Here is what my boss--the Director of Project Management--wrote about my first playground build (as a lead project manager):
Build #102 this year:
Today, Hope led her first build ever – woo hoo – this was another Week of Service build with The Home Depot. The build was with Northside Leadership Conference in Pittsburgh, PA. The day started with Hope and Whitney arriving at the site at 5:45. During the kick-off, Hope led the hokie pokie – (by the way one of the Associates wrote in her evaluations that something very memorable from the day was the hokie pokie!). A women from N-S-Leadership Conference spoke at the kick-off and nearly cried. Then two HRMs (Jim Marks and Mark Kociubinski) said a thank you to everyone for being there and Felix Fusco led The Home Depot cheer. There were 130 people from The Home Depot, 20 high school students from the community, and 60 from the community and from Northside Leadership Conference (including 10 residents who helped throughout the day). They built the playground, moved 165 cubic yards of mulch, created a little walkway; built 10 adult size picnic tables and 4 child size picnic tables and stained them (with a solid green tint), and mulched the trees near the playground; they did weeding, and moved a huge mound of dirt to backfill the end around the border timbers. Pete Jeffrey came out for prep day 1 and he was there first thing this morning and his son Chris was the lead during the installation. Chris was awesome! He was so good with the volunteers and was really on top of the equipment – he was easy to work with and on top of it.
CBS came out briefly (and a couple associates spoke with him); Fox News came out and Tony Kennedy (a The Home Depot Associate) was interviewed; Fox News was there at the mid-day ceremony; NBC came at the end of the day after all was done but they still filmed the structure and she interviewed Donna Alison, the main community partner point of contact. The Northside Paper came out as well. The mid-day ceremony was a huge success– Hope raffled off a variety of KaBOOM! items and ones from the community and The Home Depot. The Councilman from the City, Luke Ravenstahl, came up and read a Proclamation for Pittsburgh’s First Day of Play. Then Tony Kennedy spoke about The Week of Service and what it means to have 250,000 Associates doing service this week. The mid-day ceremony ended with a beautiful event -- a woman from the National Aviary (was located just around the corner from the park) led a dove release – 25-50 doves came out of 3 crates and the doves flew away.
The board cutting was at 2pm. Tony Kennedy read the letter from the President. Felix Fusco spoke; the Executive Director from Northside Leadership Conference Deborah McClain thanked everyone for their help support, and leadership. Donna Alison presented a 3D color poster of the drawing with “Thank You Hope” written on it and signatures from a large number of community and associate volunteers. Then Donna Alison cut the board and people sprayed Silly String and they took a group photo. The day ended with The Home Depot Cheer which ended with “Improve Everything We Touch”.
Special thanks to Whitney who was an awesome Second! She anticipated a lot and was great! Congratulations to Hope who did an awesome job on her first KaBOOM! build!!!
Sunday, October 03, 2004
Sunday, September 26, 2004
life's fullness
So much to say, so little time and energy to be spent on updates. I spend quite a bit of time on the computer, on conference calls, in the plane and out on playground build sites, and I sometimes forget that there is more to life that work.
Burning Man was a good reminder of Life's fullness! It was incredible out there. The sun, the wind, the high-pressure days and nights, the pocket of desert surrounded my beautiful mountains... The diversity of artistic expression spralled out in an organized fashion across a pre-historic lake bed. By day and by night, the playa's culture and ambiance would never cease to amaze me... the art installations, the art cars, the costumes, the music, the theatre, the dance, the theme-camps... the love, the openess, the positive sexual energy, the freedom... After just a few days, I felt more at home and settled than I've felt in a long time. It was liberating and inspirational.
Burning Man was a good reminder of Life's fullness! It was incredible out there. The sun, the wind, the high-pressure days and nights, the pocket of desert surrounded my beautiful mountains... The diversity of artistic expression spralled out in an organized fashion across a pre-historic lake bed. By day and by night, the playa's culture and ambiance would never cease to amaze me... the art installations, the art cars, the costumes, the music, the theatre, the dance, the theme-camps... the love, the openess, the positive sexual energy, the freedom... After just a few days, I felt more at home and settled than I've felt in a long time. It was liberating and inspirational.
Our theme camp was "WDYDWYD?" It means whatever you think it means, but we used the definition "why do you do what you do?" for our camp's "event." Basically, we took (and gave out) b&w polaroid portraits of people who would hold up their answer to the question on a piece of paper in front of them... soon, everything will be up online.
After Burning Man, I dove right back into work and began traveling all over again... visiting our playground manufacturer (the one KaBOOM! buys from exclusively), building a playground in Ottawa, Ontario, leading a Design Day in Tulsa, OK... Next week I go to Pittsburgh, PA, to lead my first build. That means that this project is mine, from start to finish. I'm the one that helps the community organize the entire thing, and I'm the one that will be running the show on Friday, Oct. 1... Yep, the playground is built all in one day! 200+ volunteers show up at 8 in the morning, and the playground is built in less than 8 hours! It's a great event because the community comes together with their funding partner in the project, and they produce an incredible child-designed public playspace in no time! (The planning process takes about 2 months--beginning with a Design Day with the kids and the adults of the community.) So, that's my job in a nut shell... or rather, that is the tip of the iceburg, so to speak. More to come later, I'm sure.
Lastly, my sister Heather came for a visit this last week. It was so great to spend time with her, especially because we're perfect partners in crime but also because we're such close friends. We had a great time out and about, exploring the city and meeting new people. I hope to find the time and energy to continue that on my own.
Friday, August 20, 2004
just moved in
Things have been really crazy lately. I definitely hit the ground running with this job... It's all good, though... It's nice to be outside a lot and to work hard, but it's very challenging to learn all the ropes and to deal with all the traveling (planned as well as spontaneous). For example, over the past month, I've only spent about 10 days at home in San Francisco. (I JUST moved into my new place, and I'm still living out of boxes!) Crazy, huh? If you're wondering where I've been, check out the list to the right... More to write later.
Friday, July 30, 2004
my first build as a second
My supervisor at KaBOOM! wrote this about my first playground build (San Jose)!:
San Jose, CA;
The Home Depot and Seven Trees Homeowners Association
And, last but not least, Tabitha led a build in San Jose, California. Hope was out there as a Second for the first time and did a ‘fabulous’ job. The build did come with its challenges as the volunteers (~60) from one local The Home Depot store did not come out for the day as they were mourning the recent death earlier in the week of one of their Associates. In spite of this sad news, the volunteers who did come out (100-125) definitely helped to make the day a success. In addition to building the playground, they painted the basketball court, built planter benches, and did a lot of landscaping including creating a butterfly garden. Sherry Caraway came out from The Home Depot. As with the other builds yesterday, there was a lot of media – Evening Magazine was out for the whole day and NBC and ABC also both were there. The kids learned how to plant flowers and then each one brought home a marigold to plant at home. Congrats to Tabitha and Hope for a job well done.
