You Can Take The Girl Out Of Cleveland...

... but you can't take the Cleveland out of the girl.

As demonstrated by my two different purchases of red, white, and blue screen printed Cleveland shirts. As if I needed more of those.

Setting my sights on Cleveland was one of the happiest things I've done in my entire life. And I've done a lot of really happy things in my life. 

I crammed a lot into 20 short days. I hugged my parents, I hugged my siblings, I hugged my cat, I hugged my new baby niece, I hugged my aunts and uncles and cousins, I hugged all of the people who I called family, I hugged my friends from Honduras, I hugged my friends from Ashland, I hugged some friends from Brazil, I hugged Slider. In retrospect, I did a lot of hugging.

So many Indians games. So many trips to Taco Bell and Dairy Queen and Panera. So many trips to Headlands and nights spent awake talking to friends and family. 

It wasn't a long trip, but it was a great trip. It wasn't a relaxing trip, but it filled my heart more than I imagined to be possible. Living in Brazil is awesome. Its a wonderful opportunity in a wonderful city filled with wonderful people. But there's something to be said for returning to the place where you grew up to the people who have been with you through everything.

And then only 20 short days after setting foot in Ohio, I was boarding a plane back to Rio. Back to caipirinhas and mate on the beach. Back to seeing monkeys on the street instead of squirrels. Back to another one of my beautiful homes.

Stitch Fix #2: The One Where Details Matter

Before we begin, you should actually understand Stitch Fix and how it works.

Stitch Fix is a monthly subscription box which sends hand-picked clothing right to your door. No awkward wandering around a store looking for someone to open the dressing room. No passing up items that you think you'll hate, but end up loving once you try it on. (You know it happens). The clothes come right to your door.

Intrigued? You should be. You go to the Stitch Fix website and create a profile. Answer some basic questions about what types of clothes you are looking for, what you feel most comfortable in, what you are trying to avoid, your price points, etc. Basically questions to get to know you and your style. Which is great, especially for someone like me, who has no sense of what their style is. I kind of like to rock the pencil skirt, but I'm BFFs with my yoga pants. Never fear. Based on your style profile, Stitch Fix assigns you a personal stylist who checks out your style and chooses 5 items to send you.

After receiving the box, you have three days to decide what you want to keep and what you want to send back. Want to send something back? No problem. Put it in the included (and pre-paid) return package and drop it in the mail. Easy. Want to keep something? Great! Each box costs a flat rate of $20 for the styling fee-- no questions asked. If you keep something, you can deduct that $20 from the total. If you keep all 5 things, you deduct the $20 styling fee AND get a 25% discount. Nice, right?

(Oh, and if you sign up, you'll get a referral code. If you share your referral code and someone uses it, you get a discount on your next box-- so share the love! If you click the link above, you'll be using MY referral code.)

I may be a little bit obsessed. I had my first Stitch Fix waiting for me when I arrived home from Rio. Instead of waiting a month to receive Fix #2, I promptly scheduled it for the first available date. I rationalize this madness by telling myself that since I'm only in the States one month out of the year, I'll only be able to receive Fixes twice a year and I need to make the most out of it while I can.

For my second fix, I asked my stylist for more bright colors and patterns as well as fabrics that won't make me melt in the Rio de Janeiro summers. I hinted at the fact that I would love more colored Emers as well as a funky kimono and the Roscoe top. As much as I would love to receive these specific items, I really just want more patterns and colors in my life.

So what did I receive?

 Brixon Ivy Steph Dress ($58)

Verdict: Returned

Living in Rio, I wanted to love this dress. It's lightweight, summer-y, and sooooo soft. The reality, though, is that I didn't love it. And for $58, I better love it. I wish that it had been a little more fitted as the style card suggests; shift dresses just don't look great on me. I liked the criss-cross back, but it was droopy, which I didn't love.

Tart Shaina Maxi Dress ($98)

Verdict: Returned

Another piece that I wanted to love, but just didn't. I want to be a maxi dress person in the same way that I want to be a shift dress person. The length was PERFECT and the fabric was soft as butter. I also really liked the colors and the pattern-- it was a pink, orange, and white chevron. But the v-neck with the empire waist just made me feel like I was breast-feeding. I also struggle with paying $40 for a maxi dress that I like, so I wasn't going to pay $98 for one that I didn't love.

