Checking in What fun receiving your email today. And now looking at the pictures and comments on your blog. It is very special to me that you keep me informed on what you are doing. It brings back many fond memories of the associations in Oakland with such great young ladies. To see how you have been spreading your wings and the adventures you have been taking. Best wishes to continued health and happiness.
Mr. P
I enjoyed your Costa Rica post. I have always wanted to travel there. My blog is looking for travel photos. If you have the time, email us some at dirtyhippiesblog@gmail.com or check us out at dirty-hippies.blogspot.com
Continued fun on your travels,
Eric
Woah, that buffet looks amazing! Sorry I left the pig at your house! I'll come retrieve it soon... Can't believe you carry that big thing all the way back! I promise to feed it. lol
Wow! That sugarcane+molasses looks amazing!! In Sierra Leone, we were always worried about tires giving away and not having a spare on us. We had this one night trip where we went pretty far without a spare. We would have had to walk back to the nearest village! I found that I get less carsick if there's open air than inside something...
That's so cool. The person who started the development class where I went to Africa, told us a story of some rich guy who had money to help a poor community (I think, in Brazil). He asked the community leaders what they want money for. He had money to give them things like piping and pumping water from the local watershed. But the leaders wanted musical instruments. They explained that as a community, they would gather, play music, and that was the place where they would discuss problems and solutions to those problems. So they didn't want infrastructure, they just wanted musical instruments so that they can have their gatherings. I thought that was really interesting.
I found it Lena, I found your blog. I appreciate being able to see what your doing. The pictures really help visualize where you are and what you are doing. I talked to Mr. Tinloy a little while ago trying to find out how to contact you, but obviously you are watching your emails. I think he was impressed with what you are doing. I look forward to seeing future blogs and pictures. Best wishes.
I like many things here. The warm weather, the fresh fruits (the avocados here are gigantic, I haven't eaten any yet, but I'll take a pic at the market and compare it to another fruit for you), the desserts, the coconuts, the sea and beaches!
We fill out a questionnaire for the homestay and I declared that I love desserts, so when I met my host mom at the luncheon and it was time for dessert, she was like "I know you like dessert, let's get some." And after dinner, I usually get dessert. And sometimes, I get them three times a day! (I haven't weighed myself since I still fit my clothes)
Yeah, the colonial history here starts 1500s, earlier than the States which I believe is 1600s..a century later.
Brazil is interesting. It recently became democratic in the 1980s. It's mandatory to vote (like in Australia). There is very high illiteracy rate. It is rated the #2 country with the highest income inequality, behind Botswana(?).
(I'm just sharing what I learn in culture class)
Of the estimated 22 million Africans that left Africa, referring to the slave trade, 11 million arrived to the Americas (I believe the ones that didn't make it perished along the way), 4 million were brought to Brazil, and of those, 2 million came through Salvador. Isn't that crazy? The States had the 2nd biggest proportion of slaves.
I haven't bought soda. I see glass bottled soda so I'll check it out next time. I think that my aunt in China washes/works in a factory that washes bottles. Someone has to reuse those glass bottles.
Oh yeah, have you had any sodas in glass bottles? Do the bottles seem old and have etched rings around the mid-section? If so, that's because they reuse the bottles and the "rings" are from the machines that wash and refill them.
Wow, such rich history. I always thought there was something lacking in American history. Only 200 years. So cool that you live so close to the sea. I think I need to live in a port city. I like the ocean. Stanford is starting to feel a little landlocked. The bay is close by but not sure if it's close enough for me to bike to.
Woah.. that dessert looks amazing. Fresh fruit!! I love coconuts. We had these tiny ones in Africa. Fresh off the tree. They hacked it open with machetes.
Food! Way to go, Lena! You are eating your way through Brazil. More pix of food than anything else. And it all looks yummy. Keep it up. I am enjoying your blog. Makes me want to go to Brazil!
Al
Is my host family Afro Brazilian? That's from my window! Cool huh? I really like my family, they are very kind. I am very fortunate.
The director of my program, Clara-when she was telling us tidbits about our host family, mostly about our host moms, she said the following about mine, "I guess YOU would consider her Afro Brazilian." I dont know what that means. I'm uploading pics of my family now so you can see. According to the 1999 census, only 6% of the Br. pop. is Black. The majority (+60%) of the people identified themselves as white, and a large amount identified as mixed. (note: the questionnaire asks which race does the individual identify him/herself). In my city, Salvador, there is 17.5% white and 82.1% black.
Mr. P
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Checking in
What fun receiving your email today. And now looking at the pictures and comments on your blog. It is very special to me that you keep me informed on what you are doing. It brings back many fond memories of the associations in Oakland with such great young ladies. To see how you have been spreading your wings and the adventures you have been taking. Best wishes to continued health and happiness. Mr. P