Apparently people sleeping in the plaza in front of my apartment is not normal.

On Friday there was some sort of run in with the police and now they're all gone.

The actual reason that I'm posting twice in one week is because I must write about the graduation or “formatura” that I went to with my host parents last night. My host mom invited me because she thought it would be good to see a true Brazilian formatura. I went knowing there was good food to be had as part of the deal.

The Basics

Who: A girl named Amelia.
Where: Ritzy hotel
Dress Code: Prom. Like for real. Long ball gowns, 5 inch rhinestoned heels, strange hair extensions. The whole shebang.
Music theme: American Top 40's including “Halo” by Beyonce(a beautiful instrumental version complete with a flute) and “I Gotta a Feeling” by The Black Eyes Peas (which is played enough in Brazil to be their national anthem).

The ceremony began with a video set to music (“I Gotta Feeling”). The graduates appeared to be in a club where they were drinking and dancing in leopard and zebra print hats and feather boas. Throughout the video each member of the Real World Cast...erm....each graduate was introduced.

After the video there was a series of very long and boring speeches which no one paid attention to.
When the graduates finally came out it was wedding style, one at a time accompanied by a family member of their choosing. It took 3 playings of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”(ukulele version) and 4 playings of “Dust in the Wind”(a remix that I didn't recognize) to get through this.

The actual handing out the diplomas part was what my host mom wanted me to see. It was a little like Hickman graduation minus the paper wads and beach ball. As each graduate was called their families and friends, equipped with huge and loud noise makers would make as much noise as they possibly could for as long as they could stand it. This was fine except for the fact that a number of children had horns of their own and used them to make everyone around them miserable, including me.

At the end once everyone had their diplomas the lights in the room went out and were replaced by some techno-y red and green ones up front, “I Gotta Feeling” began to play for the thousandth time, silver confetti fell from the ceiling, a strobe light magically appeared and the students danced. This was my personal favorite part.

The reception was less exciting and only included a two man band and a table of delicious snacks but who is complaining? JJ another kid from the program was at the graduation and reception as well, small world. I returned home with my host parents at about 12:30am which is the latest I've ever seen them out.

I can't believe it's Sunday already. This weekend has wiped me out and it probably has to do with the me trekking through the rain all night on Friday and all day yesterday.. The Bahian attitude about rain (that it is the most terrible thing ever) is rubbing off on me. I will probably spend the greater part of today sleeping and am really quite alright with that. I'm trying to make a more conscious effort to enjoy the many opportunities I have to relax now that I will not have for the next year.

B