Brazil

They told us that speaking Portuguese is like a drunken French person trying to speak Spanish. I figured I could handle it...

BRAZIL! I have so many stories, and so many memories that trying to give you the entire full picture would be impossible. In an e-mail I read on the third day of Brazil my lovely best friend Marlene told me about her Mardi Gras and asked “Does Brazil do anything to celebrate Fat Tuesday?” Well my dear, when I got this e-mail you will forgive my chuckle, because two nights earlier I had been a part of literally, The BIGGEST party in the world.

Carnival. Yes, they certainly celebrate Fat Tuesday and are known for doing it the biggest and the best way possible. There is nothing I can write that could possibly do justice to the experience I had in Salvador when we arrived to the most exciting part of the most exhilarating party in the world. We slept out on the deck the night before and woke up as we were pulling in to port at five AM. We could still hear music from the night before playing and carrying across the ocean. Wonderful.

The squares are packed with African drummers and dancers wearing elaborate costumes, while the streets are filled with people waiting for Camarotes to drive by carrying the most popular Brazilian musical artists. The whole time before Brazil all we heard were warnings of the dangers of Carnival. “Stay with boys” “Don’t bring any money, or any cameras” They painted a necessary, but I think unfair picture of the people we would encounter. My experience was completely positive.

We went out in a group of five girls and two boys who acted as our willing and very attentive bodyguards. I carried nothing but a photocopy of my passport, my ship ID and twenty Reals hidden in my sneaker. Almost as soon as we got to the old part of Salvador we were bombarded by a parade of African drummers that swept through the streets causing spontaneous dancing, clapping and singing from all around us. We followed them to the square where they performed and while we were watching the dancing they pulled my friend Jackie and I into the dance. We were completely willing to join in, and as they taught dance moves, neither she nor I would stop laughing since we were having so much fun. Eventually everyone in my group from SAS was dancing and having an amazing time. Their songs seemed to last ten minutes each and gave no time for a break before the next one started or we found ourselves in a giant conga line.

Throughout the entire nights fun and craziness, being pulled into the group with such acceptance was my favorite part. I learned more in that one hour of dancing with strangers than I ever have learned in any of my classes. Already my description of Carnival is very long and it really does not even begin to do it justice. Like I said, my experience was completely positive. Others were not so lucky, one boy from SAS was punched in the face and countless stories have circulated about muggings and lost cameras. The danger was very real but I can say that the vast majority of Brazilians we met that night were some of the nicest people I have ever met in my life. My last thought about Carnival was that I loved how non-touristy it was. The crafts in the markets of Salvador are handmade and genuine, a nice change from the mass produced trinkets made in china and shipped to tourist capitals of the world.

Carnival was amazing and such a rich cultural experience. If you want to feel like you are experiencing the culture go to Salvador, dance without fear and sing loudly even if you don’t know the words. Other than Carnival the rest of Brazil was equally wondrous. I went to Rio to see sugarloaf mountain, and Christ The Redeemer which was equally magnificent to seeing the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Its true what they say about Rio being the most beautiful city in the world. Goggle image it and you will have but an idea of the mountains, forests and skylines that give Rio its reputation. While in Rio I met new people, saw monkeys in the rainforest, ate at a Chuharscaria (probably not spelled right), and stood at the feet of one of the Seven Wonders Of the World. We tried to hang glide but Mom, you will be happy to hear that the first day it was Rainey, the second day they closed and the third it was to windy, so I didn’t have that adventure. Oh well, a reason to go back!

Above all Brazil has taught me how hard this voyage will be to explain to people who haven’t experienced it with me. I’m trying my best but I know that some things will never make it into a mass e-mail on posted on my blog.

Ship life up until Brazil was super fun. We study, play lots of games and above all else we go to snack time. We had a pirate dance for my “Sea” and it was an absolute blast. This campus is amazing and so unique, nothing can compare to dancing next to your sweaty and overweight, fifty-year-old history professor as he grabs onto a poll with one hand and firmly holds a Corona with the other hand. Jumping up and down with your Brazilian inter-port lecturer as the academic dean shakes and smiles behind you is an opportunity that I think is safe to say can only be experienced on the M.V. Explorer. We crossed the equator, our big party is in two days and I wont be shaving my head although many of my friends are! I went on a tour of the bridge today and got to sit in the captains chair and play with all the buttons, Fun! We are on our way to Capetown, and passing through time zones like crazy.