Festival de Verao and One Month Down

It's February already, this is crazy...I just woke up to one of these amazing summer rains they have here, so light you can barely hear it. It's usually the cars racing by and splashing puddles that signals its arrival. I had my usual breakfast of plantains, scrambled eggs, a ham and cheese sandwich, and fresh squeezed orange juice. I'm thinking about how much has happened in this past month - I've met new friends, I can hold a conversation in Portuguese, I've heard so much music, I've learned a ton about Salvador, I know my way on the bus, and the list goes on. I'm reflecting and am just so thankful to be here at this point in my life. And I'm happy I made the decision to be somewhere stable for awhile during this year rather going from place to place without setting any roots. This experience will make the traveling I still intend to do much easier I think. And finally people have started asking me for directions and stuff in Portuguese, which means I'm blending in a bit (or that they were in fact tourists as well, haha). Tomorrow there's a big Candomble related festival going on in Rio Vermelho. Apparently it's an all day affair where everyone dresses in white and parties all day long - should be a blast.

Anyway, on Wednesday night I went to the annual Festival de Verao - it's like our Summer Fest in New York.  It was about an hour drive away. I forgot where I was for a second after we arrived because I had the most delicious chicken ever from this guy on the side of the road. And when I say delicious, I mean this was a life-changing piece of chicken.  Speaking of meat, we hit up the churrascaria the other day for my boy Dave's birthday. This was my first time at one of these - they have a ton of them here. I have never seen so much meat in my life. They keep bringing all different kinds of steak, some pork, some chicken, just everything to the table. This type of place would give a vegetarian/veegan a heart attack. When we were done with the meal, I kind of felt bad about how many animals suffered for that dinner. Anyway, I digress...We bought some scalped tickets and made our way into the summer festival. This place was impressive. It was this huge park with different stages - about 8 or so - set up. Some were huge and had a stadium like feel while others were small and intimate. They were selling popcorn, drinks, candy, food, basically everything. We made our way to the main stage where this group called Biquini Cavadao was playing. We were right next to the speaker and I could literally feel my heart jumping out of my chest. Now this group was interesting, they have been running strong for about twenty years and they play mostly Brazilian rock (which is slightly more tolerable to me than rock in the US). They mix some alternative and electronic as well so it wasn't bad. The lead singer definitely looked high on something and it didn't look to be life, haha. After them we walked around for a bit and checked out some other stages. They had some forro playing, which is similar to I guess country music in the US, but definitely a different sound. It would be similar in the sense that singers wear cowboy hats and give directions to guys and girls to dance, and half dressed women dance on-stage - similar to country right? We also went into this smaller tent where they were playing some samba. It was fun to dance to this for a little bit. Then we moved back to the main stage for Chiclete com Banana. I liked them a lot. They had a really different sound. The lead singer looked like he was just lifted out of Woodstock - bandana and sweaty hair and everything. Their music was very electric guitar heavy, with fast tempos for most of their songs - definitely tiring. Then this lady performed, still need to find out her name, and she covered a lot of Timbalada and Olodum songs - basically the most popular Bahian bands.  Her set was actually my favorite because I was finally able to here some of the African inspired rhythms that I've enjoyed here so much on the mainstage. I'll find out more details about her an update the entry. My second favorite was the last band, or maybe the second to last of the night, O Rappa. These guys were awesome. To be honest, I was constantly distracted though because of the 10 fights that broke out in the crowd. I don't know what caused so many fights to happen, but it literally just happened over and over. Police would rush in, sometimes arrest some one and sometimes not. But mostly the skirmish would start, everyone would push and form a circle for the two guys to go at it, and then it would stop after like a minute. The only consistent thing about all the fights was this one guy, cross-eyed and hunchbacked, looking so angry, was in the middle of each altercation. I was about to arrest him myself, haha. Anyway, I guess that happens around 2am when loads of people are drunk and listening to the type of music O Rappa was playing - the kind that can get people riled up. It was a really fun, but tiring night. And I knew I could only go to 1/4 nights they had planned. Those who have stamina to go to all 4 nights - you are superhuman!

