Life in the polar vortex

"After this, I'll never complain about the cold in Brazil again." This is the sentiment of most people in the group after the past three weeks of freezing temperatures in Notre Dame, Indiana. However, the group has adapted incredibly to the cold temperatures. One person commenting that today the weather was nice (27 F/-3 C).

On Monday and Tuesday some of our classes were cut short to the extreme cold, but that didn't get our spirits down. Weather doesn't dictate fun! We made due with our indoor pool, good food, and great company. 

A taste of America

Due to some ferocious weather and cold temperatures (-27 C... Brrrrrr), the group had to change their plans from visiting Indianapolis to something a little closer to home.

We started the day off by visiting the Original Pancake House for a HUGE American breakfast. The pancakes are truly giant. 

After our brunch, we spent a little time at the mall before heading to Strikes-n-Spares for a little bowling. They even turned on the cosmic bowling lights for us! 

And don't forget about the go-karts!!!!

We ended the day by seeing a movie at the theater. All in all, it was a wonderful day! 

Brown Intermediate Center

Brown Intermediate Center

It's hard to think of a group of teachers more dedicated to getting to know all of the Brazilians than the group of teachers at Brown Intermediate Center. Their work both inside and outside of the classroom contributed greatly to the success of the Brazil Program at Notre Dame. The bonds made between the Brazilian teachers and the students, faculty, and administration of the South Bend Community School Corporation speak mountains of all the people involved in making this program successful. Thank you to Brown Intermediate Center for being a part of our program!

 The Brazilian teachers with some of the teachers from Brown Intermediate Center. 

South Bend: A Travel Guide

Where to go in South Bend?????

Not sure what to do in little old South Bend? 

Need some good suggestions?

Really hungry and don't want to go to the DH (dining hall)?

NEVER FEAR...JUST LOOK HERE!

Trains, Planes, and Automobiles...How to get from here to there...

Buses:

• Hotel to Downtown: Route 5
• http://www.sbtranspo.com/routes/new-rte/rte5new.pdf
• ND library to UP mall to Downtown: Route 7
• Outbound from ND goes to mall
• Inbound from ND goes downtown
• http://www.sbtranspo.com/routes/new-rte/rte7.pdf 

Activities:

• ND Basketball:Have fun at a Men's OR Women's basketball game. Visit the website, choose a date, and purchase a ticket!

• Men's: http://www.und.com/sports/m-baskbl/sched/nd-m-baskbl-sched.html 

• Tickets: http://www.und.com/tickets/nd-tickets-m-baskbl.html

• Women's: http://www.und.com/sports/w-baskbl/nd-w-baskbl-body.html

• Tickets: http://www.und.com/tickets/nd-tickets-w-baskbl.html

• ND Hockey: Have a blast at another ND hockey game! Visit the website, choose a date, and purchase a ticket!

• http://www.und.com/sports/m-hockey/sched/nd-m-hockey-sched.html

• Tickets: http://www.und.com/tickets/nd-tickets-hockey.html

• Ice Skating: Visit the website below to find a day and an OPEN SKATE time. You can practice in the same place as the hockey team!

• http://www.und.com/sports/comptonarena/spec-rel/compton-public-skating-events.html

• Movies: Want to see a movie? Here are some movie theater locations. 

• Cinemark Movies 14: 910 W. Edison Rd., Mishawaka, IN 46545
• http://www.cinemark.com/theatre-detail.aspx?node_id=1497
• Cinemark Movies 6: 6424 Grape Rd., Mishawaka, IN 46530
• http://www.cinemark.com/theatre-detail.aspx?node_id=1575&showtime_date=

• Dessert: Want to try some delicious chocolate
• South Bend Chocolate Factory:
• http://www.sbchocolate.com/
• Location: 122 South Michigan, South Bend, IN

• Trivia:
• Monday Nights at O'Rourkes at 10pm
• Tuesday and Wednesday nights at 8pm at Between the Buns

• Karaoke:
• Tuesday at O'Rourkes at 10pm

• Morris Performing Art's Center
• http://www.morriscenter.org/
• Upcoming events: http://www.morriscenter.org/schedule.php
• Elvis Lives Jan/26/2014
• South Bend Symphony Orchestra (Masterworks II) Feb/1 
• Bring it on- The Musical Feb/7 and Feb/8
• Anthony Hamiliton Feb/13
• South Bend Symphony Orchestra (Music of James Bond) Feb/15

• Studebaker National Museum: Auto museum
• http://www.studebakermuseum.org/
• Location: 201 S. Chapin St, South Bend, IN 46601

• Debartolo Performing Arts Center: Arts center on ND campus
• Check out upcoming events: http://performingarts.nd.edu/nowshowing/   

       Breakfast:

•      The Original Pancake House: Great pancakes and breakfast food
•       http://www.originalpancakehouse.com/index.html
•       Location: 1430 North Ironwood Drive South Bend, Indiana 46635 574-232-3220 
•      Le Peep: Wonderful breakfast food
•     http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g37535-d2371992-Reviews-Le_Peep-South_Bend_Indiana.html
•      Location: 127 S Michigan Street, South Bend, IN
•      Bob Evans:
•       http://www.bobevans.com/
•       Location: 204 s Dixie Way, Roseland, IN

·    Lunch/Dinner:

o  Rocco's: A super delicious pizza place!

-  http://roccosoriginalpizza.com/

-  Location: 537 N St Louis Blvd, South Bend, IN 46617

o   Fiddler’s Hearth: A cool Irish restaurant/pub with live music almost every night!

