Tidbits of Life

31.05.2012 22:43

It’s one of those nights that I wish that I didn’t have to sleep because there’s just so much to do. Fun things, that is! After an early morning run I had a full day of class, with a break for lunch with my Senhora. We chatted, had fish cooked in coconut sauce and a salad with mango. In the afternoon, I had a crash course lecture of Brazilian history and current social issues like race, democracy, politics, and education (complex topics!). I returned home, had dinner with Helena and my house brother (a long affair as it involves more talking than eating) and after plotting out plans for tomorrow (a free day!) I’m beat. So, a photo-less entry tonight but I thought I’d throw in a few miniscule points of interest in day to day here. Such as, no one has dryers (no surprise) and you don’t throw toilet paper in the toilet, you put it in a trash can next to the loo (Costa Rica was like that as well). Or, to be blue in Portuguese means to be happy, not sad. And samba? Yes, that dance originated here in Bahia and everyone knows the moves, from the kid on the street to my teacher in class, today. And what else I learned? Not all favelas are poor. Tidbits of life; I can’t wait to learn more.

Yemanja

30.05.2012 22:45

I’m nearly falling asleep as I write due to our dinner at a churrascaria, or Brazilian steakhouse. This one had everything from lamb and steak to sashimi and shell fish. Definitely due for a run tomorrow! Earlier this afternoon I got my first taste of candomblé, the Bahian religion rooted in African spirituality. It’s unique to Bahia, not all of Brazil, and practiced by a large part of the population. For perspective, there are something like 300 Catholic churches here and more than 2000 candomblé temples. Today we visited one of Yemanjá, the orixá (like a deity or protector, but not exactly a god/goddess) of the sea. Every follower of candomblé has their own orixas, which are determined by your mãe or pãe de santo (priestess or priest), who throw shells to make this assessment. There are more than a dozen orixas, each with their own message and color. Ossaim is the orixá of plants, whose color is green; ewá whose color is red and represents creativity. Yemanjá  is white and in the picture below. It’s a complex religion with many layers—I hope to learn more!

Acarajé

29.05.2012 23:12

It’s late again—hard to get sleep when there’s so much to do and see! I had orientation this morning, then met my Senhora, Helena. We are a perfect match! She is 54 with two grown kids, loves exercise, cooking, outdoors, yoga (we went tonight!), and—get this—is gluten free. Didn’t expect to find that in Brazil! The apartment is along the coast, and I can see a snippet of the bay from my bedroom window. For dinner tonight, we took to the street—acarajé with vatapá and pimento, probably the most iconic street food of Salvador. It was amazing!! Basically, it’s a bean cake (black-eyed peas) cooked (well, fried but it really wasn’t greasy!) in dendê, or palm oil, served with the sauce vatapá, a spicy mix of cashews and coconut milk, with shrimp and chili sauce. Incredible! To wash it down, Helena made a pineapple suco (basically an agua fresca). Talk about an amazing meal!

    

First Day

28.05.2012 17:32

I’m sitting on an ocean-side patio soaking in the day. I lucked out with a perfectly smooth plane ride here, arriving at 6:00 a.m. and meeting up with UT classmates in the airport. Our first night is at a hotel in the barrio Campo Grande in Salvador before we meet our Senhoras who will house us the rest of the trip. I spent the day with my colleague Priscilla walking along a stretch of sea that extends for miles. The streets are lively, the air is infused with the sea, and giant trees shoot down roots in attempt to grow in the sidewalk. It’s partly familiar, partly exotic. Street vendors sell jewelry made of coconut and seashells, cars beep and honk as they zoom past, and tropical fruit lures you in at every corner. It’s very new though, too. Bahia, the state I’m in, is the heart of culture in Brazil—the music, the food, the clothes, the religion all stem from its tumultuous history as a colonial city and slave port. I made a discovery today that puts into pictures what Diego Rivera did on walls in Mexico: Carybé, one of the most beloved twentieth century artists of Brazil. Priscilla and I randomly walked into an art gallery, Oxum Casa de Arte. It was empty, except for the guard who opened the door and a woman at a desk. We quietly looked at the pottery and paintings, and on our way out of the small room I mentioned that I liked a painting. Carybé. The woman led us into a downstairs room full of paintings and books on the artist who captured Bahia in action—caipoiera, the martial art-like dance; candomblé, the syncretic religion, danzas, música, people. His style, his subjects, they all speak of life. Most certainly a new favorite! Lots of images on Google: http://bit.ly/M4nP5r

Photo image: http://bit.ly/Jzf0yF

One Week Before

21.05.2012 01:00

It’s one o'clock and I can’t sleep. Zak’s slow, peaceful breathing beside me makes me miss him before I’ve even left. Tonight marks one week from my first night in Brazil. What will it be like? I envision sun, bright white light and a blue sky melting into a turquoise sea. I also smell the grit and grime of the Latin America I know and love. The hard work, warm embrace, and tranquility so different than at home. I have lots of plans—Portuguese classes, music research, dinners with my Senhora, caipoiera, service learning with a women’s drumming troupe, runs on the beach, yoga at home, explorations at the market—yet the reality of how it will be is elusive and dreamlike. I like it though, the element of surprise and suspense of the wait. One week and I’ll see...