The Symbolism of Race and Place

Time here is beginning to fly by. I knew it would pick up sooner or later. My first few weeks here felt nice and slow. Each day I felt like I was transplanted to a new reality, learning and discovering the novelty in everything. But as I become more comfortable here - used to the buses, used to the beaches, used to the neighborhoods, used to the people - the pace inevitably quickens. Maybe there's a life lesson there somewhere, something like the more you remain curious and inquisitive about the little things in life, the more time you feel you have; and alternatively, the more you let each moment pass and the more rigid routine you fall into, the more days seem to just rush to conclusion. 

Anyway, this weekend was wonderful because my sister visited! We celebrated her birthday in style with two good days at the beach (replete with sun, long bus rides, fried cheese and Coke Zero) and with some great meals, courtesy of my host mom (she makes some ridiculously good cake) and this restaurant in the Barra neighborhood. We had a moqueca with camarao, and it's the kind of meal that gives you a little taste of heaven - fresh shrimp in a delicious sauce with rice, pepper, and a shrimp paste = ridiculous! We also visited some museums and Mercado Modelo, a big market where you can buy ANYTHING.  The museums we went to were a bit disappointing - specifically the Afro-Brazilian Museum. They were cool in the sense that they had a lot of information about Candomble and some nice art, but the great history of exchange between Brazil and Africa basically stopped at the slave trade. The rest of the exhibit focused on African history, which is nice, but something you can get anywhere. You would think that because of the amazingly interesting transnational, translocal impact over centuries, there would be more, but I guess that is an acknowledgment of the progress that still needs to be made. After all, the Zumbi statue, commemorating the man known for leading many Brazilian slaves to freedom, was built ONLY last year. 

The Mercado is a vibrant area, and my sister and I had an interesting discussion about whether the spirits of slaves who were chained in the very area we strolled through ever got their peace. It's interesting - the balance between the mystic quality of the universe, which makes one hope for the presence of protective spirits and angels still among us, while at the same time hoping the souls of slaves and tortured humanity ultimately get their rest. The market had no real trace of this history, which is what got me thinking...Anyway, we rode up and down the big Elevator in Salvador, which is in most tourist pictures of Bahia, and got some great views of the city.  We had ice cream and listened to live music, from one guy with his guitar to the bloco of all blocos, Olodum. First, I love how almost everyone does Bob Marley covers -Marley may have impacted the world as much as anyone in history. Where do you go where there's just no trace of Bob? Anyway, this one guy did a nice cover of some songs. Then, the other night Olodum was insane. We only took it in for about 40 minutes, but there was an incredible number of people (enough to make the always seemingly irritated cops drop some tear gas). They did a rendition of the South African national anthem, which made me very happy because I think that tune is just beautiful, and it sounds powerful when a big band like Olodum, with all the percussion and everything, performs it! They also put their little spin on it, which was nice. So after a busy few days, Chi left, and now I'm back to my contemplative self. And I was very interested in a performance I saw right before my sis arrived...