-  http://www.fiddlershearth.com/

-  Location: 127 N Main St, South Bend, IN 

o   Papa Vino’s: Delicious Italian food

-  http://www.qdi.com/papavinos/menus.htm

-  Location: 5110 Edison Lakes Pkwy, Mishawaka, IN ‎

o   Five Guys: A quick burger place with super yummy burgers

-  http://www.fiveguys.com/

-  Location: 1233 N Eddy St, Unit 10, South Bend, IN 46617 and at the mall

o   Flat Top Grill: Make your own Stir Fry!

-  http://www.flattopgrill.com/

-  Location: 6501 Grape Rd, Mishawaka, IN 46545

o   Woochi Japanese Fusion and Bar

-  http://www.notjustsushi.com/

-  Location: 123 West Washington Street, South Bend, IN 46601, South Bend, IN 46601

o   Granite City: Resturant and Brewery

-  http://www.gcfb.net/

-  Location: 6501 Grape Rd #1000, Mishawaka, IN 46545

o   Bruno’s: Good Pizza to order in

-  http://www.brunospizza.com/

-  To order to hotel call: 574-273-3890

o   J.W. Chens: Chinese food close to campus

-  http://www.jwchens.com/

-  Location:1835 S Bend Ave, South Bend, IN 46637

o   Cambodian Thai: Yummy Thai, downtown South Bend

-  http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g37535-d1557430-Reviews-Cambodian_Thai_Resturant-South_Bend_Indiana.html

-  Location: 235 S Michigan St, South Bend, IN 46601

Bars:
Want to hang out, dance, or have fun at a bar? 

• Remember there might be a cover charge, and you MUST have your ID (probably your passport)

• O’Rourke’s
• http://www.orourkespubhouse.com/
• Monday: Trivia at 10:00
• Tuesday: Karaoke at 10:00
• Wednesday: Bingo
• Hours: Mon-Sat 11am-3am, Sun 11am-12am
• Location: 1044 Angela Blvd. Suite 103 South Bend, IN
• Bar Louie
• http://www.barlouieamerica.com/locations/Mishawaka.aspx?locationName=University%20Park%20Mall
• Tuesday: $1 Burgers
• Hours: Sun-Thurs 11am-2am, Fri-Sat 11am-3am
• Location: 6501 Grape Rd., Suite 1100 Mishawaka, IN (At the mall)
•  Granite City Brewery
• http://www.gcfb.net/
• hours: Mon-Thurs 11am-12am, Fri-Sat 11am-1am, Sun 9am-10pm
• See above in Dinner section
• Brothers
• http://www.brothersbar.com/location_home.cfm
• hours: All week 11am - 3am
• Location: 1234 N Eddy Street Suite 125, South Bend, IN. 
• Fiddler’s
• http://www.fiddlershearth.com/
• Hours: Mon-Tues 11am-11pm, Wed-Fri 11am-12am, Sat 11am-1am Sun 11am-9pm
• See above in Dinner section
• Between the Buns
• http://www.betweenthebuns.com/
• Trivia on Tues and Wed at 8pm
• Includes restuarant with American style food (burgers and fries)
• Hours: Mon-Thurs 11am - 10pm, Fri-Sat 11am-12 or later, Sun 11am-9pm
• Location: 1803 South Bend Ave, South Bend, IN
• The Backer
• http://www.backer-nd.com/
• Hours: DJ Fri-Sat 10pm-3am
• Location:
• The Blarney Stone (Finnies)
• Hours:Thurs-Sat ???
• Location: 113 Wayne Street
  South Bend, IN 46601
• ClubFever
• http://www.clubfever.biz/main.html
• Hours: Thurs and Sat 10pm-3 am 
• Location:222 S Michigan St, South Bend, IN 46601
• Corby's
• Hours: Mon-Sat 3pm - 3am
• Location: 441 E Lasalle Ave, South Bend, IN
• Madison Oyster Bar
• http://www.madisonoysterbar.com/
• Hours: Mon-Sat 11am - 3am
• Location: 129 N Main St, South Bend, IN 46601

Jackson Intermediate Center

Jackson Intermediate Center

Six of the Brazilian teachers had the privilege of co-teaching at Jackson Intermediate Center. The school mascot is a tiger, and you can bet that the students, faculty, and administration at this school have a lot of pride! The Brazil group is so grateful for the warm welcome they received at Jackson and for the incredible experience they had there. From observing to getting a ton of student interaction, the Brazilian teachers learned so much visiting the South Bend Community School Corporation schools! Not only were the co-teachers for Jackson great sources of information, but also they became great friends during the the course of the Brazil Program.

Some pictures of taken at Jackson Intermediate Center

Rocco's Pizza

ROCCO'S PIZZA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We went to get super delicious pizza at one of South Bend's best restaurants: Rocco's!

There were murmurings that this pizza might even be as good as or possibly better than Brazilian pizza. The jury is still out though.

Dickinson Fine Arts Academy

Dickinson Fine Arts Academy and our Brazilian Teachers

During their stay at Notre Dame, the Brazilian teachers had the great pleasure to co-teach at five of the South Bend Community School Corporation's schools. Six of the Brazilian teachers worked at Dickinson, which is an amazing Fine Arts magnet school that has made INCREDIBLE strides the last few years. Thank you Dickinson students, teachers, and administration for making us feel so welcome and letting us be a part of your amazing school!

The school mascot is the bear and we took pictures with their once living stuffed bear!