Cultural Shocks

yap I experienced more and more here in Para.

I went to a funeral of a 29 year's old lady. First time see Brazil people hugging in a sad emotion.
She is the daughter of my host father's girlfriend. Pray for her. I don't know what to do without knowing what to say. But sometimes people with understand you with just watching your eyes.
At that moment, I just thought I am really becoming into the family.

The next morning I woke up early like at 6:30am, and went to the beach nearby. And I see the river again. I walked and walked and take beautiful photos, I normally won't take that much of photos for just beach. But this time is different, it's by the RIVER. with beautiful sky. just love it.
And my friend asked if I want to swim, I said I have no swimsuit...and he just said, "come on" I then took off my t-shirt and jump into the water! I never did that before I think, as a Capricorn it's just too emotional and improvise! But I do think I am not a typical Capricorn anymore....

and then I visited my other friend, she is an artist lady, do a lot of small interesting toys and puppets. And I found that she lives in that very basic house in the rural area. Like walls and beds and very very basic furniture.
And again I can see how the mental life is important here in Brazil.

But Hammock is a must in everyone's house here in Para (even the boats to Manaus (the biggest city in the Amazonia State) via River Amazon), no matter how empty your house is!

on the way back home I found a big pieces of area of Mimosa. In HK, I can say it's almost gone even in New Territories, I saw a big pieces only when I was a child.

In the Amazon Region, it rains all the time with good Sun, that make all the plants and tree growth up very very fast. There are trees, especially mango trees everywhere in the city Belem (that's also because the government policy before), People sometimes just pick up the mangoes from the ground, wash it and eat! and it feeds many people I can say. Normally 3 months here, you can see a small tree becomes big trees with mangoes!! In other part of Brazil might take a year?

Finally I stayed in the city and real working hard with the team.
But with the great Caipirinha I can be alive again!! haha, just a very good local cocktails here. It's just too famous here except beer!

should put some good photos on too...a bit later.

Coffee or Tea?

I used to drink Starbucks everyday after I worked in Central 3-4 years ago in Hong Kong.

The day before my 2 Brazil hosts asked a question,

Is coffee very expensive in Hong Kong??

And I discovered that I drink Brazilian Coffee beans everyday....

It’s used to be (or it is still now) very expensive when I am having Coffee Beans from South America or Africa in HK. Now I am here, enjoying my coffee almost everyday. I should treasure it.

I wish I can make my cappuccino here. Because never tried here in Brazil.

Every times when I went to different countries, I can always find things more expensive than at home. No matter it’s a developing countries that you think it should be cheap to buy things there.

Hong Kong is a very convenience city and that’s why people like to setup office and make business there. Time is money, the efficiency of the people and the work force save a lot of money.

After I made some Chinese tea for everyone home, yesterday I had Brazil tea! Smell very very similar to the India tea I tasted before. The name is.....I will ask again!!

Close to you

Sometimes we feel down and upset.

We don’t want to talk to anyone, even very close one,

No explanation, no need to interpret,

Just want sometimes alone, just one person.

Close the door, cry a bit, kick the pillow and Listen to Music.

I listen Bad Day when I got a bad day, and sometimes Carpenters is my choice too.

From I was a kid I started to listen songs from cassette tapes and old records (by stolen my brother’s…) I listened to lots of English songs that I don’t know, but I remembered lots of the songs and the melodies.

In my older age I started to find the songs and I understood that’s classic oldies…

Bee Gees, Beetles, Elvis, Eagles, Madonna(ok, older songs of her), Air Supply, and some more….

I love this the most,

Close to You http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87XQKCXfFjQ

Why do birds suddenly appear
Every time you are near?
Just like me, they long to be
Close to you.

Why do stars fall down from the sky
Every time you walk by?
Just like me, they long to be
Close to you.

On the day that you were born
The angels got together
And decided to create a dream come true
So they sprinkled moon dust in your hair of gold
And starlight in your eyes of blue.

That is why all the girls in town
Follow you all around.
Just like me, they long to be
Close to you.

On the day that you were born
The angels got together
And decided to create a dream come true
So they sprinkled moon dust in your hair of gold
And starlight in your eyes of blue.

That is why all the girls in town
Follow you all around.
Just like me, they long to be
Close to you.
Just like me (Just like me)
They long to be
Close to you.

Wahhhhhhhhhhh, close to you.

Wahhhhhhhhhhh, close to you.

Hahhhhhhhhhhh, close to you.

Lahhhhhhhhhhh, close to you.

Ariel (younger brother) and Adrian

these 2 little young boys are the 2 favorite little creatures of mine in Brazil now !!

the little Ariel hug me and say my NAME all the time!! haha. They bring me energy although we can't speak the same language.

A report or a diary?

I arrived Brazil on 14 Feb 2010,

Today is 14 March 2010.

I am kind of settle I believed.

Living simple but my mind is always getting some new inspires or even attacks! I totally understand I am living in a developing country. But it’s not only because I got difficulties in living, like sometimes there will be no Power, no Running Water in the house (that’s a pain as it a very hot city with no common air-conditioning), people just go to toilet everywhere they like and though rubbish.

I can wear no shirt outside the door

of my house without afraid there are females. And I am not able to go anywhere as everyone speaks only Portuguese. And I live far from the city.

It’s more than just BAD things for the culture here, I like here.

