The Final Countdown

The odyssey that has been acquiring my visa is over and I have emerged victorious. Now I have photocopied seemingly thousands of documents and credit cards and IDs, gotten my yellow fever vaccine and malaria tablets, bought my first pair of Chacos, stocked up on toiletries, eaten my weight in Tex-Mex (how I'll miss it), checked the weather (72 degrees and thunderstorms this whole week), and found out who my host family is going to be.

She is actually a single woman, 37 years old, living in a two bedroom apartment in a neighborhood called Pinheiros, which is supposed to be very cool and bohemian and happening. Her name is Ana Paula de Freitas, a psychologist and human resources headhunter, and, gathering from our correspondence, she seems wonderful and warm and smart and I'm really relieved/excited to be living with her. She studied at Cambridge and also lived in LA for a few months when she was younger, so she speaks English well. Thankfully, she also shares my aversion to seafood. Hooray!

Débora has said that she will pick me up at the airport, which is nice. She's been an extremely helpful contact in so many ways. Apparently her friends and family are dying to meet me. Got some amigos in the bag already! Score.

Flying to Newark Friday afternoon, then to São Paulo that night, arriving Saturday morning. I think this is my last North American post, so I'm sure I will have a lot more interesting stuff to say next time.

Beijos!