Making it home safely

Written April 24, 2008

This morning I arrived in Caravelas, Bahia, the location of my research. For the first time in quite a long time, I really feel like I've arrived home, despite the fact that I don't yet have a house.

From Sao Paulo last week, I took a bus to Uberaba, Minas Gerais. Minas Gerais means General Mines, and in this state, as you might guess, there's a lot of mining of various materials going on. So much so, that apparently it's the richest state (highest GNP generator) in Brazil. They also have a lot of cows and cheese. LOTS of cheese. Everywhere you go people try to give you cheese.

I stayed with my friend Erica while in Minas, who I met in Caravelas last time I was here. It was really fun and it's nice to have friends all over Brazil so I can travel and stay in nice houses. Her dad even forced me to get the yellow fever vaccination, which should make my parents feel good. Anyway, Minas was fun, but I couldn't wait to get to Bahia.

I took a 26 hour bus trip to get to Caravelas, and I really loved it. I got a lot of thinking done and reading about the biology of fishes.

I got here this morning at about 9:15 am and my friend Felipe (from the humpback whale institute, who I also met last time I was here) picked me up. I'm staying at his house with him and his wife until I find a place to live. And until then, it's totally cool for me to stay as long as needed. I napped in the hammock and took a cold shower, since there's no hot water in their house.

We went into town and I bought a bicycle. Greatest investment ever. 100% of people surveyed say that riding a bike with a basket is way more stylish than driving a car. And the ride from town to Felipe's house (and thus my house, since I'm looking for a place next to him) is about 30-40 minutes, as follows: leave Caravelas on cobblestone. Ride along the one paved road in the area, the highway, with farms on one side and the mangrove on the other. Enter a new cobblestone neighborhood, exit into the Atlantic rain forest. Ride through the forst for about 1 km until you come out on the beach. Ride along the beach until you reach more cobblestone, then dirt rodes through my neighborhood to our respective houses. I LOVE IT!

I love it here. People leave their cars and houses unlocked, they leave their bikes on the streets without locks. I'm already making friends with my neighbors, and you can just start up conversation with anybody on the street and be their friend. I'm looking to adopt a couple kittens, which I would theoretically take back to the US with me. I say "theoretically" because I'm not sure I'll ever really return for any great length of time. I LOVE IT HERE. Felipe is going to try to help me get into a Brazilian master's program. Then after 2 years living in Brazil as a scientist I could get my citizenship. I've looked into it. Then someday I could start an NGO involving environmental education. Pretty sweet plan, eh?

Well, much love to all. Walk in peace. When things are bad, think of me and share some of my positive energy!

Positive vibrations,
~Helen