San Jose, CA;
The Home Depot and Seven Trees Homeowners Association
And, last but not least, Tabitha led a build in San Jose, California. Hope was out there as a Second for the first time and did a ‘fabulous’ job. The build did come with its challenges as the volunteers (~60) from one local The Home Depot store did not come out for the day as they were mourning the recent death earlier in the week of one of their Associates. In spite of this sad news, the volunteers who did come out (100-125) definitely helped to make the day a success. In addition to building the playground, they painted the basketball court, built planter benches, and did a lot of landscaping including creating a butterfly garden. Sherry Caraway came out from The Home Depot. As with the other builds yesterday, there was a lot of media – Evening Magazine was out for the whole day and NBC and ABC also both were there. The kids learned how to plant flowers and then each one brought home a marigold to plant at home. Congrats to Tabitha and Hope for a job well done.
Sunday, July 25, 2004
mural in the mission
Juana Alicia
There is this beautiful mural of La Llorona--painted by local artist Juana Alicia--on the wall outside of my brother Tony's apartment (over a mexican dinner/low-end burrito place at 24th x York) in the Lower Mission District of San Francisco. Check out http://www.juanaalicia.com/ for more info about it and the artist.
work begins
this is an email that i wrote to friends and family last thursday and that i thought should be shared with the world:
Subject : KaBOOM!
hello all!
apologies for the mass email, but i don't (and probably will never) have time to write you all individually about everything that's happening with me... so here it is.
the transition in SF, welllll... i only had 4 days there before coming back east (to DC) for training and a playgroud build. in my short time there, i visited some towns on the peninsula, met up with a couple friends of friends, and found a place to live (near where my brother lives)! it gave me a brief feel for the whirlwind that i'm just now entering with the new job... craziness.
the transition into my new job has been great, but my brain is beginning to overload a wee bit. the good news is I LOVE IT! and everything about it kicks butt! (except for the massive amount of anticipated conference calls and such). this week as been crazy: M-W & F have been training (i.e. learning all about the matrix of KaBOOM!) and today was a giant playground build b/w a public housing neighborhood and an elementary school in DC (300 volunteers from KaBOOM!, AmeriCorps NCCC, DC Housing Authority, Home Depot, and National Capitial Police Dept.)... so, yeah, i'm pooped (and sun-burnt). the trainings have been awesome, fun, interesting, engaging, and not really all that boring... not to mention, their office space here is so much fun!! it's huge (about 1,000 sq. ft. or something). it's painted all purple, orange, yellow, and white. the ceilings are high, unfinished and painted white. they've used some industrial venting (?) to divide some office spaces, while other spaces are roomed off. the main conference room is duely named the "garage" for its garage door partition. the kitchen is in the center and has B&W speckled cabinets, a nice metallic refrig. and dishwasher, and a big orange, oval counter top table in the middle. it's so much fun to come to! AND everyone is so awesome! unfortunately, i won't be in this office on a regular basis. in fact, i will only get to come here about 2 times a year. :( sad for me... maybe i should have picked DC to come to. oh well... SF will be AWESOME too! because I'LL be there! anyway, i'm MUST go shower and rest before we go out to eat. i'll write more when i can.
love, hope
http://www.kaboom.org
p.s. no cell, yet, but i'll send you contact info soon!
Subject : KaBOOM!
hello all!
apologies for the mass email, but i don't (and probably will never) have time to write you all individually about everything that's happening with me... so here it is.
the transition in SF, welllll... i only had 4 days there before coming back east (to DC) for training and a playgroud build. in my short time there, i visited some towns on the peninsula, met up with a couple friends of friends, and found a place to live (near where my brother lives)! it gave me a brief feel for the whirlwind that i'm just now entering with the new job... craziness.
the transition into my new job has been great, but my brain is beginning to overload a wee bit. the good news is I LOVE IT! and everything about it kicks butt! (except for the massive amount of anticipated conference calls and such). this week as been crazy: M-W & F have been training (i.e. learning all about the matrix of KaBOOM!) and today was a giant playground build b/w a public housing neighborhood and an elementary school in DC (300 volunteers from KaBOOM!, AmeriCorps NCCC, DC Housing Authority, Home Depot, and National Capitial Police Dept.)... so, yeah, i'm pooped (and sun-burnt). the trainings have been awesome, fun, interesting, engaging, and not really all that boring... not to mention, their office space here is so much fun!! it's huge (about 1,000 sq. ft. or something). it's painted all purple, orange, yellow, and white. the ceilings are high, unfinished and painted white. they've used some industrial venting (?) to divide some office spaces, while other spaces are roomed off. the main conference room is duely named the "garage" for its garage door partition. the kitchen is in the center and has B&W speckled cabinets, a nice metallic refrig. and dishwasher, and a big orange, oval counter top table in the middle. it's so much fun to come to! AND everyone is so awesome! unfortunately, i won't be in this office on a regular basis. in fact, i will only get to come here about 2 times a year. :( sad for me... maybe i should have picked DC to come to. oh well... SF will be AWESOME too! because I'LL be there! anyway, i'm MUST go shower and rest before we go out to eat. i'll write more when i can.
love, hope
http://www.kaboom.org
p.s. no cell, yet, but i'll send you contact info soon!
Monday, July 05, 2004
Tuesday, June 29, 2004
fahrenheit
i have never felt QUITE the URGENCY that i feel right now to DO SOMETHING about the political (and selfish) state of our nation. Fahrenheit 9/11 is a must-see for ANYone and everyone who wants to know what actually went on, not just what our biased media filters out for us to see (including the right-wing's critical reviews on this "controversial" film). PLEASE read river's blog for some well-written commentaries about the film. then, let us harness our energy collectively and DO SOMETHING!! (besides VOTE--obviously)
Friday, June 25, 2004
inspired to return
I know, it's been an eternity since I've blogged, but I'm still here... and I hope to get back into the circuit again. In the meantime, check out my loving friend Ashley's blog. She is an amazing woman with an amazing talent for creative and inspirational blogging.
Saturday, December 13, 2003
finishing up the semester
Well, the most painful part of this semester is finally over. I finished my ISP (independent project), wrote a 30-page single-spaced paper (it took me 50 hours over 3 ½ days), and survived my 40-minute presentation (just barely…) — all within this past week. By the time it was over, I had so much stress (and self-doubt) running through my veins that I treated myself to a full-body massage at the Projeto Quarta Varas (see entry from early October). There, the massage therapy "salon" is an outdoor circular hut made of bamboo that sits right off the beach; so while you're getting the massage you can hear the waves and wind... SO nice and SO what I needed! now I feel like a new person.
Too bad the stress is not quite over. I still have to write an 8-to-10-page paper (in an elaborate response to Eduardo Galeano’s Open Veins of Latin America) by Tuesday and I still don’t know how or what about.
Plus, I also need to do all the last minute soaking in… of the culture, the beach, the warm weather (tonight it’s 27° C, or ~85° F ?), time with my host family, time with the other students in the group, the language, and the Brazilian crafts, music, clothes, night, and people. I’m SO ready to be done with the academic semester and to see my family again, but I’m also not ready to leave Brazil. Oh, what saudades! (which means everything from longing for something, to feeling like something’s missing, to being sentimental about something that soon won’t be there anymore, etc.)
