Brazil

We have just spent 5 days in Brazil. I saw and experienced so much. Prior to arrival in Salvador we were given all kinds of warnings and told what precautions to take. We were told not to carry all of our money in the same place but to split it up in our socks, front pockets, and any other safe places, and not to bring good cameras or laptops off the ship. Pick pocketing is very common. We were told not to go anywhere alone, and as a female, we were told to travel with guys. I very much hate the idea of being incapable of taking care of myself and needing to have a guy around, but it really did make a huge difference. We were also told to drink only bottled beverages, not because the water’s not good, but because our systems aren’t used to it. We were also advised to take Pepto Bismol whenever we ate off the ship for the same reason.

While here I visited a Candomble community. Candomble is a religion that came here from Africa. It’s really a way of life. There is a strong sense of community and everyone takes care of each other. As part of their beliefs, they worship various Orixas. These Orixas are protectors of different things. Early on, when Candomble wasn’t allowed here in Brazil, Africans who had come here hid their religion behind the Catholic faith. They would use various saints as representatives of their Orixas. This way, it appeared that they were practicing Catholicism, but it was understood amongst members of the community that they were in fact worshiping their Orixas. While in Brazil, I also got a chance to attend mass at Bonfim which is a Catholic church where many members of the Candomble faith also celebrate. The mass was all in Portuguese, so I didn’t understand a word of it, but it was very easy to follow as it was a Catholic service. Outside there were people selling all kinds of little souvenirs including colorful ribbons that have a basis in Candomble. These ribbons are tied around your wrist with three knots. On each knot you make a wish, and in approximately three months the bracelet falls off and your wishes come true. These ribbons were also found tied all throughout the church. There was also a room in the church with a bunch of wax sculptures of various body parts hanging from the ceiling. These body parts represent body parts that need healing. For example, if you have a knee injury you might hang a wax representation of your knee in this room, and supposedly it will be healed. Overall I found the Candomble religion fascinating and saw signs of it all over town.

We also happened to be here for Carnival which is a huge celebration in preparation for Lent. I got to experience Carnival in a couple of different settings. I experienced a real high energy Carnival celebration where there were just people all over the place and you were dancing in a huge crowd. We watched some floats pass by on the main route, blaring their music, with people in elaborate costumes on top. Then we jumped into the parade in front of a float and proceeded to dance up the street. The energy was unbelievable. There was also a lot of touching and grabbing going on all around you. The Brazilian guys especially went after the blondes we were with, kissing them and grabbing at them to dance. Being a brunette, I blended in a bit better and wasn’t the target of much kissing. This is the setting where it was really nice to have a couple of guys around. It made such a big difference. I also experienced Carnival in a tamer, more traditional family setting. This was a lot of fun too. There were a lot more people dressed up in costumes. The parade was much smaller, with groups of women in elaborate dresses dancing up the street and marching bands rather than big floats. This was much less crowded and more relaxing. There were food carts all over the place selling popcorn, churros, drink, and all kinds of delicious street food. Everyone was out jut having a good time.

Overall, I had a great experience in Brazil. Many of the locals are very nice. Communicating was a challenge, but you learned how to make gestures to get your point across, and that worked pretty well. There were some incidents with pick pocketing and a few girls being robbed at knife point, but there were many more stories of locals being helpful than hurtful. Many times locals would direct students away from sketchier areas of town and back towards safer ones. One thing that struck me was the poverty here. And what stuck out to me the most was that I would see a person sleeping on the street, and remember seeing them walking around the day before. There were also always people coming up to you trying to sell you something. I learned quickly that you can’t even touch what they’re selling unless you intend to buy something. If they can get it into your hands, it’s about as good as sold. As rude as it feels, you have to just ignore people. That was pretty hard.

Now we’re back on the ship for 8 days, on our way to South Africa!