I finally met the very often discussed host family of Dave W. aka Chefao (even though it wasn't Chefao who got in touch with them on my behalf - triflin dude). They were great, a big group of characters really, cousin after cousin just coming from everywhere. We watched this group called Banda Nu Groove, led by one of the kids in the family. They were really good! I liked how they mixed pop with samba and everything. But the real interesting performance came right after with Bloco Afro Capoeira. This group was impressive. The singers were amazing and they had guys flipping all over the place on stage, balancing themselves on each others' shoulders - it was a real acrobatic display. There were berimbaus - the instrument they use in the capoeira rodas - everywhere. What was so interesting though was the imagery and symbolism in that performance. I found myself analyzing in between drinks and dancing. First they had this screen that served as a backdrop to the whole performance. It would switch from picture to picture, from "O Negro No Poder" which means "the black man in power" to Obama's senatorial picture to the word "AFRICA" in big letters to a picture of who I think was an anonymous black Bahian man (could've been someone famous I just don't know) to a picture of some contemporary African-inspired art to some Yoruba sayings. Meanwhile, in addition to the music, a masquerade performed on stage - bringing back childhood memories from trips to Naija - and a man regaled in a head dress and colorful outfit, looking as if he was doing some sort of traditional dance performed as well. Looking at all this unfolding, I thought to myself - sure all of these images are related, they're all part of a larger diasporic narrative between people of color. However, they're all really different as well. I looked deeper at the connection being made between racial identity and spatial identity.  There were moments when it felt like the focus was a kind of celebration of racial achievement, marked by cheers following a picture of our new president. And then it would switch abruptly to feeling like a celebration of African heritage, an ancestral, permanent home recreated in the moment. Yet for most people in the crowd that line of distinction between those objectives seemed blurred. There was a synergy in the symbolism, going beyond the fact that Obama is a black leader to his Kenyan background, his discrete connection to the continent from which emerged some of the great aspects of Bahian culture; and then, in the very culturally African moments, rejoicing in cultural realities that race denotes. Even though many Afro-Brazilians have lost the knowledge of their African ancestry, one's skin tone seems to be a major key to the emotional response to African imagery. This is interesting thinking about the US, and the fact that black people can conceptualize their racial identity without thinking about Africa at all.  For slave-descended African Americans, race and nation is very different.  I wonder if for some Afro-Brazilians or Afro-Bahians, it is possible to separate being black from a feeling of proximity to Africa.  While the music was awesome, and so diverse I could hardly keep track of the switch from genre to genre, I focused on the meaning of race and place during the performance, and couldn't help but feel the two, here, were inextricably linked...

Obama and The World: Recognition and Re-cognition

I decided to slow down a bit over the past few days because I need to start being a bit more frugal with my money if I'm trying to hit all the countries on my list. I started Portuguese classes this past week at the university here.  It's an interesting group of people.  There's a woman who speaks Spanish who asks questions literally every 2 minutes. She smiles a lot so it's okay.  There's an old professor from the US who speaks realllllly slow. When he talks it's like the world is in slow motion.  There's this British guy who is so confused by everything and this look of horror stays on his face; he occasionally bursts into random laughter leaving everyone confused.  And there's this girl my age who sits in the corner, with crazy snake tattoos running down both arms, who never smiles - she's a bit scary.  It's a small class and my teacher is real cool, so hopefully this will help me learn Portuguese much faster! I also went to this cool street celebration for Lavagem do Bonfim, an annual ritual attached to the church here.  Since people here love to party, that seemingly religious tradition has given way to literally thousands of people walking the streets, dancing to bands playing atop trucks and on the sides of the road.  There were small performances coming from everywhere, and I marveled at everyone's elation. We mostly just walked around, stopping to dance every now and then if a good song found us.  Other than that, I've been doing a lot of reading over the past few days, mostly regarding the long, storied history between Brazil and Africa.  For example, the 19th century freed, educated slaves traveling back and forth between Brazil and Lagos, asserting their membership in a diaspora, or a nation, of black people in Africa and the Americas is just such interesting history that certainly transforms the archaic discourse regarding aspects of "primitive" African culture retained in the "New World." It puts so much, especially Candomble and Afro-Brazilian identity here, in a fresh perspective.

Anyway, I read an interesting journal article the other day dealing with the anthropological notion of "recognition and re-cognition." This idea basically deals with being able to recognize familiarity in something, someone, or some place foreign by using the cognitive power of memory to make the foreign feel familiar. I've been engaged in this constantly since I've been here in Salvador. I've enjoyed the food so far because the common dishes like fried plantain and acaraje remind me of Nigeria. I can't help but dance to the music and feel like I know some of the songs because the West African rhythms are undeniable.  I've made some good friends so far because they remind me of the little things I appreciate about my friends back home. In essence, this place feels like home because I recognize a lot of qualities attached to what I consider to be "home."  This made me think of Barack and his inauguration on Tuesday. 

