Miscellaneous

Since my past two days have been consumed by class and naps, I’m going to take this opportunity to write some miscellaneous observations and stories from my past week in Brazil!

First of all, MONEY.

Brazilians use the “real” here, pronounced “ray-all.” Apparently, in years past, the conversion rate was 2.5 reals to 1 dollar, but because of a recent economic recession here in Brazil, the conversion rate is 4 to 1. It’s a weird phenomenon for me as an American abroad, because I kind of feel like I’m benefitting from the misfortune of an entire country’s economy. I try to be cognizant of that fact while shopping in the adorable boutiques in the city, but it’s kind of hard to reconcile. It brings up complex ideas of how I (and other Americans) fit into the international community, and how we deal with the privileges we carry with us every time we go abroad. 

Weather! The weather here has been pretty wild. When we arrived, it was incredibly humid and super warm, and my hair has continuously been a tangled ball of frizz. I look every morning in the mirror with whispies making up more volume than the hair actually in my ponytail, and I kind of just reconcile myself to my appearance.

But I've loved the warmth and the dampness--my skin feels clean and refreshed after the dry, dusty heat of Ahmedabad. I also love the sudden bouts of pouring rain and the chance thunderstorms as I walk home from the bus stop. Perhaps it's the overwhelming fear of drought instilled in me by my Californian childhood, but I've loved soaking in the hydration during my stay in "The City of Small Rains" (that's what my tour guide called it apparently?? No proof found on the internet of this nickname, but whatevs).

 What else... Oh fun fact. In addition to being called "The City of Small Rains" (once again, v dubious origins), Sao Paulo is also called the crime capital of the world.

Surprisingly, I've felt extremely safe this entire time--perhaps excepting my time in cracolandia. I am lucky enough to be living in one of the safest and wealthiest neighborhoods in Sao Paulo, and walking around alone (sorry, parents!!! pretend you didn't read that) has posed absolutely no problem for me. Perhaps another contributing factor to my (perhaps misled) conception of comfort in this city has to do with my quickly-growing recognition of the areas around me. I can find find my way without intense directions with a radius of about 45-minutes walking from my house and school. I recognize landmarks pretty readily, and I feel like an honorary Paulista (aka resident of Sao Paulo). I'm really hoping that this lessening of my nervousness doesn't lead to a carelessness that could be dangerous. But hopefully my bright-eyed trustworthiness and love for this city don't do me dirty.

*except for Sao Paulo!!!*

I have reiterated over and over how LOVELY I found Sao Paulo and Brazil in general, and I've been shocked to learn that others on my trip actually feel quite uncomfortable here and crave the bustle and sensoral stimulation of India. 

While part of me is like,

I must remind myself that every single individual perceives and experiences different environments in completely and totally different ways. I'm constantly shown that there are a plethora of realities in this world, and that every person possesses his or her own. I guess I'm just always shocked by the fact that even when a person and I completely identify with one another, and have certain similarities, and get along chummily, we may still disagree on truths that we each hold to be fundamental while they're in fact simply opinions. I keep learning that certainties I hold to be universal are actually quite fickle and that it's up to me to prove to others (or to prove to myself) why my opinion, beliefs, and perceptions are valid. 

Which sorta kinda almost segues into my next point in a way. Like I said (for the bajillionth time)--I love Sao Paulo. I feel like I'm my best self here. It's close to my euphoria on the beach in California, and on the first truly spring day in Boston. I'm affectionate, adventurous, carefree, and happy. Oh and humble, obviously. 

But like legitimately, my friends have been shocked by the extent of my bubbliness here in Brazil. One of my friends commented that she's pretty sure my insides are made out of "warm fuzzies."

And I guess that's when I realized that my worries about identity and not being my best self in India, while valid, aren't necessarily super important. Because perhaps more than just striving to be the best me (optimistic and sunshine-y all the time), I need to treat myself to the places/people/activities that actually bring out my best self effortlessly. Instead of killing myself over trying to be happy in a city or with a 'friend' or in a circumstance that truly depresses me and breaks down my joy, I will make more of an effort to travel to/live in locations; surround myself with individuals; and engage in experiences that actually make me feel good. And let me tell ya--Brazil is def that place.

Okay, one last story (slash maybe two) to express why I know that this place is my spirit city (after New Orleans, of course). So I was walking home yesterday from the subway stop when I noticed an injure pigeon standing completely still in the middle of the street. My animal-lover alarm started blaring when I noticed that a taxi was speeding in that lane right towards the pigeon.

I attempted to mentally prepare myself for the scarring carnage I was about to witness when the taxi literally swerved into another lane to avoid the pigeon.

Phew.

BUT THEN!!!

A gigantic bus is right behind the taxi!!! Danger danger!! And then--the gigantic city bus swerves into another lane.

Literally, this sedentary pigeon meditating on its imminent death is sitting in the middle of a road, and cars are swerving around, causing a traffic jam, trying to preserve its precious little birdy life. 