Kut From The Kloth Iriss Twill Short ($58)

Verdict: Returned

I didn't ask for shorts in my profile because shopping for pants is a bit of a nightmare for me, but I do like having a list of brands/ sizes that I can buy from as needed. Unfortunately, I had just stocked up on shorts from Loft and NY&Co, so I was set on shorts. Not only did I not need any more shorts, I felt as though these were way tighter on me than I am comfortable with. They do have a bit of stretch and they did fit really well around the waist, but I knew that I would never reach for these.

THML Thornton Spaghetti Strap Top ($48)

Verdict: Kept

I just bought a shirt in this same style from someone else in the Stitch Fix BST group on Facebook so I was pleased to see this in my fix. I pretty much knew that I was keeping this from the moment I peeked at what was coming. The pattern is funky, the teal is awesome. Summer in Rio is quickly approaching and this is just the shirt I need in my wardrobe.

And lastly...

Renee C Bali Keyhole Detail Blouse ($44)

Verdict: Kept

I really wasn't sold on this when I peeked at my Fix OR when I pulled it out of the box, but as I wore it, I liked it more and more. It's VERY flowly and it's cut shorter on the sides than it is in the front or the back. I don't know if I would make this a work option, but I do really like it for a casual, weekend shirt. I also saw that it was price matched somewhere online, which is always a bonus. 

As a recap, I received five items and ended up keeping two (the spaghetti strap and the keyhole blouses). Both of which have a shade of blue (which I'm trying to get away from-- I have SO much blue), but also have great patterns on them as well. Both of them are flowy and lightweight which is key in my wardrobe right now. My stylist, Tamara, did an awesome job of meeting my requests, despite the fact that I didn't keep everything.

Which brings me to my stylist for this fix. I didn't request a new stylist for this fix, but I also didn't ask to keep the one from the original fix. In this fix, I received a very personal note and it was obvious that she read the notes that I had left and the requests that I made. While Stitch Fix has many amazing pieces of clothing, I think one of my favorite pieces about it is having a personal stylist. I feel so chic just saying that. I realize that my stylist probably had many other clients to style, but she took care to listen to my requests and mention these details in her note to me. In my opinion, these details set Stitch Fix apart from regular online shopping. Way to go, Tamara! 

It's been a great month of Stitch Fix; having to wait until December for my third fix might be torture...

Stitch Fix #1: The One Where I Understood the Obsession

Stitch Fix #1: The One Where I Understood the Obsession

Have you heard? Have you heard about the goodness that is Stitch Fix?

If you haven't, let me summarize it for you.

Stitch Fix is a monthly subscription box which sends hand-picked clothing right to your door. No awkward wandering around a store looking for someone to open the dressing room. No passing up items that you think you'll hate, but end up loving once you try it on. (You know it happens). The clothes come right to your door.

Intrigued? You should be. You go to the Stitch Fix website and create a profile. Answer some basic questions about what types of clothes you are looking for, what you feel most comfortable in, what you are trying to avoid, your price points, etc. Basically questions to get to know you and your style. Which is great, especially for someone like me, who has no sense of what their style is. I kind of like to rock the pencil skirt, but I'm BFFs with my yoga pants. Never fear. Based on your style profile, Stitch Fix assigns you a personal stylist who checks out your style and chooses 5 items to send you.

After receiving the box, you have three days to decide what you want to keep and what you want to send back. Want to send something back? No problem. Put it in the included (and pre-paid) return package and drop it in the mail. Easy. Want to keep something? Great! Each box costs a flat rate of $20 for the styling fee-- no questions asked. If you keep something, you can deduct that $20 from the total. If you keep all 5 things, you deduct the $20 styling fee AND get a 25% discount. Nice, right?

(Oh, and if you sign up, you'll get a referral code. If you share your referral code and someone uses it, you get a discount on your next box-- so share the love! If you click on the link above, you'll be using MY referral link!)