For my peers and I, he will not only be the first black president, but he will be the first competent president.  I realized that for as long as I can remember in my life, the presidency has been either mired in sexual misconduct (constant stories about berets and blue dresses) or sullied by brazen incompetence and stupidity (unsubtantiated wars and a whole lot of made-up words). Clinton, despite his recovered favor with the American public, and Bush didn't inspire anything in people my age, other than rage at times. But Obama is different, and his inauguration in DC is one of the ONLY reasons that I'm jealous I'm here in sunny Brazil and not the cold wintery US capitol. 

When I've traveled before, people have always made some comment about Bush when they realized I was from the US; it was always negative.  And I've even at times been in arguments defending the US government with people I've met abroad.  Yet with one historical election, things are already changing. I've been in multiple conversations here with people about Obama. People ask questions about how I think this will change things for African Americans, for the Middle East. Most people just say "americano! Obama!" and point to their skin, referencing the fact that he's black. He has caused many people here in Salvador to remember what the United States once symbolized before the past decade or so (at times), and more importantly, what it's supposed to symbolize.  In other words, many strangers here have recognized me through thinking about Obama and the freedom, civil rights triumphs, and black pride they have achieved and they hope for in their own communities - recognition and re-cognition. Beyond this though, what makes me so proud for Tuesday is the fact that Obama has managed to be so much more than the first black president for us who supported his campaign (while this achievement in itself in ground-breaking). He's the manifestation of the call to ensure that our country, in the tradition of greats like Douglass and King, is living up to its stated ideals.  He's the reminder that our government is by the people and for the people. He's changing the way we engage in government and reconceptualizing politics as public service. And this is sometimes overlooked, but he's just a great guy...

Black Santa Claus, Jau Peri, and the Band I Didn't See...

I spent all of today resting and listening to Miles Davis. After a crazy past few days, I need time to recuperate. I've realized that my desire to go to as many concerts, shows, and musical events means that I will be dancing a whole lot. For some reason I pictured myself sitting comfortably and enjoying music at different venues, taking time to dissect lyrics and the performance. Nope, not it at all! And I like it better this way. Music should always be about participation and community.

My weekend basically started on Wednesday. I woke up feeling great, finally making good progress with my Portuguese and learning a lot of new things. I decided to spend the day at the beach. You know how in a new place there's a barrier you cross where you feel as if everyone doesn't notice you anymore, that you no longer look like the clueless roaming tourist. Well I felt like I crossed that barrier until a funny little moment. I walked to the beach feeling very Brazilian (not sure how to explain this feeling). I posted up with my umbrella and a cool drink, and just read for a bit, forgetting that I was in a completely new place and that I still don't know what's going on most of the time. Then this old man with about 5 hairs on his head and women's sunglasses (the big ones that cover a lot of one's face) walked by me and, as loud as could be, said "OOOOOOH ESTADOS UNIDOS!!!!!!!!!" I guess something about me screamed USA. Then about 20 people turned their heads and looked at me. I just started laughing; my cover was blown. For the time being, I went back to feeling like a clueless tourist, maybe it'll take a bit longer to feel like a local. That night I took another visit to Pelourinho and watched some great Capoeira and some awesome bands perform. There was this great Afro-Brazilian group, led by this guy who looked like a black Santa Claus. They had this amazing guitar player who walked around the venue doing crazy solos for everyone. They also had about 10 different vocalists take the stage. I was amazed at how organic it felt. Someone would just get up and take the mic and start singing a song, perfect pitch, and everyone knew all the words. It made me eager to get to the point where I understand everything the songs are saying and not just pieces. Of course there was a funny part to this night as well - humor always seems to find me. This very very small woman, probably around 60 years old, wearing a head wrap and a colorful outfit, danced by herself in the middle of the dance floor, just as drunk as can be, stumbling all over and slurring her words. It was funny for a second, but then she started to annoy people. She kept asking for the mic, going up to the singers and hugging them and refusing to let go. After awhile, during a swinging samba number, she made her way around the room shaking people's hands and asking them to dance. As she approached our table, my friends were laughing and telling me to accept when she asked. She arrived at our table, and I avoided eye contact. After about 15 seconds of drunken staring, she moved on to the next table and I breathed a sigh of relief.

