OUTBOUND EXCHANGE STUDENT LINDSEY FOOTTIT'S 5TH REPORT
Posted by Bob Hlina
Oi gente,
This month flew by the fastest for me. I spent about 32 days travelling with other exchange students around northeastern Brazil. We started in Brasilia, the capital of Brazil.
The city is completely different from the rest of Brazil. It was built in the 60's with a modern image in mind and from the view above, it looks like the shape of an airplane. The city is very organized and has barely any stop lights, the traffic just flows! From Brasilia we took our home ( aka, the bus we spent 9 full days on!) to Lencois, Bahia. We went hiking, swimming, visited spectacular caves, and even hiked up to a fabulous view of Colorado style mountains ( it honestly looked like the U.S to me!).
After Lencois, we went to Salvador, Bahia. There, we toured the historic part of the city, went to a famous market, visited a beautiful church, went to a concert and spent a day relaxing on a beach on a pratically deserted island. I loved Salvador! From Salvador, we went north to Recife, Pernambuco. We spent one day in the city, touring the older sections ( it looks a lot like Europe because the Dutch and French settled there, lots of canals) and then went to Olinda, a smaller yet beautiful city 10 minutes away. The other day, we went to Porto da Galinhas, a famous beach/small city. From Recife, we travelled a day up to Fortaleza, Ceara. Unfortunately, we only spent one day there, but it was at a resort on a beautiful beach. We went horseback riding and most of us paid to get messages at the resort. For about 15 dollars Canadian, I got an amazing 45 minute body massage and a hair treatment. So worth it!!! Everyone was so relaxed and calm after!
From Fortaleza, we drove to Jericoacoara. In actuality, we had to take a smaller bus designed for off-roading because to get to the village you have to drive on the sand for about an hour. Yet, well worth the effort because the beauty there was unbelievable. The beaches there are completely different. Sand dunes and miles and miles of sand! The village was pratically the only patch of green. There, we spent time on the beach, relaxed around the hippy style village ( lots of tourists there!). We spent one day off-roading and visited a fresh water lake about one hour from the town. During the nights, we went to dance classes ( one night was forro and the other night was a samba class) and went to one of the clubs. The majority of the students enjoyed Jericoacoara the most.
From Jericoacoara, we went back down south to Natal, Rio Grande de Norte. There, we toured one of the forts, went to the famous boardwalk and spent a relaxing day at the hotel. The hotel we stayed at, is part owned by a Rotary member. We were lucky to even stay there as it was located right on the beach and had the nicests rooms out of all the hotels we stayed in. We didn't even need to leave the hotel to have a good time.
After Natal, we drove south to Aracaju, Bahia. We only spent the night there as we had to wake up early the next morning and drive down to Itacare, Bahia. In Itacare, we spent two days relaxing on gorgeous beaches and at night, went to the village to have dinner and shop around the city. From Itacare, we drove to another city in Bahia called Arraial d'Ajuda. The first day was a beach day, where we hiked for a few kilometres and hopped from beach to beach. The second day, we visited another city called Porto Seguro. There, we visited the old city ( some of the oldest churches in Brazil are located there) and then went to a beach which had a club that we took dance classes at. It was so much fun! They had a stage and a dance floor. Every few minutes a water fountain turned on and sprayed the crowd dancing. It was so funny to see all the brazilians dancing and then us, next to them, attempting to dance.
Finally, the tour ended with us going to Rio de Janeiro. My favourite city of them all! I simply fell in love when we toured the city. We went to the famous samba arena and the soccer stadium, Maracana. We went up to Pao de Acucar ( two odd shaped mountains that you take tram cars to get up to) in the afternoon, and got a chance to see the most amazing view of the city!! The next morning, we visited the famous statue of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, it was clouded over and all we could see was white. It was really disappointing, since the view is supposed to be even more spectacular than the view from Pao de Acucar. In the afternoon, we went to the famous beach of Ipanema and relaxed there. At night, we went to a gym to take a samba and funk class. Everyone was sweating by the end! Yet, it was such a good time. When we returned to the hotel, we had a talent show and then said our goodbyes. I really hate goodbyes! We were all sad to see our little family break apart after a month together pratically every hour of the day.
I was lucky because my flight for my city wasn't even the next night and I got to spend an extra day in Rio. I spent the day with one of the group leaders. First, we dropped off one of the girls at the bus stop. Then we went to the beach, which was so hot that we only stayed an hour or so. We decided to go to the air conditioned mall and spent the afternoon there. That's when things got interesting. I started to feel sick. Some of the students had gotten sick due to the food they ate. I thought I had the same thing, but it must of been something else. I vomited in the hotel several times. Unfortunately, I couldn't rest because I had to get a taxi to catch my flight. So, while in the taxi I patiently waited to get to the airport, but I couldn't hold it in and I vomited in the taxi as well. I couldn't believe it and I know that it is disgusting, but to say that I vomited in a taxi in Rio de Janeiro is just too funny. I was so happy that the taxi driver was nice and didn't get mad, he was actually worried about me. The group leader I was with took good care of me as well ( Thank you Annie!). After, she dropped me off for my flight. The flight agency I booked with was informed that I was feeling sick and I should tell one of the flight attendents to put me close to the bathroom. Yet, I was too shy to say anything. So I sat in my window seat, next to two men that smelled of beer and immediately had to get up and vomit again. It was so embarassing. I was lucky that the flight attendent put me at the back so I could sneak away from any looks! I was just lucky that I didn't get sick again after that.
