July 13

After a very exciting dance class, meeting my new host mom and sister, I completed the first night in Brazil!! Waking up Thursday morning smelling breakfast by my mom, I was ready to start the day. After a plate of scrambled eggs, fresh pineapple, and caju juice, I was out the door for our first day of class at the Federal University of Bahia.

After a quick walk to the church, and a car ride to the school, we were met with fruit and cakes and then began to meet the speakers for today-Dr. Mota, Dr. Nery, Dr. Márcio Natividade and Dr. Luis Eugenio. Today’s topic focused on Collective Health and after hearing the speakers, collective health is an aspect of health that encompasses more than just the medical. With health being a duty of the state and a right to its citizens, health care is provided through a free public service for the citizens.

Once home for lunch, my mom had made me a well balanced meal including chicken, tangerine juice, a salad, french fries, fresh fruit and water. After fueling up, I then headed to our survival Portuguese class. Our Portuguese teacher, Laryssa, taught us how to introduce ourselves, important phrases, and the alphabet.

There was no time to waste after the Portuguese class, because there was a Panoramic Tour scheduled with Freddy. We saw so much of Salvador like the lighthouse, Casa de Yemanja, Sorveteria Da Ribeira, and ending the tour viewing Basilica Santuario Senhor Do Bonfim. Senhor do Bonfim is the poorest church in Salvador but the most important church. The artwork inside of the church was made by Africans that the Portuguese brought over.

Ending the night with a beautiful sunset, we were off to dinner at Boi Preto (kind of like Fogo de Chao). Boi Preto had such a wide variety of food including sushi, sashimi, salads, risotto, beef, pork, chicken, and salmon.