Clare Elsewhere

I think that I have experienced my culture shock. It snuck up on me, happened in the course of two hours, slowly unraveling the way I saw Brazilian society as I gradually realized what I haven't been seeing thus far. I've been thinking about the implications ever since, and I really don't understand. I cannot relate. I cannot adapt. It happened on the bus, a necessary evil in Salvador- a system with inconsistent or nonexistent schedules, notoriety for theft, and in general disregard for efficiency. Saying all that, I should have expected my situation.  Having no car, the streets living in a state of disrepair that isn't conducive to biking, and not wanting to pay for a taxi, I opted to take the bus to run some distant errands. It's peak traffic season in Salvador, which was not planned for any kind of traffic, so between 3pm and 9pm I enjoyed two two-hour-long bus rides to the mall along with my co-passengers. Those co-passengers inhabited all the bus seats, ais...

In a country where beer is cheaper and more accessible than water, they've learned a thing or two about throwing parties. How to host Carnaval, the largest party on the planet, may just have been one of them. Carnaval is a Pre-Lenten celebration, an expansion of Mardi Gras if "expansion" really encompasses the transformation from a walk in the park into a marathon.  Before I can actually get into my experiences from Carnaval, I'll touch on some terminology and context, because it really is a whole new ballgame.  Salvador plays host to a six-day specialty with about four million party-goers in which you can celebrate in one of three ways: pipoca, bloco, or camarote. Pipoca literally means popcorn. If you do pipoca during Carnaval, it means that you're just dancing on the street- one of the millions of little pieces that make up the batch, popping up and down with the music and the movements of those around you. Buying a bloco is similar to pipoca in...

A week of island life had me wandering down white beaches, strolling through a coconut farm, exploring cobblestone streets, and on one particularly memorable occasion, hiking for hours uphill in hot sand. These paths took me to beautiful places and amazing experiences, but they also introduced me to many interesting people taking the road less traveled- the road of travel. We have met an incredible amount of people whose lives, or at least current fascination, is solely traveling. Spending a year passing through South America, 5 months backpacking in Brazil, their lives exploring the world. Amazing experiences and opportunities that are so far from the mainstream American culture that they escaped my concept of plausibility. How would you pay for that? How would that help you get a job? To succeed in life? How is it productive? It's a hippie mentality, but I can understand how the traveling itself is productive, that in doing and seeing things so completely different you ca...

“Every truth has two sides; it is as well to look at both, before we commit ourselves to either”- Aesop So far I've highlighted Salvador's more attractive side, the beautiful blue ocean and beaches in every direction, the gorgeous architecture, vibrant music and culture... and I haven't even begun to do those aspects justice. But justice, or the lack thereof, is what I really need to address. Brazil is one country, but two different worlds. You may have heard of the favelas, or even seen pictures of them juxtaposed against the wealthiest areas, as shown here in Sao Paulo. They're one of the most visible separations between the economic and social classes here, which is a growing problem. It's actually being called the Social Apartheid. Experiences in Salvador have taught me more about this than any statistics could have. In Corredor Victoria, one of the wealthiest areas in Salvador, you can witness a Ferrari pull out of a gated mansion while a homeless child...

When do we start to take things for granted? Do we wake up and fail to realize all the blessings around us, simply because they were already there the day before? At what point do we stop thanking God, destiny, or whatever we believe in, and just consider all the amazing aspects of our life routine? I never want to reach that time. Never want to look out my window without a renewed sense of humility and awe for all that I see. And for that matter, all that I can't.  This past week was full. Activities, travel, practice, events... experiences and adventures, days of my life well lived. Our program spent the weekend in Praia do Forte, which is one of the most beautiful beaches in Brazil (and therefore, the world).  One of the main highlights there was watching turtles hatch and waddle/crawl/roll their way into the waters for the first time. The sunset in Praia do Forte took a close second place.  We also climbed through some waterfalls, or cachoeiras, explor...

It lies not in our power to love or hate, For will in us is overruled by fate. When two are stripped, long ere the course begin, We wish that one should love, the other win; And one especially do we affect Of two gold ingots, like in each respect: The reason no man knows; let it suffice What we behold is censured by our eyes. Where both deliberate, the love is slight: Who ever loved, that loved not at first sight? -Christopher Marlowe 8 days into my six month venture, I am overwhelmed, sun-burnt, misunderstood, and unequivocally elated. As Marlowe proclaims, will in us is overruled by fate. I am so consumed by the language barrier here in Salvador that it almost seems necessary for me to be frustrated and consumed by life likewise, but fate has other plans. Everything I do or say requires Portuguese, and thus struggle, but at the same time everything I do and say is making me fall more and more in love with this place. It's out of my hands. ...

Brazil is huge. 87% the size of the United States. If you had a little less than six months to experience the United States, where would you go? What would you do?  Would you try to see all the famous landmarks- Yellowstone, the Black Hills?  The historical spots- the Liberty Bell, state capitals, Alcatraz? The beautiful, famous architecture or the best beaches?  New York alone has 260 registered landmarks. Would you just spend the six months in the US in one state, really getting to know New York, and through that gain a better understanding of the country as a whole? Or would you try to hit all 50 states and only get a piece of each? That's what I've been trying to figure out. I'll be in Brazil for almost six months, exactly what do I want to see? How much can I experience? I think a lot of that will be determined when I get there, going on day trips with my classmates, taking advantage of cheap flights or jetting off to a special concert or festival. Sp...