All in all, I had a great month. It feels wierd to be back with my host family after spending so much time with exchange students. In march, I will be swapping host families with an American girl. Basically, all the exchange students in the Northeast of Brasil are still with their first families, but Rotary has requested for them all to move. None of us want to move! I really, really, really love my current host family!! However, I know that I will still see them ( they have promised me that they will still pick me up to do things with them) and that going to a new family will be something new and exciting. Until the next month!
Lindsey
After Lencois, we went to Salvador, Bahia. There, we toured the historic part of the city, went to a famous market, visited a beautiful church, went to a concert and spent a day relaxing on a beach on a pratically deserted island. I loved Salvador! From Salvador, we went north to Recife, Pernambuco. We spent one day in the city, touring the older sections ( it looks a lot like Europe because the Dutch and French settled there, lots of canals) and then went to Olinda, a smaller yet beautiful city 10 minutes away. The other day, we went to Porto da Galinhas, a famous beach/small city. From Recife, we travelled a day up to Fortaleza, Ceara. Unfortunately, we only spent one day there, but it was at a resort on a beautiful beach. We went horseback riding and most of us paid to get messages at the resort. For about 15 dollars Canadian, I got an amazing 45 minute body massage and a hair treatment. So worth it!!! Everyone was so relaxed and calm after!
From Fortaleza, we drove to Jericoacoara. In actuality, we had to take a smaller bus designed for off-roading because to get to the village you have to drive on the sand for about an hour. Yet, well worth the effort because the beauty there was unbelievable. The beaches there are completely different. Sand dunes and miles and miles of sand! The village was pratically the only patch of green. There, we spent time on the beach, relaxed around the hippy style village ( lots of tourists there!). We spent one day off-roading and visited a fresh water lake about one hour from the town. During the nights, we went to dance classes ( one night was forro and the other night was a samba class) and went to one of the clubs. The majority of the students enjoyed Jericoacoara the most.
From Jericoacoara, we went back down south to Natal, Rio Grande de Norte. There, we toured one of the forts, went to the famous boardwalk and spent a relaxing day at the hotel. The hotel we stayed at, is part owned by a Rotary member. We were lucky to even stay there as it was located right on the beach and had the nicests rooms out of all the hotels we stayed in. We didn't even need to leave the hotel to have a good time.
After Natal, we drove south to Aracaju, Bahia. We only spent the night there as we had to wake up early the next morning and drive down to Itacare, Bahia. In Itacare, we spent two days relaxing on gorgeous beaches and at night, went to the village to have dinner and shop around the city. From Itacare, we drove to another city in Bahia called Arraial d'Ajuda. The first day was a beach day, where we hiked for a few kilometres and hopped from beach to beach. The second day, we visited another city called Porto Seguro. There, we visited the old city ( some of the oldest churches in Brazil are located there) and then went to a beach which had a club that we took dance classes at. It was so much fun! They had a stage and a dance floor. Every few minutes a water fountain turned on and sprayed the crowd dancing. It was so funny to see all the brazilians dancing and then us, next to them, attempting to dance.
Finally, the tour ended with us going to Rio de Janeiro. My favourite city of them all! I simply fell in love when we toured the city. We went to the famous samba arena and the soccer stadium, Maracana. We went up to Pao de Acucar ( two odd shaped mountains that you take tram cars to get up to) in the afternoon, and got a chance to see the most amazing view of the city!! The next morning, we visited the famous statue of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, it was clouded over and all we could see was white. It was really disappointing, since the view is supposed to be even more spectacular than the view from Pao de Acucar. In the afternoon, we went to the famous beach of Ipanema and relaxed there. At night, we went to a gym to take a samba and funk class. Everyone was sweating by the end! Yet, it was such a good time. When we returned to the hotel, we had a talent show and then said our goodbyes. I really hate goodbyes! We were all sad to see our little family break apart after a month together pratically every hour of the day.
I was lucky because my flight for my city wasn't even the next night and I got to spend an extra day in Rio. I spent the day with one of the group leaders. First, we dropped off one of the girls at the bus stop. Then we went to the beach, which was so hot that we only stayed an hour or so. We decided to go to the air conditioned mall and spent the afternoon there. That's when things got interesting. I started to feel sick. Some of the students had gotten sick due to the food they ate. I thought I had the same thing, but it must of been something else. I vomited in the hotel several times. Unfortunately, I couldn't rest because I had to get a taxi to catch my flight. So, while in the taxi I patiently waited to get to the airport, but I couldn't hold it in and I vomited in the taxi as well. I couldn't believe it and I know that it is disgusting, but to say that I vomited in a taxi in Rio de Janeiro is just too funny. I was so happy that the taxi driver was nice and didn't get mad, he was actually worried about me. The group leader I was with took good care of me as well ( Thank you Annie!). After, she dropped me off for my flight. The flight agency I booked with was informed that I was feeling sick and I should tell one of the flight attendents to put me close to the bathroom. Yet, I was too shy to say anything. So I sat in my window seat, next to two men that smelled of beer and immediately had to get up and vomit again. It was so embarassing. I was lucky that the flight attendent put me at the back so I could sneak away from any looks! I was just lucky that I didn't get sick again after that.
All in all, I had a great month. It feels wierd to be back with my host family after spending so much time with exchange students. In march, I will be swapping host families with an American girl. Basically, all the exchange students in the Northeast of Brasil are still with their first families, but Rotary has requested for them all to move. None of us want to move! I really, really, really love my current host family!! However, I know that I will still see them ( they have promised me that they will still pick me up to do things with them) and that going to a new family will be something new and exciting. Until the next month!
Lindsey