Wow! Did I get lucky with my home stay location, or what!?!?
My school, PUC-Rio, requires that International students live with a family during their time in Rio. I prefer this method of lodging anyway because it allows for the greatest learning opportunity with language and culture. It certainly has made me nervous over the last few weeks, because they give students the name and address of their host just a few days before departure! The street I will live on is tagged in the map above-just a short walk away from my University. It appears to be situated near a national park, and it is not far from the beach either. Also, the famous Christ the Redeemer statue is not far!
It appears I will be living in paradise. Before I depart, let me lay out some of the details about why I chose to go to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (besides the fact that it is the world's #1 ranked travel destination for 2014. That certainly doesn't hurt).
I have always loved languages, and I have studied French for most of my life. I knew coming to the University of South Carolina that I would be able to quickly finish a French minor. As my senior year of high school came to a close, I wondered whether or not I should try to tack on a second language. A friend of mine had an exchange student living with him that year from Switzerland. His name was Linus (Linus, if you find this blog, here's to you buddy). When I decided to study International Business, I asked Linus what language I should study. "Take Portuguain. Brazil has the growing-fastest economy in the world!" Linus offered this advice with confidence in his Swiss accent.
Silly as it may sound, that conversation was a defining moment for me, and it is the root of why I study Portuguese at USC. By the time I leave Rio, I hope to speak Portuguese just as well as Linus spoke English.
Oh yeah, and I'll be in Rio for most of the World Cup this summer. Stay tuned for that.
