Barack Obama in Rio de Janeiro 2011 This picture is of his helicopter arriving at the Flamengo Soccer Club in my neighborhood (currently the city champions). I took the picture not knowing it was him, but I later saw on the news the report of his arrival to the club coincided with the time I took the picture. He used their field as a landing zone for getting around the city.

I have never been in the same state as a U.S. President let alone the same room. I'm not even a super political person. I don't claim a party--not 100% anyway. I don't like to discuss politics. I don't tell people who I vote for. I just want everyone to get along. I do, however, hugely support pioneers. I am a sucker for anyone who is a 'first'. To be the first to do something, in my mind, in my little world, is like hanging the moon--it's bigger than hanging the moon. U.S. President Barack Obama may not have hung the moon, but he is a pioneer of unsurmountable proportions.

yesterday, I was lucky enough to be one of twenty teachers from Escola Americana do Rio de Janeiro to receive a ticket to listen to President Obama's presentation Sunday, March 20, 2011 at the Municipal Theater in Rio de Janeiro. I have to say, it was EVERYTHING and more than I could have expected. I sat at the edge of my seat for the entire 22 minutes, hanging onto every word as President Obama greeted the 2,000 in attendance with a "boa tarde Brazil" and went on to recognize the natural beauty that makes up this incredible country. The landscape that hasn't stopped taking my breath away since first seeing it 16 years ago when I first fell in love with Brazil.

President Obama is a fan of "firsters" too I think, as he made it known that the Brazilian people have moved mountains in their history as well; from overcoming Portuguese rule to surviving two dictatorships, and recently electing their first female president. He applauded the Brazilian people for their exercise in democracy.

All the while, on the edge of my seat, I was willing him to look my way. I was determined to get eye contact. I was seated in the balcony, stage left, the side which he entered and exited the stage, and I was working the super power of telepathic persuasion the whole time. Just as I thought I had lost out on my chance of a lifetime to come "face-to-face" with an American President...he did it, on his way off stage he looked up, RIGHT at ME! Eyes to eyes, he looked at me! I'm pretty sure he was thinking, "Wow, that looks like a fellow American! Actually, I think that woman is a fellow Midwesterner." And...he SMILED, waved, and exited the stage, leaving me extremely happy, proclaiming, "He looked at me! He looked at me and smiled!"

I've been living as an expat for nearly five years now. In many ways Rio is my home. I have acclimated nearly 100% to life as a Carioca. I am not sure I would be as happy living stateside at the moment. I do love it here; however, there was something special about being surrounded by all those American Secret Service Agents yesterday afternoon that all of a sudden made me feel overwhelmingly patriotic, proud to be an American and little homesick for the Land of the Brave.