The last 2 ½ weeks of my stay in Salvador were great but far too short. When I wasn’t doing field research (i.e. interviewing folks, observing them in their environments, reading material, etc.), I hung out with either my host cousin or an awesome girl I met from New York, Inasia. I also went to an Olodum concert/show (they’re a famous “afro-bloco” group, a hip hop show, and a “roda de samba” (samba music jam circle), among a few others… Overall, Salvador was great! I loved it there. The people are so beautiful and loving… I was sad to leave.
Now that the semester is (nearly) over, I will fly home next Friday night, spend Christmas with my family in CT, drive back to NC with my sibs, and start school on January 7 (already!!!). Crazy, no?
Too bad the stress is not quite over. I still have to write an 8-to-10-page paper (in an elaborate response to Eduardo Galeano’s Open Veins of Latin America) by Tuesday and I still don’t know how or what about.
Plus, I also need to do all the last minute soaking in… of the culture, the beach, the warm weather (tonight it’s 27° C, or ~85° F ?), time with my host family, time with the other students in the group, the language, and the Brazilian crafts, music, clothes, night, and people. I’m SO ready to be done with the academic semester and to see my family again, but I’m also not ready to leave Brazil. Oh, what saudades! (which means everything from longing for something, to feeling like something’s missing, to being sentimental about something that soon won’t be there anymore, etc.)
The last 2 ½ weeks of my stay in Salvador were great but far too short. When I wasn’t doing field research (i.e. interviewing folks, observing them in their environments, reading material, etc.), I hung out with either my host cousin or an awesome girl I met from New York, Inasia. I also went to an Olodum concert/show (they’re a famous “afro-bloco” group, a hip hop show, and a “roda de samba” (samba music jam circle), among a few others… Overall, Salvador was great! I loved it there. The people are so beautiful and loving… I was sad to leave.
Now that the semester is (nearly) over, I will fly home next Friday night, spend Christmas with my family in CT, drive back to NC with my sibs, and start school on January 7 (already!!!). Crazy, no?
So if you ever want to know what’s going on with me or if you just want to drop me a line, email me. hopedeifell@hotmail.com
i'll try to share more details and memories later. right now i've gotta worry about that paper and my final days in Brazil.
Until then, take care and spread the love!
P.S. Once I have the chance to edit and fine tune my paper, i'll create a link of it and attach it to the blog.
P.S. Once I have the chance to edit and fine tune my paper, i'll create a link of it and attach it to the blog.
Thursday, December 04, 2003
National Black Consciousness Day
Thursday, 20 November
To make a long story short, I decided not to explain Brazilian racial relations (here), mainly because it’s so complex and deeply rooted that I wouldn’t be able to lay it all out for you in just a few words… but also because I had trouble coming up with an explanation that would suffice… All in all, my experiences have given me new way of seeing the world, period.
Around 3 p.m., 200+ people congregated on the street in front of Ilê Aiyê’s home in the Liberdade neighborhood, where this world famous Afro-Brazilian “bloco” prepared its lines of drummers to lead the crowd on the 5-km walk (“caminhada”) from there to Pelourinho, the center of Salvador’s historical district. Samba-like music and announcements related to black consciousness blasted from speakers the size of the truck that carried them. Mobile venders were ready with their wheelbarrows balancing coolers which overflowed with 50-cent cans of beers or bottles of water. Around 4 o’clock, fireworks went off to signal the start of the march.
With every step we took and every corner we turned, more and more people joined the march… until it was virtually impossible to move freely. Walking to either the beat of the drum or to the beat of the music broadcasted by loud-speaker, we moved rather slowly at first—practically stepping on each others feet, weaving around the venders, the news reporters and the drumming “blocos,” trying not to lose each other (I walked with two colleagues, our program’s co-director, and her parents), etc. Overall, I felt like a fish swimming in a huge flowing river of beautiful dark waters.
After 2 hours of walking only 3 km, some of us went down to the lower city of Salvador to take a bus to get to our destination faster—Pelourinho. There, we (along with at least a thousand people) wondered through the streets, listened to some (free) conscious Brazilian hip hop and reggae music (on the main square), watched the “caminhada” (that we were in) arrive, and hung out with our friends there.
… Since then…
I’ve been real busy with my project—interviewing, reading, writing, etc…
I’ve enjoyed spending time with my family and friends…
And I plan to write more later when I have time… (in another 2 weeks, right before coming home! – Dec. 20!!)
To make a long story short, I decided not to explain Brazilian racial relations (here), mainly because it’s so complex and deeply rooted that I wouldn’t be able to lay it all out for you in just a few words… but also because I had trouble coming up with an explanation that would suffice… All in all, my experiences have given me new way of seeing the world, period.
Around 3 p.m., 200+ people congregated on the street in front of Ilê Aiyê’s home in the Liberdade neighborhood, where this world famous Afro-Brazilian “bloco” prepared its lines of drummers to lead the crowd on the 5-km walk (“caminhada”) from there to Pelourinho, the center of Salvador’s historical district. Samba-like music and announcements related to black consciousness blasted from speakers the size of the truck that carried them. Mobile venders were ready with their wheelbarrows balancing coolers which overflowed with 50-cent cans of beers or bottles of water. Around 4 o’clock, fireworks went off to signal the start of the march.
With every step we took and every corner we turned, more and more people joined the march… until it was virtually impossible to move freely. Walking to either the beat of the drum or to the beat of the music broadcasted by loud-speaker, we moved rather slowly at first—practically stepping on each others feet, weaving around the venders, the news reporters and the drumming “blocos,” trying not to lose each other (I walked with two colleagues, our program’s co-director, and her parents), etc. Overall, I felt like a fish swimming in a huge flowing river of beautiful dark waters.
After 2 hours of walking only 3 km, some of us went down to the lower city of Salvador to take a bus to get to our destination faster—Pelourinho. There, we (along with at least a thousand people) wondered through the streets, listened to some (free) conscious Brazilian hip hop and reggae music (on the main square), watched the “caminhada” (that we were in) arrive, and hung out with our friends there.
… Since then…
I’ve been real busy with my project—interviewing, reading, writing, etc…
I’ve enjoyed spending time with my family and friends…
And I plan to write more later when I have time… (in another 2 weeks, right before coming home! – Dec. 20!!)
Friday, November 21, 2003
semester in Brazil: phase two
Once again, it’s taken me forever to get this together... or, rather, it’s been forever since I’ve been able to sit down at a computer and summarize everything… And, in order to keep this brief, I might just list sights, sounds, feelings and places, with or without explanation.
First a synopsis of the synopsis:
The past 2 ½ weeks have been jam-packed full of interesting occurrences, visits, travels, colors, music, people, and lessons… We traveled to the coast of Bahia (a state between Fortaleza and Rio de Janeiro), visited the historical town of Cachoeira for 4 days, and then went to Salvador… Basically, we hung out in Salvador, getting to know the city, its people, the sites, some of the culture and history, etc., as a group for 10 days, and then everyone went on their own to do independent field research projects. Ten of us (incl. me) stayed in Bahia to do our research.
