PORTUGUESE CLASS - Everyday for at least 2 hours we have actual Portuguese class with our professor, Bira. Our LAST day of Portuguese class is this Friday and after that we take off for a 2 week trip, then have our research for 3 weeks, then go home. CRAZY! My portuguese is so much better, but I still struggle. We have had 2 class field trips, which both turned out to be a blast!
Our first trip was to Campo Grande where we met a man who sold "cafezinhos". A cafezinho is just a tiny coffee that you drink for quick energy. This man who Bira introduced us to was amazing! While there, Bira left us all alone to use our Portuguese to interview him. Renato, the cafezinho vender, has been doing this since the age of 12 and to this day this is the only financial support for his family. Crazy to think about since only 1 cup of his coffee is R$.50. He was just a man who had a very generous and kind spirit.
Our second trip was to a Bompreco, which is a chain of grocery stores in Bahia. While in the store, Bira gave us a "shopping list" where we had to find our items by asking people. My list included: Extrato de Tomate (Tomato Paste), Queijo Ralado (Finely shredded dried cheese), Banana da Terra (Plantains), Ovo de codorna (Quail eggs...random!), and Feijao Preto (Black Beans). After finding out list, we then learned about a "Cesta Basica". This is a group of essential, non-perisakehable items that a famlies buys in a bundle. This bundle includes: rice, beans, butter, oil, coffee, cookies, frarenya, jam, and other various things. This trip was a blast!
In all, it is just crazy to think that I am "supposed" to be ready for my Independent Study Project where I will be conducting interviews in Portuguese which I will use for my research. Right now I don't feel like I am at that point, but I am ready to give it a go!
SEMINARS AND EXCURSIONS- The seminars and places that we have been visiting in the afternoon all relate to the Brazilian public health system, SUS. It is great to go and see these places first hand, which reveals some of the underlying problems of SUS.
In regards to excursions, we have visited an island where they are famous for their baskets and lace that they make by hand. While on the island, we had a discussion about birthing and how that takes place on an island that has limited access to health care. Another excursion we had was to another Candomble temple. This excursion was more for the intent to have a formal discussion with the practitioners in the relation to the traditional healing of Candomble and SUS.
EASTER - Easter weekend was one of the BEST weekends that I have had here because I got to travel with my family. We went to a beach house with my dad, mom, sister, married sister and her husband, and my brother and his girlfriend. We had 4 days just to chill and relax, and there is no better way then just chilling in a hammock! It was a blast to spend time with them! On the eve of Easter, we went to a live "Passion of Christ" play which was very intersting to see, due to the heavily Catholic influence. Also, they made traditional BAHIAN food...it was so good. New favorite dish...vatapa! It is a dish with bread, coconut milk, curry, shrimp, and other delicious things!
THE NEXT FEW WEEKS/MONTHS- So this weekend we leave for our 2 week backpacking/rural village stay in the interior of Brazil! I am super happy and excited to see all what we do. This being said, I do not know how much internet I will have, but I will try and update when I can. Definately when we get back. Once we return, from our 2 week stay, we have 2 or 3 days to wash our clothes, etc. and then we all go our seperate ways to begin our research for our Independent Study Project. After those 3 weeks of research, we come back together and present our findings, then the program is over!
After the program, I will get to stay in Brazil an additional 6 weeks because I received a GO Grant from my school to continue my volunteering at the social support group (GACC) with the pediatric cancer patients. I will return to the states on August 4/5/6ish.
PICTURES - I apologize for not having many pictures, but I just do not feel comfortable or taking the risk of getting robbed. I will try and take as many as I can!
Anyways, I would love to hear from you and if you ever want to shoot me an e-mail feel free to do so! Take care and I will update soon!
“I think all of us should be challenged to redefine success in America … asking not ‘how can I find myself,’ but ‘how can I lose myself in service to others?’” - Marian Wright Edelman
