Scuba 101 and then some

Resort tour, boogie boarding, body surfing, scuba diving, drinking, eating, more drinking. Check, check, check. Sounds busy BUT everything is at our fingertips. The resort has not let us down. However I wasn’t exactly prepared to experience what happened next.

Getting acquainted with my scuba gear was just a portion of the “experience”. Upon exploring crevasses and cracks of the pool I spotted a much bigger crack. An old, white, hairy crack. Yeah. While I’m getting all Jacque Cousteau, Mr. Silver Streak was getting el Buck Naked O. By the time I translated Ian’s underwater hand signals I received the visual disturbance of a lifetime. Ol Boy AKA Silver Streak had done a complete 360 rotational. Like seeing his crack wasn’t enough? The entire moment unraveled in slow motion. The JAWS soundtrack was playing thru my head as the tragedy unraveled. As if the moment needed a crescendo or any additional effects. Geez. I lost it! Laughing in a scuba regulator is not easy. ESPECIALLY for the not yet novice scuba diva. I jetted to the top coughing, spitting, cackling and calling out his ass. Apparently the AARP pool partyerzzz didn’t realize divers were down. Ol Boy and his posse evacuated the pool in a flash. One bailed over the fountain into the lower level pool. My retinas will never be the same. Crack kills...

Man Down

Most of you know this about me... I’m NOT good in awkward/clumsy situations. If someone falls or gets hurt. I’m the first to laugh. I have ZERO ability to keep it together. As much as I eat the pavement I should be able to muster up some restraint & compassion. Wrong.

After a nice dinner we decided to attend the Resort's version of Cirque du Soleil. One minute into the show a man on stilts (2.5 stories high) comes out doing what resembled the running man.... briefly. He took a 2.5 story face plant center stage. Everyone in the audience made an awful grown complemented by a sincere look of concern... except me. I had an awkwardly strong desire to laugh. It was curtains for me. Every time “Too Tall” entered the stage I zeroed in on his blown out, battered knees, and tried like hell to act respectable. Post face plant, the show was amazing but I was long gone. I’ve incurred several spontaneous flashbacks of the moment since. I’m so not right.

Are we there yet?

After a long day of driving to Detroit, driving to Beaumont ER, plane rides, turbulence (sorry folks no stale pretzels on this bumpy flight), AND a 45 minute bus ride... WE ARE HERE! The moment our feet stepped off the short bus we were greeted with a smile, cold champagne and fresh, wet towels on a silver platter. I think I can handle this.

Mr & Mrs Who?

Who knew?! The front desk informed us that we're married. At check-in an envelope titled Mr & Mrs Crancer was given to us. We both looked around to see who they were addressing. It was a pretty short honeymoon... come evening I was addressed as Ms. Anderson.

Calamine Take Me Away

1:30am (before take off)

Slight cat nap at Ian’s then off to Beaumont Hospital to determine the cause of my “mystery rash”. After 1 hour of sleep I woke to a steaming hot mess of itchy redness. This has been kicking for 7 days, but it decided to come out of the closet before take off. Upon hanging with white coats for 2 hours (I feel like I’m back at work), I was sent home with a tattered hospital band, a phat bill, and a dermatitis diagnosis. WHATEVER! I overdosed on benadryl, picked up Ian, hopped on a plane, and got after some fun & sun. Turns out my body was allergic to reality. I’m doing just fine. Salt water, sun, and “soda” has been a perfect fix

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Jan 21-27 2010

Goodbye Brazil. Thanks for the Memories.

I knew this trip was going to be impactful but the friendships, life lessons, and the heart break of poverty touched me beyond my imagination. People gave me their bed to sleep in, opened their doors to me, and loved me like I was their own. I entered into homes as a stranger, and was treated like family after hello.

Upon landing on U.S. soil I had a great deal of mixed feelings. My first 15 minutes in Atlanta greeted me with cold faces, rude remarks, and self centered travelers. In a land that is so rich we find ourself in financial crisis and depressed. I just left a 3rd world country that has a 1st class outlook on life. Their water may not be clean, the electricity shorts often, the crime rate is high BUT they smile and help one another. Moving forward, my hope is to keep a grateful attitude and live my life like a Brazilian. They help people in need. They make time for others and cherish family. 

Making my last blog entry has been something I have dreaded. The last month ended in a blink. I hope you all enjoyed some of my witty remarks and takes on a trip that was beyond words.

Stay happy, stay healthy, and sleep with the angels.

Love,

Leslie

Am I at the Airport or the Hospital?

As I boarded my plane I felt like I was scrubbing in for surgery. The sea of travelers and airline crew were gowned in for flight. The swine flu is certainly on the minds of everyone around the world. I was asked at a sushi restaurant in Recife Saturday night if I was mexican. I replied with a cough. In the picture above Emily and I decided to wear our airline issued eye masks on our face for a picture op.

As I near the end of my blog entries I wanted to leave ya with a few favorites I’m gonna miss. 

Food: tapioca, mango, chocolate pizza, fried bananas, fresh juices.

Adorable English Pronunciations

Red Bull = Head bull

Plum = Blum

Emily Rose = Emily Hose

Hello = ello

Cheeseburger = cheeseBooger

Bringing Back Some of Brasil With Me

• A smile costs nothing. People with nothing had everything to offer us.
• Appreciate what we have in the U.S. (clean water, security, housing, schooling, DOT)
• Don’t take life so serious. Don’t sweat the small stuff.
• Work to live, don’t live to work.
• Protect and preserve the land we’re surrounded by, enjoy the ones you’re surrounded by.
• Help your neighbor, never find yourself too busy to help someone in need.
• It’s not what you have, it’s who you’re with.
• Family is everything.

