wandering

i know it has been four days since i posted. but honestly i have fallen in love. yes. with brasil. with salvador. i´m so full of excitement that i want to burst. it makes no sense that a place like this exists. no sense a´tall. sigh. hmmm. since last friday i seen more than 10 live musical performances. axé, samba, salsa, jazz, african (burkina faso), music that accompanies caipoera, aboriginal, and hip hop (pronounced hippy hoppy). FANTASTIC.

but it gets better. the people. i just love the people. everyone is sooooo cool. of course there are un-cool people, but i can´t feel them for all the positive energy i have gotten from everybody else.

i have opened myself up to just experience. i am not trying to be a tourist. i am not trying to be a baiana. i am just floating along and appreciating every good thing that comes my way.

for example cristeane, o, a new girl (mariana) and i went out friday. first we sat at a table in the streets and listened to samba and looked at this group of beautiful people dance and sing. lol. mariana and i took a stroll ´round pelo. we happened upon this group of women drummers leading a mass of people through the streets. naturally we joined them. talk about empowering. i even had to raise my long arms above my head as the rest of my body swayed side to side, back and forth. by the way, my hip action is getting very good.

later in the evening we all went to ile aya (sp?) for more samba. it was very crowded and yours truly was recognised!!!! if you meet someone once, it´s like you are their friend from now on. so, a simple acknowledgement (i.e. head nod) is not enough. you have to hug and give the two-cheek kiss. this is always followed by brief conversation. so, i was warmly greeted by about eight or so people that i have met since i arrived in salvador. one was this local politician, raimundo (pronounced high-MOON-doh). we discovered that he went to my hometown when he lived in the states!!!!!! this makes no sense to me. too amazing. warming. everybody danced. it felt soooooo goood. i was grinning the whole time.

raimundo and co., took me and the girls out for beer at a pudding bar afterwards. by this point in the night my capacity for comprehending portuguese was diminished. my mind was too busy just enjoying the moment. later we went to a "restaurant". actually this guy and his wife set up some sterno stoves, some tables and a tent on the sidewalk. laza, raimundo´s campaign manager, ordered us some rice, marqueca (sp?), and a meat dish. it all tasted just like my daddy´s sunday dinner. the meat dish was sliced smoked sausage and fatback. marqueca consists of cornmeal mixed with juices from the meat (basically it is gravy the consistency of pudding). now, normally i like to have my own plate, fork, knife, and cup. but we were only provided with three sets for six people. but we just ate. like family. laza even cut my meat up for me. so not necessary. but he was taking care of me as baianas do.

every moment is not necessarily just about having a fun time. there have been one or two serious moments. after eating the conversation randomly turned to this discussion about black brasilians and black americans. laza, a very strong-minded person, told me and mariana that he detest americans. he also does not believe black americans are not at all connected to africa much less have any culture.

ugh. this is a difficult conversation. 1. because it is hard to express yourself fully and accurately in a language you only kinda know. 2. i AM a visitor. this is not my country. this is not my home regardless of how much i think i can relate. so, when debating any issue you have to be mindful that you and this other person interpret things from a wholly different paradigm and at the end of the day...you are the stranger. you MUST respect and honor that you are in their home.

mariana, who is nigerian-swiss, is a wonderful, intelligent and diplomatic interpreter. at the end of the long conversation, laza told me i am beautiful, he respects me, and our conversation is now with God. that made me smile again.

sigh. i have to work. i haven´t worked since friday.