The focus of my research will be the voices and life experiences of 5 young Afro-Brazilian women activists/“militantes” (at CEAFRO, a center of education and citizen development for African-oriented peoples). I want to investigate why they became activists, what and who inspires/influences/drives them to be activists, what obstacles they face(d), and how these compelling voices can empower other young Afro-Brazilian women to take action amid the Brazil’s myth of racial democracy and overt gender placement… Right now, this project is really scary because I have very little guidance, no theoretical framework, and no clue as to how to ask the right questions or do what I’m supposed to do (let alone how to bring it altogether)!… So, that’s what I’m up to, from now until December 6… but now let me attempt to paint for you a picture of the past few weeks.
Bahia: Cachoeira
Bright, solid colors in various shades—yellow, red, blue, beige, white—painted on store and house fronts with Colonial/Portuguese architecture: little metal-caged veranda windows and tall wooden front doors. Cobble-stone streets, churches every 200 yards… Population = 56,000 and 95-99% African descent… Mouth of a river; entrance to the interior. 6 hours by boat or 2 hours by bus (we did both) across the bay from Salvador. A historical port where most African slaves forcefully came before being bought and sold by fazenda (or plantation) owners… Three hundred years after Brazil’s “discovery” (1500), many Africans living in Cachoeira began to organize and lead slave revolts in Salvador. Still today Cachoeira is considered an important center of African heritage and spring for collective action.
Cachoeira is also known for its spiritual richness in Candomblé (an African-based religious tradition) and Catholic syncretism. For example, many Africans practiced their rituals and religious ceremonies behind the façade of Catholicism, bowing down to white saints but worshipping their African deities, in order to protect their spirituality and cultural well-being. On the other hand, many African women managed to pass their true African religious traditions down through the generations and preserve them in their terreiros (or Candomblé worship spaces). We visited two in Cachoeira and one in Salvador. There, fringed white tissue paper hangs from the ceiling, and dried palm frons decorate the corners of the room and the line the doors and windows of the room, and members wear beaded jewelry, white dresses and head wraps… Truthfully, there is no way I can capture everything about this complex religious tradition, its people, its influence on and cultural importance for Afro-Brazilians, or its spiritual exchange… So, I’ll just leave it at that.
Lastly, while in Cachoeira, we stayed in the house of the Sisterhood of Our Lady of Good Death (a well-known example of Catholic syncretism), ate (very well) there, and held our “lectures” there… Even though we didn’t get to meet any of the sisters or witness any of their ceremonies, we enjoyed our time there and, by the time we left, felt like we knew them. Basically, the Sisterhood of Good Death is composed of around 30 older Afro-Brazilian women (average age, 70) who are Candomblé members that worship the death and ascendance of the Virgin Mary… It’s a lot more complex than that, but that’s the best summary I can come up with.
Bahia: Salvador
After 4 days in Cachoeira, we went on a 6-hour boat ride, east, across the bay to the state’s capital, Salvador—the most visited (most exploited) city by tourists in Brazil… at least that’s what I’ve been told and what seems apparent. Regardless, I must confess that tourists have every reason to come. Salvador is beautiful, and its people are generally very friendly, animated, and positive. Like Cachoeira, Salvador’s historic cobble-stone streets are lined with brightly colored Colonial architecture. The whole city doesn’t enjoy this aesthetic richness however. The rest of the city reflects a truer Brazilian reality—poorer infrastructure, lack of finances, absence of institutional support, evidence of survival, diversity of wealth,… You get the picture, no?
During these 10 days together as a group in Salvador, we basically did the following:
-Rented an apartment and hung out a bunch in the Barra neighborhood;
-Enjoyed our most interesting lectures of the semester at CEAFRO (African dance, socio-economic issues of black women, religious intolerance, health, gender and race/ethnicity, the anthropology of solidarity, etc.);
-Attended a public religious ceremony at a well-known Candomblé house—Ilê Axé Opô Afonjá;
-Got to know the historical district, Pelourinho, inside and out… quite the tourist-trap; and
-Visited Project Bahia Street (an org. that helps young girls recognize/value their black identity and works to reinforce their public school education), the Steve Biko Cultural Institute (which does virtually the same thing but for teenagers and other young adults), and Ilê Ayê (a world renown Afro-Brazilian Carnaval “bloco”/group/school based out of the Liberdade neighborhood).
Since the others left to do their independent projects, I moved into my host family’s house, went to the beach with them, did some research, stressed out over the lack of theoretical framework in project…, and attended a reggae festival (Diamba, Tribo de Jah, Adao Negro, Alpha Blondy, Edson Gomes, and Sine Calmon). All in all it’s been great!
What’s my host family like? Afro-Brazilian. Middle-class. Eva, a 40-something mother that’s a spunky hair-dresser and super down-to-earth. Cleono, a 40-something father that works in advertising. Danilo, an 11-year-old brother with whom I share a small bedroom. And Elaine, a 27-year-old cousin that used to work for them but now just lives there and works for a neighboring family. After our first night together, Elaine and I quickly became good friends.
Well, finally, I guess that’s it for now… Today (now, yesterday) is the Day of Black Consciousness, and with 90% of the population Afro-Brazilian, you’d think the entire city of Salvador would take it to the streets! Well, more on this means later… For now I’ve gotta run a join the 3rd annual Black Consciousness march from Liberdade to Pelourinho.
First a synopsis of the synopsis:
The past 2 ½ weeks have been jam-packed full of interesting occurrences, visits, travels, colors, music, people, and lessons… We traveled to the coast of Bahia (a state between Fortaleza and Rio de Janeiro), visited the historical town of Cachoeira for 4 days, and then went to Salvador… Basically, we hung out in Salvador, getting to know the city, its people, the sites, some of the culture and history, etc., as a group for 10 days, and then everyone went on their own to do independent field research projects. Ten of us (incl. me) stayed in Bahia to do our research.
The focus of my research will be the voices and life experiences of 5 young Afro-Brazilian women activists/“militantes” (at CEAFRO, a center of education and citizen development for African-oriented peoples). I want to investigate why they became activists, what and who inspires/influences/drives them to be activists, what obstacles they face(d), and how these compelling voices can empower other young Afro-Brazilian women to take action amid the Brazil’s myth of racial democracy and overt gender placement… Right now, this project is really scary because I have very little guidance, no theoretical framework, and no clue as to how to ask the right questions or do what I’m supposed to do (let alone how to bring it altogether)!… So, that’s what I’m up to, from now until December 6… but now let me attempt to paint for you a picture of the past few weeks.
Bahia: Cachoeira
Bright, solid colors in various shades—yellow, red, blue, beige, white—painted on store and house fronts with Colonial/Portuguese architecture: little metal-caged veranda windows and tall wooden front doors. Cobble-stone streets, churches every 200 yards… Population = 56,000 and 95-99% African descent… Mouth of a river; entrance to the interior. 6 hours by boat or 2 hours by bus (we did both) across the bay from Salvador. A historical port where most African slaves forcefully came before being bought and sold by fazenda (or plantation) owners… Three hundred years after Brazil’s “discovery” (1500), many Africans living in Cachoeira began to organize and lead slave revolts in Salvador. Still today Cachoeira is considered an important center of African heritage and spring for collective action.
