6 Days 'Til Take-Off!

So, I am finally back in the Sunshine State with my friends, family, and most importantly, my fiance :) After two long months away I could not wait to finish up the Spring semester and get back to one of my favorite places in the United States. Humberto is busy working while I am busy getting all of our reservations ready for hotels, figuring out how we are getting around and all of those fun details.

The goodbyes in Nashville, however, were hard. I am going to miss my CLAS family and my sobrinha mais lindinha, Anne Claire. If you have been living inside of a box, you might not know that Nashville also just experienced some incredibly destructive flooding (visit The Tennessean's Website for more information, photos, etc...). I am lucky that I wasn't personally affected as my apartment was in the middle of town, but up just enough that the flooding was not severe. Also, my mother arrived to help me pack just before the storm started, so I had some company though out the tornado warnings and thunderstorms. We managed to get by with a case of beer and classic mother-daughter bonding.

I am, however, partially packed for the trip to Brazil. We leave on May 12 in the evening for Panama and then are going to stay there for a night, head to Manaus, stay another night, and then make our way to Humberto's town of Ji-Paraná, which is located in the interior of Brazil, in the officially named "Reigão Norte" or Northern Region.

We spoke with his parents last night and they can barely contain themselves. His father says he is clearing more land for the party that they will be holding in our honor (as well as his wife's birthday which happen to be the same day!!) and also because, "nossa familia tá aumentando, né!" or our family is getting bigger! I giggled and replied, and hopefully soon, it will grow even more! (After I finish school and pay off some loans, of course.)

Anyhow, I am busy getting eye appointments made, running to the bank, getting copies of all of my important documents and organizing. I LOVE ORGANIZING FOR THINGS if you don't know me well, already. I enjoy getting papers in folders, making itineraries, finding maps, getting touristy information, contact numbers, and attempting to make contacts with people in foreign countries. Speaking three languages really facilitates the process.

The only big events coming up are Flavio's Birthday Bash which hopefully will be on Siesta Key this Sunday. Last year we went on a Booze Cruise which as absolutely a-m-a-zing. (see photo to the right... that picture is only one year old but I look so different now. I am so glad I got rid of those bangs and lost some WEIGHT!) I am excited to hang out with all the Brazilians and their friends and families before we head off next week. It's going to be an exciting 9 months, but also a long 9 months away from many people that I have grown to love and care for like family both in Sarasota and in Nashville.

On that note, I am going to find some hotel suggestions for Humberto and I as well as get some contact/emergency information made up for distribution. <3