This week I listened to a lot of Forró, which is a very popular genre of music and dance in Brazil. "Asa Branca" by Luiz Gonzaga is a great Forró song to listen to so that you can understand the style of music. Tomorrow, I will take a Forró dance class!
This week I went to the local farmers' market that is held on Saturdays and I got to experience the hustle and bustle of people buying their weekly groceries. I saw fruits and vegetables that I had never seen before, and I tried a delicious drink called 'Caldo de Cana', which is a sweet juice made from sugarcane.
One of my Brazilian friends gifted me a small book of poetry written by Machado de Assis, a very famous Brazilian poet. I really enjoyed reading the poems and I got to learn a lot of new words in Portuguese as I read.
This week I tried slacklining, which is when you tie a rope between two trees, and try to keep your balance as you walk across. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it even though I wasn't the best at it. It is not the most popular sport in Brazil, but there is a group of people in Amargosa who enjoy it and invited me to try.
This week, the students at the university threw me a surprise welcome party. They brought local Brazilian treats for me to try (like Brigadeiro!), and wrote a special welcome message for me on the board. I had the chance to introduce myself to all of the students and chat with them about their lives. I have felt so welcomed here in Amargosa!
