Out my window I see lush vines with leaves so big they would be hats, skyscraper-like trees towering over the forest’s understory and I hear “caw-caw.” The whole orchestra of sights and sounds are woven together by the hot moist air, so thick you can taste it.
Ok, well that was how I imagined my experience…
“So where exactly is the rainforest,” I ask on a car ride with my professor, Eugenio, his wife, Norma, and his wife’s mother. Before I get an answer, a roar of laughter is heard, “not for a long distance - it is no where near here.” My question quickly gets translated into Portuguese so that the Norma’s mother can also get her laugh in. Clearly I asked a stupid question! Yet, I am reassured that one city block of rainforest exists in the heart of Belem. Phew… there is a little rainforest in the rainforest.
So the bottom-line is that I haven’t seen the rainforest yet… but I will! For now though my sights, sounds, tastes, and feelings are limited to city life in Belem: exhaust, honking, and scattered litter on the sidewalk.
My first sight in the country was the Rio de Janiero Airport. And might I add that I saw it for a very long time: 8:30 am to 7:40 pm. I was only supposed to see it from 7:05 to 9:15. I’ll let you fill in the whole story for yourself… suffice to say I heard my name paged at 9:07 as I cleared customs, panting as I sprinted with two rolling suitcases through the airport.
I spent my first night and first full day at Norma’s parents’ house where I felt like a pampered princess. They don’t speak a word of English and I’m not going to advertise how many words I know in Portuguese, but we had a great time. We went sightseeing to the big bay here, to an old fort, and I had my first Brazilian Agua de Coco (Coconut juice in a coconut prepared by machete).
After my fabulous day of sightseeing I went to my new casa (i.e. my homestay). After getting clean sheets on my bed, toilet paper, and have the promise fixing a huge, window-size gaping hole in my wall, I think all will be well in Courtney’s world!
I had my full day of work at Imazon yesterday and I love it! Everyone is super nice and incredibly hospitable. I even have my own desk! I get my assignment tomorrow after I talk to the Carlos, the executive director!
Boa Noite!
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