Simply, My LIfe: Entry Into Brasil

Getting into Brasil wasn´t easy. It took $150, two visits to the Brazilian Consulate, many questions by a severe employee, and a couple of emails and phone calls. However, the visa was finally approved, and ironically, though I paid for a 90 day visa, I was only given 40 days at the border. If I want to extend my stay, I have to visit a local Policia for an extension. I hear all of this hullabaloo is an act of reciprocity for all the trouble the Brazilians have when getting a US visa.

However, once legally and happily inside the country, my nighttime bus ambled along the highway to Sao Paulo. Sao Paulo is typically not a tourist town, but Andrea, a previous foreign exchange student who lived with Adam´s family for while, invited us to visit. She was an awesome host and made sure we had places to visit (with handdrawn maps and all) while she was at school and work. Memorable Sao Paulo times included a trip to a great art museum, getting caught in a loud thunderstorm and being swept away in a sea of pushing people into a packed subway train.

After visiting Andrea for a couple of days, Adam and I made our way to an obscure, small town called Cambara to visit Andrea´s family. All I can say about my time there is that the Honda´s are very kind and giving. They made sure we didn´t want for anything and were excited to have us try new things.

Now after a couple more bus rides and a few sad goodbyes, I find myself in Rio de Janeiro. This city is another place I visited in 2003. There have been a few improvements since then, including nice bathroom facilities along Copacabana and Ipanema beaches. Also, I think this time I may very well be the palest person here. I naturally am fair complected and don´t tan easily (was even nicknamed Casper in middle school), but after almost a year in Antarctica, I am the whitest I´ve ever been. In a town where the majority of people have dark skin, I definitely stand out.

A typical street in Cambara