Hello! I have been fairly busy recently, so here a few quick updates:

*This is my last week of Portuguese class. So after this I'll have a two-week break before the semester starts. I feel like I've learned a lot in my Portuguese class, but I feel like I do a ton of learning outside of the classroom so I'm sure the termination of this class will in no way hinder my learning of Portuguese.

*I started capoeira classes last week! I joined the group Lagoa Azul and we practice at the lake right by my house. It's 3 days a week, so it'll hopefully get me in shape pretty quickly. I adore the other members of the group. I spent a large amount of my weekend with a bunch of them and I already feel like I fit in... even though I only understand why we're laughing approximately 20% of the time. It's really really fun though. Most of the members are somewhere in their 20s, and they all have a ton of energy. We were walking last night after class to a juice place to get some acai (YUM), and they randomly stopped in their tracks to start dancing to some live music by the lake. They're a really really fun group and I'm excited to get to know them better and to train with them.

*I bought a bike! It definitely wasn't cheap, but I got it new for a price similar to what I probably would have gotten a used one for. I figure it's worth it because I'll be here a year, and it has already really come in handy. The building I live in has a gated storage area for bikes and another woman in the building is letting me use her bike space since my host mom already has a bike in our apartment's spot.

So my mom was asking me on the phone today about the neighborhood I live in. Honestly, the only way to get a real feel for this place is to come visit (!!!), but I figure I might as well attempt to explain Leblon. To begin, Leblon is a neighborhood (portuguese: bairro) in the city of Rio de Janeiro. I don't know very much about the history of the neighborhood or anything, but I know that it was named after a French man named Le Blond. It is one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the area, and is much less crowded/dangerous/touristy than Copacabana and Ipanema. The beach is much less crowded and I can easily ask a family or a couple on the beach to watch my things while I jump in the water (though I still only do this when I don't have any valuables with me!). It's a very trusting and friendly neighborhood.

In the above picture you can see the beaches of Copacabana, Ipanema, and Leblon. Beginning from the bottom right of the photo, we have Copacabana beach. I'm sure you've heard of it - it's probably the most touristy beach of all of Rio. I honestly don't have much to say about it though because I have only ran past it and haven't been on the actual beach there. Then, moving up, we have the big rock thing that juts out, called the Arpoador. Google Translate tells me that Arpoador means "striker" but I still have no explanation for the name. It's a kind of cool spot though because during Summer they have a ton of free concerts there. After the Arpoador is Ipanema beach. Ipanema is slightly less touristy than Copa, but it still gets pretty crowded. It's a fun spot though, and my friend Gustavo's parents own an apartment right across the street from the beach so I usually meet up with them there. Finally, after a canal (which you can't really see in this photo) that separates it from Ipanema, is the Leblon beach. I live just about two and a half blocks from the beach. On the other side of my apartment, only about a block away, is the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas (if you look closely you can see a piece of it on the right hand side of the photo). It's a beautiful lake with a bike/running path that runs around it and tons of other random activity areas, including Parque dos Patins where I practice capoeira. Around Christmas time, they light up a huge Christmas tree that people from all over come to see. I didn't get to see it lit up this year but since I'll be here till Christmas time comes around again I'll get to see it.

There's a picture of the lake at night. Eventually I will actually have pictures of my own to show you all, but I have yet to really take any. But I have plenty of time to do so! Anyway the lake is beautiful especially at night, and it's also really great at sunset. The stadium-looking thing on the right hand side is a jockey club... I don't know too much about it but I'll check it out one day because it's very close to my house.

Here's a simple map of Leblon. Praia do Leblon = Leblon Beach. See that green circle near the lake toward the top right? That's exactly where I live! If you can see the four small streets that connect to the circle, those streets are gated and guarded at all times. The green circle itself is a park known as Selva das Pedras (Jungle of the Stones), equipped with a pretty fun-looking playground, benches, gardens, chess tables, and more guards who are also present at all times. This park is almost always full of little kids and nannys and elderly folk and anyone who wants to play/sit in a comfy park. And it is literally my front yard. On the other side of my building is the Flamengo stadium. The famous soccer player Ronaldinho came to visit a couple weeks ago so the streets were full of Ronaldinho fans. My host mom said also that there was some famous soccer player at the bank while we were inside, but I didn't see him nor know who he was. I should probably learn my soccer players if I want to try to fit in in this country... Anyway the street that is lined in green in the top left of the map (you can only see a tiny piece of it) is the street that leads to the school I go to - PUC-Rio. It's only a 15 minute walk but with my new bike it's just a quick ride!

Ok hopefully you have a better idea now of where I live. I have to go do homework! Tchau, beijos!