I originally discovered Stitch Fix when I was either getting ready to leave Honduras or in my first semester in Rio, I can't remember. Stitch Fix doesn't deliver internationally, I wouldn't be home long enough to receive a box/ I couldn't afford a box, I don't really remember why, but I couldn't schedule my first "fix" until now. So I created my style profile, linked it up with my Pinterest board, and waited. And waited. And waited.

And it's finally here! My first Fix!

For my first Fix, I told my stylist that I am looking for some fun, bold colors that I can wear for summer. Especially lightweight pieces as it can be quite warm here in Rio. I am really trying to add patterns to my wardrobe as right now, it is mostly solid colors. I've got A LOT of blue in my wardrobe, which I love, but I would like to branch out a little. I've seen these awesome Margaret M Emer Pants that I wouldn't mind owning a pair of. I'm also looking to avoid any tops that have elastic at the waist.

This is what I received!

Pixley Gonzalez Double Strap Tank ($44)
Verdict? Kept

Apparently I didn't take a picture of the front of this shirt? It buttons all the way up the front, which I thought I would hate (button ups always make me feel like a boy...), but actually really enjoyed. The color is awesome and the fabric is so soft. And really, it's just what I need for a casual day in Rio de Janeiro. So I kept it.

 Pixley Vyner Fringe Top ($64)
Verdict? Returned

I hated this from the moment that I pulled it out of the box. But then I tried it on and it slowly grew on me. The color would look awesome when I'm all tan and bronzed after a Brazilian summer. And the back was just so beautiful. There was just something about the front that I didn't love though. Maybe it was how the overlay and the solid shirt were connected? And the neckline laid funny. Regardless, it went back.

Fun2Fun Katniss Crochet Yoke Top ($38)

Verdict: Kept-- for the time being

I really like this in pictures, but love it less in person. It just seems really, really long on me. The pattern is beautiful and the fabric is incredibly soft. I was easily swayed by the opinions of others and decided to keep it. I'm having a little bit of buyer's remorse though and might be selling it on the Stitch Fix B/S/T group on Facebook. We'll see if I reach for it this summer.

Margaret M Emer Printer Straight Leg pant ($98)

Verdict: Kept

I may have squealed like a little girl when I pulled these out of the box. People have been singing the praises of Emers for so long and I just had to have a pair. Pull on pants that I can wear to work? What's not to love? And the floral print is everything I could have ever wanted. 

I received a Small and they were SO. LONG. So I emailed Stitch Fix and asked to exchange them for an XS. The XS still fit well, but are still really long. In retrospect, I should have kept the Smalls and just hemmed those, but I didn't know. They're still lovely though and I'm already planning all the times I can wear them.

Pixley Lilith Dress ($74)

Verdict? Returned

I felt like I was wearing a potato sack made of crepe paper. And a night gown. It lace design on the back was beautiful and the length was just a little bit above my knee. I just didn't feel comfortable in it at all. No amount of convincing could have made me keep this dress.

So, let's recap. 

I received five items and ended up keeping three (the Gonzalez top, the Katniss top, and the Emer pants). I asked for fun and bold colors (Gonzalez top), lightweight pieces (Gonzalez and Katniss), patterns (Katniss and Emers), and the Emer pants. In some way, all of the pieces that I kept fulfilled my wish list. Wow! I don't think I could have done this well had I gone to the store myself.

Ironically, I said that I already have a lot of solid colors and ended up sending back the two items that were solid colors. I didn't send them back because they were lacking in patterns because both of them had some beautiful, intricate detail. 

As soon as I received this fix, I scheduled my next fix. It's just SO FUN. 

I have also bought two other Stitch Fix pieces off of the Stitch Fix B/S/T page on Facebook that I am in love with.

41 Hawthorn Navy Blue Nautical Summer Sun Dress

Why are so many pieces from Stitch Fix so soft?! It's blue, which I don't really need more of, but I can teach in it. Throw on my pearl necklace and some white sandals and I'm all set for a day in 4th grade. I'm in love.

41Hawthorn Tammi Sailboat Print Fit and Flare Dress

Originally purchased this with the intention of wearing it on the 4th of July, but then ended up having to reschedule my flight. So I spent the 4th of July in Brazil while this dress spent it in the States. Sigh. There's an adjustable tie waist which is usually a death sentence for me, but actually works well on this dress. 