After another day of sightseeing, and buying some local music and DVDs (I really like this band Grupo Revelação, great samba music!), I got word that Ile Aiye was going to be performing Saturday night. I was so excited. Ile Aiye is the first "bloco afro" in Bahia, celebrating its 35th anniversary. They're all about black empowerment and black music, stressing first and foremost their connection to Africa. They're really the model for my interest in how music affects communities for the better in this region of the world. Anyway, I went with some good people I just met, one of whom was the first person I've met here who speaks English! (I managed to go awhile and not meet one person who spoke my language - my only exposure was my conversations with my Mom and my Fresh Prince DVDs). We went to Curuzu, pretty far from where I live. It's a cool town - really small houses and shops, economically depresed though. People were everywhere and it was a predominantly black neighborhood it seemed. I was surprised when we went inside and there were tourists everywhere. One of the kids I went with said "muitos brancos, tudo brancos!" which means "so many white people!" It was interesting to see the reach of Ile and their popularity manifested in people from all over coming to hear their music in this little town. About 9 or 10 different singers came out and performed, flanked by 8 Ile drummers with bright yellow shirts. Most of the songs were about "Esmeralda" - apparently a theme for Carnaval this year, still looking into the meaning of this - and black history. It was definitely a great experience. The best part though was the band that followed - Jau Peri. This was some of the best music I've heard in awhile. They had me dancing all over the place, I was acting like I was on Soul Train! When they did a cover of "Turn Your Lights Down Low" by Bob Marley, I sang my heart out. I need to pick up some of their music because I enjoyed their set thoroughly. By the time I got home, I saw it was 4:30am and I realized I already bought a ticket for another concert the following day.

We got to the venue around 2pm and there was already a band playing. About 5 different bands played leading up to the main act. People were just hanging out, talking and drinking (early!...). Sunday is a party day here as much as Friday and Saturday it seems. I met some more cool people my age - everyone is real nice here and it's real easy to make friends. People are real patient even though someone doesn't speak perfect Portuguese and the fact that you're trying and going back and forth means a lot. It started raining after a while and the event was outside. The band and parts of the crowd area had covering, but most of the dance floor was uncovered. I watched people dance happily and carefree in the rain for awhile. Before I knew it it was 6pm and this one band came out and everyone got so excited. I figured they were the main event. It was still raining slightly but my friends and I went to the dance floor anyway and enjoyed the music. I tried to pick up as many dances as I could. After about an hour, they were done and I thought the event was finished. Nope! They were just another band...The main event was probably in another three hours. I saw it was about 7:45 and I just felt exhausted. On the cab ride home, I wondered if I should have stayed - I can't even remember the name of the band everyone actually went to see. When I was knocked out in bed at 9pm, I had my answer...

