Category: Daria Jorden Davis

I’m sad.

Brazil was a very surreal experience. I don’t think it has entirely registered that I’ve been in Brazil for exactly two weeks. There is no other group of people that I would’ve wanted to experience this trip with. I have memories that will last a lifetime. I have pics too but certain things you have to just take in and actually live within the moment. I can’t wait to go home and get on everybody’s nerves with the little bit of Portuguese that I have learned. I also can’t wait to tell them about everything that I have experienced and seen and tasted and smelled and learned to understand about such a diverse and complex culture: Brasil.

I am forever grateful for Professor Stewart because without his graphic design scholarship I wouldn’t have had this opportunity. He’s such a laid back professor which totally made this trip extra cool.

Also JSU for their contribution because without them I wouldn’t have had a flight or a passport with a visa. Lol

Experiences like this are the reasons that I am so glad that I chose JSU.

#theeilove #foreverindebted #blessings

 

 

 

Day 13 was our last official day of the program. I get sad at endings so I tried not to think about it all day. I took tons of pictures because I know that was probably the last opportunity to do so. 🙁

we began our day with class. I think it went better than yesterday for me because I actually completed the project. My ideas don’t necessarily match my skillset so It’s a process. I’m excited to see my growth.

Afterwards we had lunch at this olive fares type place. I was confused the entire time but once I understood how everything went It was tasty. The Kuat bottles were really cute so of course I kept mine.

Afterwards we went to Pelourinho to shop at there and at the market. There’s just not enough time to shop there. I got everything that I wanted for such great prices. We sort of lost a companion and had to wait until he showed up. Lol he finally made it and we got on our last bus ride. 🙁

we Low key waited a while for the bus in which we all talked about the bom fim ribbons, took pics, and tried out Rakia’s popcorn.

Afterwards we had our farewell dinner at the same steakhouse that we had our first dinner. It was better this time because we knew how to fix our plates And actually say “no obligado” to the overwhelming amount of meat. For dessert we had these really good Popsicles. I got Oreo. It had a whole Oreo on the outside of it. The dinner ended with selfies and free shirts from the CIEE program.. And maybe a tear here and there.

We returned to hotel where I packed and went to sleep Immeditately.

Day 13 was great too.

Day 12 was a great day. We began our day with a drumming lesson at Arte a consciente. It was so not what I expected. What we did was actually way better. We got an intro of the man who helped start it 12 years ago, got to hold the award that they received as recognition for a great deed, and got one on one training from the kids in the actual program. Lol

It was awesome! Despite the language barrier the music sort of took over and was the means of our communication. It was so fun attempting to replicate the beats that we each had to play. You could tell how much of an impact this organization has on the children because they all seem so happy and informed about everything that was going on. I enjoyed being immersed in the session. Afterwards we took a tour of the neighborhood in which we learned about the positive effects the organization has had upon it in terms of keeping children out of trouble and off of the streets.

Afterwards we had lunch and class. Class was ok. Photoshop is that one thing that I have to work on. It’s so challenging. Ima get it tho. I always do. I spent the rest of my day working on the orphanage project.

It was also Bridget’s birthday. She turned 21! 🎉🎈🎂🎁🎀

we were about to go to This Mexican restaurant around the corner called Guapos for her birthday but they were closed so we ended up at the mall. I got mcdonalds along with Tyra while she opted for some sort of shrimp and pasta dish.

I ended my night with photoshop tutorials and no sleep.

The 12th consecutive great day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today was free day so everything was pretty laid back. We went to the market earlier to shop for little souvenirs etc. I found a lot of things for my friends and fam that were actually affordable.

Afterwards I ate lunch at McDonalds which was actually very good.

I then dedicated my day to my projects in which it seems like I haven’t done anything because I’m overthinking, frustrated, and I need some space besides this little tiny room.

