Vino in Brazil - Miolo Winery

We went on a wine & congac tasting tour. In Brazil they yield the grapes 3 times per year due to weather conditions! Good times and good vino.

Lunch on the Sao Fransisco River (the Brazil version of the Nile)

The big meal/dinner is lunch in Brazil. However, my host families have made every meal a HUGE meal! Every time you think you're plate is clean they bring more! The food has been wonderful.

Visited a free clinic in Olinda

This was similar to a U.S. Medicaid clinic. The equipment, medication & technology is about 20 years behind the U.S. I met a little boy with burns all over his body. He had very little pain medication. This makes me appreciate the medical care we have in the states. It was very eye-opening.

Lost in Translation

We had our presentations and brochures translated by some of the Brazil Rotary exchange students. We thought this would be a nice gesture. Upon arriving and speaking with a GERMAN (who speaks portuguese & english) he informed us that our brochure is FULL of spelling errors! My bio has 17 misspelled words and it's one of the better translations. This picture is of Lukas (the German) correcting the errors in our brochure. I guess it was the thought that counts! We laughed so hard over this one.

Give Thanks

Some of the poverty and homeless have pulled on my heart.  We spent time at an orphanage and Rotary sponsored village in Petrolina. The children & parents were living on the streets in cardboard boxes and selling trash. I wanted to take this little girl home with me! This was very hard to see.

Love in any language

Originally we thought we were going to be placed in English speaking homes. However.... plans changed! When we landed in Petrolina we were greeted by some of the most warm and welcoming people. HOWEVER only a few spoke english! My host family of 5 spoke NONE! We have had a lot of laughs and hand signals! BUT the warmth, love, and hospitality I have received from my home can be translated regardless of the language gap. My host sister (i live with her tia) began to cry this evening. She said to a translator Im going to miss you. I love you. Precious!

Had Lunch on a beautiful balcony

The food was amazing! I won't be losing any weight if the trip tastes like today's lunch in Olinda! It was a wonderful buffet with fruit and pasta dishes.

Said a prayer

We toured two cathedrals in Olinda today. One was built in the 1500's. The presence was amazing! I said a prayer for many of my loved ones. I love you & miss you all!

Played some soccer

Our host's Grandfather played a major role in building the Olinda footeball (soccer) stadium/club. We had a private tour. We have been treated like royalty. Every establishment has rolled out the red carpet for us.

Our digs in the Recife Praia Hotel

Upon our arrival the host family set us up in a hotel Sunday night. It was nice to have some quiet time after 24 hours of travel. Monday we plan to see the sights of Olinda & Recife. Following our action-packed day of sight seeing we hop a plane to Petrolina (10pm Monday  night). Based on the taste of our first dinner I might lose a few lbs. Coconut crab on a bed of rice sounded good.... but not so much.

Thomas the traveler

Upon boarding my plane I was introduced to a 10-year old little boy named, Thomas. For a brief moment he appeared to be shy. Thomas was flying solo from Grand Rapids to visit his father in Atlanta, GA. Once the seat belts were fastened we were fast friends. Our chats consisted of video gaming systems, drawing, and listening to my ipod. He shared his candy with me. I shared my gum, ipod and, pen. As we landed in Atlanta he left me with a note and a drawing of my dream house. I gave him my Rotary business card. We sang, we laughed, we sketched, we talked, we arrived. It was a short, but sweet friendship. Something tells me this trip will be filled with many more short but lasting friends.

Vacuum Packed and Brazil Bound

Due to the nature of our travels we were a bit restricted with the amount of luggage we could bring. 1 suit case for a month = wardrobe crisis for Lester. Upon processing this I began brainstorming for solutions. One stroll thru Bed, Bath & Beyond and problem solved. The space bag infomercial got the best of me. Hook, line, and sinker. I was sold! I drove home from the store, ran in the door, and started feverously sucking air out of my clothes. Upon sealing the clothing-filled bags they resembled a vacuum packed bag of beef jerky. My clothes look like they could fit a small infant. I have a plethora of clothing options that have more wrinkles than a sharpae puppy; BUT they fit in my suit case! 57 lbs later, I'm on the plane heading to Brazil!