Brazil is warm!!! I am sure I will get a sunburn pretty quick here. Gotta keep hydrated!
The Foundation where we are having class is very very nice. (And I have free internet access here - so should be able to keep posts updated.) There is a lot of security, including guards and ID card-swiping to enter and exit the building. Our first class today was about the trade associations and how the US and Brazil could join together in the ethanol development. From our professor I was getting the vibe that she thought the two countries should join forces to rule the world. The second class was about global environmental law.
For lunch we went to a little place just around the corner. It was super good food! Pork, rice, an egg and cheese side, salad, and I had watermelon juice. Very yummy. The waitress was very sweet - helping us figure out Portuguese words; many people seem to know English at least enough to communicate with us. Supposedly Spanish speakers can communicate with Portuguese speakers, but I guess I just don´t have the necessary command of the language to be on that level.
Oh, our hotel is posh. But I find it weird because while it is super technological and high class, it seems to be lacking some of the general fundamentals. I don´t have any particular examples to give you, that´s the overall feeling I get from it, though.
The area surrounding the hotel is something I am still evaluating. Definitely go out with a group. I do see people (locals) walking around alone, so it´s maybe not as bad as it sort of looks. But we´re all on guard and keeping the buddy system for these days here (as well as in Rio - rumor is that safety is even more of a concern there). Actually, I don´t think it is even safety really - they don´t harm you, they just rob you.
Anyhoo, I´m going back to the hotel. Going to enjoy the warmth, maybe hit the pool; do some laundry; study; sleep ;)
hugs
p.s. hey, Dad - Happy (day late) Father´s Day!!! love you
