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Oi! My first journal of my travel experience. My oh my. So far so good. Everything has gone pretty smoothly. Saying good bye to my family was hard, sad, and scary. I had to go through the security spot all by myself and I had no idea what I was doing and I was emotional. This is not a good combination at an airport security check in. Needless to say I was pulled aside and felt up by a not small African American lady. At first I thought it was standard procedure, but then I realized no one behind me was going through this process, so I was then embarrassed for being an inexperienced spaz.
The flight from Norfolk to Charlotte was short and not super exciting. I sat next to a Radiologist who was headed to Ft. Lauderdale on a business trip. Then, from Charlotte to Rio I sat next to a Brazilian named Ricky who definitely looked like a UFC fighter. This man was jacked, but very friendly. He moved from Curitiba to Orlando, and was coming back to visit with his family. Ricky was a perfect example of a Brazilian because he gave me the phone numbers of his niece and nephew in case I needed help or anything. Brazilians are very nice and helpful. The 13 hour flight went smoothly and I slept for most of it. Upon arriving in Rio, I was sort of expecting to see purple skies and pink grass. Haha. I don't know why exactly, but I just assumed it was another world. However, the grass was green and the sky was the same blue it is at home. It has been extremely warm and I came in with sweatpants. I am sure I stood out.
Going through Customs was no sweat and I got all my luggage and was able to transport it using a FREE cart. In America, we charge for carts, but here they do not. :) Managing the cart was fun and when I came out towards the airport exit, all of these ladies in booths were talking at me about taxis. I thought that there was a shuttle that took me from the international airport in Rio to the Santos Dumont in Rio, but there was not. So, I got a taxi and did not understand what was going on. My cart was taken from me and then put into an SUV taxi. I was really sketched out, but I saw other Brazilian looking people getting in taxis too, so I felt that this was alright. I made it safely to Santos Dumont, but then had to check in... I did not know what line to get into, so I just got into one. I got up to the check in after waiting a good twenty minutes or so and it was the wrong line. The check in people did not speak English and I was not sure what exactly to say in Portuguese. Thankfully, a woman walked by and started talking and pointing at me. Then, she helped me get my luggage and she had me follow her. I am very vulnerable seeing as how I do not know the language well nor do I know where I am going. Again thankfully, though, she was just being her lovely Brazilian self. She helped me find someone who spoke English and I was able to check in four hours early. Now I am sitting around the airport waiting for my flight. Again not super exciting, but this is my journey and I hope to continue to share it.
Ashley
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