Wow.  I've already been in Brazil for two whole months-that's incredible!  I have so much to tell you all that I don't dare to write it all at once.  Until I catch up with all the information I'm going to post fairly frequently.  Afterwards however, I think that once a week is probably sufficient.    

  Where to begin???  I guess where I’m living is a good place to start.  I’m living in the state of Rio de Janeiro which is on the Atlantic coastline in Brazil and more or less in the middle of the country if you’re analyzing it from North to South.  However, I am not living in the city of Rio.  I’m about an hour west of the city-I’m told that without traffic you can make it there in 30 minutes-but I have yet to do so and am still skeptical.  The city that I’m living in is named Campo Grande.  It’s a much bigger city than York, that’s for sure!  Campo Grande was an industrial area so it’s not the prettiest of places to be, but I still like it.    

    Compared to the other exchange students, I’m out here on my own.  The others are living closer together in Tijuca, Impanema…or in Petropolis which isn’t technically in Rio but they are included in our Rotary events.  At first I was disappointed about this. I saw their pictures together and I wished to be there with them.  But then I came to the realization that I´m in Brazil and I should make friends with Brazilians!  Additionally, my Portuguese is a lot stronger than theirs at the moment.  I think that there are two major factors contributing to this.  The first is that I’m not going out with them and speaking English because I’m not close to them.  The second is that my host family doesn’t speak English.  All of the other exchange students speak at least a basic English.  This is pretty common in Brazil.  In the wealthier parts of the country is where you will generally find the best English speakers.  It’s actually rather interesting, even the exchange students whose native language is not English speak English well.  I think it might be a requirement from their countries to speak English for exchange, though I am not certain.   

       As far as my Portuguese… It’s getting better and better every day.  I can understand almost everything now-because a lot of words sound similar.   However, I have to concentrate, I can’t just casually listen.  As far as basic conversational Portuguese goes, I have that down pat-without needing to translate anything in my head.  I don’t think in Portuguese yet, but that day is coming.  Yesterday I was at my host brother’s school (Nicholas) for an informational fair.  He’s in the US now on exchange, but I made friends with his classmates before he left, so I went.  It was actually the first time I saw them for about a month, and they commented that my Portuguese is much, much better.  After talking with them yesterday I realized that at times I was thinking in only Portuguese.  So I’m definitely on the right track.      

        I still have my days where I miss the USA, but I’m beginning to love Brazil as well.  There are differences of course, but different is neither right nor wrong, it’s simply different.  I will write more tomorrow-I’m sure everyone doesn’t want to read a book right now!Love from,Kathryn

     P.S. If you wish to write me a letter-which by the way I would adore! Remember it's international mail and you have to take it to the post office and buy a special stamp.  My address is as follows:

Kathryn Fogleman

Rua Gutemberg 107

Campo Grande

Rio de Janeiro RJ/ 23080-390

Brazil