Sullivan, (above) lonely and looking for “The Girl from Ipanema.”
Daniel Sullivan, Steds junior, is studying abroad in beautiful Brazil. Let's hear what's going on south of equator...
St. Ed: How are you getting along in Brazil, the largest Spanish-speaking country?
Sullivan: They speak Portuguese.
St. Ed: Yes, of course. Still, how is your Spanish coming along?
Sullivan: They say that most communication is
non-verbal and that helps. For example, I've heard this idiom from many, and
it goes something like this: "A gente deve esfaquear o gringo e depois
jogar o corpo no rio." Now, that's a mouthful, but based on the attentive
stares and intense body language that comes with it, it can only mean one
thing: "Welcome! We're glad you're here."
St. Ed: Is it true? Is Carnival celebrated
every weekend, or does it just feel like it is?
Sullivan: A14-year-old boy could buy a bottle of
whiskey from a diner at 11 a.m. with half a day's wages and a dream. Americans
live to work, Europeans work to live, and Brazilians don't work at all. But
they sure know how to party!
St. Ed: From your picture, it looks like you
have taken time from your rigorous academics to enjoy a few of the famous beaches
of Brazil?
Sullivan: I have. There's definitely an
adjustment to be made to the more relaxed come-to-class-whenever-you-feel-like
attitude of my peers and my professors. Thankfully, I have been able to make the adjustment.
St. Ed: What do you miss from home?
Sullivan: I'm definitely missing clean drinking water
and the streets free of feral dogs, but I also miss St. Ed's, Chipotle, and
that South Bend skyline. Of course, you can't beat waking up under the
Dome.
Oh, to be a
student again…
