By Joanna Miller, Staff Writer

It’s T-minus seven days until lift off as I write this.

Last weekend at a potluck and night out in Minneapolis, our Rotary exchange team got a taste of what to expect abroad as we hosted team members from Brazil for the evening.

As a toddler, I made my parents suffer on our big California vacation.

We spent the bulk of our time at Disneyland going ’round and ’round on the “It’s a Small World” boat ride.

I’m sure they were thrilled.

Money may make the world go ’round, but what does money look like around the world?

Brazil’s vibrant banknotes make America’s dollar bills look pretty boring.

I’m envious of the array of colors Brazilians display in their cash currency, the “real.”

Sea turtles, coffee and moqueca – oh my!

Much unlike Dorothy’s trip down the Yellow Brick Road, pleasant items popped up as I got a snippet of information as to what’s down the path for the Rotary International Group Study Exchange to Vitoria in Brazil next month.

Talking to myself is my new hobby.

I’m sure I’ve muttered a few things under my breath on occasion in the past, but I’m full-blown chatting away to myself in the car to learn Portuguese lately.

It all started with reading the newspaper (gasp.)

I came across an announcement by the Prior Lake Rotary Club, seeking applicants for an exchange trip to Brazil.

The brief notice asked for people who lived or worked in the area to apply for a “Group Study Exchange Program” to Brazil.

I guess I'm an old-fashioned girl. Really, really old fashioned.

I've yet again gotten swept up into the 1920s, 30s, 40s. Is it possible to be nostaligic for an era many decades before I was born?

On Saturday night, I had a blast at the Wabasha Street Caves in St. Paul during a Lions Club benefit.

The flapper/mobster theme party featured big band music, and gambling at the craps table lured me in. When I got to hold a tommy gun on the tour of the caves (which were a prohibition-era night club) I was sold.

If you've seen a Special K cereal commercial, you know the end of that lyric - "...itsy bitsy, teenie weenie yellow polka dot bikini."

And, you, too, can wear one if you've been shopping lately.

Target already has stocked its shelves with spring-break gear.

Just as we sped past back-to-school with Halloween stuff, and Halloween with holiday stuff, now the sale racks have barely been moved from Christmas and we're on to spring break.

I'm not sure what happened to Valentine's Day?

I watched my first boxing match this weekend. It definitely wasn't what I planned to do on a Saturday night, but what Saturday night ever turns out as planned?