UNTIL. 

The driver of the taxi gets out of his car, picks up the pigeon!!!, and escorts it to the sidewalk, where he affectionately and tenderly places it on the ground. He then returns to his automobile, gets in, and drives away, while the rest of the cars continue on their daily commute.

Oh my god. This was literally my reaction.

A CITY WHERE PEOPLE CARE ABOUT ANIMALS AND OTHER LIVES. I am coming straight from a city in which my driver ran over a f*cking dog then tried to convince us that "it would get up in five minutes, it was fine, it's leg was just hurting a little."

Reaction then:

But seriously, I love being in a place that values the lives of other creatures, because I truly believe that contributes to the way we view humans as well. Cruelty towards living beings is, in my opinion, an extremely pertinent issue, and I am so relieved and happy to see that other people care about animal lives in the same way I do. UGH wonderful.

There's also this incredible story about how Brazilians 'employed' shelter dogs to be retrievers of tennis balls at the Brazil Open in order to promote awareness of shelter adoption:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/street-dogs-trained-to-be-ball-dogs-for-brazil-open-to-raise-awareness-for-animal-adoptin_us_56d5b6dce4b0bf0dab336847?

Legit read it and prepare to weep.

Anyways, I am just loving my time here and really enjoying myself. While today was kind a stressful day with the class discussions and topics we focused on, as well as some emerging homesickness from videochatting my best friends for the first time since leaving the United States, I am constantly reminded of how lucky I am and how wonderful my circumstances truly are. Thanks for following my journey, loves (:

From your fave (honorary) Brazilian Babe,

Aubrey

Ahmedabad, Here We Are.

I don't know what day it is, or what time it's supposed to be, or how exactly I'm going to remember not to rinse my toothbrush under the tap water, but I do know one thing--I'M IN INDIA!

I honestly feel like I've slept away my last two days, because of the dramatic time change and my unfortunate divorce from the sun during the entirety of Monday, January 25. I know that all of the rest will be worth it when I have the energy to explore the city tomorrow!

So, our group clambered onto the most GIGANTIC plane I have ever seen in my entire life at around 11:30 PM on Sunday, January 24th, EST. Seriously, every row held ten seats, and we were in the 82nd row on the first level of the plane! Insanity.

Anyways, I popped a melatonin pill as soon as I settled in and konked out for almost ten full hours (with little meal breaks, of course). We arrived in Dubai, UAE, at 10:30 PM (UAE time), Monday, January 25th. Because of our plane delay, we found ourselves rushing through the Dubai airport in order to reach our connecting flight.

Although many of us had secretly hoped we'd miss our flight so that we'd have the opportunity to explore Dubai, we were all pretty relieved to actually make the flight once we realized how exhausted we were! It was pretty insane--the workers at this airport barely even glanced at my passport as I rushed through security and onto the plane. I wonder if that's the nature of being in a large, relatively "safe" group. Better than being categorized as a 5 on the Israeli "danger" scale of 1-6!!

After a two hour flight, we finally arrived in INDIA!!!! at 3:00 AM local time, Tuesday, January 27th. I essentially lost my Monday!!! We were so disoriented upon our arrival, but the group managed to get through immigration (another stamp, yay!), security, baggage claim, and another security check. Our country coordinators for the program met us at the airport and shepherded us onto a coach bus that would drive us to our hotel.

Driving through the streets of Ahmedabad, India, at 5 AM was absolutely enthralling. I don't think I'll ever get used to or tired of the "newness" of travelling. Whether it's Israel, or Costa Rica, or India, the first drive through a country thrills and enchants. I felt myself soaking in the views of the city with my parched, dry mind; I drank in the sights, scarcely blinking in the fear that I'd miss something.

The world flashed by, with only momentary glances to capture the essence of the city. Shanty-towns of plastic tents set up on medians and in parks, with small fires to warm the slumberers. Newspaper deliverymen sitting cross-legged on the sidewalks, folding their wares in preparation for morning. Dogs (!!!!) roaming the streets in search of food. I couldn't get enough.

We arrived at the hotel around 6 in the morning and divided into rooms of six people each. The hotel is pretty stunning--it's set up suite style with kitchens, bathrooms, and quaint bedrooms in each "room." We decided to stay up for another hour in order to watch the stunning sunrise--

And chow down on a delicious Indian breakfast.

After eating our fill, we promptly went upstairs for a "nap" and slept from 8:45 AM to 3 PM.

It was glorious.

We woke up yawning to some commotion at our door--one of the host family's daughters had come to introduce herself to us and get to know us! Vishma is extremely sweet and is actually going to be Caitlin's host sister--so I'm sure I'll be seeing her all the time.

After another meal of incredible Indian food, Caitlin and I wandered outside to see how beautiful the weather is. Here's a hint--it's perfect. My frozen hell of two weeks has been rewarded with balmy weather in the 80's, and I could not be happier.

We turned the street corner to check out the monkeys about which we'd heard stories. Oh my god--they're huge. Like, not ape size or anything, but definitely the size of a small child. There were about a dozen of them inhabiting the front yard of the home next to our hotel. It was freaking nuts!!! We watched for about two minutes--until some of the monkeys legit started screaming at us and chasing us. I'm not ashamed to say I may have pushed Caitlin towards the monkeys in order to give myself a head start in sprinting away.

If you look closely, you can see that the monkey in the forefront is holding a little baby!

Throughout the day, we saw plenty more wildlife. There were chipmunks that legitimately jumped onto us; cows (COWS) that roam the streets (seriously--they're just walkin' in the road); peacocks; and a multitude of birds. No mosquitos, though--yet!!!

After lunch, we were treated to a beautifully touching welcome ceremony in which we were given a bindi (the red dot on the forehead), a gorgeous floral necklace, and a shower of pink flower petals, after which we lit a scented candle. It was such a stunning way to be welcomed into India and into our first country.

We had about an hour and a half of introductions and question and answer, and then a group of us(of which I am a part) gave an hour-long presentation and discussion on some readings. Yeah--a graded presentation. Sometimes, it can be difficult to remember that I'm technically in class!

After a quick dinner, we all retreated upstairs to get some rest. I, for one, am practically delirious from exhaustion--but honestly, what's new. Tomorrow will be an absolute adventure, as we are exploring the Old City of Ahmedabad. While I'm still slightly in shock and disbelief, it's just beginning to sink in--I'm in INDIA!!!!

Stoked as can be,
Aubrey

PS thanks for getting through my word-dense post--hopefully when I'm less exhausted, I can write posts with way more pics!

The Last Day

Can't believe that my time in Costa Rica has come to an end. It's been an absolutely lovely trip with my family, and today only added to the fabulousness.

We got up early this morning to drive on out to a river boat cruise. Before getting into the van, we fed some adorable birds that came to our balcony.

Ritz are their snack of choice

I felt like Snow White

Along the way, we saw some pretty hilarious sights--the kind you can only really experience outside the United States.

First, we saw numerous cars passing another car on the main highway--a police car to be exact. Can you imagine ever passing a police car back in the States!? Those cops could be going only 20 miles an hour, and we'd be like, "take your time, we are in no hurry, wow look at that view out the window!" When our van passed the police car, we were all like--

ohgodohgodohgod

Don't even worry, though--the cops actually pulled over to the side of the road for us so that we could get around. What the heck is this place?

Then, we saw a fire smolderingon the side of the road. "What is that???" we asked our guide. He looked at it nonchalantly. "Oh, somebody probably just threw their cigarette out the window."

It was absurd!!! I guess people just kind of start fires??? Craziness.

A few minutes later, we stopped for some breakfast at a bakery. 

The bakery

With our incessant questions and obnoxious American accents, we were already annoying af. Then, in trying to describe to us one of the muffins, our server pulled out a pen and a pad of paper.

OH OH OH OH!!!

We were so excited--we thought we were going to play Pictionary! We all gathered around, cheering her on as she drew on the pad. She just looked at us like we were crazy and wrote the word "vanilla" on the paper. 

Whoops. We are such aggravating Americans.

We then stopped at a small community center for some souvenirs and coffee. I enjoyed a small cup of Costa Rican espresso with Golden Cream--or what they call "Costa Rican Bailey's."

Delish morning pick-me-up

Right before we got to the river, our guide asked for our names and ages. "19, 17, 14," we rattled off. As we enumerated the last age, the guide looked to me. Nope. I'm the 19 year old.

Aubs was unamused.

Anyway, we finally got to the river and clambered aboard our boat. Though the rules about interacting with the wildlife were very clear--

Our guides chose to ignore them. They threw raw beef and chicken to all of the crocodiles that we encountered, as well as lured monkeys onto our boat with assorted snacks!! So fun.

I've also decided that crocodiles are about the scariest freaking animals on this planet. Watching a six-foot reptile eat raw meet then stare at me with scary, lethal eyes basically made me realize that I was going to die by crocodile. I just know it. IT WAS MADNESS.

We saw monkeys, crocs, a multitude of birds, itty bitty bats, iguanas, butterflies, and dragonflies. It was an absolute adventure.

We then drove to a very authentic Costa Rican place for lunch. 

Yum!!!

Our view from the restaurant that was actually a family's backyard

Then, we headed back to a town right outside the resort to look around and walk on the beach. Honestly, we were all so exhausted after this past week in the sun that we just passed out back in our house. We've been hanging out together, enjoying our last few hours of family time before we head back to California tomorrow. 

It's been an absolutely incredible trip and a wonderful way to start 2016. Couldn't be luckier to have such a loving family and the opportunity to travel to a country as stunning as Costa Rica. I can't believe this is only the beginning (:

Puda Vida (or, Pure Life/a Costa Rican saying),

Aubrey