Kestral Johnston - Já quartro meses....

So, it's already been four months in Brazil. All I have to say is wow. This country continues to amaze me, the people, the landscape, the way of life. And yet, it's all the same. I always find it strange to think about another language as the way it is. How as certain and correct as English sounds to me, there is also a certain and correct Portuguese. I will hopefully get to that point which both are that way.

During this past month I had my birthday. Whoo hoo 17! I had a small birthday party with my friends from school and the people from Rotary. There was so much food, I can't even describe it. So here is the Brazilian birthday party song lyrics. Of course, you can't just sing, you must also clap and then repeat, but faster.

My host mom and godmother with me at my party

Parabéns pra voce
Nesta data querida
Muitas felicidades
Muitos anos da vida

Happy Birthday to you
On this day, dear
Best wishes
Many years of life

I also got to travel with my host family to two of the most magical places in the world: Pantanal and Bonito. For those who aren't familiar with Pantanal, it is one of the world's largest wetland areas and reaches across 2 states in Brazil, parts of Paraguay, and parts of Bolivia. It's quite tropical and has an array of different animals such as toucans (tucano), parrots (araras), alligators (jacaré), tuiuiú ( symbolic bird of Pantanal), capybaras (capivaras), and many other animals. In the city of Bonito, I got to go on a tour called Boca da Onça that had 9 waterfalls and 4 places to swim. I also got to swim in the famous crystal clear water of Bonito. It was absolutely amazing.

Giant tree

Macaco!

Boca da Onca waterfall, highest in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul

In other words....American Kestrel :)

Tatú, the official mascot of the 2014 World Cup

Capybaras

Gruta do Lago Azul, most visited place in Bonito

Snorkeling down Rio Sucuri

On a boat with my host family

My host mom and I swimming in the Boraco do Macaco waterfall

Boraco do Macaco

Bem vindo ao Pantanal!

Arara azul (blue parrot)

Jacaré (Alligator)

Arara vermelha (red parrot)

Swimming with the fish... piraputangas to be exact

I hope everyone had great holidays and everyone is enjoying the cold weather. Summer just started here and it's so hot! ( 90+ degrees F) Tudo de bom pra vocês durante as feriás, beijos s2

Last day of school....