First Impressions

I like Brasilia. We both do. We have been received very well by both the school and the citizens of Brasilia. Everyone has been helpful - friends, our doorman, store owners, school employees, etc. I have limited use of the Internet at this time as we are still awaiting ours to be set up in our apartment, so unfortunately I don't have the time to write out in detail all of my first impressions and how I feel about what I know about the city and how I feel living here; however, I can list briefly my first impressions of the first five days in this city.

• The airport was designed well and and the weather was perfect (we arrived at 10 a.m.); the airport smelled sweet and it was busy once we got out of baggage claim
• My boss was smiling and yelling "Bem-vindo" to us like she was very excited to see us. Nice reception
• Our neighborhood is quiet, calm, and yet it has all kinds of stores, restaurants, bars, cafes, and grocery stores within walking distance
• Yes, Brasilia is expensive. We must have paid over $20 for a scratching post for the cat
• The weather is DRY but it's sunny and the sky is blue and during the day the sun is out and it's warm (can get very cold at night, though)
• Brasilia is very organized with sections for everything - from embassies to hotels to the ministries
• No one asks where I'm from, why I'm in the city - they're just helpful and talkative
• Our next door neighbors are an older couple who have directed us on where to make copies of keys, where to find certain stores, and even to tell us that the vet will make house visits. They're very nice
• OUR CAT IS LIKE A MOVIE STAR. People LOVE him. They can't believe how big and beautiful he is. Even the doorman wants to meet the "famous Sebastian"
• The metro and bus stops are near us, but we don't need them on a daily basis. Friends come and pick us up, take us out, and are very generous and kind
• The school is also close by and the lunch that's served there is delicious (and healthy)

I have so much to add, but I'll have to save that for a later time. I have family to talk to and E has friends to call. Our Magic Jack works like a charm.

Oh yeah, my Kindle somehow got "destroyed" during the flights and won't turn on. But I was able to call Amazon and they'll send a replacement to my parents who will ship it to me.

Everything else is going well for us. We have an extra room and will be expecting visitors soon...