Pelhourino, Weird Al Yankovic, and The Little Guy

This really does feel like the "Black Rome" as it's been called. I took a small night tour of Pelhourino the other night and I fell in love with the place. The pictures I've seen don't do it justice. There's a real romance about the place. There was lots of PDA; it had that summer love feeling with young couples hand in hand, dining outside by candlelight with groups offering to play love songs for happy couples. People live right near restaurants, so some sat on balconies and hung out of windows having conversation and observing the masses walking by. With some cachaça in hand, I walked up and down the hilly cobblestone streets, stopping to peek into some of the cool looking bars and stores that were playing interesting music. There was this huge Reggae place where there was a stage set up - looks like they have frequent performances there. Of course they were blasting Bob Marley and I got many thumbs up for wearing my Bob Marley shirt. I have to return there when they have an event. Outside of the gorgeous views from many spots in town and the colorful, colonial architecture, it was the many African-inspired shops that caught my eye. One lady was painting this beautiful, regal African woman on the street, completely consumed by her art. I peered into her shop which had figures dressed in African attire painted in every hue imaginable. I loved that she didn't even notice me; she was in love with her art. One of the questions I want to ask here, through my acquaintance with the music and cultural displays, is how Africa is imagined in Bahia and how that conflicts with others' usage of Africa as a symbol, an enduring metaphor. I know people usually take acceptance when someone speaks of Africa as a monolith (when it's done in ignorance, it certainly deserves reproach), but when its used as it was in those bars and shops, through the rhythm of the local music and the antique "African" items being sold to tourists, Africa as a monolith seems empowering. Its imagery lends itself not only to tangible commercial success for small businesses, but also to a strong Afro-Brazilian identity. As I listened to some Gilberto Gil and sat down with my friend to a quick snack and drink, I thought of how infused with meaning Africa was in this context - and how different it was from my very experientially defined notion of Africa (which itself is unstable and ever-changing, especially when I went to that weird party in South Africa where I was one of two black people, and every girl was blonde with a small skirt, and every guy looked like one of those kids that hang at the Jersey shore!). Anyway, it was a charmed night, and on this relatively peaceful Pelhourino night, I left with many questions.

Yesterday, my host mom showed me a bit more around town. We drove to Igreja de Nosso Senhor do Bonfim, which was cool. There was gold everywhere and the priest blessed me, although he was a little rough with his holy water - hit me right in the eye, haha. The highlight of our little day together though was at Parque Regional de Manutenção, a cool area right near the water surrounding a giant old fort. I finally got to see capoeira in action here. What was fun about this roda (circle) was all the really little kids that were doing it. They were all adorable, and so nervous. It reminded me of how scared I was at my first basketball games. This one little girl looked completely oblivious though and just stared at the head guy as he flipped like 5 times; she was not having it. She had a hint of stankness in her face that read "I ain't doin this mess, embarass yourself!" I loved it. After that we sat and listened to a band play some music - it was an interesting mix between rock and samba. The head guy who played the guitar looked EXACTLY like Weird Al Yankovic, I'm not even joking. It took me a minute to convince myself that can't be him. He really stood out among the group. The music was really good though I have to say. They had the drums, the percussion, the guitar, the vocals, and some other stuff. Some of the younger people looked puzzled and judgmental, but most people liked it! There was the cutest little boy though, with a red cap, a yellow shirt, and his own little play guitar who was real into the music. His 2 feet tall self stood in front of the band and acted like he was the leader. He occassionally looked around at everyone to see if their eyes were on him. He played as if he was challenging Weird Al, and I wanted the little guy to win.

Here's a website I found with some of Lazzo Matumbi's music. I love that he was inspired by Marvin Gaye and Bob Marley...check it out! http://palcomp3.cifraclub.terra.com.br/lazzomatumbi/

Feliz Ano Novo! Roses, Reggae, and New Beginnings

After months of anticipation, my journey has finally begun. Post-undergrad life has been interesting so far to say the least. It already seems like ages ago when my roommates and I were screaming "Vincimus!" at graduation, finally basking in the moment instead of thinking about the inevitable question of what comes next. I've had plenty of time to think hard about this question though since that moment, and I've decided to dedicate a year to this endeavor. At such a crucial moment in life, many people take maybe a day, a week, a month to choose their next step. Of course, there are those people who have known what they wanted since they were little and just continue to follow the twenty-year plan they've laid out. Then there are those who remain unsure but move on to graduate school or to make money while they try to figure things out. Then there are those people like me who just don't know. And I finally feel really comfortable not knowing. I know the basics of course - I'm interested in public health and human rights issues; I love history and literature; I enjoy traveling and hearing different music and culture from around the world. But the question is how do I bring these together into a life for myself that is always fulfilling, despite any of the challenges that might lie ahead. Eliot House blessed me with the opportunity to take a break from the fast track and get some perspective on where I've arrived at this point in my life and where I'm going next. So this year will be a year of thoughts, grounded in new experiences, new places, and new friendships. I decided to make my way through Latin America and focus on Afro-Latin music and culture, a long-held interest, to center myself. The first stop is, of course, Brazil...

