Bus Culture

Yesterday Nicole told me not to come to CADEC until 9 instead of 8. I thought this was strange, but I showed up late and there was already a party going on. On the last Thursday of every month, CADEC has a party to celebrate the birthdays for the past three months (Jan, Feb, Mar- this time). They wanted me to show up late so that wouldn't have to worry about getting everything ready and I could just enjoy the party. Nicole had bought face paint for the kids, and there was cake and popcorn, but I think the kids were enjoying popping the birthday balloons more than anything else. I decided to trust one of the kids to paint my face because he assured me that he was very good and knew what he was doing- I turned out looking like a gay pirate. Nicole has pictures of this, but I haven't gotten her camera yet so I will post them later. I didn't get to paint today, but I had a lot of fun with the kids, and the food was really great today.

On the bus ride home, someone heard Nicole and I speaking English. We usually try to keep our voices down so that we don't attract too much attention, but we look and sound very different. We ran into two Brazilians that were very interested in what we were doing here. The guy had taken English classes for 5 years, but he could barely string a sentence together (This is common here, I guess they don't really get to practice much, so it is a lot different than my living and learning while immersed in the culture). They were both very friendly and we got to talk with them for the next two buses. One thing that I have noticed while spending time with Nicole is that it really isn't that great for my Portuguese. Since she is so much better, I just feel content to listen while she talks with others. When I am alone and talking with others, I am much more involved in the conversation and much more out-going. I also realized today that the bus has been a large part of my experience here. I like to call it the "bus culture" because it really has enriched my time here and given me a lot of new experiences. Also, I am glad that we do not travel in a van with the other American students because the bus gives me time to interact with Brazilians, time to think, and makes me feel more immersed and integrated into this culture.

On a separate note, I was rocking out to James Taylor on my way to UFES today and I heard "Only a dream in Rio" for the first time. I had probably listened to this song ten times before but thought that it was about Brazil. Some of the lyrics I really connect with and some I still have no idea what the heck he talking about. The lyrics are below:

More than a distant land
Over a shining sea
More than the steaming green
More than the shining eyes

Well they tell me it's only a dream in rio
Nothing could be as sweet as it seems
On this very first day down
They remind me "son have you so soon forgotten
Often as not it's rotten inside
And the mask soon slips away"

Strange taste of a tropical fruit
Romantic language of the portuguese
Melody on a wooden flute
Somba floating in the summer breeze

It's alright you can stay asleep
You can close your eyes
You can trust the people of paradise
To call your keeper
And tender your goodbyes

Oh what a night wonderful one in a million
Frozen fire brazillian stars
Oh holy southern cross
Later on take me way downtown in a tin can;
Can't come down from the bandstand
I'm never thrown for such a loss when they say

Quando a nossa mae acordar
Andareimoz au sol
Quando a nossa mae acordar
Cantara' pelos sertao
Quando a nossa mea acordar
Todos os filios saberao
Todos os filios saberao
E regozilarao

Caught in the rays of the rising sun
On the run from the soldier's gun
Shouting out loud from the angry crowd
The mild the wild and the hungry child
I'll tell you there's more than a dream in rio
I was there on the very day
And my heart came back alive
There was more
More than the singing voices
More than the upturned faces
And more than the shining eyes

But it's more than the shining eye
More than the steaming green
More than the hidden hills
More than the concrete christ
More than a distant land
Over a shining sea
More than a hungry child
More like another time
Born of a million years
More than a million years

A translation of the portuguese:

Quando a nossa mãe acordar
When our mother awakes
Andaremos ao sol
We shall walk in the sun
Quando a nossa mãe acordar
When our mother awakes
Cantará pelo sertão
She shall sing in the wilderness
Quando a nossa mãe acordar
When our mother awakes
Todos os filhos saberão
All her children shall know
Todos os filhos saberão
All her children shall know
E regozijarão
And they shall rejoice