Living with a Brasilian.

I haven't had much time to update my blog with my housing situation, and I've been nervous to step too much in that category for fear of jinxing my fortune, but my after a couple transplants from Copacabana to Ipanema and now to Urca, it's been a really interesting experience living with a Carioca. Parts of me are adapting to her-- and thus Rio's-- lifestyle. Eating fresh bread in the morning with strong coffee sweetened with lots of sugar. Taking time to figure out what to do for the day. Being inherently active. Friendly to everyone who passes. It's interesting sharing a space with someone from a different culture, because you learn so much about life in this place, and how people move and live. I've been fortunate enough to have a research group that's very close-- and I can see with clear eyes how each person's life is different-- but when you share an apartment, the true nature of the Carioca seems to come out.

I know that I'm not even halfway over with my grant, but I can tell that my time here is too little. I fall in love with Rio a little bit more everyday, and each day it overwhelms me how much I can actually do. I've decided to fill my time with activities I've always wanted to pursue, and then a few that seem worth trying because I'm in the right place. Foot-volley, volleyball, surfing, rowing, forro, samba... it's a lot, but now is the time to figure it all out.