The Heart of Brasil.....

....is Embu! We were told all about the arts and crafts that Embu is known for, but I was not prepared for the sheer volume! The streets are covered with vendors who have lovingly painted, sewed or crafted something by hand for sale. The prices were unbelievable which explains why all of us need to buy extra luggage to get all of our purchases back to the states. Even better than the shopping were the people! As soon as I got out of the car in Embu I am greeted by my host family and the lovely matriarch says, This is your brother. Vinicius, help your sister with her bags. (SHOUT OUT TO VINICIUS!) That is just a small example of how immediately the people of Embu wanted us to feel welcomed and like a part of the family. As a matter of fact ALL of the brasileiros we have met have been amazing. You are greeted with hugs and kisses as if you are seeing old friends again. And for a southern girl like me that works just fine! :)

Also while in Embu we were introduced to churrascaria which is basically a never ending feast of meats that are perfectly seasoned and cooked to perfection over a fire. The nights were filled with fun, dancing, food and caipirinhas (hehe, google it!)

Embu felt like a refreshing visit with family and I am so thankful to all the Rotarians and friends of Rotarians who gave us space to relax, relate and reflect! Now I feel ready for our upcoming week.

Here is what we have coming up:

-the zoo

-a visit to Santos

-the Sao Paulo Stock Exchange, Commodities and Futures Exchange

-Saint Bento Monastery

-Latin American Memorial

-Portuguese Language Museum

-Pinacoteca Museum

-Estaçao da Luz

-Pateo do Colegio

-Rio Branco High School

As you can see we have lots to look forward to and I am equally excited to meet the Rotarians who are taking time out of their schedules to join us during this week. MUITO OBRIGADA!!

Stay tuned yall!