Oh Stitch Fix, you've been so good to me.

Meet Mera.

If you know anything about me at all, you know that I LOVE Honduras. I love the people, I love the food, I love my school there, I love the beaches, I love the mountains. I love it all. I also really love my students. And while I haven't been their teacher in a year, they will always be my students. Always my Grade 2's or Grade 1's.

Each one of them is crazy and wild and funny and awesome. I could tell you so many funny stories about each and every one of them. But today is all about one wild little girl. One wild little girl who was my student for only a year, but who changed my life in more ways than she could ever understand.

Ladies and gentlemen, meet Mera.

She just finished Grade 2, and like I said, she's wild. She's energetic and she's stubborn. She's funny and she's loving. She's girly and she's a tomboy. She loves me to death and wants nothing to do with me.

She also needs surgery ASAP.

Mera currently has a whole collection of kidney stones that are causing her a lot of pain and not allowing her body to work properly. She will need a procedure called a lithotripsy which is when kidney stones are broken down (usually through ultrasound shock waves) that can then be passed through the body.

The only place in Honduras where this surgery can be performed with proper pediatric equipment is in the capital city of Tegucigalpa, located approximately 2 hours away from Sigua. The approximate cost is about $3000, as well as about $3000 for follow up procedures and a second lithotripsy.

This is where you come in.

$3000 is a pretty substantial amount of money. Especially for Honduras. (As a reference, I was making about $300 a month while working there. That was enough for me to be considered wealthy.)

Will you please consider donating money to help Mera with her surgery? It's as easy as skipping that Starbucks coffee for a day. Or not buying that pair of pants that you have to have don't really need online. (Trust me, this is a feeling I know well right now.)

If you are feeling led to help financially, money can be mailed to me in the States and I will get the money to Mera and her tías (aunts). We can also work out a way to transfer money through PayPal, if that is easier for you. You can also donate through this fundraising website: Mera's Lithotripsy. Heck, I will travel to you to pick up the money, if that's what needs to be done.

Also, will you please keep Mera and her tías in your prayers? Mera is one of the bravest (and most stubborn) people that I know. When talking to her tía about the upcoming procedure, she said that the other night Mera was inconsolably crying in her arms-- a mixture of pain and fear. For Mera to show such strong emotion this way, she must really be in pain and very anxious. She needs our prayers!

Thank you in advance for all of your help. I cannot tell you how much it means to me, to Mera, and to her tías.

Spring Break Part 1/2: Adventure is Out There in Ilha Grande

After days and days of waiting, it finally arrived. Spring Break 2015 was FINALLY here!

We traveled from Rio de Janeiro to Ilha Grande using Easy Transfer. As the name suggests, it really was easy. They picked us up at our villa and drove us to the dock where we boarded the ferry to Ilha Grande. It was about a 2-3 hour drive and we stopped once on the way there. They did the same for returning us back to Rio de Janeiro from Paraty. It was great to have all our own transportation covered for us (for a flat fee) where we knew we wouldn't be getting ripped off or getting in a car with someone who is not trustworthy. For people who don't speak Portuguese, this is a huge bonus.

Upon arriving in Ilha Grande, we stayed at El Misti Hostel. Apparently El Misti is a chain of hostels throughout South America and plenty of people have stayed in them and loved it. This was not the case with us. The hostel had two locations on the island and we were given a shared room with a shared bathroom in the junkier hostel. Despite the fact that we paid for a private room with a private bathroom. The WiFi didn't work (okay, we were on vacation, no big deal), they didn't give us a key to our room at first (nor were lockers provided), the mattresses were the color of dirt and the sheets didn't stay on the mattresses. The island was awesome, the hostel was not.

While in Ilha Grande, we decided that we would each choose one activity for everyone to do. That way there was no fighting and we were all happy. 

My pick: I had read that Praia Lopes Mendes is one of the most beautiful beaches in Brazil., so we had to go. On the day that we arrived, we took a water taxi to the beach and then had to hike for 20 minutes or so before arriving there. Was it beautiful? Absolutely. Would I say that it's one of the best beaches in Brazil? I don't know. It was more like a typical beach in the States with plenty of room to participate in beach activities (sunbathing, soccer, frescoball, etc). But the water was really wavy on the day that we went, so it wasn't great for swimming.

Maggie's pick: On our first full day in Ilha Grande we went on a "meia volta". Which translates to a half island tour. We boarded a speed boat with Prime Tours from Vila do Abraão and from there stopped at 5-6 different beaches. I wish that I could remember them all, but I really cannot. I can tell you that we saw dolphins first thing in the morning on the way to Lagoa Verde, that we saw a starfish that was huge, that we also saw some gross underwater snake/ eel thing, and that I swam with more fish that I had ever thought possible. I also sat on our boat, waved my hand, and a man selling Popsicles on a different boat came alongside ours so that I could purchase what I wanted. Talk about service. I didn't even really want a popsicle at that moment, but I really wanted a Popsicle sold to me off of a boat.

Matt's pick: Sunrise hike up Pico do Papagaio. It was as awful and as awesome as it sounds. We started the hike at 2:30am and proceeded to hike up 980+ km up for a 7.5 hour, 10 mile round trip hike. Throughout which I cried and almost threw up on myself more than once. It was the most physically demanding thing I have ever had to do. But, I did it. We hiked with Martin, from Prime Tours (again), and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. He's an awesome person and an awesome guide.

We rounded out our time in Ilha Grande with some kilo ice cream and a day at the beach in Abraão. And, of course, one last night in our gross, mosquito infested hostel where I'm pretty sure monkeys were doing samba on the roof all night, every night because there is nothing else that could have been making that much racket.

After 2.5 beautiful days in paradise-- we were off to Paraty!

Spring Break Part 2/2: It's Always A Party in Paraty

Part two of our two part Spring Break took us to Paraty, another city within the state of Rio de Janeiro. We'd heard that Ilha Grande was more of a party town and Paraty was more laid-back, and we were anxious to discover them both on our own.

As we did when traveling from Rio de Janeiro, we traveled with Easy Transfer. The driver was friendly and spoke a small amount of English and was able to drop us off directly at our hostel. For us, it was great because we didn't have to worry about taxis or buses or getting stuck somewhere and not being able to get anywhere because we don't speak Portuguese. We just paid a flat fee at the beginning of the trip and all of our transportation was taken care of. Easy. Hence the name. Given the opportunity to do it again though, I would probably use Easy Transfer to get from Rio de Janeiro to Ilha Grande and then Paraty back to Rio. There are many speed boats and tour groups in Ilha Grande that offer transportation to Paraty; traveling that way would only take about an 1 or 2. By using Easy Transfer to get from Ilha Grande to Paraty, we took a boat to the "mainland" and then drove to Paraty; a trip that took about 5 hours in total.

While in Paraty, we stayed at the Geko Hotel and Pousada which I highly recommend. We stayed in a private room with a private bathroom and it was awesome. The service at the hotel was excellent; they helped us book tours (even when we waited until 30 minutes before the tour was supposed to leave), made suggestions about what to do, and offered free caipirinhas upon check-in. The hostel is located right on the beach and also has a little restaurant right on the sand that serves breakfast each morning (included in the price of the room) as well as dinner each night (not included in the price, but still reasonably priced).

Anyways, Paraty. We LOVED the beaches of Ilha Grande, but weren't opposed to seeing other things since we're pretty spoiled with nice beaches every day. I know, life in Rio is rough. Paraty is pretty well known for their cachaça and their waterfalls, so we found a tour that combined the two. It was pretty rainy and chilly (relatively) the day that we went, but it ended up being okay because we were at waterfalls anyways. Throughout the course of the day, we visited two cacharias and 4 or 5 waterfalls. We were able to swim at all the waterfalls, but since it wasn't sunny and I get cold easily, I chose not to. Also, the rain made the waterfalls move a lot more quickly than usually and my sub-par swimming skills weren't really any match for the currents. I didn't feel like I missed out on the day though.

Matt and I Adventurer's Guild-ed our way up a waterfall and then I panicked when I realized that I actually had to climb back down. Typical. Maggie and I also received roses made from palm leaves from a random man on the side of the road, so self-esteem was sky high.