Cachoeira is also known for its spiritual richness in Candomblé (an African-based religious tradition) and Catholic syncretism. For example, many Africans practiced their rituals and religious ceremonies behind the façade of Catholicism, bowing down to white saints but worshipping their African deities, in order to protect their spirituality and cultural well-being. On the other hand, many African women managed to pass their true African religious traditions down through the generations and preserve them in their terreiros (or Candomblé worship spaces). We visited two in Cachoeira and one in Salvador. There, fringed white tissue paper hangs from the ceiling, and dried palm frons decorate the corners of the room and the line the doors and windows of the room, and members wear beaded jewelry, white dresses and head wraps… Truthfully, there is no way I can capture everything about this complex religious tradition, its people, its influence on and cultural importance for Afro-Brazilians, or its spiritual exchange… So, I’ll just leave it at that.
Lastly, while in Cachoeira, we stayed in the house of the Sisterhood of Our Lady of Good Death (a well-known example of Catholic syncretism), ate (very well) there, and held our “lectures” there… Even though we didn’t get to meet any of the sisters or witness any of their ceremonies, we enjoyed our time there and, by the time we left, felt like we knew them. Basically, the Sisterhood of Good Death is composed of around 30 older Afro-Brazilian women (average age, 70) who are Candomblé members that worship the death and ascendance of the Virgin Mary… It’s a lot more complex than that, but that’s the best summary I can come up with.
Bahia: Salvador
After 4 days in Cachoeira, we went on a 6-hour boat ride, east, across the bay to the state’s capital, Salvador—the most visited (most exploited) city by tourists in Brazil… at least that’s what I’ve been told and what seems apparent. Regardless, I must confess that tourists have every reason to come. Salvador is beautiful, and its people are generally very friendly, animated, and positive. Like Cachoeira, Salvador’s historic cobble-stone streets are lined with brightly colored Colonial architecture. The whole city doesn’t enjoy this aesthetic richness however. The rest of the city reflects a truer Brazilian reality—poorer infrastructure, lack of finances, absence of institutional support, evidence of survival, diversity of wealth,… You get the picture, no?
During these 10 days together as a group in Salvador, we basically did the following:
-Rented an apartment and hung out a bunch in the Barra neighborhood;
-Enjoyed our most interesting lectures of the semester at CEAFRO (African dance, socio-economic issues of black women, religious intolerance, health, gender and race/ethnicity, the anthropology of solidarity, etc.);
-Attended a public religious ceremony at a well-known Candomblé house—Ilê Axé Opô Afonjá;
-Got to know the historical district, Pelourinho, inside and out… quite the tourist-trap; and
-Visited Project Bahia Street (an org. that helps young girls recognize/value their black identity and works to reinforce their public school education), the Steve Biko Cultural Institute (which does virtually the same thing but for teenagers and other young adults), and Ilê Ayê (a world renown Afro-Brazilian Carnaval “bloco”/group/school based out of the Liberdade neighborhood).
Since the others left to do their independent projects, I moved into my host family’s house, went to the beach with them, did some research, stressed out over the lack of theoretical framework in project…, and attended a reggae festival (Diamba, Tribo de Jah, Adao Negro, Alpha Blondy, Edson Gomes, and Sine Calmon). All in all it’s been great!
What’s my host family like? Afro-Brazilian. Middle-class. Eva, a 40-something mother that’s a spunky hair-dresser and super down-to-earth. Cleono, a 40-something father that works in advertising. Danilo, an 11-year-old brother with whom I share a small bedroom. And Elaine, a 27-year-old cousin that used to work for them but now just lives there and works for a neighboring family. After our first night together, Elaine and I quickly became good friends.
Well, finally, I guess that’s it for now… Today (now, yesterday) is the Day of Black Consciousness, and with 90% of the population Afro-Brazilian, you’d think the entire city of Salvador would take it to the streets! Well, more on this means later… For now I’ve gotta run a join the 3rd annual Black Consciousness march from Liberdade to Pelourinho.
Tuesday, October 28, 2003
beginning independent research
Two weeks ago, our program sent us (in pairs, mostly) out of Fortaleza to do mini-research projects in one week’s time. Lydia (student from Univ. of Vermont) and I were sent to a Christian Children´s Fund Project/school in Russas (pop. 57,000), 150 km south east of Fortaleza and about 50 km inland. (The CCF does some really amazing things, and it's one of the best organized humanitarian/educational/health-based foundations in Brazil!)
The setting?... Rural. High daytime temperatures (95-100 degrees F). Very dry climate. Cool, breezy nights (80-85) with EVERY star in sight. Gorgeous sunsets. Wide-open skies. Red dusty roads. Very few cars; mostly bikes and motos . Some mud houses, some brick. Some painted, some not. All with ceramic-tiled roofs and open ceilings. Thousands of scattered palm trees (used to make wax). Some small-scale agriculture: corn; onions; and orange, acerola, graviola and banana trees. A couple independent ceramic-roof-tile manufacturing co-ops. What used to be the largest dry river bed in the Northeast. (Rain is their main source of water.) A new highway being built straight through the area--for better and for worse. Literate population = 75% men, 85% women.
The Project/school is located about 9 km outside of town and serves nearly 450 students (ages 3 to 16) from the surrounding rural community. Our hosts fixed up an old office space in the school for us to stay; so, you can imagine the students’ frustrated curiosity in wanting to sneak a peak at us or watch our every move. Unfortunately, if we wanted privacy, we’d have to lock ourselves in, latch the shutter-windows, and suffer the heat. Nevertheless, we only did this when we want to do work or nap. Other than that, we’d hang with the kids (most of whom have CCF sponsors) during their breaks, visit their classrooms (or other parts of the community), and play ping-pong with some of them after school but before the bus came—at sunset (5:30)—to take them home… Good times.
For my research project there, I looked at the community service work that 43 women did for the Project. As animardores comunitários (community leaders/“animators”), they each visit 10 families (enlisted with the CCF), check on their living situations (from housing to health and child development), “orient” the family around improving these situations, “accompany” their learning, and report everything (esp. the “red flags”) to the CCF (for the Project to take steps in helping their situations)… I was particularly interested in looking specifically at the women animadores that work outside the home, maintain their homes and families (a socially-constructed gender role, ingrained in every part of Latin American culture, that involves doing every household chore by hand and from scratch), AND manage to volunteer.
