Happy belated 4^th of July! I couldn’t write yesterday because I only had a brief time between when I got home from class and the time I was supposed to meet with the others to commemorate the day by eating American food (either Subway, McDonalds, Pizza Hut, or Burger King) at Shopping Barra and watching an American film. I shared a taxi with two girls on my street and we met up with other students in our program at the mall. When they saw that the only films showing were Fantastic Four and Shrek 3 the plans changed and we ended up going to a bar across the street called Bohemia (Bohemia was the first Brazilian beer) to watch the Mexico v. Chile and Brazil v. Ecuador soccer games. We met some Brits at the bar which a few people found to be hilarious b/c the 4^th of July is about liberation from Britain, yet celebrate together we did! The bar had two live bands that played farró and I also met the host brother of Josh, another student from Tulane staying here for the summer then going to São Paulo. (Josh’s host brother’s friend asked me to tutor him on English while I am here and I told him I would.) I enjoyed myself until the games finished but by then I was ready to go. I took a taxi home and somehow when I opened the door to get out by my apartment I broke off the door handle. I was mortified, but taxi driver told me not to worry about it and complemented me for being so strong.

Earlier yesterday I got a chance to have a good talk with Bethany, a girl who lives close to me. We both agreed that we weren’t interested in the club or bar scene, so I’m relieved to have her to hang out with over the next few months. She is pretty homesick so we each talked about our home and loved ones and I went with her to the post off to mail a few letters. I mailed off a trial letter, anyone want to place a bet on how long it will take to get home? She came to Brazil the summer after her junior year of highschool without knowing in Portuguese. She told me that the experience changed the way she thinks and acts. Since then she hasn’t been interested in partying and studying Portuguese and Brazil became her special hobby/interest. She has a boyfriend at home too that I can tell she really misses, so I’m thinking that she and I might become good friends.

Yesterday I also resolved never to wear heels in this city. I have no idea how all the women do it! I only tried b/c I was wearing a black shirt and my heels are the only black shoes that I brought, but after the first class I had to buy sandals b/c I had already formed 4 blisters on each foot.

Today has not been terribly eventful. In the culture class we studied candomblé, an African religion strongly present in Bahia, and I’ve just gotten home from the language class. Conchita is sick with the flu so cross your fingers that I don’t catch it.