There were times when the sharp sound of a Duolingo notification would bring me a nonsensical amount of dread. Still, the idea of showing up to a new country and not even knowing basic sentences beyond “onde fica o banheiro”, was worse. I will say I am thankful for Duolingo teaching me “formiga” or ant, as I was able to communicate to our lovely waitress that the table was overrun by muitas formigas on the first night we arrived leaving me with a nonsensical sense of accomplishment. 

As a master planner and lover of music, I managed to snag tickets to Boiler Room in Rio de Janeiro a couple of weeks before my departure, being that I had gone to the one in New York City earlier in the year, being ecstatic for a night full of Brazilian funk was an understatement. 

Now, I won’t lie: when we first arrived at the venue, it was raining (lightly), and the music wasn’t hitting the way I had imagined, not to mention the annoying clouds of tobacco filling the air. I decided to scope out the scenery, buy an alcoholic beverage; I had zero intention of drinking beyond three sips, grab some french fries, and wait out some of the rain under an awning crowded with gorgeous alternative baddies left and right, smoking, talking, and laughing.

As the night continued, I met some English-speaking cuties from Sao Paolo (who kindly corrected my Portuguese), where we bonded over our shared love of modern-day music icons like Tinashe, FKA Twigs, and Kelela. Our oh-so-kind friends then suggested we head onto the stage and meet their other friends. 

As we all bopped to the music and shared a few hellos, I was tapped on the shoulder by an Italian cutie showering me with compliments and offering me to get to the DJ booth (an iconic place to be at any Boiler Room set).I mean what was a girl to do, but say yes and take advantage of a man not afraid to push through the crowd? Ultimately it was worth it (wow!); squeezing to the front and hearing Aja Ibeji and Glau — throwing ass in the rain was a feeling I will never forget like 10/10. Ugh, to be in your 20s and dance your heart out while watching the sunrise in Brazil is every girl’s dream.

As a self-proclaimed foodie, I couldn’t help but feel extremely disappointed by the food in Rio de Janeiro. Less than three restaurants were able to satisfy my expectations — the rest… left me in disbelief to think such a beautiful city could miss the mark.. genuinely heartbreaking to a girl like me.

As far as places that impressed me, the Moecillin Steakhouse in Barra da Tijuca was astounding. The plethora of meats served was flavorful and HOT, unlike a famous Brazilian chain that served mediocre everything (you know who you are). 

Another pleasant surprise was found at BIBI Sucos in Leblon, a juice bar serving fresh smoothies, juices, and acai bowls. I ordered the “Farm Juice,” and my simpleton palette was jumping for joy for an icy blend of strawberries, lemon, and hibiscus. Don’t quote me, I can’t find the menu for reference.

One of my all-time favorite pastimes is going to botanical gardens whenever I travel; I always make it my mission to visit and get a glance at the local flora and fauna (oooooh). 

The Botanical Garden of Rio de Janeiro [top middle] was beautiful and amazingly huge. Unfortunately for me, it was scalding that day, and not even a pair of Nike Dri-Fit shorts and a short-sleeve cotton t-shirt couldn’t wick away the madness, leading me to a short lunch detour into a local pizza restaurant, Ella Pizzaria serving decent pizza for Brazil, was less than 600 ft from one of the many entrances to the garden.

This photo [top left corner] is one of my favorites I took on my entire trip, taken from the balcony of my Airbnb; I just felt so much gratitude (I love that word, so get used to it) and awe of the sweeping views of Sugarloaf Mountain and Christ the Redeemer especially during a gorgeous sunset, something I have been missing dearly since my move to the Northeast.

Name one thing better than a beautiful sunset… (and don’t say sunrise, ha!) This was another photo I took from the balcony of my Airbnb in the beautiful hills of Laranjas; seriously, I’ve never been wowed by a location like this. It was here that I got a real moment to go, “whoa I’m in Brazil!”.

One more thing: Want to know a niche secret for a seat upgrade? Fly alone and be very kind and patient to the attendants at the gate desk, then maybe you’ll be lucky enough to be upgraded because a family wants to sit together on your 10 hour flight. Of course I elected to be randomly seated and let the American Airlines goddesses bless me with a tolerable seat.