*Still blaming my frustrations on everything other than my time management* lol

Cant believe we have two days left. *soulja boy tears*

Day 10 was very moving. We spent our morning at an orphanage where the children were such a delight. We were also able to donate food and other items to them that they needed. I’m not sure how much of a blessing we were to them but they were such a blessing to us. To see them be so happy and carefree despite their circumstances was beautiful. It’s something about the innocent & naive joy of children that makes you reminisce to before you realized that this is such a crazy world that we live in.  Even though there was a language barrier it was still easy to communicate with them because they usually had questions or you could just show them and they would do the same. Overall it was a very heartwarming experience.

Afterwards we had lunch which was moqueca and other dishes. After having the chef prepare the moqueca in front of us, I don’t think I will ever taste any as good as his.

We then went back to the hotel and took naps etc then it was time for class.

I will be honest and say that yesterday feels like Monday and once again time has slipped away from me and I lowkey feel overwhelmed about my assignments. Ima just blame it on the beauty of Brasil because I refuse to admit that my time management is as horrible as it is. Lol

My favorite statement is “I’ll get it done though.”

Class was productive and I finally learned how to [correctly] use the pen tool in Photoshop. Seems minor but I have been avoiding learning how since it’s so much easier to trace objects in illustrator. We also chose our photos for the third projects. I appreciate these laptops and from what I understand the students last year didn’t have anything but an iPad BUT when I see that Mac when we get back to campus I will probably hug it and cry.

We had Chinese food at the mall and the went out with Nathanel. It was an experience. The overall aesthetic of the club scene here was really convenient and designed well but it wasn’t necessarily fun. However, I’m glad that I went to be able to to say that I have experienced the club scene. The reggae club was cool but the tempo was so slow. And the other clubs were playing techno which was too fast. I felt like goldilocks.

I ended my night with fries from bobs and a good nights rest.

Day 10 was cool. Ciao.

Yesterday I didn’t feel well so it seemed like a blur.

HOWEVER, I still remember everything that I experienced.

We started our day on a guided tour to Cachoeira. We made a few stops along the way at a traditonal farm-like house where a man was making flour. Marco told us about how there are many abandoned farmlands where the soil is rich but people aren’t into working hard anymore. Before that stop we stopped at a smaller city before it and went to their market. It was sort of liek the market that we went to on Thursday except less dense. Some of us tried out the tobacco, guava, cheese, and liquid viagra.  I declined. I already felt a little queezy, I didn’t need any extra. lol We also visited a chruch where Marco talked about a plethora of things including what Candomble actually is and how it feels towards homosexuality. Basically, back in the day when Candomble was illegal people used Catholocism to hide it. For every one on the main people within Catholocism, they had a person in Candomble that they were actually worshipping.

We finally made it to Cachoeira. We went around and around until we got to the top of a mountain where we ate a restuarant that also doubled as a bed & breakfast type place. It was so beautiful and peaceful.  I took tons of pics of the view from the house as well as the actual house because of the architecture was excatly the way my mom described her dream house. Lots of land and a veranda. I also saw some Brazilian cows who were very shy.

Afterward we visited a cigar making factory which was very modern and fancy. I guess I imagined it looking like a sweatshop. The ladies sat gracefully as they rolled cigars. It was kind of surreal since my expectations were so low. Noone in my family is into cigars and I don’t smoke but it was still cool to watch and learn about the different processes.

We then took a small tour of Cachoeira. We went to the the place where The Sisterhood of the Good Death meets. We also visited a place that make homemade liquor from the local fruits etc. *I think*.

Afterwards we visited the square and we left for Salvador from there.

After we got back I took a nap and then woke up to get dinner and medicine. I went to the store with Tyra and realized that they only sell medicinal stuff in the actual pharmacy. We then went to the pharmacy only to see everything in Portuguese. *Duh* Honestly I expected to see American brands only in Portuguese but instead there were a ton of Portuguese brands and tylenol. 🙁

Soooooo we came back to the hotel and I asked the lady at the front desk what medicine should I get? She wrote down my symptoms in Portuguese and told me to take them to the pharmacist around the corner. I did and she gave me something immediately. Hence the fact that I’m writing my blog in the morning because the medicine works very well. lol

Day 9 was an experience.

 

 

 

 

As an artist, I find the beauty in absolutely everything. In place as beautiful as Brasil, it is very hard to ignore. From the architecture to the geography, the reasoning behind why Salvador was started to the ancestral base of 90% percent of the population, culture is the heartbeat of this city.

