I Am No Damsel in Distress

Jan 3rd to Jan 11th
After a fourth day of rain in Rio, I started to get tired of the weather. The fact that the hostel I was staying at was small and

overcrowded didn't help either. So when my dads best friend, Nino, invited me to his place in southern Brasil, I jumped at the opportunity. One cab, and two short plane rides later I arrived in Florianopolis! Florianopolis, or Floripa as it is often called, is a small island off the coast on Santa Catarina (Brasil's second most southern province). Known for its beautiful beaches and surf, the island is always packed with Brasilian tourists during the summer.

Now, if you've known me for a long time, I'm sure you've heard me talk about my Italian Uncle Nino. To say the least, Nino has a certain joie de vivre that could rival Hugh Hefner's. He has lived all over the globe, and turned his sights four years ago to Brasil and its women. He, his girlfriend and their beautiful, two year old son live in Floripa at a downtown apartment by the boardwalk.
















Shortly after my arrival, Nino and his family had to leave for Salvador on business. Luckily, they were kind enough to let me stay at their home and use their car while they were gone. Unfortunately, the morning before they left, we got into two car accidents. Ninos driving reminded me that Brasilian are not the craziest drivers on the planet; Italians, by far, take the cake! Fortunately both accidents were in parking lots and only one involved Nino behind the wheel. The other one involved his two year old son - don't ask!

Although the car was banged up, the clutch was loose and the wheels made this screeching getaway noise as I turned every corner,

I had no problem driving the car. I spent the next week driving around the island and exploring its various beaches. I also tried surfing again. but in much rougher water, which was great!

Unfortunately, the latter part of my stay wasn't as great as I had foreseen. I was nearly sexually assaulted (fortunately my 7 years of Karate training scared him off...ok, more like my impeccable vocal skills), and I lost much of my adventurous spirit. I also found out that my job in Salvador had fallen through and became skeptical about my future in Brasil. After waiting over 4 days to hear from STI about other job possibilities, I decided to head back to Rio and look for my own alternatives.

Praia

Brasilian Geography and Demographics

As one travels south in Brasil, one finds less violence, less poverty and less diversity. Santa Caterina and Rio Grande do Sul are states that were mostly populated by recent European immigrants, many of whom were from Italy and Germany. Even today, some smaller towns retain German as their primary language!

My original intent for this trip was to spend most of my time in Bahia, a state in Brazil's northeast. In Bahia things are more influenced by the Portuguese colonial era. A large percentage of the population is black, and many of the cultures and customs have strong African origins. Hopefully, if all goes well, I will be there shortly.

Floripa lagoon and sand dunes