Old friends

What an exciting day! I received a package in the mail from my mom's host family in France! She lived with them in 1998, right after high school - and despite how bad my mom is at keeping in touch, they found me and sent me this cute little dress and other great presents. Comme je suis adorable! Merci beaucoup, Danielle et Joel. Je vous enverrai un petit mot par courrier bientôt!

The very same day, I was thrilled to meet Evelyn and Carlos, from Chile. Evelyn and my mom studied together in 2001, in the environmental sciences program at the Universidad de Chile. Here we are at the Parque Celso Daniel in Santo André.



Here are some things Evelyn and Carlos liked in Santo André:

O Rei da Tapioca....cheap and tasty tapioca (pancakes typical of the Brazilian Northeast), very hygenically prepared in the Tapioca King's car. You know it is tapioca time when the jingle plays from the loudspeaker on the car's roof and kids start lining up in the street.


Taking me out to the bars....

Hanging out with friends at the Parque Central.



Going to a huge Festa Junina with a crowd of neighbours, including about 10 kids between us, and walking home together late. See the photos of the Festa Junina that my dad and our neighbours organize every year on the Prestes Maia Apartment Complex blog.



And visiting Paranapiacaba, the charming historic town nestled in the mountains between Santo André and the coast.
We climbed up to a look-out, from which we could see the port of Santos and the ocean.

And saw the sunset....and walked down in the dark!