Boa noite a todos! I apologize for the late post; I have been having some technical difficulties regarding accessing my Pitt account during this trip. I’ve been having an incredible time in Brazil so far, and I would not trade this trip for the world.
Santarém’s community, despite being population-wise about that of Pittsburgh, is quite different from my community there. From greetings (a kiss on either cheek) to virtual communication (WhatsApp and constant voice memors) to socialization, almost everything is unique and special. I hug more strangers in a day here than I do friends in a week in Pittsburgh. My family is Brazilian, however, so much of the culture here is quite similar to that of where my family is from—the well-known Rio de Janeiro. Something that delighted me about Santarém is how much calmer the city is compared to Rio. I find many more people content enjoying life as it is here, and all of the residents I’ve spoken to who have lived in other cities delight at how much safer and calmer it feels here.
My daily life here in Santarém is quite different from that of home in some ways, though in others it feels more of the same energy expressed in a different manner. I eat mostly the same as I do at home: rice and beans and meat. I do have tapioquinha for breakfast, now, which is more unusual for me. I’ve tried pirarucu (arapaima) and tacaca, both of which were wonderful and unique experiences. Though, I will admit, I was not the biggest fan of the numbness in my mouth from the jambú. Regardless, I’m very glad I tried it as the taste was excellent.
The animals here are different, too—every day I hear the Great Kiskadee’s call (here, they’re called bem-te-vi). There are egrets that collect in groups up in the trees, and I’ve heard the guariba’s chilling yet fascinating cries in the night. I’ve seen monkeys swing from tree-to-tree over dirt roads and I’ve seen spiders the size of my hand—all of which I’ve absolutely adored. I still continue my strange hobby of going to parks and other natural areas in search of arthropods, of which I’ve found many during my time here and hope to find more.
Some nights, my roommates and I will go out with different members of our expansive host family for dinner, and others we’ll stay in watching movies (one of my roommates had never seen Harry Potter before this trip, so we of course had to introduce here). I have the most excellent roommates, and we’ll often travel together—which is great for safety as well as forming stronger connections with my peers. Honestly, in spite of a few frustrations and bumps in the road, this may be my favorite trip I’ve taken.