on sunday, 2 days ago, i flew into salvador airport at 7pm. the sky was dark, so i could not see much of the landscape but i could feel its cool tropical-ness and see the outline of the many palms that lined the shore. i stumbled out of the airplane and grabbed my bags from the slow moving baggage claim, shoving them onto a dirty silver cart. i walked out the sliding glass doors and looked around a crowd of people; some with signs, others shouting and jumping into the arms of their arrival. through all of these people i saw a familiar face catch my eye and then smile. i made my way with my giant cart and into the arms of my awaiting sister, naiana. she was there with her husband george.
after the fast drive through the bahian streets, which felt much like california, we arrived at a dark wood gate door sitting on top of a red dirt road. behind the door was a beautiful house and a beautiful new family. the first one to meet was my next new sister, maya, complete with pregnant belly and a warm hug. then...gabriel, gulia, leda, david, ben, louda, and alici. a petite house big enough to hold 10 people, now 11 and in 4 months, 12. the house is warm and colorful and inviting... especially to the mosquitoes. i am covered in tiny red spots all over my feet and surprisingly my stomach. this is no new thing to people living on the coasts of brasil. they have this cool thing to kill the mosquitoes that invade your personal space. it looks exactly like a tennis racket and you swing it exactly like a tennis racket, only when it comes in contact with something that has heat it zaps it with a white spark and medium level crack. it's quite exciting, you wave it around in the air and ZIP, CRACK, CRACK CRACK, ZAP. you feel like you have accomplished something... i guess you have accomplished a lower odd of getting eaten alive. but still, even with this cool thing, they follow you around and when you're not looking they suck the blood right out of you.
with this new family, i feel exactly like i did with the family i have in são paulo... like i have never not known them. i feel like i am exactly where i am supposed to be, and have always been. it is totally different living in such a full house, but it has been surprisingly easy to find time for myself. yes, i have only been here for 2 days, but i have been noticing people's work schedule and play dates and shopping times, and everyone is always doing something. you can either join them, or do something with yourself.
yesterday we went to the praia. it was so beautiful but completely different than the beaches in ubatuba. it was more like an ordinary beach with a long stretch of endless sand and sea in all directions, except behind you. behind you there are these little huts with chairs and tables and umbrellas.. of course the bright yellow ones with beer labels all over them. they are called barraca's. however, there is a new law that was passed saying that they need to take down all of the barraca's on the beach because they are causing too much pollution. which, i am very thankful for because, while i was walking, all i could see were wrappers and cups and straws. it was sad and causing a bit of anxiety. aside from this, the beach is adorned with tall palms and short palms, coconut palms and royal palms. the ocean was filled with every color and shaped seaweed. deep purple, pastel pink and 3 colors of green. some were in balls, others in flower shapes, and others in wide curvy strips. it felt like everything and nothing as the pieces rushed by you in the waves, wrapping around your arms and legs and getting caught in your hair. alici and ben told me about their surfing teacher, who is willing to exchange free surf lessons for english classes, woo! unfortunately, he had canceled class that day due to all the alga (seaweed.)
tomorrow, i am going with leda and david to town. we are going to the university, where they both teach dance, for a graduation and then to walk around the textile industry. david needs to look for presents for his family. they leave in 8 days to go to massachusetts for 3 weeks. david is leda's husband who is from massachusetts/philly. leda is naiana and maya's mom (with my dad), and also alici's mom (with david).
ok, i guess i should explain everyone... naiana is married to george and they have two kids, gabriel and gulia who are 5 and 2 years old. maya is married to ben (who is from new zealand) and is pregnant with a boy due in 4 months. leda and david have alici who is 15 years old and my roommate. we also share a room with laura (pronounced louda), who is naiana's best friend and also semi-nanny.
there is a lot to see and a lot to learn.
stay tuned.
after the fast drive through the bahian streets, which felt much like california, we arrived at a dark wood gate door sitting on top of a red dirt road. behind the door was a beautiful house and a beautiful new family. the first one to meet was my next new sister, maya, complete with pregnant belly and a warm hug. then...gabriel, gulia, leda, david, ben, louda, and alici. a petite house big enough to hold 10 people, now 11 and in 4 months, 12. the house is warm and colorful and inviting... especially to the mosquitoes. i am covered in tiny red spots all over my feet and surprisingly my stomach. this is no new thing to people living on the coasts of brasil. they have this cool thing to kill the mosquitoes that invade your personal space. it looks exactly like a tennis racket and you swing it exactly like a tennis racket, only when it comes in contact with something that has heat it zaps it with a white spark and medium level crack. it's quite exciting, you wave it around in the air and ZIP, CRACK, CRACK CRACK, ZAP. you feel like you have accomplished something... i guess you have accomplished a lower odd of getting eaten alive. but still, even with this cool thing, they follow you around and when you're not looking they suck the blood right out of you.
with this new family, i feel exactly like i did with the family i have in são paulo... like i have never not known them. i feel like i am exactly where i am supposed to be, and have always been. it is totally different living in such a full house, but it has been surprisingly easy to find time for myself. yes, i have only been here for 2 days, but i have been noticing people's work schedule and play dates and shopping times, and everyone is always doing something. you can either join them, or do something with yourself.
yesterday we went to the praia. it was so beautiful but completely different than the beaches in ubatuba. it was more like an ordinary beach with a long stretch of endless sand and sea in all directions, except behind you. behind you there are these little huts with chairs and tables and umbrellas.. of course the bright yellow ones with beer labels all over them. they are called barraca's. however, there is a new law that was passed saying that they need to take down all of the barraca's on the beach because they are causing too much pollution. which, i am very thankful for because, while i was walking, all i could see were wrappers and cups and straws. it was sad and causing a bit of anxiety. aside from this, the beach is adorned with tall palms and short palms, coconut palms and royal palms. the ocean was filled with every color and shaped seaweed. deep purple, pastel pink and 3 colors of green. some were in balls, others in flower shapes, and others in wide curvy strips. it felt like everything and nothing as the pieces rushed by you in the waves, wrapping around your arms and legs and getting caught in your hair. alici and ben told me about their surfing teacher, who is willing to exchange free surf lessons for english classes, woo! unfortunately, he had canceled class that day due to all the alga (seaweed.)
tomorrow, i am going with leda and david to town. we are going to the university, where they both teach dance, for a graduation and then to walk around the textile industry. david needs to look for presents for his family. they leave in 8 days to go to massachusetts for 3 weeks. david is leda's husband who is from massachusetts/philly. leda is naiana and maya's mom (with my dad), and also alici's mom (with david).
ok, i guess i should explain everyone... naiana is married to george and they have two kids, gabriel and gulia who are 5 and 2 years old. maya is married to ben (who is from new zealand) and is pregnant with a boy due in 4 months. leda and david have alici who is 15 years old and my roommate. we also share a room with laura (pronounced louda), who is naiana's best friend and also semi-nanny.
there is a lot to see and a lot to learn.
stay tuned.
good to hear from you kiddo! Miss ya!
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