Julia.Goes.to.Rio

 

 

 

 

Indeed whilst living out in Brasil I will make it my personal promise and resolution to embrace all things Brazilian.

 

*Beach Volleyball (maybe be so bold as to join a team)

*Learn to Samba (samba do Pe) like you see on the podiums at the Carnaval

*come back and make a killer Caipirinha

*Flaunt a Brazilian bikini on the beach o ipanema

*Travel

 

 

Although I have ventured to Brasil solo when I was 18 during my Gap Year I am extremely grateful and excited that this time I have 4 other girls at my side - a force to be reckoned with I think you'd agree. Better yet they're all awesome.

 

We have

 

Thea - our cool-edgy-arty resident photographer

 

Becky- our smart, sporty fun chica

 

Georgia our bubbly, easygoing chiller

 

and Kelly our straight-talking, outgoing south american

 

oh and then there's me :)

 

Although we might find it initially difficult being accepted as a real carioca and less as a gringa - over time we hope to acheive this that by the time we return we will be more like this: as cariocas

 

From left to Right: Kelly, Becky, Thea and Georgia 

 

Although I have no accommodation plans as of yet...YIKES! I will be spending my first two weeks with some family friends the Slemecks - who are indeed English ex-pats who moved out to Brasil two years ago and have now fully embraced a vida brasileira! I am lucky enough to be able to stay with them initially although I have insisted that I won't become a resident squatter before moving on and finding a more permanent place to live with my 4 other Gringas (non-brazilian girls) from Leeds - more on this later.

 

For the first two weeks staying in the beautiful CASA GLORIA

(above right) were I hear they have a resident Turtle!!!!

 

This may seem absurd misguided, terrifiying but i know that we'll hopefully come across something half-decent out there even if it's a beach shack

 

 

So this is indeed where I will be studiying for the next year, PUC Rio  (situated in Gavea a residential area nestled within the hills reigning above Rio) - also known as the Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro. Although I have yet to experience university life South American style (an apparently extremely relaxed and laid back lifesrtyle) I do know that PUC is considered one of the most if not THE most prestigious university in Brazil.....just like Leeds!!!

 

 Admittedly straight from wiki PUC is

"a major private and non-profit Catholic university, located in Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil. It is maintained by the Catholic Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro and the Society of Jesus."

 

Now reading that i know some of you may be sceptical about me joining the Jesus Society! However, not to worry I will do my best not to return a  brazilian Bible basher roasry beads in tow.

 

What really goes down at PUC

and in the lecture theatres....

 

 

 

 

Hi there. As you may know I am soon to fly the nest and set sails for the sunny shores of Brasil for a year in Rio and during my time away as well as Skype/e-mails/letter and facebook I wanted to write this Blog during my travels as an online journal which you can follow. I promise to keep things interesting so do watch this space.