Holly

Today was my last day of intensive Portuguese classes at Diálogo, and after a week of constant rain the sun finally came out again! I thank the Orixás for that. Candomblé is a religion practiced by many people here in Salvador, and the Orixás are sort of equivalent to the gods of Greek mythology. Today in class we spent a considerable amount of time talking about the different Orixás and what they represent, and then the clouds broke and the sun began to shine!

My professor for two weeks, Tatiana

Daily coffee break

Jailson, the activities coordinator and general go-to guy

Kleber, the administration coordinator and my professor for one week

Delcia from Seattle and Michael from Germany

Boo and me

Frederick from Oregon and Chris from Ireland — astounded that the sun came out

Certificado de Participação — 80 hours in four weeks!

Last night I met up with my friends Anna and Karen and we went out to eat at my favorite restaurant here in Barra. It is called Tudo Azul (Everything Blue) and it is owned and operated by a Swiss-Brazilian and his wife. The menu includes traditional Brazilian fare with a combination of a variety of European dishes. I particularly like the restaurant because it has a few vegetarian options (more than just pizza) and an amazing gnhocci dish that I keep going back for. Besides the fantastic and reasonably-priced food, the service is outstanding. By far the best service I have encountered in this city, and Kurt speaks at least six languages! If you ever happen to find yourself in Salvador, don’t miss the opportunity to visit their establishment in Porto da Barra.

Anna, me and Karen — completely satisfied after our meal

And with Kurt, the owner

There was a very brief pause in the rain earlier this week, so my friend Anna and I decided to go on a little city tour to the neighborhood of Rio Vermelho. With strong winds blowing and threatening clouds looming nearby, we acquired umbrellas knowing that the sunshine was not going to last for long…

Anna eating a pastel… basically just fried bread with cheese inside and completely yummy.

Then we had açaí… the real thing.

Then the rain came back…

…but I’m totally from Seattle!

Tomorrow I take my leave of Salvador and continue south to Rio de Janeiro. I’ll keep you posted!

Até logo! Tchau!

This week I have found some relief from the stifling heat here in Salvador, but unfortunately it has been in the form of torrential downpours. It has been raining almost nonstop for a week, with no end in sight until I leave Bahia this Saturday. I cannot believe how quickly my time has passed here! I blinked and a month went by and my Portuguese has improved so much! I feel like I can have a conversation about almost anything, even though I still rely on Spanish to supplement a lot of my vocabulary.

It’s no fun to go sightseeing in this weather, and obviously it severely restricts photography. I’m glad I’m going to Rio on Saturday!

A very good friend of mine was in Florianópolis this past week (a beautiful resort city in the south of Brazil), and she made time to come visit me here in Salvador. Too bad it was raining almost the entire time! We still managed to get in some beach time since the temperature is still warm, despite the rain. I have found myself spending an absurd amount of time doing things alone, so it was nice to have company and someone to eat out with for a few days. Melissa used to be my roommate and co-worker ten years ago, and she has lived and traveled all over the world. I visited her in Germany when I traveled to Europe a few years ago and we have maintained a strong friendship even though we haven’t lived in the same city for almost a decade. She currently resides in New York City.

Melissa and me dining out at an Italian restaurant.

The view of Porto da Barra from the rooftop of Melissa’s hotel.

I call him João.

In case you were wondering, my tooth is still aching, but I have decided to wait until I arrive in Argentina to have a consultation for a root canal. The situation has definitely improved, and is very manageable with ibuprofen, so I am not in any hurry to go back to the dentist here in Brazil. A very good friend of mine in Buenos Aires has offered to help me make the dental appointment and translate for me, if necessary (he speaks English and German fluently in addition to Spanish). I didn’t mention this in my previous entry, but the dentist here began to drill in my tooth without warning or anesthesia. It wasn’t until I began yelping and writhing that she said, “Oh, did you want something to block the pain?” and I replied, “SIM, POR FAVOR!” She didn’t even wait for the anesthesia to take affect and continued to drill into my tooth, so I think I would just prefer to further avoid the dentist’s chair altogether in Brazil. On a positive note, the lingering toothache is now completely tolerable and it didn’t cost me an arm and a leg like it would have in the States.

The other day I was visited by a bird who seemed just as fascinated by me as I was by him. The little guy kept coming closer and closer to me, and when I began taking photos, he was practically posing for the camera.

As I mentioned before, I am leaving Salvador da Bahia this Saturday and meeting up with my friend Meg in Rio de Janeiro. We will be traveling together for two weeks and visiting three countries. Meg and I have been friends for sixteen years (ever since seventh grade) and again, I cannot wait to have company! I have experienced a lot here in Salvador and I need to decompress. This place has challenged me in ways that I never conceived of, and I am surprised that the language barrier has been the least significant of these challenges. Being a tall, blond, extremely fair-skinned, blue-eyed woman alone in a Latin American city with a population that is at least 80% African-Brazilian has completely redefined my idea of a “comfort zone”. This experience has been eye-opening and life-changing, which was absolutely my objective when I chose to study Portuguese here, but I am prepared to move on…

This week on Tuesday I visited Bahia Street, the non-profit educational outreach organization here in Salvador that helps young girls and women to overcome obstacles like poverty and social injustice by offering them the chance to advance their educational opportunities. It is so rare that I am actually able to see the things I read about in my studies, so visiting Bahia Street was particularly significant for me.

I met Rita, a central figure in the book Dance Lest We All Fall Down by Margaret Willson and co-founder of Bahia Street. In some ways I almost felt like I was meeting a celebrity. Having read the book about how Bahia Street began, I felt as though I was personally invested in its success and was amazed to see how far the center has progressed since the book was published two years ago. The organization’s international office is located in Seattle, and I hope to volunteer there when I return from my study abroad.

Rita

Every Saturday in Salvador there is live jazz music at the Museum of Modern Art. These jam sessions only cost R$4 reais (a little less than $2 dollars) and they are called jamnomam, or jam in the Museu de Arte Moderna. The museum is right on the water, so there was a wonderful cool breeze to accompany the relaxed atmosphere and lovely music. I went last Saturday with four friends and will probably go back again this weekend.

Anna from Switzerland, Delcia from Seattle, Karen and her daughter Sazi from Vancouver, Canada.

(I need a tripod for nighttime photography!)

Before I left for Brazil, I had an occasional minor toothache that wasn’t causing any real problems. I was able to easily ignore it, knowing that a visit to the dentist without insurance would cost me more than I could possibly pay, even on a sliding scale. However, a couple of days ago my occasional minor toothache turned into a constant pain, and by yesterday it was nearly unbearable. My host family contacted an emergency dental clinic and sent me on my way. When I arrived, I had to pay R$120 reais (less than $60 dollars), and that included the exam, an ex-ray, local anesthesia and a filling. The only problem is that there was no cavity, which means the problem is likely more serious and I will probably need a root canal. The doctor did what she could, but told me if I didn’t feel better in a few days that I would need to go to a specialist to have the dreaded procedure. Today my tooth does feel slightly better, but it could just be because I have been taking ibuprofen by the handful. It still hurts, but I am hoping it is just lingering sensitivity from yesterday’s drilling. In any case, if I do have to have a root canal, it is best to do it here where it will cost me a fraction of what I would be charged in the U.S.

Last week Diálogo offered the opportunity to go to a production of Balé Folclórico, or folk dancing in the neighborhood of Pelourinho. Unfortunately, photography was not permitted, but the show was spectacular! It featured several traditional African and African-Brazilian dances, complete with live music and fantastic costumes. The dancers were so amazing and I was completely awestruck! I wish I could have taken some photos.

Walking in Pelourinho

After the show we went to this bar:

to have some of these:

Caipirinhas! It is a very refreshing Brazilian drink made with alcohol distilled from sugarcane. I find them to be a little too sweet, but super delicious nonetheless!

Os Ricardos… These are the two Richards. They are both from the German-speaking part of Switzerland and didn’t know each other before arriving in Brazil.

Oh dear…

What a fun night!

Today concludes my second week of Portuguese classes at Diálogo here in Bahia. Tomorrow we don´t have classes in observance of the Easter holiday, and this week there have been a lot of festivities for Semana Santa. I really look forward to my air-conditioned classes each morning, but I suppose I will have to go here tomorrow instead:

Barra Beach… Literally yards from my host family´s apartment.

Luckily, most of last weekend´s sunburn has peeled away, just in time for this weekend´s beach festivities.

This week I went to my first Brazilian dance class. We learned beginning samba steps, and did some basic dance movement choreography. I can honestly say that I have never sweat more in my life than I did during this class. I still don´t feel like I have sufficiently rehydrated. Next week I will be going to my first capoeira class.

My host family´s apartment is on the edge of an undeveloped green space, and almost every day I see this family of micos skirting across the cement barriers of the apartment complex. I´m not exactly sure what these monkeys are called in English, but wikipedia says they are capuchin monkeys. These little guys are so common in Brazil that they are actually on the R$20 reais note.

Next week I will be paying a visit to Bahia Street, an educational outreach center for impoverished young women and girls from the favelas of Salvador. Dance Lest We All Fall Down by Margaret Willson is a book about the author´s experiences living in Salvador for many years, and how she co-founded Bahia Street, building it into an internationally renowned organization with the help of her dear Baiana friend, Rita. Visitors to the center here in Salvador are actively discouraged, as it is a distraction for the girls studying there, but I have been granted a rare exception in support of my academic interests. Only Portuguese is spoken at Bahia Street, so today I had to put my language skills to the test. I spoke with Rita on the phone and made arrangements to visit the facility on Tuesday of next week. I am deeply honored that I have been granted this privilege, so stay tuned for a report about my visit. In the meantime, you can learn more about Bahia Street by visiting their website at www.bahiastreet.org, and even if you are only slightly interested, I highly recommend reading Dance Lest We All Fall Down. It is an amazing book, very well-written, and most importantly, a true story.

Até logo!

I am still having a difficult time adjusting to the heat here in Bahia, but last weekend I was able to get out of Barra, the neighborhood in Salvador where I am living. I met a group of five women from Uruguay on Friday evening, and they invited me to go with them on an excursion to the island of Itaparica the next day on Saturday. It took about an hour by boat from Porto de Salvador, and we visited the small town of Mar Grande.

Las uruguayas: Andrea, Gianella, Gissella, Silvana and Milena

Porto de Salvador

That fixture is an elevator that carries passengers down to the waterfront. It´s called Elevador Lacerda and it costs $.05 centavos.

The view from below.

Praça Cayru. There is a artisan market here, although we arrived too early and most people had not set up for the day.

Mercado Modelo

Having mate on the boat to Itaparica.

From a distance, these little buildings look quaint and colorful, but really they are unofficial houses made of scrap materials, like in the favelas. They likely have no electricity or sewage system.

It´s so amazing that these little shanty houses occupy the same city space as large city skyscrapers.

Arriving at Mar Grande.

We love the beach! Just in case you were wondering, I never tan. I am the whitest white woman Brazil has ever seen, no doubt. And, despite constantly reapplying 55 spf sunblock all day long, I still got an excellent sunburn. Eek!

Having a refreshing beer after toasting in the sun. Salud!

Order and… coconut!

Salvador da Bahia

I had a fantastic day with mis amigas uruguayas. I am looking forward to meeting up with them again in Montevideo in May.

Até logo!

On Saturday, March 21, 2009, college students from all over the country descended upon Tucson, Arizona to volunteer with No More Deaths for Alternative Spring Break. I was the sole representative from The Evergreen State College and I traveled with a group of 14 other students from the University of Washington. We met at Southside Presbyterian Church where first they fed us, and then we began our training as humanitarian aid volunteers in the Arizona desert.

José, Kai, Heiu and Silverio from UW

James, Danielle, Erika and Brianna from UW

Karina, our amazing group coordinator

Danielle

Silverio and José

Rachael and me — No más muertes!

Heading into the sanctuary to begin our training

We were given a volunteer survival packet that we were instructed to carry around with us at all times while on patrol in the desert. It contained all the various contact information for the directors of No More Deaths, along with specific dos and don’ts for various situations regarding contact with migrants and/or border patrol agents. Any time NMD volunteers encounter Border Patrol agents with migrants in custody, it is protocol to approach the situation to assess if there are migrants in need of medical care, water and food. No More Deaths also documents reported cases of human rights abuses from migrants while in custody of Border Patrol. This is part of a larger effort to enact reform at all levels of immigration policy execution.

The next morning on Sunday we continued our training. We were guided in a conversation about privilege, and the reasons why migrants come here in search of work. We discussed the political and economic factors that cause major instability in Central America, and how the United States plays a huge role in how those policies are carried out. We talked about how NAFTA only serves the agenda of the U.S., and it was brought to our attention that security along the U.S.-Mexico border tightened in 1994, the same year NAFTA came into existence. This demonstrates that the United States government absolutely KNEW it would increase the economic inequality, and actually anticipated an increase in the flow of undocumented immigrants. That’s when we started to build walls.

Danielle and Karina

Liz!

Topographic map detailing many of the known migrant trails used to cross the border through the desert. As you can see, there are mountain ranges that make for an extremely dangerous journey by foot that would take about five days for someone in very good health.

Each red dot on this map indicates where a migrant was found dead in the Arizona desert between 2001 and 2007. It is estimated that for every body found, there are ten more deaths whose remains will not be discovered.

The original founders of the Sanctuary Movement in the 1980s. The Sanctuary Movement was a coalition of churches that offered shelter to refugees who fled Central America in order to avoid persecution from U.S.-backed government oppression. The U.S. could not recognize these migrants as political refugees because that would require taking responsibility for repressive conditions from which these people were fleeing.

After additional training on basic first aid and the importance of using common sense in the desert (drink water, drink water, drink water), we were shown a presentation by the Sierra Club about the environmental devastation being caused by the construction of the border wall. The Bush Administration used the Patriot Act to overturn 35 federal laws that protected wildlife habitat throughout the borderlands. Just flat-out broke the law in an effort to prove how easily we can waste colossal amounts of money. Never mind that it only slows migrants down by an average of five minutes, but the wall serves to destroy the lives of endangered species that are not found in other regions of the world. Migratory animals are often separated from water sources and cannot find food because they are not able to climb the walls designed to keep the people out. It makes me furious.

Sunday afternoon we packed up our cars and headed out to the camp located outside of Arivaca.

The Washington Group

We woke up at 6:30am each morning, ate breakfast, then took off on patrols in groups of 4 or 5 to deliver water, food and offer medical assistance in the event that we encounter migrants. None of my patrols encountered migrants, but we did encounter border patrol one day. No More Deaths is well-known and is pretty much left alone by Border Patrol under the guise that humanitarian aid is never crime. Our hikes typically lasted around 5 or 6 hours, and we used 4-wheel drive vehicles to drive out to weigh points mapped by GPS. The Arizona desert is beautiful, simply marvelous.

Arizona is a popular destination for bird-watching. This a Vermilion flycatcher.

Using GPS is fun!

Our patrol leader, Gene, took us to a shrine that had been erected in honor of Josseline Janiletha Hernandez Quinteros, a 14-year-old girl who was found dead after having been abandoned by her group because she was unable to keep up with them.

“When you feel that the path has become hard and difficult, don’t turn back, continue onward and search for the help of God. We will carry you in our hearts forever.”

Visiting Josseline’s shrine invoked a lot of emotion for me, and her family had given Gene a photo of Josseline that was taken right before she left to cross the border. Later we encountered a migrant rest area that was obviously heavily trafficked.

Towards the end of our patrol we ascended a steep and rocky cliff that provided an amazing panoramic view of the desert terrain.

Rachael, me and our cactus friend

The next day our patrol went to a different area.

Brianna, riding in the back of the truck to our patrol weigh point

Rachel

Dominic

There are tons of free range cattle wandering in the desert, and these are their watering holes. They are filthy cesspools of cow dung, microbes and other really bad bacteria that should absolutely not be ingested by human beings.

Unfortunately, people do drink from them when they are on the verge of death from thirst. This only causes further dehydration from diarrhea and vomiting, making death all the more likely. We placed additional gallons of pure water here in case anyone might be compelled to drink from it.

Who knew the desert could be so beautiful?

On this patrol we encountered a car that had been completely stripped and was riddled with bullet holes. Very strange.

On Wednesday we made a trip to Nogales, Mexico. There is a NMD aid station there to receive migrants who have been recently deported.

The border wall at Nogales. There are holes in the chain link fence where migrants will try to hop the border during BP shift changes.

We served food to recently deported migrants here, at a place called the Comedor. Deported migrants are able to have two meals a day for two weeks after being deported, and must show their deportation papers in order to enter.

After serving meals and conversing with migrants, we head back to camp in the States.

The next day we went on another patrol.

Me, Karina and Rachael

Another cow pond

Can you imagine having no other option than to drink this filthy water? It makes my stomach hurt just thinking about it…

On Thursday we took a trip to Sasabe, Arizona, a tiny little town right on the border, in order to see this section of the border wall up close.

If you look a little bit into the distance, you can see the mountains. This is where the wall stops. So, why not just walk around? Right… Another colossal waste of our tax dollars.

Border Patrol wanted to know what we were doing there. Then they took off to patrol the border to make sure we wouldn’t be “harassed by angry Mexicans”.

My experience with No More Deaths was amazing. I learned so much about border politics and human migration. I was challenged physically, mentally and emotionally during my week volunteering. I plan on returning next year to volunteer again. In an ideal world, this organization will not exist for much longer. Visit No More Deaths online at www.nomoredeaths.org to find out more information about this extraordinary humanitarian aid organization.