needed help, but I am now the owner of water resistant hiking boots!! Yay me!!!

After rewarding myself with an iced coffee (I truly miss Starbucks and my venti iced coffees - an iced coffee is typically maybe 8oz - I am much less caffeinated now than before), I was off to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, where again I had a great class! I picked up on many more words and actually was able to complete the new moves they showed us. I wish I had a video to show you me doing Jiu Jitsu!

Well, now I am about to do my homework and teach myself some words that may be useful for Jiu Jitsu (elbow, knee, push, pull, etc.!)

Beijos,
Kendra