A little salt in the wound....

...So sorry for the delay with this entry, as I  had an extremely busy week....and now I write this from....Florianopolis....which I will forever affectionately call the 'Hamptons of Brazil'....
My 11 colleagues and I took a trip to this amazing island for a bit of  R&R, some bonding and a lot of sun! Yes - yes, it's true, it's sort of like 'Real World SAP' . But I guess that is sort of what this trip is, right??!... 12 strangers picked for a trip of a timeline to South America, staying in one (less than desirable) hotel....but I digress.  (On the R&R piece, I know many of you think I am here on full time R&R...but it really is the opposite!!!)

Annette, Amy and I at dinner on Friday

  We heard the island (Floripa, as they call it, that is) was amazing, and I almost don't want to share too much as things get colder back in the States....but I feel it my obligation to share the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth... #sorryimnotsorry... I will confirm...it IS amazing. Picturesque, in fact. 85 degrees and sunny...the entire time. Oh and it's not peak season.

The beach...Yea...#winning

The flight was abt 45 mins from Porto Alegre, and it feels like I am in a whole different world.  To begin painting the picture of the beach vaca, along with the buffet, the thong bikini is quite alive here still and worn by many. (LUCKILY it isn't necessarily the people eating at the buffets wearing the thongs!) ....But there are a few of those too...
 
The beaches are beautiful here....like amazing....  But I can perhaps dispel a myth at the same time....although there are certainly nice looking people in Brazil, it is surely not a country of Gisele Bunchens running around... It is one thing we have all been a bit surprised about. Please note - I have only been in the south - but will confirm or deny from Rio next weekend..!!

Beautiful beach scape

So as to not completely alienate my reading public, I will move away from the weekend for a bit a rewind to the week for a moment...which was a complete whirlwind!  There were so many cultural and work activities that I think I only slept 5-6 hrs a night...
 
On Monday my friend Annette and I took the capoeira class I mentioned in my last entry... It was such a cool cultural experience and a good workout! Annette was very good, I, not so much, but will definitely do it again. (This time ill know what I am getting myself into and the instructor will likely not be speaking. Portuguese to me! :)). Class starts with the playing of musical instruments and singing - then you stretch, etc - learn the 'moves' and then you 'play' capoeira.  After you play a while, you play music again and sing some more and play in 2s to the music...
 
Capoeira came to be as a means by the slaves who were not allowed to talk to one another nor were they allowed to fight communicated with one another. They fine tuned this way to communicate with one another through song and dance...and play fighting. This also allowed them to train and get strong. You never touch your opponent but you are trying to best them with your skills. It's such a culturally rich activity that I was thrilled to do. After that, we had Portuguese class.... And that was just Monday....after work!
 
So an update on my language skills.... I am improving, but certainly not at the clip Id like to... But wow is it frustrating to not be able to effectively and fluently communicate - especially when your comprehension is high. Also, the one sentence I need to know - "i have a gluten allegery" is something I havent mastered yet... and I need to. 
 
Ok - I know this was a long one - more to come soon!