Greetings from Sao Paulo! We are just over three weeks in and I am falling in love with the city. It is very busy but the people are so friendly and we have made many friends. We are a subway ride away from FIFA Fan Fest, and it is by far my favorite place to watch the games. It is always packed with diehard fans that throw their beer in the air when a goal is made! No matter where you are in the city, you will always hear fireworks and cheering.

My research is going really well. I work with colorblind patients and am usually running tests (CAD and CCT) on them throughout the morning in a clinic. In the afternoons, I work in a lab and take their blood to extract the DNA. Next week, I will be working on gene sequencing on both colorblind and control patients. I have always been dead set on one day becoming an optometrist, however this experience has made me realize that I may actually prefer working on the research side--in a lab!

It seems as if I have developed a nickname in our Pousada (given to me by one of our Brazilian friends). It’s “The Grinch.” Why? Not because I stole Christmas or because my heart grew 10x, but because my hair has started to turn green. After some research (and a little harmless teasing from my lab group), I found that it’s most likely due to copper in the shower water. At least it’s Brazil themed. (: