Since my last blog, lots has happened. We came back to Rio from Ilha Grande for New Year and I moved back into my flat. The New Year celebrations were unlike any I have ever seen - 2 million people on Copacabana beach, all dressed in white, watching a 20 minute firework display. The party was amazing, but I won't bore you with details - partly because I don't remember a whole lot and partly because my writing skills are inadequate to describe it. After new year I soon realised that the teaching work was not going to become regular as schools were relluctant to recruit teachers with less that a few years experience. This meant that I could no longer afford my rent and at around the same time, Che Lagarto Hostel, where I had stayed, offered me a job, working on the bar in return for free accomodation, drinks and meals. So for the last 6 weeks I've been working here, making Caipirinhas and other exotic drinks and having a great time. The bar is small and easily run and never gets too busy, but there are certain frustrations about working in Brazil. Brazilians have an infuriatingly laid-back attitude towards work and common sense seems to be a foreign concept sometimes. The staff at Che Lagarto are all really nice, including the manager Nat, but when it comes to getting a job done, they either take temporary leave of their senses and throw logic out the window, or simply don't bother at all. An example: the bar is supposed to be stocked up at all times with enough beer, ice, spirits, plastic cups and straws as well as change in the till. Almost every day, I or another bartender has to run to the supermarket 5 minutes before the bar opens to buy booze. This isn't a problem for me, but when it means a delay to opening times and less money for the bar, the hostel suffers. We are constantly reminded that we need to make more money for the bar, but given very little room to improve by the people above us. The other day I arrived at the bar and opened up, only to be told that, beacause of room fumigations, all guests would receive free Caipirinhas for one hour. Fair enough I thought. Hard work, but only for one hour. Then I checked the fridge - no ice. I had asked earlier that it be ordered, but the boss hadn't done it and now had 30 disgruntled guests demanding their free drinks. This is just one example of the daily frustrations of working here and I can't help thinking it would never happen back home. The Brazilian flag flying from the building accross the street, reads 'Ordem e Progresso' (Order and Progress). Sitting at an empty bar, with no ice, little beer and dwindling rum supplies, I couldn't help but laugh - never has a national moto been less deserved!

Anyway, rant over. I've been having a great time in the last couple of months. My Portuguese is improving and I can have simple conversations with people. Some of the staff at the hostel have agreed to only speal to me in Portuguese - within reason of course, and I practice whenever I can. I've also been trying to see more of the city. In the last couple of weeks I've taken a boat trip around the bay, visited a nice little art collection in a mansion in Santa Teresa, the hill-top colonial settlement and been to the Zoo and Botanical Gardens. We also have bikes at the hostel, so I've been getting around the city quite a bit and of course, I still get down to the beach whenever its nice for a swim and a bit of footy with the locals.

The other barmen who have worked with me for the last 7 weeks all now have plans to move on. Patrick, an Englishman who has been here the longest, leaves on Monday and the Swedes, Tom and Robin will go off travelling in a week. Ben, who I came with, is going with them down to Argentina, so I'll be the only one left. This isn't such a problem for me. Of course its nice to have friends here, but I've become used to seeing people leave. When you work in a hostel, staying put in the same place while travellers pass through, you are constantly saying goodbyes. You form relationships, some stronger than others. You swap email addresses and add each other on facebook, promise to catch up some time, some day. "If you ever come my way, drop me an email and we'll hook up" is the standard parting line. Then they go. I expect to stay here for another 5 weeks until the family visit and after they leave, I'll go to Argentina for a couple of weeks and then home.