Brazilmania

After a long drawn out visa application process, I now have a nice thick passport (lots of new pages added) and a 5 year visa to Brazil (woohoo)! The reason, you may wonder, was another latin america team meeting to discuss the program. After a frustrating series of distractions we didn't end up getting anything done. I did, however, get 4 days in Sao Paulo to get acquainted with Portuguese and a 5 year visa to Brazil (woohoo), which ensures me more chances to actually get to see something.

Here is what I learned about Brazil in the short time I was there (in no particular order):
1. Brazilians like their buffet lunches.
2. Brazilians like their Bingo.
3. There is a HUGE Japanese immigrant population in Sao Paulo.
4. Portuguese and Spanish are pretty similar, but you have to pay close attention.
5. Spanish is closer to Portugal Portuguese than Brazilian Portuguese (so I was told).
6. Afro-Brazilian dance is a good workout and can be done to hip-hop as well as to tribal music.
7. Tapioca can, through some magic, be cooked into "tortillas" for salty or sweet foods.
8. People in Sao Paulo don't know how to deal with cold weather (everything's built for heat).
9. Sao Paulo is expensive.
10. Guarana (an Brazilian berry from the Amazon) is used to make Red Bull.
and one remaining question:
11. Why did the hotel have a sauna and heated pool in such a hot climate?

Here's a quick peek at the city: