My Human Capital

What I learned about Environmental Journalism

1) Science articles are difficult to write due to the high concentration of complicated concepts.  When writing on scientific topic, one must really tailor the story to their audience, to write as if they are explaining the story to their neighbor.  If the story contains too much jargon, it will lose the majority of readers after the first paragraph.

2) Prior to this class, I did not know the concept of an embargo.  I now know that it is a request by a source for the information they provided to not be published until a certain time.

3) In articles presenting new technological advances, the result it produces can be as important as the technology itself.  Even failure is news too.  It can produce new ideas for study.

4) When dealing with journalists, scientists are very cautious.  They fear being misrepresented or misunderstood.  I know even as an accountant, if I tried to explain something accounting related to a journalist, I would be very afraid that my point would not be understood.

5) One of the biggest mistakes one can make in environmental journalism is exaggerating the importance of a finding.  All of the figures and facts may be correct, but there should also be constants used for comparison to give perspective on the importance of the issue.

What I learned about the Amazon

1) The main pressures causing deforestation are logging, mining, and cattle ranching.  The only way to solve the problem is to provide alternative means of living to the citizens.  They must have a way to live that does not include deforestation, whether it is green deforestation or not.

2) When trees dies in the rainforest, the mercury in the trees is absorbed into the forest naturally.  When trees are cut down in large concentrations, as in deforestation, the mercury cannot be absorbed naturally and runs off into the river.  There it goes up the food chain from the algae to the fish.  This creates high levels of mercury in the fish in the Amazon river, due to bioconcentration.  

3) Although there are laws regulating the deforestation of the Amazon, they are seldom enforced.  Even when they are enforced, the benefit of deforesting the Amazon greatly outweighs the consequences.

4) The natives who live in the rainforest hunt all sorts of animals for food, such as anacondas, jaguars, and alligators.   When they have eaten all the meat, they trade the skin, teeth and bones to people on the edges of the forest, who make arts and crafts with the materials to sell in the city.  No part of the animal goes to waste. 

5) The Amazon is both an estuary and a delta.  It flows out into the Atlantic ocean, making it a delta, and it is large enough to have tides, making it an estuary.

The Finale

It is finally here! The last day in Brazil.  Our activities for the day were jam-packed.  It began with a trip to a restaurant/park.  It had only been open for 3 weeks, but was already awesome.  It had trails for hiking through, a little lake to canoe in, and a delicious restaurant.  Most of us were unprepared for this type of place because we had not been to a place like this the whole trip.  I was wearing a sweater and flip-flops.  Dan, Sarah, Raul, and I were the adventurous ones to first attempt the trails.  We went on a short one that led to a lake, then we headed back.  There were bugs all over the floor of the forest that crawled onto our feet and bit them.  Most were really little, but I had 2 that were huge.  One of them bit my big toe, but nothing happened to it, so I guess I'm okay.  Then Dan, Sarah, and I took the longer trail.  It went uphill most of the time.  It actually went pretty far into the forest.  After a while, we were wondering if the trail made a circle around the lake or if we would have to walk back the whole way we had already walked.  Just when we were about to give up and turn around, we saw the restaurant through a clearing.  We made it through!  I only wish I was wearing shoes because I would have walked the trail again.  Then Karla, Kendra, Dan, and I went coneing in the lake.  I had never been canoeing before this, so I didn't really know how to navigate it.  Dan was in the back steering, but it wasn't going very well.  I was in the front of the boat, but since the boat wasn't going in the direction we wanted it to, I jumped onto the very front point of the boat and steered from the front as well.  We definitely had the best steered canoe.

The most beautiful sights I saw on the whole trip was the sunset witnessed over the Amazon River.  It almost looked fabricated because it was so breathtaking.  I'm really glad we got to go on the boat again and watch the dancing  They were such good dancers.  After the boat ride, we went out to dinner.  Dan and I once again went all out with our meal.  We split the shrimp in champagne sauce with wild rice and caviar.  It was delicious, and I am not even a fan of shrimp.

This trip to Brazil was the best decision I have ever made.  It was the best two weeks of my life, and I definitely will be returning to Brazil someday.  The culture is just so welcoming.  Many of the people we met on the trip even invited us back and said we could stay with them.  I made some friends that I know I'll have for a long time.  Even though we all have our own paths, I'll keep in touch with everyone.  So thank you to Professor Reis and CSULB for the opportunity to participate in this study abroad program.

Beach Day!!!

Finally, the beach day we were promised!  It was nothing short of amazing.  I have probably used that word a thousand times to describe this trip, but it is the closest description I can give.  The car ride was long, but once we got there, it was worth it.  I laid out on my towel for a while, until it got hot.  Then I charged into the ocean.  The braver students ventured into the river with me.  We were only out there for a little while when we left for the second beach.  There we ate lunch and spent more time on the beach.  It was much nicer than the first beach.  It was more secluded.  Kendra, Dan, and I spent a lot of time in the water.  Dan went out in the water to the last point he could touch.  Then I swam out there.  I'm not the best swimmer, so it was pretty scary, but I love to live on the edge.  I'm trying to explore everything I can while I am here in Brazil.  

At night, we went out to Favela with Raul and Renalto.  It was a ton of fun.  Granted, I drank a few too many hi-fi's, but I enjoyed myself.  The band that was playing sang english songs, but when Joanne approached them, they did not speak any english.  I thought that was odd.  Anyway, Renalto was so nice.  He gave us a ride back to the hotel.  It was an early night for Brazil.  I don't really even remember walking up to my room, but I was told that I was in bed by 1a.m.  

Trying not to get Pneumonia!

Today was a total hump day in my week.  It was just one of those days that you just get through.  Everyone is tired from the activities we have been cramming into our days.  This morning we had a Journalism student interview our group.  He just asked about our stay in Belem and how we feel about it.  I am continuously impressed by the adeptness of the Brazilians in speaking the english language.  I mean, for the ones who do speak english.  

We went to the mall to have lunch, again.  Kendra, Dan, and I ate Subway, and I have to say it was not as good as the first time I ate it.  Dan and Kendra both said it was disgusting.  I didn't think it was that bad, but it definitely was not satisfying.  We had a looong time to spend in the mall that day, so we shopped around for a while.  Kendra and I picked out dresses for the club we are going to Friday, Vegas.  This whole trip we have been the two girls wearing jeans and sneakers while every other girl glammed themselves up, so we decided it is our turn to shine.  Not that I don't love wearing my jeans and sneakers, it will just be nice to dress up for once.  I definately would not have loved to dress up every day.

After lunch, we heard from a speaker named Peter Mann de Toledo from IDESP.  I can honestly say I did not understand 75% of his speech.  He spoke in circles, with no direction.  Even when people asked him to clarify what he was trying to say, it made no sense.  What made it almost unbearable was the fact that the air conditioner was blowing on Laura and me the entire time!  I was even using my backpack as a shield from the cold.  I really thought I was going to catch pneumonia or something.  Towards the end of the lecture I got up to use the restroom just to get away from the cold air, but in my anxiousness to get out of there I tripped on Laura's bag and fell right in the middle of the aisle, in front of everyone!  It was funny at first, but my ankle really did hurt.  Somehow, in the jumble of things, I twisted it.  It was more funny than it was painful, so I have no regrets about it.  

Raul suggested a great Italian restaurant for us to try.  It was pretty fancy, but c

omfortable at the same time.  They had buttons on the table you can press when you need a waiter, so you do not have to hail them down every time.  That was such a nice change from the places we have been eating at.  I just hope that I do not carry that habit back to the states with me, or I will get spit in my food.  Dan and I shared the most expensive dish on the menu, the Lamb Carre.  It was a rack of lamb and asparagus risotto.  After I saw it on the menu, I knew I would regret it if I didn't order it.  A little bit of gluttony on vacation...

2's day

Today began earlier than usual.  We headed over to the Museo de Emilio Goeldi for a guest speaker.  Unfortunately, the speaker we were supposed to hear was sick, so Claudia Lopez, an anthropologist at the museum, filled in.  She was fluent in spanish and portuguese, so she spoke in Spanish since half of our group could understand.  I didn't even know that she was speaking in spanish.  I just thought she was speaking portuguese the whole time.  We also heard Laura's presentation on reporting on nature.  She did a really great job.

On Monday night, when we met Lyoto Machida's sponsor and the owner of Mona Vie, Eony, he gave us a ride home since it was raining.  During the car ride he asked us what sights we had seen since we came to Belem and pointed out thing we saw during the ride that would be cool to check out.  One of those things was an old prison.  The prison was no longer used to house 

inmates, but was a gem museum and jewelry manufacturing place.  He said when they were converting the building, they had to put a large crystal in the prison to clear it of the dark vibes.  Apparently it worked because when we went there today, it was a place of peace.  I work with gemstones, not in setting, but in wire-wrapping and beading.  It was a great treat to see the precious stones.  I bought 2 stones; one for myself, a rectangular cut emerald and one for my grandpa to work with.

The restaurant we went to tonight was called the Roxy and yes it was modeled after the Roxy.  The theme was hollywood.  Everyone from Michael Jackson to Hillary Duff was seen on the music video screen.  The dishes were all named after famous people.  There was Catherine zeta Jones, Julia Roberts, and the most shocking of all, Sadam Hussein!  Even the napkin holders had Sadam's face on them.  Janice and I couldn't help ourselves, we had to get the Sadam

 Hussein.  When else would we get the opportunity to order that dish?  It was actually the best meal I have had in Brazil so far!  Who would have thought?  I really liked that their culture allows that type of humor.  If someone had tried that in the US, there would be some sort of lawsuit coming from all angles.

News Story 2

 Yellow Fever has returned in Brazil.  The outbreak began last year, in which, 59 cases of the dangerous disease was reported.  This year there have been 3 reported cases.  Opposed to popular assumption, few of the cases of yellow Fever in Brazil were found in the Amazon region.  Most were centered around Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.  The viral disease is spread through mosquitoes and therefore is more perilous in towns that have high populations of people and mosquitoes.

 “Yellow Fever was conquered even before there was a vaccine for it,” said Elisabeth Santos, the director of the Instituto Evandro Chagas.  In 1937, Max Theiler formulated a exceedingly effective vaccine that would protect individuals against Yellow Fever for ten years.  Brazil had not had a Yellow Fever outbreak in decades.  Because the disease had been rid from the country for so long, many people overlooked the significance of the Yellow fever vaccination resulting in numerous cases of the viral disease.

 The disease has always and will always reside in the Amazon rainforest.  There is no absolute cure for Yellow Fever.  The treatment is based on symptoms and only supports you until the disease has passed.  If the population gets vaccinated, they will be fine.  There really is no reason not to get vaccinated.  The country of Brazil makes the shots available free of charge and there is no shortage of the vaccine.  

 When asked why travelers are not required to get the Yellow Fever vaccination before they enter Brazil, Santos replied, “I don’t know!”  Currently, it is only being a recommended vaccination for travelers.  The disease is so potent and vicious, it seems a fool’s errand to visit a country experiencing an outbreak of it without the vaccination. 

News Story 1

The trees of the Amazon are on the breach of extinction. Mata Alântica was a region of tropical moist forest lining the Atlantic coast of Brazil. It’s lush green foliage that once flourished and produced abundant resources for the natives, is currently diminished as a consequence of urbanization. According to veterinarian, Messias Costa, nearly 5 percent of Mata Atlântica still remains.

The Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi is the first botanical park and aquarium in Brazil, which was founded in 1895. Joice Santos, communications co-coordinator, described the park as a “living classroom”. Here one can observe endangered trees of the rainforest. Some species include the Guajará, Tucum and Bambu-amarelo. “Trees offer many resources for people and animals,” said Costa.

Trees are very important to the Amazon. They provide shade, food, roofing, oxygen and housing for animals. The first tree we encountered was the Samaumeira, which is one of the tallest trees in the Amazon. Reaching up to 50 meters in height, the Samaumeira prevents the sunlight from reaching the floor of the rainforest.

The most important and popular palm tree in the Amazon is the Açai tree. The flavorful berries produced by the tree are enjoyed around the world. Açai also contains antioxidants and is a vital factor in the Amazon because it makes up a significant portion of the Brazilian diet. In Belém, you can find Açai used in juice, ice cream and salads.

Next we came upon the Mogno, one of the most endangered trees in the rainforest. Generally known as mahogany, Mongo is used for flooring and furnishings and is the most expensive wood you can buy. Mahogany is also used for making boats and musical instruments, for example, Ringo Starr from The Beatles played a mahogany guitar.

Our favorite tree is Paxiúba. This tree is called “the tree that walks” because over time it grows sideways across the rainforest floor. This is because it’s roots are very shallow and have difficulty obtaining nutrients from the soil. This palm is one of the most common trees in the rainforest as an outcome of being able to thrive in damp tropical areas. In addition, the palm is valued by birds and is used to make jewelry.

The Tucum palm tree produces fruits that are used for bio-diesel production. It grows to be 60 feet tall and is native to Brazil. The Tucum produces an orange-yellow fruit that contains vitamin A, which helps to prevent eye disease and is three times the amount you would absorb from a carrot. The seeds it produces are very dense and are used to make bio-jewelry and other artwork such as carvings. It is also used for fishing nets, sailing ropes, hammocks and baskets. The wood is resistant to salt water, mold and mildew.

Bambu-amarelo is the most widely known type a tree that grows in the Amazon. It has a growth rate up to 60 centimeters a day, making it the fastest growing wood plant. Bambu-amarelo has multiple uses. It is used for culinary purposes, medicine, construction and art. Not only is it important to Brazilian culture, but it is significant in other cultures as well, for example, the Chinese culture.

Pau-Rosa is another palm tree that grows in the Amazon and is Portuguese for rosewood. This palm is not durable, however, it is used to make Chanel Number 5 perfume and rosewood oil. It is resistant to insect and fungal attacks. Because it is widely used to manufacture various products, it has become an endangered palm of the rainforest.

Finally, we learned about the Jarina, which is a small palm with a thick trunk. It is known as “vegetable ivory” because it is harder than wood and carves just like ivory. Before World War II, Jarina was used to make buttons and handles for walking canes. In addition, it was mistaken for authentic elephant ivory. It also emits a strong-scented perfume. The Jarina has a slow growth rate, taking up to 3-4 years to germinate and survives to be over 100 years old. Because the wood is so durable, it is used for building and construction. It is also used for food, ornaments, manufacturing pieces of knee support, piano keys, small statues, souvenirs and jewelry.

All things considered, we feel it is important to protect the endangered trees of the rainforest. They are utilized in numerous innovative ways and are crucial ingredient in Amazonian culture. Although the palms sow their own seeds, it is important that we preserve the rainforest in order to avoid arboreal extinction.

Rounding the bend

We are all getting to the point where we are exhausted every day.  We haven't even gone out since Friday, but we keep wanting to have chill nights in.  Karla and I decided this can't happen anymore.  We only have 5 days left in Brazil and we have to make them all count.  

During the day, we went to the Instituto Evandro Chagas and had a great lecture from the director, Elisabeth Santos.  She was brilliant and had such good insights about the on-goings in the medical field.  I was most interested in what she had to say about Yellow Fever.  I found out there was an outbreak in Brazil about a month before I left.  I couldn't find anywhere to get vaccinated for it (although I did not search too hard) so I did not get the vaccination.  When I asked her why it is not required for travelers to get vaccinated, she seemed dismayed.  You could tell from her tone and facial expressions that she felt strongly about the issue.

We actually got to go to a new mall today for lunch!  There were plenty of places to eat,

 including McDonalds.  I chose Bob's burgers and ate a chicken sandwich that had ham and cheese on it...  They literally put ham and cheese on everything here.  The other day we ate chicken parmesan and it had ham and cheese melted on the top!  Anyway, the sandwich was a nice relief for my stomach after days of Brazilian food.  Also in the food court was an arcade! I really wanted to go play the Brazilian version of Dance, Dance, Revolution, but everyone else wanted to shop, so I conceited.  

We tried to go out, but Mondays are, apparently, resting days where cool, fun bars are closed.  We did go to a restaurant/bar, but it was really low key.  Karl, Alex, Laura, and I walked a few blocks trying to find a bank.  It was the first time I thought I was going to have to fight someone.  When we were walking, we passed a group of people and one guy fake ran after us, but stopped.  I had half spun around with my fist clenched already.  So that was scary.  Anyway, we ended up finding a bank, but it wouldn't accept our cards...

At the restaurant, we met the UFC Champion Lyoto Machida! It was awesome because he was so nice!

Eu gosta de festa!!!

Today we went out with the students we met at the university.  They are some of the nicest people I have met here.  We went to the Festa Junina, I believe it is called.  We followed a parade with 10,000 other people.  It was arm to arm walking in the 85 degree heat.  Everyone was sweating profusely, but enjoying themselves even more!  People were holding flags, bull figures, and decorative shapes.  There were also people on stilts with their faces painted all white.

  Traditionally, this celebration was held to honor saints such as Saint Anthony, John the Baptist, and Saint Peter.  For me, it just represented the fun-loving nature of Brazil.  Honestly, if you have 10,000 p

eople walking in a parade in L.A. there would be hundreds of fights in the crowd.  The Brazilians were happy just to be celebrating, they did not bother with petty conflicts.

The parade led down to the Praca de Republica.  Kendra, Dan, Karina, Priscilla, Bie, Joao, and I went into the mix of people dancing in front of the stage.  Everyone there was dancing and sweating and just having the time of their lives.  I know I was at least.  It was something I was so glad to experience.  While the rest of the crew were shopping, we was experiencing this once in a lifetime event.  We met back in front of the HSBC bank at 1 o'clock, but we all wanted to stay, so we did!

In the square, there were hundreds of vendors selling everything from pet goldfish to carved wooden blow dart guns.  Of course, both of those, I wanted to purchase, but since I don't see a feasible way to get a goldfish home, I settled on the blow dart gun.  It will make a great gift for my 13 year-old nephew.  I don't know if his mom, my sister, will feel the same way, but we can hope.  I also bought a carved wooden flute for my father, a pair of earring for my best friend, Therese, and an alligator tooth necklace and an anaconda skin cuff for myself.  I was so excited for the Anaconda skin cuff and Alligator tooth necklace.  Joao explained that the indians eat all of these animals, but not the skin or the teeth.  The give these items to the vendors to make jewelry for sale so nothing goes to waste.  

After the festa (party), we went to the mall to eat and hang out.  Luckily for my stomach, I ate Subway.  I met a new friend at the mall.  His name is Lucas.  He just came over and asked if he could practice his English on Dan and I.  His English was very good.  He was a really nice young guy (he was only 18).  We were trying to tell him that there would never be a party like the Festa Junino in Long Beach, except maybe for the gay pride parade.  He said they have gay pride parades here too.  He actually said "We love the gays here."  It was cute.  

Island Getaway

This has been my absolute favorite day of the entire trip so far.  We all took a six hour boat tour through the Amazon River.  The boat stopped on one of the islands within the river for a couple hours so we could enjoy the beach and have lunch.  It was the most beautiful place I have ever been to.  I have always seen travel magazines with beautiful beaches on them, but I never thought I would be relaxing on and enjoying one of them.  The start of the boat trip was a little rocky because we stayed out so late last night.  However, I can now say that I have vomited in the Amazon River!  After I headed to the front of the boat and got fresh air, I felt a hundred times better.  Then I enjoyed the warm boat ride.  At one point they turn on showers on the boat to cool off under.  

One of the aspect of Brazilian culture I love the most is their comfort in their natural bodies.  They do not have any shame about their bodies if they are fat, have hairy bodies, or sweat like a pig.  They just enjoy life naturally.  It is really refreshing not to worry about how much I am sweating, how my hair looks, if I look fat in this bikini, or if I forgot to shave my legs.  The L.A. mindset is slowly fading away.  One thing I am still a little uncomfortable with is the amount of Speedo's being worn.  It is just something I cannot get used to so quickly.  

The boat toured us around the islands and brought us onto one of the island's for lunch.  It was a good lunch, but like all the others, did not agree with my stomach.  My stomach is having a really hard time with the food here in Brazil.  I have been very adventurous thus far, but now I think I need to tone it down.  Tomorrow, I believe we are going to the mall, which has McDonald's and Subway, so I think those may help my stomach re-cooperate.

  

The real highlight of the trip was swimming in the Amazon River!  I joked with everyone that they were swimming in my throw up, but really we were so far away from where it happened.  The sand was so soft, like finely-ground sugar.  Everything about where we were and what we were doing made me so thankful for this entire opportunity.  After a few hours of bliss, the boat carried us back to the city.  It had been a long and wonderful day for all of us so we went back to the hotel and relaxed the night away.

Not the Beach

The day we have all been waiting for has finally arrived!  We are going to the beach...  Or so we thought.  After getting all ready in our beach attire and heading downstairs for breakfast, I found out we are not going to the beach, but instead visiting the museum.  Disappointed, I headed back upstairs to change out of my beachwear.  It was actually a blessing in disguise though, as it started pouring at about 2 o'clock.  Professor Reis did say we would go next week though.  Today our first stop was the Forte do Presépio.  This time it was open and we were allowed to walk around the inside of the fort.  Then we went to the Museo de Encontro inside the Forte do Presépio.  There were some really awesome artifacts, including a coin that was 368 years old!  There was also an illustration showing natives cooking human limbs rotisserie style.  It was pretty disturbing.  Unfortunately, all of the explanatory signs were in Portuguese, so we could not read about what we were seeing, but Professor Reis did translate for us when we asked him to.  

Our next stop was to the Conheça o Museu de Arte Sacra e o Ciruito Histórico de Belém.  It was unfortunate that we could not take pictures inside the Museum because it was so gorgeous.  It was an old church, built from 1698-1719, that has been retired from performing masses, although marriages are still performed there.  The structure was built by Indians detained in slavery.  It was composed of stones, clay, and the bonding ingredient, fish oil.  There was one wall of the church left unrefurbished so the clay and stones could be witnessed.  My favorite part of the whole museum was the wood carvings.  They were carved out of red cedar by the enslaved Indians.  In their prime, the carvings were painted with gold leaf.  On of the carvings had gold leaf painted on it still, although it was not the original paint.  I thought the carvings were much more beautiful and genuine without the gold leaf paint.  

During the first decade that Belém was a city, there was a burst of churches built.  The majority of them are now closed and used for various museums.  The center of the city had shifted inland, so the cluster of churches no longer resided the

re.  The Catedral across the street from the Conheça o Museu de Arte Sacra e o Ciruito Histórico de Belém, was the first church to be built in Belém in 1616.  Right now it is under construction.  However, it still remains a beautiful reminder of the Portuguese roots in Belém.

Brazil vs. Paraguay

One of the things I was really looking forward to during this trip was watching the World Cup qualifying match between Brazil and Paraguay.  The actual game was played in Sao Paulo, but I really wanted to wear a Brazil jersey and watch the game in a bar. I accomplished only one of these goals because I could not find a Brazil jersey to buy before the game.  I still want to find one to buy before I leave though.  People started filling into the stadium hours before the game even started, and every seat was taken about a half hour before it started.  The game was intense.  There were a lot of close goals.  I was watching so closely waiting for Brazil to make a goal.  Then I took a moment to take a picture with Joanne and Brittanie.  During the fifteen seconds it took to take the picture, Brazil made a goal!  I couldn't believe I missed it!  I was so upset.  Then, To make matters worse, the next goal scored was by Paraguay.  A player for Paraguay lined up and took a shot.  The Brazilian player number 7 was in front of the goalie.  He tried to kick it away from the goal, but ended up kicking it into his own goal!  It was terrible!  I definately will not be buying a number 7 jersey.  I would like number 11 or number 18.  They both played well last night.  Luckily, there was one more goal scored during the game.  It was by Brazil, player 11 actually.  We won the game 2 to 1.  Dan and I cheered along with the rest of the fans in the bar.  It was a great Brazilian experience to add to my memories.  

The bar, Favela, that we went to was the hippest place I

 have seen since I came to Brazil.  It really spoke to a younger crowd.  Every thing from 

the light shades to the menus was funky.  

The longer we stayed there, the more people came.  The downstairs part of the bar turned into a dance floor with a band.  We all really liked it and hope to go back again before we l

eave.

Exploring Wildlife

The moment most of us have been waiting for, experiencing Amazonian wildlife, finally arrived today.  We visited the Museo Emíio Goeldi & Parque Zoobotáico, a zoological park.  Our guide for the day was Messias Costa.  He was brilliant.  He seemed to really enjoy sharing all of his information with us and answering our questions.  He also encouraged us to correct his english, while he corrected our attempts at portuguese.  He had such a vast knowledge of the animals, plants, their relationships, and the Amazonian ecosystem.  

There were no questions asked which he could not answer.  He was truly an awesome guy.  As with most of the Brazilians I have met during this trip he was extremely friendly and generous.  He offered us water, and even let us fill up our huge water bottles!  We had such an enjoyable time with him during the morning, we invited him to eat lunch with us as well.  During lunch we had a discussion about the election between Obama

 and McCain and the current economic state.  He was pro-Obama.  He also brought up the fact that many people are speculating about Oprah becoming a potential presidential candidate.  Everyone at the table agreed that was ridiculous and she certainly does not have

 experience running a country.  Afterwards, we savored cones of sorvechi.  

The wildlife at the park was truly breathtaking.  We saw three jaguars.  Two of them had the regular orange and black coat and the other had a black coat.  One of the jaguars was mistreated by his owner.  Now, when he is stressed by the presence of humans, he ma

sturbates.  It was really disturbing and it was weird watching that.  

 

Messias was looking really hard for a sloth.  We stopped at the parrot cage for a few minutes.  While I was gazing upon my surroundings, I spotted a sloth!  At first I thought it was a coconut, but then I realized it had legs wrapped around the trunk of the tree.  

Continuos Amazement

I almost cannot believe I have only been in Belem for three days.  With the vast amount of experiences I have had, I feel like I have been here for a week.  Today was the most scenic day yet.  We ventured out to arboretum a federally reserved location.  There we beheld the most gorgeous views of Belem, the Amazon River and the rainforest across the river.  In the same area we encountered flamingos, turtles, various species of birds and butterflies, and greenery.  The Amazon area has so many different species and we only got a glimpse of them.  

For lunch, we set out to the mall.  The food court had many different types of food to offer us including, McDonald's, Subway, Panda Express, Giraffas, Bob's Burgers, a Brazilian buffet, and a Japanese restaurant.  Most of our group ate at Giraffas, and the rest ate at Bob's Burgers.  I enjoyed a chicken sandwich and french fries, with a fruity Brazilian brand soda.  One thing I noticed was that the McDonald's served coconut milk with it's "healthy choice meal" instead of the regular milk served in the United States.  In fact I have not seen very much milk anywhere we have gone.  Dan noticed that Panda Express was not serving orange chicken.  It's interesting how the most popular choice in the United States is not even an option in Brazil.  I hope to unearth more variations between the cultures in the coming days.

At the Universidade Federal Do Para, a friendly, welcoming group of Brazilian students approached our troop.  They spoke English well and were pleased to have the opportunity to practice it on us.  They wondered about where we are from and what brought us to Brazil.  They even attended our class lecture with us!  It was compelling to discover their excitement about speaking to Americans in english.  It is a little understandable seeing as there are so few residents of Belem that speak english.  However, their generous nature is something I have found to be a regular occurrence in Brazil. 

Finding my Footing

Today was my technically second day in Brazil, but it still felt like the first.  It was a day to figure out what this trip was going to be like.  I must say, the Brazil I saw today was nothing like the Brazil I saw yesterday.  It was alive!  There were people everywhere, shops open for business, and markets packed with shoppers.  People were shopping, walking, playing, exercising, riding bicycles, working, attending school, and even urinating in the park.  Most people were friendly and more than willing to speak to you.  In Portuguese.  I try really hard to communicate with them, but I lack the ability.  I was hoping I could catch on to some words once I got to Brazil, but have failed to do so thus far.  The introductory Portuguese book I bought can only take me as far as a small chat and only when I am lucky enough to receive responses I can understand.

One of my favorite places so far has been the University.  The campus was beautiful and so authentic.  Our guest speaker, Jose Benatti, has an expansive knowledge about the continuous occurrences and regulations surrounding the land in Para.  All of the information he was giving us was being processed through my brain from an accounting viewpoint.  I had quite a bit of trouble turning that feature off and attempting to look at it through from a journalistic approach.  In the end, it was still an accountant's interpretation of how a journalist would view the matter, but I still learned a lot from him.  

The highlight of my day was going out at night.  It was really great seeing the culture carried by the younger demographic in Brazil.  The first step was to travel down to the Station of Docas.  Luckily, we made two Brazilian friends to help us navigate the city.  Their names are Julienne and Joao.  Joao flagged down a bus, we boarded, and were promptly startled by the chaotic driving of the bus driver.  Somehow, we made it all in one piece.  Upon arrival, we witnessed the Batalhao da Estrela (the drums section of a band called Arraial de Pavulagem) performing while many locals danced with various floral displays.  It was beguiling.  The music was so rhythmic, it made us all want to dance!  This city has so much rich culture to share with us and I am excited to see more.

Getting to Brazil.

I left home at 9:20a.m. on Saturday June 6th, 2009.  Less than three hours later, I was introduced to my first insights on Brazilian culture.  While waiting for my flight, I met Michael, a doctor who lives New York.  He was originally from Israel, where he spent most of his life growing up and he also went back for school.  Besides all that, he has traveled to Brazil a few times.  He said he has been to Belem, Sao Paulo, and Rio de Janeiro.  He told me a lot of what to expect with regard to the food.  He said it would be very salty, filling, and satisfying.  So far, I have found that to be true.  He also said I should listen to the music because it is very beautiful and cannot be heard anywhere else.  

My next introduction to Brazilian culture was on my flight from Miami, United States to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  I met a very nice, Brazilian gentleman named Gustavo.  He spoke Portuguese to the stewardess' yet he was reading a book in English, so I deduced he spoke both languages.  We had a good chat about Brazil.  Although he had never been to Belem, he had a vast amount of information to offer.  He also let me practice some Portuguese and taught me how to pronounce some words.  Also, on the flight, the headrests had PricewaterhouseCoopers advertisements, so we started talking about the Big 4 accounting firms.  He was sure all four were present in Brazil, but was unsure about in Belem.  After researching, I found that there are none in Belem, but there are many locations throughout other parts of Brazil.  I truely would have got lost in the airport if it had not been for Gustavo.  At that point I realized how nice and willing to help people out Brazilian people are.  

After I arrived in Belem.  Joanna, Kendra, and I walked around the area near our hotel.  The religious influence in their culture was extremely evident.  Brazil is composed mainly of Catholics, who believe that Sunday, the sabbath day, must be kept holy.  Therefore, Sunday is not a day of work or even shop, so almost every shop was closed.  That left us to have an uneventful first glimpse of Belem. 

The First Blog

This is my absolute first blog post.  I started this blog for a class that I am taking in Brazil.  I will be posting my discoveries while in Brazil every day, so feel free to come on the adventure with me by reading about my experiences.