e bus ride to this southern island was about 15 hours long, but unlike Megabus, the buses in South America are very comfortable and spacious, with seats that recline almost the entire way. Upon arriving in Floripa, we caught another bus to the Floriparadise Hostel which is a very colorful place with lots of beautiful graffiti and an assortment of instruments for guests to mess around with.The owners of the hostel were two Brazilian women, and unfortunately for me they were lovers. I say unfortunately because Fernanda (Fe) is one of the most beautiful and free-spirited people that I have ever met. Do you believe in love at first sight? I think I might. Here is a picture of me, Fe (on the left) and Angelina. It is kind of an awkward picture because they are trying to hide the hickies and bruises from a romantic/passionate night.
Basically our Carnaval consisted of burning at the beach, napping, drinking, and partying. It was a great few days of relaxation, despite the lack of sleep we got. On the second day we went to a street party in the c
enter of the island where the theme was for men to dress up as women. It was quite a sight to see, and unfortunately we never got the memo about the dress code. Maybe we’ll dress up next year. In the six hours that we were there, we danced, painted our faces, got all you can eat Mexican food, found an Irish pub, and played with a dog named Michael Bonjo. Good times.The next couple of days were spent laying out at pristine beaches that were completely packed with people. My favorite was Praia Brava (Angry beach), which is shown in so
me of my pictures. One thing that I love about Brazil is how comfortable people are with their bodies. Although some of the swimsuits may not necessarily be flattering, it is quite refreshing to be in culture where people do not conform to a specific physical image. I consequently decided to buy myself a sunga (speedo). When in Rome…Although I still do not feel comfortable in it, I am proud of the fact that I bought and wore it. Also, it is a nice souvenir as well because it is apparently a designer brand, which I paid R$132.00 reals for. “Go big or go home” (Laura Schneider).
One of my favorite parts of Carnaval was when the owners of the hostel took us to Club Jivago, where they both are DJs. It was so much fun, and they even got us into the VIP lounge. I felt pretty cool flashing my VIP bracelet to the bouncers. Aside from the electronic music, and sweaty dancing, there was also a lot of kissing. Brazilians are very forward, and I confess that I have now kissed multiple Brazilians. I think they may like the fact that I’m a foreigner. The only downside to the night was the fact that we did not get to the club until midnight, and proceeded to stay at the club until 6:00 am. Needless to say, I was exhausted and a little ornery when we finally got back to the hostel at 7:30am, just as the sun was rising.
I am currently writing this post as we are on our way back to Sao Paulo. I have been in South America for over a month now, and I am extremely happy about how things have been going so far. I am learning a lot about myself, and it has been so much fun meeting new friends. I almost chickened out of studying abroad, and I thank everyone who pushed
me to do it. When we get back to Sao Paulo, classes at FGV will finally start, and it will definitely be strange to get back into school and develop a daily routine. Oh well, I guess the main reason I’m here is to study, so I probably shouldn’t complain too much about having homework again and not being able to go out every night.
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