Hugging and kissing in the culture is so great. Even you’ve just met them first time. Suddenly I will go to someone’s house for lunch and breakfast, like they are always getting ready for another one to come and enjoy. Like the Chinese, just prepare one pair more chopsticks (OK, sometimes it costs…)

And people will just go to your house and meet you on Sunday night without tell you! And they will just come and drink and sing and play guitar and drums! I had some 40% Brazilian alcohol...

Mother will feed the baby in front of the talking group (and I saw it even in the theatre watching the show..), seem that's just a normal thing for baby to eat....

Dancing and enjoying life of everyone under music, this is not a materialization country, so the mental life is more important here, listen to good music, dancing with friends, going to celebrate birthday with a very old lady, drinking bottles and bottles of beer with friend just talking everything, reading an interesting (or not so interesting book). Sitting under the riverside, having ice-cream and doing nothing.

I have many first times in Brazil.

Experienced CARNAVAL with Crazy people around the world.

Met the famous Jesus Christ and visit the Sugar Loaf in Rio.

Trying new fruits here in Para, Capuacu, Azai, maracuja, and food: Tapioca , Farinha and different kind of meats here. Feijao and Arroz (Beans and Rice) are both the important food in the meals here.

Taking the local bus and van and MOTO Taxi (yes, motocycle taxi...sometimes can take 2 persons...) are all new experiences for me, but with the Tibet crazy transportation experiences, I think I can take care of myself in any kind of transportation. Riding my bicycle to nearby place is also good, reminded me the time in Nepal with Matthew too.

I danced many times, even I don’t dance in my home town. carimbó music is unique in Para and Amazonia states.

The RIVER made a deep impact to me when I walked to the beach and taste the water the first time…..sweet…it’s not ocean. And more unique thing is the touching with the River and the River, and River and the Sea.

There are Legends about the Rivers, dolphin’s story, very beautiful. I shall understand more and write more.

http://www.sumauma.net/amazonian/legends/legends-boto.html

Learning Portuguese is hard. But not that worse as I was forced to speak. Because I am living in somewhere with noone speaking English. Good or bad? Hard to tell, haha.

I watched a drama show in a Studio theatre by the Theater and dance students from the University. Very very beautiful studio theatre here. They cost me 5Rs, means HKD 21…there are 150 seats approximate. I know I am calculating again. But obviously they are not doing that for money. I was impressed and so happy that I proved myself right, the mental life here is more valuable for persons. I don’t mean people don’t need material and technology here. A good mobile phone, electronics, an air-conditioner at home is always luxury. That’s why crimes happen sometimes.

Wagner, my host is a very good man. As I Brazilian (or just a person) he is Beleza, good take care of his house, work and family. He cleaned all the rubbish outside of his house, just a very very good citizen. When I think he deserves a better life and might be he can go somewhere? I remembered Mateau in Rio, he told me, “why people always want to go to the big cities like Rio and Sao Paulo but do nothing or begging? They can do better and find chance to explore in their own cities, to develop their home (cities).” When he said that, there’s not persuasive enough, as he travels himself to Belem back to Rio, both not his places. But in Para, I am kind of understood more how it is important for the developing countries. It is different from China as the government starts to pay more money to “help” the cities. And businessmen in Asia and HK found China is a good investment place. Here, we have the Amazon, but…not for business I guess.

I like this place, although the mosquitoes love me more….

I am looking forward to live here for few more months and see the change of myself! And gaining more energy for the remaining months!

Bob Marley

I don't know Bob Marley before, no matter how famous he is in the Reggae....(ok I've heard of him but I've never really sit down and listen to that kind of music seriously...) And now I know that no one sit down to listen Bob Marley, hahaha.

Here in South America, I danced in Reggae music (it's more latin Reggae I believed...) I just finished watching a Bob Marley family concert DVD in my Brazil home, the location of the concert is Jamaica! totally different feeling, when I opened my heart and ear to explore new things, it's not impossible to feel or to touch somethings that you've never think about to know.

Music is a kind of thing I am going to explore here, to listen to different kind of Brazilian music, South American Music or others.... Open Heart!

Life in Brazil

Left home 20 days, technically is 3 weeks including the time different.

I saw the different world from the 2 cities.

A tourist city – Rio de Janeiro

And a River City – Belém

I am not a Carnival person, but I do understand the people in Rio, why parties all the time, even it’s very hot day and night with no air-con.

The “City-blood”, people just love it. From 7am till 5am, yes I typed it right.

Belem is a place to be explored, I am not living in the city, I am here in a poor area, (actually even in a city of Brazil, there are poor Favela areas)

Portuguese class, riding bicycle in the street with many cars/bus, got lost and in heavy rain (here raining all year!!) and ask people the direction with my dictionary, borrow phone from the lady of petrol station to call my friend, trying beer with local, first time of local food/fruit, meet local family's house, see the big river, local market, learning how to eat like an adult, got bitten by mosquitoes a lot in my feet and body that made me can’t sleep for 3 nites, sleeping on the "hanging bed", how to be a friend with people, just simply walk on the same distant/level (not front and back!) Just…too many things to learn.

The night before I went to a half open party space…with DJ and BBQ man and beer serving guys

There was a birthday party, Wagner and I went there at about 10pm, the party was just not started yet…and people came and came, and I found that it’s a party for a 65 years old lady….and lots of children and adults are start celebrating this old lady’s in the midnight, everyone, dancing and drinking beer, having local food…it’s just too enjoyable to be there…even I can understand almost nothing Portuguese from what the people said to the old lady, it’s full of blessing! Beleza!

I like this place so far. I tried just too much local food that I can’t even remember all Nome.

I miss my Cappuccino.