Ariel Dunster -- Brazil

January 11, 2010

Claudenir and Prescila Couto
Rua Tocantins 77/51
Santos, SP, Brasil
11055-341

Summer vacation has been going well. I´ve been at the ocean practically everyday. There´s a group of Brazilians that like to play soccer every morning, so I´ve been hanging out with them a lot. I spent Christmas with my friends family because my host family was traveling, and it was amazing. All of the relatives got together for Christmas. It didn´t really feel like Christmas, but we were constantly in the pool or playing soccer. The Christmas traditions are so different here. We stayed up on Christmas eve and ate dinner at midnight on Christmas morning. Then my friend and I played Santa and Mrs. Claus and we gave the presents to the children of the family.

New Years Eve was a blast as well. The tradition is to wear a new white dress, and luckily I had bought a cheap one a couple days before New Years. I spent the time leading up to New Years with my family. It was a very religious New Years. My host uncle gave a sermon and we sang hymns all night. I enjoyed learning some Portuguese hymns. Then at midnight we went upstairs to watch the fireworks that were going off on the beach. After midnight I went to the beach with my brother and his friends. Everyone goes to the beach on New Years.

As for health, I was diagnosed on New Years with an ear infection, but the doctor prescribed ear drops to me and my ear was better after a week.

My Rotary club had a Christmas barbeque, and that was a lot of fun. The people in my Rotary club are very welcoming of me and always make me feel like part of the group.

Nothing has been going on in school. Summer vacation will be ending soon and school will be starting up in early February.

I´ll also be switching families soon. I´m suprised that I´ve already spent almost 3 months with my second family.