---------------------------
Last week, I spent most of the time writing up this mini-research project and finishing the write-up about Canindé (the religious movement I mentioned in my previous entry). I rewarded myself by going out with friends and going to the beach with my host-siblings. Now, I’m supposed to be doing independent research for my ISP (research project). I’ve finally narrowed it down to a specific topic, but I still need major help in figuring out how to conduct the research (i.e. what questions to ask, etc.) and how to pull it together (i.e. the writing). The topic/ “problem” asks, What are the internal (personal experiences) and external (societal and cultural influences) forces that drive and empower young Afro-Brazilian women activists (specifically 3 to 5 of them, ages 15 to 25)? What obstacles have they overcome to be vocally strong women? How can/do they serve as an inspiration for other young Afro-Brazilian women?
On Thursday, we fly to the state of Bahia (to Cachoeira and then to Salvador), and we’ll be together as a group for 2 weeks before we’re released into the wild to do our independent research projects (ISPs)—for only 3 weeks! Some will return to Fortaleza, but half (including me) will stay in Salvador to do ISPs. On 7 Dec., everyone returns to Fortaleza to turn in and present the ISP projects… I’m already dreading that part.
So, that’s it, I guess, for now. Don’t forget to send me quick email (hopedeifell@hotmail.com) to let me know you’re alive and interested in hearing more…
The setting?... Rural. High daytime temperatures (95-100 degrees F). Very dry climate. Cool, breezy nights (80-85) with EVERY star in sight. Gorgeous sunsets. Wide-open skies. Red dusty roads. Very few cars; mostly bikes and motos . Some mud houses, some brick. Some painted, some not. All with ceramic-tiled roofs and open ceilings. Thousands of scattered palm trees (used to make wax). Some small-scale agriculture: corn; onions; and orange, acerola, graviola and banana trees. A couple independent ceramic-roof-tile manufacturing co-ops. What used to be the largest dry river bed in the Northeast. (Rain is their main source of water.) A new highway being built straight through the area--for better and for worse. Literate population = 75% men, 85% women.
The Project/school is located about 9 km outside of town and serves nearly 450 students (ages 3 to 16) from the surrounding rural community. Our hosts fixed up an old office space in the school for us to stay; so, you can imagine the students’ frustrated curiosity in wanting to sneak a peak at us or watch our every move. Unfortunately, if we wanted privacy, we’d have to lock ourselves in, latch the shutter-windows, and suffer the heat. Nevertheless, we only did this when we want to do work or nap. Other than that, we’d hang with the kids (most of whom have CCF sponsors) during their breaks, visit their classrooms (or other parts of the community), and play ping-pong with some of them after school but before the bus came—at sunset (5:30)—to take them home… Good times.
For my research project there, I looked at the community service work that 43 women did for the Project. As animardores comunitários (community leaders/“animators”), they each visit 10 families (enlisted with the CCF), check on their living situations (from housing to health and child development), “orient” the family around improving these situations, “accompany” their learning, and report everything (esp. the “red flags”) to the CCF (for the Project to take steps in helping their situations)… I was particularly interested in looking specifically at the women animadores that work outside the home, maintain their homes and families (a socially-constructed gender role, ingrained in every part of Latin American culture, that involves doing every household chore by hand and from scratch), AND manage to volunteer.
---------------------------
Last week, I spent most of the time writing up this mini-research project and finishing the write-up about Canindé (the religious movement I mentioned in my previous entry). I rewarded myself by going out with friends and going to the beach with my host-siblings. Now, I’m supposed to be doing independent research for my ISP (research project). I’ve finally narrowed it down to a specific topic, but I still need major help in figuring out how to conduct the research (i.e. what questions to ask, etc.) and how to pull it together (i.e. the writing). The topic/ “problem” asks, What are the internal (personal experiences) and external (societal and cultural influences) forces that drive and empower young Afro-Brazilian women activists (specifically 3 to 5 of them, ages 15 to 25)? What obstacles have they overcome to be vocally strong women? How can/do they serve as an inspiration for other young Afro-Brazilian women?
On Thursday, we fly to the state of Bahia (to Cachoeira and then to Salvador), and we’ll be together as a group for 2 weeks before we’re released into the wild to do our independent research projects (ISPs)—for only 3 weeks! Some will return to Fortaleza, but half (including me) will stay in Salvador to do ISPs. On 7 Dec., everyone returns to Fortaleza to turn in and present the ISP projects… I’m already dreading that part.
So, that’s it, I guess, for now. Don’t forget to send me quick email (hopedeifell@hotmail.com) to let me know you’re alive and interested in hearing more…
Monday, October 13, 2003
a diversity of cultural experience
Movimento Sem Terra—MST:
The last weekend of September we took a 2-hour bus ride into the interior of Ceará to visit a settlement (Ze Lourenço) and an encampment (Paz Lenin II) of the Landless Workers Movement (MST). The MST organizes the Brazilian landless and/or homeless to occupy unproductive land (belonging to large landowners) until they achieve ownership—a semi-dangerous but legal process which takes a painstaking 2 years of squatting or camping out before the government recognizes them, evaluates the land, and forces the sell of the land to the MST. We visited an encampment, where landless workers had been for only 2 months, but we stayed in a settlement, where landless workers achieved land, built houses, began producing cajú (cashew), and had been living since 1998.
In the settlement, 71 families live a simple life—bathing with a cup and a few douses of water (no running water), cooking over wood-burning stoves, living in clay houses with limited electricity, studying in one school-house, etc… The encampment, however, was a different story. Among sixty families (30 children), there was no house, no school, no potable water, and no electricity—only white rice to eat (the day we went), a small “lake” nearby for bathing, and wooden poles, black plastic, and other random scraps for shelter. Seeing what these people go through to obtain land was both moving and disturbing… Moving to see their courage, strength, desire and determination to fight for land. Disturbing to see and understand their living conditions, the bureaucratic loopholes they have to go through, the unequal distribution of land, the high number of landless, the malnutrition, and the children, among others. The entire weekend was a real eye-opener to the reality that these landless live, the work the MST does, and Brazil’s need for agrarian (and social) reform.
Projecto das Quatras Varas:
On September 30 we went to a community located within a poorer neighborhood (Cristo Rendentor) of Fortaleza. This community, called Quatras Varas, hosted us for lunch and for our end-of-the-month reflection/discussion. What I found interesting about this community is its “community healing” project—the herbal healing, the massage therapy, the community kitchen, the alternative education, the theater group, the arts and crafts to sell, and (most of all) the group therapy, or “community” sessions. I would have never thought to find a community such as Quatras Varas in this part of Fortaleza, let alone in Brazil. I was impressed by their finding a true sense of “community” and by the model of “community healing” that they managed to construct by their own efforts. (I'd thought about doing my independent research project on this community but ended up deciding not to... more will come on what i've decided to do, as soon as i have a clearer idea on what it is exactly.)
Umbanda: Oxum’s night:
After our group discussion in Quatras Varas, our Portuguese class went to an Umbanda celebration/service. Second to Candomblé, Umbanda is the Orisha tradition (or worship of African deities) with Catholic syncretism most common in Brazil. (I don’t know enough to attempt an explanation, so I will leave that up to you.)