Today we took an African tour around the city including the Liberdade neighborhood, a Candomble temple, Ile Aye, the Bonfim Church, Feira Sao Joachim, and Dique do Tororo. It was so interesting to hear about how the portion of Salvador that we explored functioned as a sort of a middle class even though it doesn’t look like it. With houses stacked on top of one another covered in dull shades of what probably used to be vivid paint, its hard to imagine within the houses. Either way, I’ve become intrigued by how the people of Salvador have maintained their culture for so long. In America, trends change and people start exploring other beliefs etc. to the point that everyone is doing everything other than what we started with. I really like the old fashioned sense of keeping tradition alive here in Salvador. To me, It gives the city/people a pride and solid reasoning behind everything that they do.

We visited the house of an artist who had been painting tiles for a long time; like 60 years. He began when he was 15 and hasn’t stopped yet. Of course, I bought 2 tiles as keepsakes especially since this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. He was so humble and proud of his painting called Mary instead of the gazillion beautiful pieces of artwork that he had hanging around his home.

We stopped to have ice cream which was nothing short of scrumptious. We sample flavors and I chose “Delicia de Abacaxi” basically pineapple and caramel.

We had lunch at another buffet. Followed by another AMAZING NAP. Then class. And some of us got ready for the Candomble ceremony.

Throught the past week, we have been hearing all about Candomble. We watched the show that portrayed, took a tour that explored and actually got to visit a temple where the Orishas are worshiped. ACTUALLY witnessing the Candomble ceremony was totally different. I will admit that I got a little creeped out because I had no expectations other than my fears of what COULD happen. It took forever to start which was alright because I’m impatient so I can barely wait for ifve minutes much less an hour. Once it started, the percussion played various beats and people sang. Most of all, woman dressed in the traditional Bahian attire circled around a throne type thing with multiple seats. There were leaves on the ground as the women circled it repeatedly. They did movements as they circled which was reminiscent of the Samba class. Eventually some of them “caught the spirit” and began circling with their eyes closed. I missed a lot because I couldn’t see but for what I saw the entire experience was “deep” as Rakia called it. lol

 

 

How is it already about to be Thursday? 🙁

Day eight was very tasty. We began our day with a cooking class at Senac where we learned how to make Moqueca, the hot sauce, starch, cocunut rice, and a side dish to accompany it. It was absolutely excellent. I loved wearing the hair net and apron and watching as the chef prepared the meal right in front of us. He was very pleasant and informative as he transformed a counter of ingredients into something so delicious. He prepared both a fish and shrimp Moqueca. I had tasted both at other restaurants previously but his tasted the best out of all of them. The coconut rice was sticky like sushi rice but with added sweetness from the coconut milk. The hot sauce was fiery enough without losing flavor because of its hotness. You could literally taste the lime that he squirted on the shrimp while cooking the Moqueca. The entire experience was wonderful. After he cooked we got to eat the food and that was even more awesome!

Afterwards, just as we were heading out of Pelourinho, Jeferson asked if we wanted to look around the Senac museam. Of course we said yes. Within it were vases, palm tree oil, and lots of other information about traditional Bahian cooking. Even though the museum was a gastronomy museum *study of food and culture*, I was most captivated by the wall of the museum. It was so organic and rustic and raw and bricky. I could just imagine it in my future home with one of those floating beds and some geometric furniture to offset some of the dimension and natural curves amongst the wall. I guess I’ll be an interior designer too. I really enjoyed the museum.

Next we went back to the hotel for like an hour and a half in which I took THEE MOST AMAZING nap. We then had class and I was actually on track. I like web design. Well, I like all of design but since web design is the newest most challenging thing that I am learning, I like it the most.

After class we chilled at the hotel for like an hour and went to the pizza place around the corner for dinner. Although it is hot in Brazil, the mornings and nights are so breezy and relaxing. I enjoyed sitting outside while eating our meal. That was my third time eating there and it tasted just as good as the first time. I also tasted the chicken pizza which was good but not as good as the pepperoni. I’m biased. Honestly, anything with pepperoni is a winner to me.

