Well, turns out I wasn't such a pansy for missing work last week. I tried to go to work on Tuesday and had to be picked up early. I went to the doctor that afternoon and found out I had a 103 degree fever and the doctor diagnosed me with bronchitis. I later got my blood tested and found out that I had/have a bacterial infection. I got antibiotics and a fever reducer and have been feeling a lot better. I missed 4 days of work though.
This weekend we didn't do too much. Thursday night we went for some drinks to say goodbye to two girls that were leaving. Saturday some of my friends went to a beach north of Salvador where there is a turtle reservation. I didn't know they were going until later in the week and it's a place where I want to spend a lot of time and plan a lot of activities. So my friend Karlie and I met the new people (we got 19 new volunteers!!) and walked around a little bit then went to the beach. Saturday night, our friend Tiago (pronounced Chiago) that lives here in Salvador took us to Rio Vermelho, which is a collection of restaurants that each have a whole bunch of outside seating. So we sat outside and enjoyed a few capirhnias as beers with the newbies. I was still tired and recovering so I retired fairly early.
Tuesday nights there is an outdoor festival of sorts in the neighborhood called Pelourihno. I wasn't able to go last week because of my disease, but I sure as heck went this week! And had double fun! The main square is encircled by little stands that sell capirhnias made with fresh fruit, beers, food, and other such goodies. There is also a live band and obvs plenty of room for dancing. It was a fun time, having drinks and attempting to samba.
This week at my placement was tough, but I think I'm getting better at handling myself if not the children. Every morning around 10 I think that I won't make it through the end of my seven weeks much less the day. The kids can just be so bad and it's hot and everything is so dirty and disgusting that it's hard for me to imagine that this place is a sanctuary for the kids, away from their homes which are probably in much worse conditions. The kids are so violent with each other. If something doesn't go their way they immediately hit the other kid that they're with. And hard. In the face, in the stomach, anywhere. One kid in particular is especially violent, David (pronounced David-jee). I just wonder why they are this way and what happens at home. I just found out the school will be going on a two week break later this month so I will have to pick another placement to work.
Today the program manager, Vini, took us on a little tour to an open air market. It was certainly not a tourist spot. It was a market that sells fruit, baskets, shrimp, herbs, and meat. Lots of meat. "Fresh" meat that's been sitting out all day hanging from grungy shacks with flies everywhere. I saw a cow head. There were also a lot of live animals that were sold there, chickens, doves, goats, for both eating and sacrificing. Then we got ice cream!!
Overall, the past two and a half weeks weeks have been an experience, I'm not sure I'd say it's good, necessarily, but certainly eye opening, challenging, buggy, new. But I'm glad I'm here for now. Many of my friends are leaving on Saturday so I'll let you know if I change my mind after that.
This weekend we didn't do too much. Thursday night we went for some drinks to say goodbye to two girls that were leaving. Saturday some of my friends went to a beach north of Salvador where there is a turtle reservation. I didn't know they were going until later in the week and it's a place where I want to spend a lot of time and plan a lot of activities. So my friend Karlie and I met the new people (we got 19 new volunteers!!) and walked around a little bit then went to the beach. Saturday night, our friend Tiago (pronounced Chiago) that lives here in Salvador took us to Rio Vermelho, which is a collection of restaurants that each have a whole bunch of outside seating. So we sat outside and enjoyed a few capirhnias as beers with the newbies. I was still tired and recovering so I retired fairly early.
Tuesday nights there is an outdoor festival of sorts in the neighborhood called Pelourihno. I wasn't able to go last week because of my disease, but I sure as heck went this week! And had double fun! The main square is encircled by little stands that sell capirhnias made with fresh fruit, beers, food, and other such goodies. There is also a live band and obvs plenty of room for dancing. It was a fun time, having drinks and attempting to samba.
This week at my placement was tough, but I think I'm getting better at handling myself if not the children. Every morning around 10 I think that I won't make it through the end of my seven weeks much less the day. The kids can just be so bad and it's hot and everything is so dirty and disgusting that it's hard for me to imagine that this place is a sanctuary for the kids, away from their homes which are probably in much worse conditions. The kids are so violent with each other. If something doesn't go their way they immediately hit the other kid that they're with. And hard. In the face, in the stomach, anywhere. One kid in particular is especially violent, David (pronounced David-jee). I just wonder why they are this way and what happens at home. I just found out the school will be going on a two week break later this month so I will have to pick another placement to work.
Today the program manager, Vini, took us on a little tour to an open air market. It was certainly not a tourist spot. It was a market that sells fruit, baskets, shrimp, herbs, and meat. Lots of meat. "Fresh" meat that's been sitting out all day hanging from grungy shacks with flies everywhere. I saw a cow head. There were also a lot of live animals that were sold there, chickens, doves, goats, for both eating and sacrificing. Then we got ice cream!!
Overall, the past two and a half weeks weeks have been an experience, I'm not sure I'd say it's good, necessarily, but certainly eye opening, challenging, buggy, new. But I'm glad I'm here for now. Many of my friends are leaving on Saturday so I'll let you know if I change my mind after that.
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