Another shit day in paradise

As the high heals fell from my feet and my toes slid into the soft, flat, familiar havaianas, I couldn't help but feel at home after my week in nice clothes, long work days, and cooler Sao Paulo weather.  My skin still wet from the soothing sunscreen, I descended 9 flights to the ground floor of the apartment complex.  The doorman missing, I let myself out. A sense of warmth and laissez-faire attitude over came me.  With one havaiana touching ground and other soon to land, it wasn't three minutes that I was back, that a large, what appeared to be naked man side swiped me to the ground.  Feeling the moister of his belly sweat mixing with my sunscreen and from my new upward angle glancing at his once hidden sunga wedged between his butt, I knew I was home sweet home.  Rio has a fast way of welcoming you back to another, 'shit day in paradise'.

In fact, I believe I want to conduct a research experience of fat to sunga ratio.  The bigger the belly, the smaller the speedo. And I think that holds true for all genders.  But I will keep you posted on my results.

So here I am, post completion of my week long work experience in Sao Paulo.  And I loved it.  As it is nearing 1 am here I will keep this brief and write tomorrow about my experience.  However, in short, I spent my Sao Paulo days in the hospitals, holding lectures, sharing mock protocols, conducting research on fundamental nursing, and offering my observational analysis.  After work completed (7 am to 9 pm), I spent each night eating long dinners in some of the best restaurants in town, engaging in even longer conversations about the world.  Engrossed by the passionate opinions of my new found co-workers, I really learned about worldly views, personal experiences, and cultural differences.  The people I was so blessed to encounter there really opened up my eyes and my heart.   Being surround by those driven to make this world a better place, it becomes a contagious dream.  I really believe I have started my foundation for bringing about an international change to bettering the quality and longevity of transplant patients.  It has sparked a new found passion in me.

After Sao Paulo, I had my overnight stay in Rio.  Spending my day with my Aunt, I continued to have an emotionally evoking time.  I think being so moved from my Sao Paulo experience, with May 5th fast approaching, and my Aunt being the amazing person she is, it is easy to understand.  We spent the day shopping and the night eating snacks by the lake.  Getting eaten by mosquitoes and talking about my Mom and my amazing family.  When you think about it, with such strong examples before me I really have it easy.  My compassionate and generous Mom, my driven and undeterred brother, and my loving and supportive Dad, there is nothing I feel I can't accomplish in this world.

 The next day I hopped back on the plane and flew from Rio to Sao Paulo to Belem.  If anything these last few months, I am becoming an expert on airline peanuts.  Sadly this flight was soy beans.  Stepping off the plane, the 104 degree heat was a welcoming reminder of my new found reality.  With Belem transitioning into their 'summer months' I can only imagine the heat I will experience.  From the airport we went straight to a transplant meeting and ended our evening with good company, delicious food, and a breathtaking sunset over the Amazon River. Feeling like I hadn't seen Marcia and Mauricio in ages, we gossiped about Sao Paulo, shared our last few week's big events, and finally headed home to start another 'shit day in paradise'