Day 8 was gr8. Ciao.

Today, well yesterday [since my I forgot to hit the post button before I fell asleep], was very interesting. We started the day with a capoeira class that was just as intense as the Samba class that we took yesterday. We began in a small but fitting room that was filled with pictures of masters and info about what we would be learning. We sat and listened to an intro and then the actual learning began.

To actually learn each of the steps that I had seen the people in Pelourinho do was very interesting. Its way different than when it is danced or practiced out all together with an opponent/partner. We began with small twists and moves and ended with realizing that we each have a special way that we like to do cartwheels. lol All in all, it was a very great experience in which I felt honored to be able to learn. Also, I thought it was pretty cool that the lady informed us that women haven’t always been able to practice capoeira. Women were only allowed to practice Samba, but now it is common for women to practice both. Awesome.

Most of all I was intrigued by the fact that the slaves were able to keep this style of fighting around by intertwining it with dance to keep practicing although it was forbidden. I could see it in the way the partners would dance/fight with each other. Instead of it being choppy, it was graceful while still being intense.

We had lunch at another buffet that looked similar to dining that I had seen in old fashioned pictures. Like the type of restaurant that looks sort of surreal because its way of serving, preparing the meal, etc. is so different than what you are used to.  Also the people were dressed like something I’d seen in old time movies from like the 30s. I spent more time observing than eating. The women where dressed in what I would assume is Bahian style of clothing that is all white with a matching headdress. They would randomly come by and pour more soda in my glass which was much appreciated but not needed. Everywhere that we have eaten in Brazil is very much centered around great hospitality and politeness. I will miss that when we leave. *sighs*

There are tons of places in America that have good hospitality etc. but I truly doubt that I will ever have it at a gas station or at a place that isn’t expensive. lol

Afterwards we had class which was productive. I made my first web page. The process of web design that we have learned so far is not necessarily easy but also isn’t the hardest thing that I have learned. Just a lot of repetition. It reminds me of when I used to do all of my friend’s Myspace pages back in the day. I would use DIVs but everything was already formatted and I just knew how to change the colors and the positioning of certain things like the profile pic, bio, top 10 etc. Its crazy how life comes full circle.

Afterwards we got ready to go to the service at the African church. Once we got there it was filled with tons of people who obviously attend this beautiful place on the regular. We had visited the church previously, so I had already seen the way it was decorated. It looked extra beautiful with the lights and people decorating it. I’m not catholic so I had no idea as to what was going on but the attendees knew, which was cool to watch.

I started to get a little anxious after almost an hour of standing and watching the service but I was a little more captivated when the women came in to bring the bread as an offering. I thought that it was for communion so of course I was intrigued by the mass amount of bread just sitting at the altar of the church. There was this one specific little lady, as they played the drums and sang songs, who was so cute as she danced in her little pink suit. lol

After class we had dinner at another buffet restaurant that we had been to before. It was great as always. My night ended with hanging out with everyone on the rooftop and sleeping peacefully until the morning.

Day 7 was good but I’m gradually getting sad because the days are going by so fast. 🙁

Ciao.

Day Six was a very invigorating day. The day began with me being overdressed because I imagined Samba being like tango or salsa dancing. lol -_-

Class was productive, critiques went well and I successfully created my first web page. After class we had lunch at another Brazilian buffet type place. The food was good.. as usual.

Afterwards we had a little break that was followed by us attending a samba class which was sooooooooooooooo very intense. It was so fun seeing the dances that I have seen in African dances taught out as individual dances or 8 counts. Despite being drenched in sweat by the end, I had a very great time at the class. Its a very good workout because I usually can’t last for more than 10 minutes in a workout and I think we danced non stop for like a hour and a half.nWe ended the workout with selfies and group pics.

For dinner we ate at a gas station. Basing it off of my perspective of American gas station food, I was little hesitant. As usual, I was amazed. I had the chicken parmesan with steamed vegetables and pasta.

Today was great !! I’m excited about the caporieora class tomorrow in which I will be better prepared.

Hopefully. 🙂