Hello! Can you believe that the semester is already 1/3 of the way gone? Only 4 more months to go to the date and I’ll be on my way back home!

Saturday morning I went with Bethany to Pelourinho to help her look for a gift for her boyfriend’s birthday. We went to the top floor in one of the stores to look at artwork and even though I heeded the owner’s warning to hold on to the rail, I slipped and fell down a few steps. No permanent damage done, although my heel is bruised and I pulled a muscle in my left arm where I was holding onto the rail. (I swear I’m not that big of klutz. The conditions were extremely adverse b/c I was swearing slick, loose sandals and the stairs were super slippery and steep.)

I studied a bit in the afternoon then I went over to Bethany’s to watch a Brazilian film (Meu tio matou um cara- My Uncle Killed a Guy) and the soap opera Paraíso tropical- Tropical paradise. The film was cute and Sonia if you’re reading this I thought about you in the scene where the boy eats the banana with cinnamon. Watching the soap opera was amusing as well because the producers are so blatantly promoting their pet social cause. In the episode we watched one of the characters calls in to donate to Criança Esperança and in another idyllic scene a white, rich couple adopts a black boy.

Sunday morning I went to mass at 7 then spent the rest of the morning trying to write an essay for Classe e Raça, my culture class. This Sunday it was Conchita’s turn to host the family gathering so by 1 the entire house was buzzing and I was lured out of studying by Conchita’s adorable baby nephew and her niece’s new puppy. Although the TV was on, conversation was much more the center of attention this time and I’ve never seen a group of people so enjoy each others’ company.