Hey guys, I really don´t know if Im putting this in the right place, i just followed the signs for the blog so i hope its right! Had my first night with the host family and what a night! Yesterday i jetted up here to Fortaleza, spent the afternoon in a 5 star hotel, met my host family and went to a party with them. Experienced a completely different culture... I mean, it was an 18th birthday party and instead of singing the normal 'Happy birthday to you' song, they sang that (in portugeuse obviously) and then proceded in a medley of bithday related tunes. This was quite fun, but then they started putting their hands in the air and patting the air as if a person were just there in front of them, being patted for the duration of the song. I was quite scared...apparently though it is the custom for a catholic to be symbolicaly 'blessed' in this manner. The house we went to was very nice, very big and posh with a swimming pool. In the heat of the Brazilian night in my jeans and warm attire i felt rather hot though! The food and drink were plentiful, and whenever i took a sip of my 'sol' it was quickly refilled... i dont even like beer I met quite a few young people and Lino's family which was really cool, they all found it immensely funny when i spoke my fluent inventory of portugeuse, phrases such as 'muito bem', 'otimo' and 'obrigado'; being my most complicated phrases and as such i am extremely proud of them, were greeted with the most laughter. I think they are just jelous of my language aquisition skills. None of my family speak portugeuse apart from Lino, so this morning at breakfast they tried to expand my repetoire of linguistical abilities, however hard the task because of my already immense skills... words such as 'bread, and cheese' proved quite complicated wheras 'yoghut and coffee' proved easier since they are like the same words in English...why does this have to be the case?!
I must at this point apologise for the lack of blogging to date, however i endevour to rectifiy this slight problem now i am living with a real life computor for the next two weeks! I am told we will have more time for such tasks which should help. Basically though i have had a fantastic time in Brazil, i have already made great friends with some of the fellows and met some lovely Brazilian people. I am missing everyone already, but I know im going to have a great time with my family, they are already planning more parties (YAY!) and we are going to see one of the biggest football teams in Brazil play on tuesday with Salim's family i think, and we are going to the prai (beach) this afternoon. I think i love all aspects of Brazilian culture, apart from the very small danger of road safety. I do find crossing roads dangerous at the best of times in England, but here the red lights are not obeyed, cars speed up when you cross the roads, there seems to be no low and order on the roads, cars swapping 'lanes' willy nilly, and quite frankly i miss the peace and tranquility of British roads.
I must profess at this point that in actual fact i am finding the language hard, which doesnt help when what little bit you speak, you speak in a french accent. Hmm, will have to sort this out. I am really trying, but it just doesnt seem to be sticking... Anyway, me and Lino are going to be watching the formula one this morning, a little taste of home i suppose in this massive city of variety, beauty, mystery and well, im sure you've had enough at my attempt at being poetic.

I will try to write again soon,

Ciao!

Ahh the Formula 1 is in portugeuse, drat