Brazil is one of those rare places that immediately lives up to the hype. People rave about it. Honestly, have you ever heard anyone say anything negative about this place? Even the people I know who got jumped while they were here kind of had fun getting mugged. Anyway, as the plane touched down in Salvador, I marveled at how heavenly the place looks. It was beautiful to see people from Salvador on the plane just marveling at their home. I couldn't imagine such beauty ever getting old. My host mom picked me up from the airport. She just has a wonderful spirit and that was apparent the moment I saw her. The food she cooks is amazing as well. My Portuguese is so rough that we communicate mainly through smiles and simple sentences. Although each day gets better (listening to that John Legend song now actually) and as I recall what I learned in my one semester and I learn new phrases and use them successfully, I do a little victory dance. The apartment where I'm staying is wonderful and there's a great view. A huge mall and the beach is right nearby, so I'm pretty much set. From my room I can see the favelas across the street, which constantly remind me not to simply get caught up in the beauty of this place and live here while ignoring the realities of poverty and discrimination that exist in every society (except Norway of course).

Things were pretty calm until New Year's Eve though; my favorite New Years ever actually. I was a little nervous at first because my mom kept signaling to me how insane the lady was who I was going to this beach party with. Turns out she's not crazier than any other crazy person. We went to the beach in Rio Vermelho and sat with this beautiful black family who had tons of food and drinks. They were such great people. At midnight there was a brilliant fireworks show and they all brought out different colored roses. We approached the beach and everyone, dressed in white, started throwing their roses to the ocean. Roses remind me of my mom and sister; every now and then I'll buy them a rose just to remind them that I love them. My friend explained to me that it was a tradition in Candomble to throw roses to the ocean, I think as a kind of gesture to the orixas, so I made a little wish and threw my rose. It didn't wash back up on the shore and something about that made me happy. We moved on to the giant dance floor where there was a big screen playing American music videos but there was no sound coming from it. I guess they just wanted the images and not the music, which I can understand, because their DJs were amazing. They played Reggae, hip hop, and samba for hours. Everyone knew the words to every song. A funny moment happened when a group of girls I met asked me to show them an American dance. I immediately thought of grinding - because thats really all it seems like people my age know how to do. But I thought that would be weird since the beat definitely didn't call for it, so I tried something else...I think they were impressed! At least there was no laughter - only cheers. The crowd was so cool, too. It was the most diverse group of people I've ever seen. Pretty soon, this big old dark-skinned guy came out with his band, his name turned to be Lazzo Matumbi. He thought he was the sexiest thing on that beach, winking at everyone and giving all the screaming older women these sensual looks, which was funny. He was an amazing singer though, and this lady came out who looked like Chili from TLC (exactly like her, for real!), and sang some songs with him. She was awesome too. Before I knew it, it was 3:30AM and I started saying my goodbyes to everyone. But then this DJ from Senegal came out of nowhere. And he started playing all the West African tunes I know from the hundreds of Nigerian parties I've been to. Of course, I had to stay and break it down for them. Before I knew it, the sun started coming up, and I made my way home, thinking about the great night of music and tradition, and very excited for what 2009 has to offer.

As I open this new chapter, I feel such hope, such excitement, such curiosity. Right now I'm reading about Candomble and eating feijoa com arroz, listening to the breeze flow in and out of my window, and ready for the year ahead...