The bus stop, where I was spending much of my time.

A couple weeks back, I had to make a touch decision about my living situation.  I loved living with my Brazilian family, Susana, Hugo, and Daniel.  Everynight, I could plop down on the couch with them and unwind, watch Brazilian soap operas with Daniel, discuss feminist literature with Susana, and enjoy home-made drinks by Hugo. They cared for me like my own family and we got along famously. The only glitch was that they live in a neighborhood from which it is rather tricky to reach the beach by public transportation.  I was spending one and a half hours every day to get to the beach, and another one and a half hours every day to get home.  At first it was an enriching exercise in patience and slowing down the pace of my life.  But after a month, even with employing a Zen Buddhist outlook, 3 hours a day on public transit seemed too much.  Since my adventure and project were about surfing, it seemed to make sense to

On my surf bike with my new digs in the background.

relocate closer to where the waves were breaking.

So, with their blessings, I have recently relocated to a friendly hostel close to Joaqina beach.  Hugo lent me his bike, which he only uses in the summer, and I got a little surf rack to put on it.  Now I can get to Joaqina in 10 minutes on my bike.  If the waves are better elsewhere, I am also just  10 minutes by bike or bus from 3 other surfing breaks which work well on different wind and swell directions.  Vida Boa!

With my dear friends Daniel, Susana, and Hugo, after eating many oysters!

I still visit and keep in touch with my familia Braziliera, and I am eternally grateful to them for their kindness to me!  To celebrate our time together, we went for oysters at the famous Riberao da Ilha.  (seafood as fresh as you can get it, you can look out off the waterfront veranda to the farm where they grow the oysters!) Here I am with my Brazilian Family!