June 17th and 18th

Here is Michelle and I with our wonderful Maranhão family in Brazil. They are so sweet! We spend Sunday afternoon and evening with them, walking around the mall and eating great food. We went into this restaurant, that among other things, had a Rodízio pizza. That is just like Tucanos, but instead of meat it's pizza. It's very interesting. I also had delicious shrimp and bacalhau. Oh, and a bunch of restaurants and bakeries around here have these:

Pastés de nata!!!! What a cool Portuguese influence ha ha I haven't tried them yet but I will.
This morning Michelle and I were trying to signal to the bus driver to stop for us but a bunch of buses just drove on by, until this nice man helped us out and showed us how to stretch out our hand really far so the buses stop. It was funny. Inside the bus we ran into a colleague who helped us figure out where to get off. The ride to our school is beautiful (despite the crazy traffic) because it goes along the beach for a long time and it's so beautiful to look at the ocean and the palm trees.

School went well, then we went to the mall and had lunch (shrimp salad for me), and it was interesting to me how everyone seems to have a heavier meal at lunch than at any other meal. Interesting, but not unfamiliar, because that is customary in Portugal and I grew up with that habit.

Then our program director helped us get our Brazilian cell phones to work and then a few of us decided to walk home. We walked along the beach and it started to rain! We had fun, but after walking 7 miles to our apartment we were pretty tired... and ready for a delicious dinner of soup, sandwiches and pudim! One of the maids at the house we are staying in is a great cook and so far I have liked everything she prepares. It was a tiring but fun day. More adventures to come!