Idas a Maceio

---

Hi

During the past year I visited my home town, Maceio, a couple of times, but didn blog. So, here is a short one, followed by pictures of family, friends and places.

I will start with a comment about something I experience whenever I arrive at the first Brazilian airport. I can not fail to notice the cultural difference. At first, it feels somewhat caotic and disorganized, but thats expected by now. It is the noise that still gets to me. Boy we are LOUD here! And now with cell phones in everyones hands, its worse. One have no choice but to endure listening to everyones LOUD conversations. So many and so loud, and all at once! Nerve racking as you are trying to read or just rest after the long trip! But than, my tolerance starts to improve, as I remind myself that I AM LOUD too, particularly compared to Americans, and in a couple of days, Ill probably be just as loud as everyone around me.

The guarded personal space in public places does not really exist here and the sounds, from music and chats to horns and much more, just compose noise. My initial hypersentivity comes from living by a forest, in a town where you rarely hear a horn blow, an "quietness" rules.

On my first morning, I open my eyes to a beautiful scenery, with the Atlantic ocean wispering "bom dia" from just some feet away. I eat a mango and head down for my first jog between the blue ocean and the wall of apartment buildings.

I remember that just 2 days ago, I jogged on my street back in Gainesville, and encountered all of 1 biker, 2 deers and several squirrels. Here, there are so many people on the streets (but not as many as the streets on Hanoi or any town in India, of course).

I was very surprised to see several men drinking beer or cachaca at 9:00am! It reminded me of Russia, although there people were drinking on the way to work and here they are in shorts at the beach, just passing time or maybe on vacation. But again, this early in the morning! Just unusual, to say the least.

Glad I didn’t encounter any kids sniffing glue, but unfortunately I suspect that when I ask about it, I’ll hear that the problem is still very much alive.

In the US, family members are likely to live thousands of miles away from one another. But here, what a contrast! As I jogged along the beach, I timed 1 minute to my sister’s apartment, 4 minutes to my brother’s, 9 minutes to my mom’s, 13 minutes to an uncle’s and 15 to a cousin’s. What about that for close proximity to family members!

It’s “winter” time here, but at 9am, it is hot and humid like a summer day in steaming Florida. The only sign of winter, so far, it the intermmitant grayish sky, and the ocean losing its fascinating blue color, signaling rain that has passed or is coming.

I was busy putting our apartment together during this visit, but as always, visited with family members and friends, went the Mr Jocas for good food (recommended), ate acaraje, tapioca, tons of tropical fruit, went to Capela, Morros, Cumbe, Pontal.

So, here are many pictures of friends, family and places.
Patricia

Ah! Pericles e Nando. Escapei do ciclo do sistosoma durante meus banhos de rio Paraiba e acudes Capelenses infestados de aruas . Nao precisei levar em consideracao nosso debate sobre remedio pra sistosoma, pois meu exame deu negativo. Yeah!!!!

---