On our second (and final full day) in Paraty, we took another tour to Trindade. Every time that we had mentioned that we were going to Paraty, people has said "Oh it's nice there. You HAVE to go to Trindade." And who are we to argue with the masses?

We started out by going to Praia Brava for some awesome selfie stick opportunities. Praia Brava equals "Rough Beach" and it definitely lived up to it's name. Selfies on the rocks for the win.

Next it was off to the famous Cachadaço Natural Pool. A bunch of rocks formed this natural pool where, allegedly, many varieties of fish and other things live. By the time we arrived, it was crowded and the water was pretty rough-- both of which stirred up the water too much to see anything. As true Adventurers do, we just decided to climb around on the rocks instead.

We took a R$10 lancha ride back to Meio Beach. Let me tell you, it wasn't a great day for maritime travel, but we survived. When we arrived at Meio Beach, we ordered some hot dogs (with peas on them-- why ruin a perfectly good hot dog?) and climbed around on the rock formation that was right on the beach. Which was awesome until the giant waves came up and over the rocks which was 10% terrifying. Awesome picture-- but terrifying.

30cm long pastels and some gelato wrapped up our time in Paraty. As well as a couple more caipirinhas on the beach.

Paraty was lovely. Given the opportunity, there is plenty more that I would have loved to do there. But I think that most things I wanted to do (beaches, stand up paddle boarding, boating, etc) could be done elsewhere.

It's always a party in Paraty, especially when you're on Spring Break.

"So, what do you miss most about the States?"

There are some things that just never change when I am living abroad. Some things that I just know I can count on. Questions and statements such as,

"Isn't it really dangerous there?" Isn't it really dangerous in Detroit and Cleveland and NYC and....?

"Why would you leave the States?" Because there are other really great countries with really great things to offer?

"Find a cute Honduran/ Brazilian boy for me!" Listen. I haven't even found one for myself, let alone finding one for you.

"I could never do what you do." Yeah, I thought so, too, but here I am.

"You must like eating bugs." Yes, and living in dirt huts and going to the bathroom in outhouses. You watch too much Survivor.

"Have you seen a lot of butts in Brazil?" This one I can't really argue because, yes, I have.

"Aren't you glad to be home again?" Man, I don't even know what home is anymore. Don't ask hard questions.

I know that no one is being rude by these questions and comments, they're steaming from genuine concern and curiosity. All I'm saying is that these are the questions that I can absolutely count on hearing when I am in the States. Honestly, I feel a little let down when I don't hear some of them. But there is one question that I get more than any other, especially as I get closer and closer to returning to the States.

"What are you looking forward to most when you get back?" 

So much. So. So. Much. 

In honor of being Stateside for the first time in six months in exactly 14 days (but who is counting, really?)--14 things that I miss most while living abroad. Excluding my friends and family because I could write 14 things that I miss about each and every single one of them.

-- Cleveland Indians baseball games.
-- a dryer I can't tell if I've lost weight or if all my clothes have stretched out...

-- Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supremes-- I'm coming for you

-- Panera Broccoli and Cheddar bread bowls

-- Red Robin Crispy Chicken salad because there's nothing like feeling healthy while consuming 1300 calories

-- stores that sell cheap clothes my bank account is so happy right now, but I am not

-- Pandora radio iTunes radio just isn't the same

-- watching sporting events at a normal hour these NBA Final Games not starting until 11pm are kind of killing me
-- being able to just get in a car and go without relying on public transportation or worrying about sitting in traffic for over an hour
-- stores like Wal-Mart or Target where I can go in and get EVERYTHING I need A new swim suit and a phone case and some snacks-- all in one place! You will not understand the convenience of this until you live without it.
-- church services in English
-- being able to use my phone to make phone calls not that I do, but its nice to have the option
-- not having to wait months before receiving the packages of things I ordered online
-- having hot water to wash my dishes in it's like Little House on the Prairie over here when I have to heat pots of water over the stove

And just to offset the fact that I totally sound like a whiny, little brat who can't appreciate anything-- here's my view today while I rode my bike around the Lagoa. Rio can be so awesome.