Each orisha has its color, music, element and purpose… The night we went was Oxum’s night… The women participating (the filhas do santo) wore various, big, fat, red, and white/silver dresses; the men (the filhos do santo) wore red shirts and white pants. Neither wore shoes… To begin the ceremony, a pai do santo “blessed” the room and its people with an incense burner, exactly like that of the Catholic church, and prayed to the Crucifix at the head of the room, asking God, the Father, for a blessing.
While passive worshippers sat or stood to one side of the room, these women and men danced (in their own places), sang (in Portuguese) to the various African drum beats, and periodically approaching the mães do santo for a “blessing” (from what I could tell) for nearly 1 hour before they took a smoke break. (Don’t ask me why, but smoking tobacco and, later on, drinking beer has something to do with relating to spirits of the middle passage). Next, 3 women—wearing red garbs, a bronze crown and breastplate, and no shoes, and representing Oxum—entered the room in what seemed like a trance. For 15 minutes or so, they blindly shuffled around the room waving their bronze “swords,” one in each hand, between the two lines of dancers. Without opening their eyes, they never once bumped into each other. Whenever the music stopped, they stopped and, at times, yelled out… Eventually, they made their exit, and the filhos continued dancing and singing.
In the hour and a half before the end of the ceremony, there were 2 other “smoke breaks,” more singing, dancing, spiritual “possessions”, “blessings” by the mães do santo, “counseling” by other spiritual leaders (beer in hand), and so much more that I wasn’t able to observe or interpret… Overall, it was a very powerful and interesting cultural experience, to say the least.
Festival de São Francisco in Canindé:
October 5-7, we went (as field researchers) to a spiritual festival in Canindé (2 hours into the interior of Ceará). This religious movement attracts people from all over the Northeast (and beyond), many of whom come to “pay their promise (for being healed)” to or receive a blessing from São Francisco (Saint Francis of Assisi). Some people come to witness this spiritual spectacle, others to sell their merchandise, and still others to plea for alms. In just that one weekend, according to the Globo news, there were nearly 700,000 visitors in Canindé, a town of only 25,000 inhabitants.
So many poor, distraught, sickened, disabled, injured, hopeless, desperate, and spiritual folks come to Canindé looking for a miracle that a “House of Miracles” was built to accommodate all their photos, symbolic body parts, cut hair, old clothes, and other representative objects to be blessed. Someone from our group mentioned that the appearance and feel of the place reminded her somewhat of Nazi Germany and the Holocaust, except that people chose to bring their things to this place for spiritual cleansing.
The last weekend of September we took a 2-hour bus ride into the interior of Ceará to visit a settlement (Ze Lourenço) and an encampment (Paz Lenin II) of the Landless Workers Movement (MST). The MST organizes the Brazilian landless and/or homeless to occupy unproductive land (belonging to large landowners) until they achieve ownership—a semi-dangerous but legal process which takes a painstaking 2 years of squatting or camping out before the government recognizes them, evaluates the land, and forces the sell of the land to the MST. We visited an encampment, where landless workers had been for only 2 months, but we stayed in a settlement, where landless workers achieved land, built houses, began producing cajú (cashew), and had been living since 1998.
In the settlement, 71 families live a simple life—bathing with a cup and a few douses of water (no running water), cooking over wood-burning stoves, living in clay houses with limited electricity, studying in one school-house, etc… The encampment, however, was a different story. Among sixty families (30 children), there was no house, no school, no potable water, and no electricity—only white rice to eat (the day we went), a small “lake” nearby for bathing, and wooden poles, black plastic, and other random scraps for shelter. Seeing what these people go through to obtain land was both moving and disturbing… Moving to see their courage, strength, desire and determination to fight for land. Disturbing to see and understand their living conditions, the bureaucratic loopholes they have to go through, the unequal distribution of land, the high number of landless, the malnutrition, and the children, among others. The entire weekend was a real eye-opener to the reality that these landless live, the work the MST does, and Brazil’s need for agrarian (and social) reform.
Projecto das Quatras Varas:
On September 30 we went to a community located within a poorer neighborhood (Cristo Rendentor) of Fortaleza. This community, called Quatras Varas, hosted us for lunch and for our end-of-the-month reflection/discussion. What I found interesting about this community is its “community healing” project—the herbal healing, the massage therapy, the community kitchen, the alternative education, the theater group, the arts and crafts to sell, and (most of all) the group therapy, or “community” sessions. I would have never thought to find a community such as Quatras Varas in this part of Fortaleza, let alone in Brazil. I was impressed by their finding a true sense of “community” and by the model of “community healing” that they managed to construct by their own efforts. (I'd thought about doing my independent research project on this community but ended up deciding not to... more will come on what i've decided to do, as soon as i have a clearer idea on what it is exactly.)
Umbanda: Oxum’s night:
After our group discussion in Quatras Varas, our Portuguese class went to an Umbanda celebration/service. Second to Candomblé, Umbanda is the Orisha tradition (or worship of African deities) with Catholic syncretism most common in Brazil. (I don’t know enough to attempt an explanation, so I will leave that up to you.)
Each orisha has its color, music, element and purpose… The night we went was Oxum’s night… The women participating (the filhas do santo) wore various, big, fat, red, and white/silver dresses; the men (the filhos do santo) wore red shirts and white pants. Neither wore shoes… To begin the ceremony, a pai do santo “blessed” the room and its people with an incense burner, exactly like that of the Catholic church, and prayed to the Crucifix at the head of the room, asking God, the Father, for a blessing.
While passive worshippers sat or stood to one side of the room, these women and men danced (in their own places), sang (in Portuguese) to the various African drum beats, and periodically approaching the mães do santo for a “blessing” (from what I could tell) for nearly 1 hour before they took a smoke break. (Don’t ask me why, but smoking tobacco and, later on, drinking beer has something to do with relating to spirits of the middle passage). Next, 3 women—wearing red garbs, a bronze crown and breastplate, and no shoes, and representing Oxum—entered the room in what seemed like a trance. For 15 minutes or so, they blindly shuffled around the room waving their bronze “swords,” one in each hand, between the two lines of dancers. Without opening their eyes, they never once bumped into each other. Whenever the music stopped, they stopped and, at times, yelled out… Eventually, they made their exit, and the filhos continued dancing and singing.
In the hour and a half before the end of the ceremony, there were 2 other “smoke breaks,” more singing, dancing, spiritual “possessions”, “blessings” by the mães do santo, “counseling” by other spiritual leaders (beer in hand), and so much more that I wasn’t able to observe or interpret… Overall, it was a very powerful and interesting cultural experience, to say the least.
Festival de São Francisco in Canindé:
October 5-7, we went (as field researchers) to a spiritual festival in Canindé (2 hours into the interior of Ceará). This religious movement attracts people from all over the Northeast (and beyond), many of whom come to “pay their promise (for being healed)” to or receive a blessing from São Francisco (Saint Francis of Assisi). Some people come to witness this spiritual spectacle, others to sell their merchandise, and still others to plea for alms. In just that one weekend, according to the Globo news, there were nearly 700,000 visitors in Canindé, a town of only 25,000 inhabitants.
