BRAZIL

From June 17 - July 1, Chelsee and I traveled around Brazil and played soccer with the Concorida Women's Soccer Team. The trip was amazing! Despite the Brazilian schedule (time is purely a guideline) we managed to pack in plenty of time on the field and left some for sightseeing around the country.









The trip started off on a bit of a rocky note - our flight to Brazil was unexpectedly canceled and we were stuck in Miami for a night. The hotel we were sent to was not ready for a group of 30, so we were actually only in the rooms for about an hour before heading back to the airport at 4 a.m.







We trained in Salesopolis, a suburb of Sao Paulo, at the BFUT institute for the first week of the trip. The campus was beautiful! Our playing field was set apart from everything else and surrounded by, what we referred to as, "the jungle." Our trainer, Thedeau, was extremely intense but the team seemed to learn a lot from him - it may have been out of fear, however, as he did threaten to kill us regularly if our basic knowledge of soccer slipped our minds at any time.







We trained twice a day almost every day and in between sessions we had some things set up for us to do - one of which was planting trees. Thedeau went with us and insisted that we plant a tree with love: dig a whole, gently cover the tree with dirt, NAME your tree, KISS your tree, and give it some water. Hmmm... Meet our tree, Baby Austin. (creative Chelsee...)










Brazil's winter is during our summer so the weather wasn't the best while in Sao Paulo. They don't get snow but they do get A LOT of rain! This picture was taken across the street from a restaurant we ate at in the city on our way
to Santos to play our toughest game of the trip.












Concordia College vs. Santos Soccer Club


Hmm...
1.) It was down pouring the entire game
2.) 6 of their players were preparing to head to China for the OLYMPICS!
3.) 10 of the players are currently on the U-18 NATIONAL Team!
4.) ...we learned a lot... or something...





RIO DE JANEIRO



The waves on Copa Cabana were breaking hard all day. We had to keep going further down the beach so we wouldn't get in trouble by the lifeguards. We assumed that they were telling us to get out of the water. The only work we really picked up on was 'loco'... hmm... Crazy Americans!

We took a gondola to the top of Sugar Loaf just in time for sunset. The view was breathtaking!

It's hard to see, but the Christ statue is off in the distance of this picture.









We had some time on the beach at night and decided to try some coca water. It didn't really taste like a whole lot but apparently it's a nasty laxative so it was more of a personal prop in the tropical paradise for the night!












Chelsee also decided that night to try her luck with the tide that night... needless to say, SHE LOST! She actually ended up with water up past her knees. Apparently the ocean wasn't listening when she yelled at it to not get her wet. Riiight...















Cristo Redentor - "Christ the Redeemer"







125 ft. statue of Jesus




















This was on the way back down the mountain. Chelsee got sick that day, so the faster we could get back to resting, the better. The was a quickly taken (and unappreciated) photo!

























I think I may have overdosed her on cough meds that day... oops!





At the Maracana entrance (one of the MOST famous soccer stadiums in the world!)


















































The 2014 World Cup is to be held in Brazil so many changes have been made to the stadium since the last time I was there.










Our wonderful coaches took time away from their busy schedules to pose on the Maracana stadium pitch for a picture... nice faces huh?!?











Chelsee especially enjoyed Brazil's obsession with 80's music! She was constantly singing in the restaurants! She and a Britt karaoked "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Huston one night and the locals LOVED them! (We were a little more hesitant to encourage some of the notes they were hitting!)





ILLA GRANDE




The last two days of the trip we spend just relaxing on the beautiful island of Illa Grande. The resort we stayed at was so amazing! We took a 5 hour bus ride from Rio to the port and then a 45 minute boat ride to get to the island.


We got up early and headed out to go scuba diving. Chels and I didn't go - neither of us were feeling very well. The weather was beautifully HOT and the water was fairly warm. Chelsee decided to lower herself in off the back of the boat and swim around with the rest of the girls... no cannonballs for her that day!

We really were in a tropical paradise!

Our scuba instructor grilled for us that evening. It was the best food we ate the entire time we were there! He slow grilled different meats that he first rolled in rock salt. He also made fish that was very tasty!