Moley arrives in Florianopolis: Dear Lily and Amelie....

Dear Lily and Amelie,

I hope you're both well and happy and enjoying school and play back home!

I reckon you'll be happy to know that Moley and I have arrived safely in Brazil.
We were both a little bit tired by the bus journey that was almost 30 hours in the end, with I can't-really-remember-how-many-stops at glossy service stations to refuel ourselves, our drivers and the bus. But... we are here, safe and sound in Florianopolis, an city spread between the mainland and an island connected by a bridge.

Language-wise it was pretty odd at first (you could even say frustrating) being in this new Portuguese environment... though Moley tells me he didn't mind so much, seeing as he's in Mole-to-human translation mode all the time anyway.

But anyways, after a week under the expert instruction of my Step1 teachers Flavia and Dayane, I've got to a point of being able to communicate so am feeling much more settled now.  This is a real testament to:
1. the expertise of these teachers
2. the usefulness of having an intermediate level of Spanish (although at times it trips you up)
3. and the sheer drive of wanting to communicate.



So....the best things about this first week in Florianopolis have been:

1. Spotting this rainbow on waking up from one of my afternoon siestas... (after 5 hours of intensive one-to-one language classes even insomniac-tendecy me needs a nap!)

2. Chocolate-smothered banana-bread and a whole spread of other delicious foods for breakfast every day at the home-stay in the house of lovely Carmen and Antonio.

3. Max, the soft fluffy ginger-furred family dog. (And their beautiful grey cat that veers from aloof to very affectionate ankle-nibbling!)

4. Graffiti-spotting on my walks to and from the school, where splashes of colour like this patchwork quilt mural on my street, with hearts and all, have felt comfortingly familiar in these first few days.



5. This family pool... on the two dips I've had it did a delicious job of taking the edge off the humidity.

6. Hanging out with fellow-pupils Ana (Columbian who left on Wednesday) and Urs (Swiss who is renting house and car and drove us last night into the centre for a wander and burger. The 10km distance took an hour and a half, an indisputable illustration of the transport issues in Floripa.)

7. Finally settling into school routine, with the intense classes divided up with coffee breaks and tasty veggie lunches in neighbouring cafés... adjusting to the humidity and occasional rains.



8. And finally...being back in the saddle.... as of this afternoon I've rented a bike from Miguel, the director of the school so am feeling on the brink of exploration......YAAAAYY!! :-)

Big love from Floripa, Brazil!

:-)