1. Mrs. Swanson’s Quest for Awesome Beaches Shanda Swanson

2. Itinerary I chose the theme of awesome beaches because I love sun, sand, and relaxation. I will be going around the world looking for the best beaches. The first stop on my trip will be in Brazil at the Copacabana Beach. The next stop of my trip of a lifetime will be Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. The length of my stay will be 12 days and I plan on traveling during March.

3. Hazards for Brazil 1.Robbery 2.Cholora 3.Dengue fever 4.Hepatitis A and B 5.Malaria 6.Black flies 7.Lamonia achelous (butterfly)

4. Activities for Brazil 1.The 2016 Summer Olympics will use Copacabana Beach. 2.A promenade is paved next to the beach and is four miles long. 3.The beach is often referred to as the world’s most famous beach. 4.The best shopping is located near the beach. 5.The Municipal Theatre is located in Rio. 6.Club Ipanema is famous for it’s music and dancing scene. 7.The Copacabana Palace can be seen in many movies. 8.The famous statue, Christ the Redeemer, is a must to see in Brazil. While in Brazil, I would like to purchase a Copacabana coozie for my friends, Steph and Amy.

5. Contributions to Science from Brazil 1.Brazil today has a well-developed organization of science and technology. 2.Basic research is largely carried out in public universities. 3.Accordingly, more than 90% of funding for basic research comes from governmental sources. 4.Aziz Nacib Ab'Sáber was an environmentalist and one of Brazil´s most respected scientists. He founded the first searches for oil camps in Brazil.

6. Type of Government in Brazil 1.Democracy 2.Three branches of government 1.Executive 2.Legislative 3.Judicial 3.President Dilma Rousseff 4.Presidents have 4 year terms 5.This country has run this way since 1993

7. Hazards for Playa Del Carmen, Mexico 1.Robbery 2.Undertows and riptides 3.Drug trade 4.Hepatitis A and B 5.Lyme disease 6.Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

8. Activities for Mexico While in Mexico, I will purchase a necklace for my daughter from Fifth Avenue. 1.Fifth Avenue shopping district 2.Snorkeling 3.Blue Parrot Beach Club 4.Mayan Ruins 5.Cenotes 6.Xcaret 7.Zip lining 8.Coco Bongo

9. Contributions to Science from Mexico 1.To predict planting and harvesting times, early peoples studied movements of the sun, stars, and planets. They used this information to make calendars. The Aztecs created two calendars one for farming and one for religion. The farming calendar let them know when to plant and to harvest crops. 2.During the Mexican Enlightenment, Mexico made progress in science. Progress were made in subjects such as astronomy, engineering, etc. In 1792 the Seminary of Mining was established. Later it became College of Mining, in which the first modern physics laboratory in Mexico was established.

10. Type of Government in Mexico 1.President Felipe Calderon 2.President since 2006 3.New election was held in July 4.New president will take over in December 5.6 year terms 6.Democracy 7.Three Branches of Government 1.Executive 2.Legislative 3.Judicial

11. What’s in my Suitcase? 15 shirts 15 shorts 5 dresses 10 swimsuits 5 pairs of flip flops 1 pair of tennis shoes 5 pairs of socks 3 beach towels Sunscreen Tanning oil Beach bag Magazines/Books Shampoo/Conditioner Makeup bag Passport Ipod Camera In the plane on the way to Mexico!!!