Como se chega?!

Sao Paulo -how indeed did we get here...technically it was after a long day beginning at 9:00 am with a drive to Raleigh Durham Airport then a brisk flight to Miami followed by a brezzy layover and finally a long night flight to Brazil! However, the credit really goes to my boss, my co-workers and my family who helped me even make it onto the planes! Muito obrigada to all for helping out so I can experience this firsthand. Today is just the beginning with so much more to come but I can't wait as already we have had a brisk day tour around the city via car, eaten breakfast in Brazil at a cafe and have now finally checked into a hotel for some much needed downtime. Keep your eyes on the blog as it will soon beign to fill with fun new experiences from us all!

24 hours from now.....

.....I will be on my way to Leigh's house and from there we are going to link up with Jim and make our way to the airport! I'm still having packing issues, but I need all eight pairs of shoes (and it's a feat that I've been able to narrow it down to that!) so we will just have to work that out tonight.
The team has spent so much time on our presentation, brochures(an amazing job by Christina!), business cards(another great job by Beth!), language lessons(muito obrigada Nadi!) and more so we are anxious to get our adventure started.
I'm extremely thankful to Wayne Opportunity Center for their incredible support! (Hugs and kisses to John, Amy, Jackie, Heather, Brenda, Sarah and the George St. crew) Another big thank you to the Golden Eagles Rotary Club for their sponsorship. I am looking forward to dazzling you with my presentation upon return. Finally thank you to my family. Eu te amo and will be thinking of you everyday! Keep me in your prayers.
We will be posting updates while in Sao Paulo so check back often!

GSE Team District 4610 meets GSE Team District 7720!

2 weeks ...

Oi!

We met the in-bound team from Brazil this weekend during a great Rotary Distrcit 772o Conference in Williamsburg, VA. What a great group of ambassadors from Brazil. This group could not be more intelligent, engaging or friendly.

I personally look forward to catching them on the flip-side when we are in Sao Paolo!!!!!! There were hints dropped that we may have the opportunity to attend a soccer game with them ... how exciting ... a preview to the quickly approaching World Cup?!?!?

This program is a catalyst for building world-wide friendships, and all of us ... both the Brazilian District 4610 and District 7720 teams ... are lucky to be a part of this program.

Stay tuned ... we have pictures of our teams together and will post soon!

Check out their trip blog at http://ige2010nc.wordpress.com/

aqui vamos nós!!

Here we come! T-minus 3 weeks until we leave for Brazil.

I have been remiss in not contributing to the blog before now; however, a new job, buying a house and moving has been a bit time consuming. Never-the-less, here I am, excited and ready for the exchange.

Alicia alluded to my previous travel experience in an earlier blog entry. She was more than accurate in saying my passport is always ready. Of course there was a bit of panic just a few weeks ago when we thought the US Postal Service had misplaced my passport and potentially jeopardized getting my Visa. Major sigh of relief when it was located.

In preparation for my newest world experience, I find that I am reflecting on the wonderful places I've been blessed to visit, and the things that made each of them grab a special place in my heart. When you travel, people are always excited to see pictures and hear your great stories of adventure and exploration upon your return. Then they inevitably ask --- which place is your favorite of all?

Do I prefer Ghana over Ireland, or Italy to Ghana? Questions I'm unable to answer, as they are all uniquely perfect and memorable for entirely different reasons. In Ireland, it was the vibrant color and natural beauty of the land. In Ghana, it was the infectious grins of children who knew real happiness, despite little material possessions. In Italy, it was the food and wine ---oh the food and wine!!!

So what will "IT" be in Brazil? Stay tuned ...

Aprovado !

Tempo para celebrar! Our wonderful team leader Jim informed us today that our passports were returned approved with lovely Brazilian stamps. It's soo exciting to know that one more thing has fallen into place for our trip.

Aprendemos Português, bebê!

First of all CONGRATS to Beth! She's got a new gig with the NC Dept. of Revenue and we are so happy for her! Unfortunately, this means we will be seeing a little less of her, but as a team we will make sure Beth doesn't miss out on anything.
Last night we met and turned over our documents to Jim who will secure our VISAs. Brazil is even closer now and I feel myself getting more excited by the day. We also met with our language tutor last night. It was a great session and I could feel the anxiety leave the room. We are all very committed to representing ourselves and Rotary well, so getting a decent understanding of the language will be a significant part of that. Hopefully, our hosts will appreciate the effort and talk really, really, really slowly! :)
My favorite word that we learned last night coelho (pronounced: coh-eh-yo). It means rabbit, which has absolutely nothing to do with anything in particular, I just like the way it sounds!! Can't wait to learn more!
Boa Tarde!!