Capoeira

Capoeira is a graceful and malicious play. I am tempted to spend my Saturdays at Africanamenta Escola de Copoeira Angola learning to play for free. People need to exercise, right? I'm a people... I think I've found a friend to go with me. I believe I'll go.

It was a cafeteria. They, 5 women 5 men stood in a semi cirlce and we, a group of wide eyed exchangees filled in the rest of the circle. It was a rustic room in which we made rhythms with our hands as the players danced/fought within the circle we made for them. Brown and Black and White bodies moved toward and away from one another as if receiving invisible force to their heads or middles or ankles by a gravity more concentrated than wind. Men played with men, women with women and women with men. All of the players had different bodies, some tall some round, some tiny. Each member took his or her place playing music.

The entire experience was cinematic as if each flash of light on spetacles was intentional--slowed down; I could see indivdual dredlocks on the players heads fall and bounce as couch cushion does when depressed and released. And I played, albeit not very gracefully--more like a geriatric attempting a cartwheel.

And then we danced. 40 people clapping at once, although not all together, singing and dancing samba. I feel elated. I'm so lucky to be here.

I've now officially seen Rio

And I'm in Porto Alegre, Brasil.

After nearly 24 hours of traveling, I'm ready for a nap.

Also, airports look just about the same in every big city.

Day of

Yesterday, I picked up the computer that Justin was generous enough to give me. JV checked it out for me, 'cause he's a winner. Also, I got a webcam and a head set. I am now capable of using skype, and you should be too. That way it's free.

I'm leaving this afternoon. I'll be at the airport in 5 hours, and on a plane in 8. Wish me luck, and thanks for all the help.

Packed

I'm packed, but not quite ready to go.

Here's the short list:

Giovanni's Room
Pedagogy of the Oppressed
Les Miserables
Reading Like a Writer
The Art and Craft of Feature Writing.
2 blank journals
2 filled journals.

my carry on might be heavier than my checked luggage...I also packed underwear.

In other news: again, my friends are amazing. My coworkers took me out for drinks/dinner last night, so I got to take pictures of them and see them without their regular professional faces. R got an apprenticeship! H made a special trip to Binny's. JP has made packing, hearth and home feel normal and natural. Everything is falling into place (of course I'm worried about any and everything that could go wrong...), and I'm looking forward to landing on Sunday. Taking off tomorrow is still a little scary. Wish me luck!

Damn, what a great city.

Tracy Chapman

In honor of the concert that I'm going to at the Park West tonight, I hereby title this post Tracy Chapman. And in honor of my childhood, I shall listen to at least one Tracy Chapman song per hour today. Let the nostalgia commence!

Talking 'Bout a Revolution will get me through the post office/marshall's/work day logistics that need to be settled by 2p.

Next challenge: PACKING.

Project

Yesterday, I received a list of projects that I'll probably be a part of. I'm a little nervous, but I'll pretend I'm cool as a cucumber....

I'll be working at a place called AMURT (www.amurt.org.br, just in Portuguese) with groups from the community, victims of violence, exclusion and poverty, the majority of which are women and black people. That project also serves groups of adolescents 18 and older.

According to the program coordinator, I'll be able to learn from them, to listen to their lives, to participate and create workshops, to teach some English....I'll probably be working at AMURT two days a week.

In the rest of the time, I can work in other, smaller, projects that need a volunteer for two afternoons or a day or so. For example:

- CENTRO COMUNITARIO VILA GAUCHA: A project inside the favela with complicated children and adolescents (without rules), in particular with English lesson. That is not an easy project...

- ILHA DOS MARINHEIROS: Project in a island, with the local poor community- lots of woman and adolescents; they organize themselves, there is not a good structure or series of activities, so Maya will have freedom to find the needs and organize workshops/activities/chats that she thinks would be possible/useful for the community! This sounds like a sure fire way to be part of a poor community.

I'll find out my final assignments next week, when I discuss whether I'd be willing to work with children or not.

Penultimate Week/ Address

This week has been perfect. I've worked about 50 hours, I've had many beers. I house sat and walked a dog. One night I slept for a whole 12 hours!

There was a job interview for this camp called Camp of Dreams--http://www.campofdreams.org/-- and I think I'd be in love with it if I got one of two positions. I might just come right back to Chi and stay for a few more years.
CORRECTION: Alamo does allow women to work the floor AND nobody gets commission.

I found out that Alamo Shoes does not allow women to work on the floor. They're only allowed to work at the registers. WTF? That is sexist ya'll! So now I can't shop there. Also, they didn't have the shoes that I want.

I had Turkish dinner which was fantastic. AND Issac was in town. I couldn't have asked for a better time.

I'm rambling. Pertinent info--I now have an address:

if you need it, let me know.

I should be working, so I'm gonna get to that.