Everyday Life in the City

This week came with a lot of rain. There were not any big outdoor adventures or excursions, just class as usual. The week was fairly quiet. These are some highlights.

On Sunday, one of the few days with no rain, I went to the market fair in Ipanema. It is a fair that is held every Sunday. All over the square booths are set up where the locals sell all kinds of crafts and items. There are tee-shirts, dresses, wood carvings, paintings, jewelry, and so much more. Every day along the beach you can find people selling these types of goods, but Sunday is the day that they all come together to one place and set up. It was very neat.

This week I also experienced a couple of the country clubs in Rio. These are clubs where members can swim, take exercise classes, or just hang out. They are usually located in the wealthier neighborhoods and are exclusive to the general public. I first went with my host mother to Clube Militar located close to my home. There I exercised and hung out for awhile. I also went to Country Clube with her on another day. There we watched the American film “American Hustle” in the cinema. The clubs were very elegant and showed me a new side of Rio I hadn’t seen.

Later in the week there was a lot more rain. The rain caused more traffic than usual because nobody wants to walk. One of the days, our bus ride home took 3 hours!!! But the city handles the water well. The next day when the sky cleared up, there were no flooding problems or damage done.

With the rain, much of my time has been spent indoors, but the forecast for next week is much clearer! I am so ready for the sun!!