Day 2
I woke up about 10 minutes to 9 this morning for hotel breakfast. Unlike American hotel breakfast, there are fewer hot items and many more bread selections. Obviously the fruit better, but a strange thing for us is the cheese and cold ham slices. I had like 5 croissants and some scrambled eggs. The pineapple was white and very good. I also had a regional dish which was like caramelized onions and dried beef.
Then we went to the grocery store. We had to walk about 6 blocks or so, nothing crazy. Most people bought water because it is suggested we don't drink the water here. No offense to Maceio or any of Brazil, it's just different. It is not as chemically treated as our water at home, and it's no fun to be sick! I brought a water bottle that has a filter in the straw, so I just use that. I bought cereal and milk because I think that will be good for lunch, especially on hot days. I had trouble finding the milk, because it is not refrigerated! It comes in tall cartons, not jugs. The store had security guards. It's owned by Wal-Mart. Then we walked back with all of our groceries.
Now what you have all been waiting for...I went to the beach! Not a fancy or famous one, just right across the street. There was a bit of seaweed and the sand wasn't sparkling white or anything, but the water was the perfect temperature! We walked probably half a mile or so on the beach, checking it out. We sat for a bit and a small girl, 12 at most, sold us some hats...She came and put a hat on Cristina's head, then braided her hair in about 20 seconds! She snatched the hair tie right of Cristina's wrist...so we HAD to buy a hat, obviously. The trick worked one more time. She did a beautiful full French-braid on Erika, but Erika speaks Portuguese and studied for a semester in Brazil, so she didn't fall for it.
Elena and I came back while the other girls kept walking. Then I Skyped Scott. Rhodey didn't even react to my voice over the video so that's too bad. I did my final Google Hangout (until the end of phase II) with a few students and was even able to talk to my dad!
Then I had time for about a 20 minute nap. THEN we all went out for dinner and to watch the Brazilian soccer game...but mostly for dinner. I had steak and mashed potatoes and rice and a "salad" that was 2 pieces of lettuce, 2 tomato slices, and 2 onion slices. But it was still great. Then we stopped at an ice cream place. I didn't buy anything, but ended up eating the second half of a couple treats because eyes are often bigger than stomachs! We had a quick team meeting, and I can't believe I could be so tired at only 9 p.m.!
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