Recapping the End of the Fulbright Round 1 and Starting Round 2

If you were close to me last year, then you know that the second part of my grant was a very interesting time. Things were not always rainbows and butterflies while in Brazil, but I tried to make the best of it always. I stop posting on my blog about 7 months into the experience because of some challenging times. Things became very overwhelming and I was unsure how to post without bringing the situation into my posts.
On a brighter note, around August my dad came down to visit and we went on the amazing three week journey through Chile, Peru, Argentina, and Brazil. All of these files of the videos were too large to post, but I keep trying to anyway. While on vacation, they called for applications for fulbrighters to apply for leadership and renewal positions. This experience would allow me to return to Brazil for another year and teach at university again.  I applied for  in leadership position, hoping that I would be able to assist and helping a new group of Fulbrighters as they begin their journey in Brazil. It was a long process of completing an application, recommendations, creating sample preparations and materials, and an interview.  Although I did not receive the leadership position, I was offered a renewal position.
Last week we met in São Paulo with 120 fellows from across the u.s. to begin out Fulbright scholarship. It was an odd sensation having summer knows that I knew, and a lot of new faces to me. My region- centro-oeste (centro-beste) has been an accumulation of some very incredible people, whom I'm very excited to with with.
This week, my co-worker and I arrived in Brasilia to begin our placement, which is at
Instituto Federal de Brasília en Riacho Fundo. Our host program managers treated us to lunch and helped us explore the neighborhood that we way live in. Águas Claras has been a beautiful neighborhood, even with a large park, but it is quite expensive. This week has been devoted to trying to scout down furnished housing. Its been more stressful and tiring than I expected. I'm ready to meet our students Tuesday, but also very nervous!
Although this year has been easier returning to Brasil with knowing the basics of the language and culture, it is still been a difficult journey to be able to adjust to a new neighborhood, a new University, and a whole new part of Brasil.