A warp up of my time in the Patanals

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Greetings from Brasil.
I am in Campo Grande (http://gl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campo_Grande_(Brasil) the Capitol of Mato Grosso, Brasil. I have returned from Paradise( Patanals http://www.fazendarionegro.com.br/) and back to city life.(kind of). The Patanals amazed me so much I really want everyone in this world to see this place that is still conserved by the people that live there (hopefully my video footage will do). The cattle there are all free ranged and tranported in herds over land( i have great pictures of the cowboys) , the alligators come within inches of you becasuse they are not theranted by hunting, the capybara love to be watched. This place is magical and must be perserved and conserved.

In the patanals I saw so much wildlife and felt so connected that it is a tad strange returning. We were researching (www.earthwatch.org) otters (2 species) and reptiles. Thankfully i had my video camera and i captured so much wildlife: an anteater scaling a 7foot bank like a rock climber, endangered mccaws, crazy raccoon like animals, leaf cutter ants, spoon bills, capybaras (100 rodent like creatures), 1000~s of aligators, 1000~s of different birds, otters and otters who are endangered, reptiles.

I also started a video project while in the patanals about the hydravi project. I will create a video unit about this hydravia project (this project wants to straighten the river Paraguay so people can export soy, gold, and sugar cane faster down to Buenos Aires becuasue there are no roads in the Patanals). (One tiny bit of history, in the 1950s ford motor company with an oil company bought the railway system of brasil and gave the country out of good faith (sarcasm) cars. So the railway system used to be used for transportation, but is now just a delapated sight.)
The entire Patanals flows to this river. If it is straightened it will threaten everything in the patanals. Therefore, i interviewed at least 6 people to get their varying perspectives and the studetns will explore the issue through these different persepctives. I had amazing interviews:national geographic wildlife photographer, conservation interantionl of brasil, wildlife researcher, someone who was 2nd generation person of hte patanals, a guide, and a tourist, and a soy bean framers (he is the one who economically wants it) all these people happened to be staying at the place where i was doing research. i think it will be an increidble porject.

NEXTÇ I was so moved by the pantanals that i decied that i will take my studetns here next year instead of south africa. it is more aligned to my goals and their goals. I am planning it now that my studetns will do the same research with students from the patanals. I will use what was created for the south africa trip and apply it to brazil. today i am working out the details here in campo grande.

brazil is amazing. the people, the food, the attitude, is so open and loving. everyone i have meet has welcomed me and cared for me.

my portugues is imporving. i can get around and almost was hired by the united states people I was doing research with as a transloators.

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