Brazil

As part of Clark's MBA program, he got to go on a 10 day international trip. There were 4 or 5 places he could choose to visit, and since a few of the guys he's gotten to know in his program had served missions in brazil that's where they were going and he decided it would be fun to go with people who spoke the language and had been there before. Here are a bunch of pictures from his trip. They visited Sau Paulo, Salvador, and Rio de Janeiro.

They visited major businesses in Sau Paulo, and the Brazilian stock exchange. In Salvador, they spent a day at an orphanage hanging out with the kids. There were 40 kids in the orphanage and 40 people in Clark's group, so they each were assigned one of the kids to bring a small gift to. Clark was assigned "gustavo" a little 4 month old baby boy. He's almost the exact same age as Bryson. Talk about heart breaker. So we sent him over a new blankie and some clothes and toys. Clark said this was definitely one of the highlights of the trip.

In Rio they got hit with pretty heavy rainstorms most of the time, but they were able to hang out on copacabana beach, and visit the Christ statue, as well as Sugarloaf. They also went on a guided tour of the favelas, some of the most dangerous parts of the town which are basically run by the drug lords and there are people cruising around everywhere with machine guns and grenades on their belts. He said it was really crazy, but a neat experience.

I'm just glad to have him home safe! The kids and myself had planned a bunch of fun stuff to do and keep us busy while he was gone, but thanks to that darn swine flu (okay, we already ruled out it wasn't swine flu), and ear infections, we pretty much just hunkered down and tore the house apart for 10 days! I have a whole new appreciation for single parents and I'm glad I'm not one!!!! So having Clark return home was the best mother's day gift ever (however the massage gift certificate he got me is right up there... he must know me really well, or at least read my facebook!)

I'm glad he had such a great trip and hope that next time I can tag along!