So many poor, distraught, sickened, disabled, injured, hopeless, desperate, and spiritual folks come to Canindé looking for a miracle that a “House of Miracles” was built to accommodate all their photos, symbolic body parts, cut hair, old clothes, and other representative objects to be blessed. Someone from our group mentioned that the appearance and feel of the place reminded her somewhat of Nazi Germany and the Holocaust, except that people chose to bring their things to this place for spiritual cleansing.
One theory as to why so many poor people come to places like Canindé for spiritual revival is because the government lacks social institutions, like education, health systems, and other socio-economic assistance programs. Where the government doesn’t provide (which is the case for a majority of Brazilians), God does—thus, a religious festival for Saint Francis, a saint with a heart for the poor.
Lastly, I must mention the crazy contrasts between the wealth of the church and the poverty of the majority of “festival go-ers” and between the religious and the non-religious activities.
Visible from miles away, the town’s basilica lit up like a Christmas tree, or more like a Vegas casino. Surrounding this pristine church—its steeple, archways, stain-glass windows, bright lights, and evangelist-like stage in front (for outdoor Masses and contemporary worship)—sat hundreds of sick, tired, and desperate people who walked, biked, bussed, rode (truck beds), and did everything in their power to come from the far reaches of the Northeast for the church’s blessing… Is there a balance? Should there be?
Visible from miles away, the town’s basilica lit up like a Christmas tree, or more like a Vegas casino. Surrounding this pristine church—its steeple, archways, stain-glass windows, bright lights, and evangelist-like stage in front (for outdoor Masses and contemporary worship)—sat hundreds of sick, tired, and desperate people who walked, biked, bussed, rode (truck beds), and did everything in their power to come from the far reaches of the Northeast for the church’s blessing… Is there a balance? Should there be?
While church Masses, personal confessions, and material blessings (i.e. water, merchandise to sell, and replicas of spiritual needs) took place on one side of town, people rode carnival amusement rides, drank beer, gambled, and bought without reserve in the markets on the other side of town. What does this say about the religious significance of Canindé? About the Brazilian culture? About Catholicism? About the people that come to Canindé?
So many questions left in my mind about each of these experiences… no time to flush them out or satisfy my curiosity. I must move on to my other preoccupations, like my independent research project (ISP), a mini-research project (all this next week), other journal writings and term papers, my final days with my host family and others in the group before I go to Salvador for the rest of the semester (for class and for my ISP), and my own “me” time (nearly never).
So many questions left in my mind about each of these experiences… no time to flush them out or satisfy my curiosity. I must move on to my other preoccupations, like my independent research project (ISP), a mini-research project (all this next week), other journal writings and term papers, my final days with my host family and others in the group before I go to Salvador for the rest of the semester (for class and for my ISP), and my own “me” time (nearly never).
Wednesday, October 08, 2003
daily schedule
over the past couple weeks, we´ve had some pretty amazing experiences, e.g. visiting an MST settlement/encampment, an Umbanda celebration, a religious movement/pilgrimage to Canindé in the name of St. Francis of Assisi, and a grassroots "community healing" place, among others...
but right now, i don't have the time nor the words to recapture everything here...
i will update again later this week with some of those details...
as for now, here's a small window of my daily reality:
-up between 7 and 7:30 (nearly every morning!)
(everyone gets up early here... i think it´s because of the hot weather and the early morning sunrise.)
-a cold shower in the morning and again at night when i come home
(2-3 showers/day is normal, and hot showers are non-existant in northern brazil. they don´t really need them b/c it´s too hot and humid.)
-breakfast: grilled cheese, tapioca-bread wrap with butter, or just bread or crackers with a type of cream cheese (requeijão); coffee (only the instant kind at my house); and natural fresh fruit juices--guava, pineapple, graviola (english, ?), cantalope w/ orange, mango, passion fruit, avocado (which is only served sweet here), papaya, strawberry, and banana, among many others (which don´t have translation, that i know of).
-30 minute bus ride to school (or actually to the Brazil-US Institute)
-advanced portuguese class (9-12) -- we talk about everything from social issues to other cultural experiences (with the program or on our own); we went to an Umbanda celebration (i.e. an afro-brazilian religion mixed with catholicism); we made lunch for our teacher one day (tacos and fondue); last night, we went out to a club to see live music and to taste a bit of the "culture"; and we have fun while working on our practical portuguese.
-lunch: somewhere near school with others from the program... many places are "food by the kilo;" others have "grilled" food, pizza, sandwiches, etc.
-in the afternoons (3-6), we either have field research class or independent research time (which i haven´t been very constructive with since i lack self-disipline and focus)...
-sun sets at 6 (which i don´t think will ever change since we´re nearly on the equator)
-home by 7 (usually)... i take a shower, hang with one sister who´s almost always home, eat something small for dinner, work on some homework, piddle,... you know the drill.
-asleep by 12:30 (on average)
(i usually stay up doing homework, but i´ve been able to go out a couple times over the past month.)
that's it for now. sorry i haven't been updating this lately... it's just so much happens so fast, and i don't find the time to reflect for my own purposes... i only have time for school work, barely...
but right now, i don't have the time nor the words to recapture everything here...
i will update again later this week with some of those details...
as for now, here's a small window of my daily reality:
-up between 7 and 7:30 (nearly every morning!)
(everyone gets up early here... i think it´s because of the hot weather and the early morning sunrise.)
-a cold shower in the morning and again at night when i come home
(2-3 showers/day is normal, and hot showers are non-existant in northern brazil. they don´t really need them b/c it´s too hot and humid.)
-breakfast: grilled cheese, tapioca-bread wrap with butter, or just bread or crackers with a type of cream cheese (requeijão); coffee (only the instant kind at my house); and natural fresh fruit juices--guava, pineapple, graviola (english, ?), cantalope w/ orange, mango, passion fruit, avocado (which is only served sweet here), papaya, strawberry, and banana, among many others (which don´t have translation, that i know of).
-30 minute bus ride to school (or actually to the Brazil-US Institute)
-advanced portuguese class (9-12) -- we talk about everything from social issues to other cultural experiences (with the program or on our own); we went to an Umbanda celebration (i.e. an afro-brazilian religion mixed with catholicism); we made lunch for our teacher one day (tacos and fondue); last night, we went out to a club to see live music and to taste a bit of the "culture"; and we have fun while working on our practical portuguese.
-lunch: somewhere near school with others from the program... many places are "food by the kilo;" others have "grilled" food, pizza, sandwiches, etc.
-in the afternoons (3-6), we either have field research class or independent research time (which i haven´t been very constructive with since i lack self-disipline and focus)...
-sun sets at 6 (which i don´t think will ever change since we´re nearly on the equator)
-home by 7 (usually)... i take a shower, hang with one sister who´s almost always home, eat something small for dinner, work on some homework, piddle,... you know the drill.
-asleep by 12:30 (on average)
(i usually stay up doing homework, but i´ve been able to go out a couple times over the past month.)
that's it for now. sorry i haven't been updating this lately... it's just so much happens so fast, and i don't find the time to reflect for my own purposes... i only have time for school work, barely...
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