My Encounter With Security

During my travels I have been completely reliant on others to transport me around town. Most of the time it’s been fine but there have been a few mishaps. In Natal we were dropped off at the wrong condo. In Recife I went toe to toe with the security guard. I was dropped off at my Condo. My host family gave me a house key HOWEVER the guard didn’t recognize me. With my vast knowledge of Portuguese I was unable to convince him that I was not an intruder. He told me to sit on a bench and wait for my host Father to come home. Little did he know I had been sitting on a bench for two hours waiting for a ride to the condo. After about 15 minutes of bench butt I made a mad dash to the elevator. I outran the guard twice, the second time it was a success. After 2 hours I was home sweet home. Attached is a picture of my family in Recife. My host Mom called me their green eyed daughter.

One Stop Shopping at a Recife Stop Light

You can purchase just about anything at a Recife stop light. Window washing, produce, flowers, candy, gum, newspaper, handmade crafts, prostitution, you name it!

Reflections from Brazil - Week 4

• Avoid calling home during American Idol. After 2 attempts of a busy phone line I was greeted by #003 in my ear and my Mother asking what I was doing on the phone line while she was voting for American Idol? 
• Most Bees in Brasil don’t sting. Thank God! In the Sangria bottling plant bees were hanging out everywhere but their hive. Bees made a home in my hair, face, ears, and up my dress.
• Engagement is a bit different here. Couples start with commitment rings on their right hand (for several years) then move the ring to the left hand after marriage.
• If you set your purse on the floor the music stops. At restaurants they provide an extra chair for your purse. Brazilians claim a purse on the ground brings a bad financial future.
• Will travel with TP. Finding TP in a public bathroom is like striking gold. 
• A left turn in Brazil doesn’t exist. A Michigan turn back (aka round about) plus 1 mile or 2 is the Brazil round about.
• Eating massive amounts of fruit makes you feel like you’re wearing a permanent fur coat on your teeth.
• You can get kicked out of a bar for drinking beer from a bottle. Everything is served in a glass. No sipping PBR in a can here.
• It’s customary to pay a street person to “watch” your car while it’s parked. They refer to public parking as their lot and direct traffic like it’s their job.

Music and Dance

My love of music and dance gets along great with the Brazilian culture. During my travels I have experienced 2 concerts. Both had an added element at the end of the evening... rain. Everyone danced and sang while the rain fell on us. This moment was straight out of the movies. In Joao Pessoa, I rocked out with 30,000 Brazilians at ArraiASA. The venue had 3 stages and numerous bands. In Recife, I went to see Claudia Leitte, she is one of the top pop artists in Brasil. The venue was at a yacht club. I called it quits at 4am. When I left, Claudia was still performing. The evenings here START between 12am - 2am and go till late morning. My amigos here view me as a blue hair who goes to bed early.  4am is my limit, this ol lady can't keep up.

Retirement Home in Brasil - Abrigo Cristo Redenter

We toured a Rotary sponsored retirement village on Thursday. The nun we spoke with said they operate month by month and rely on prayer and donations to keep the village open. The government provides very little funding. Over 60 men live in the ward pictured. The village houses 120. The buildings are open air with no air conditioning or privacy. It was clean but the facilities are in need of major repair. This was tough to see but wonderful to observe what Cristo Redenter does for the elderly in need.

Futebol in Brasil makes NFL look like a tea party

We went to a futebol (soccer) game in Recife on Wednesday night. I learned Portuguese words I've never heard before. The energy and passion for the game is like no other. The stadium holds 25,000 people; there is a police station in the stadium. When fans get too rowdy they are sentenced on the spot. Brazilians take the game very serious. No aroma of fresh roasted peanuts, a wiff of urine could knock you in the face though. When I used the bathroom I understood why. I can check a futebol game off my list with a smile. Who knew futebol would bring fireworks, flags (bigger than a house), noise makers, singing, screaming, cursing, laughing, cheering and more.

Last Stop Recife

This is a bitter sweet stop. When I rolled into town I was instantly bummed. The thought of embarking on our last city is a bit tough. We have a week here; I'm looking forward to our last  inning of the trip. Recife is roughly the size of the Detroit Metro area. The plate pictured represents mile marker 0 in Recife. This is located in the historic district. The architecture and colors of the buildings are amazing.

Seeing Brazil Thru Their Eyes

These two beautiful lil ladies were the highlight of my Monday evening. Both received glasses from the  Joao Pessoa  Rotary Club.  This program is called Eye of the Future. These girls live in poverty. The presentation of their glasses was a huge honor to both of them. The public school system has a 10% graduation rate. If children are motivated to attend they may need to wake up as early as 4am. Transportation and availability is just a few of the problems with the system. I hope this evening is the beginning of their journey to becoming successful young ladies.

Hospital Memorial Sao Francisco - Joao Pessoa

I was accompanied today by a retired physician and a medical professor. As I toured the hospital every employee practically bowed down to us. Kinda a shock to my system! If only my days in Muskegon could be like this. After the red carpet tour, I spoke with Dr Felipe Kumamoto, the President & Chief Cardiologist of the Hospital. Our discussions surrounding my products were very similar (Enhance, generics, AHA) but his limitations with the healthcare system is very different. This was a great learning experience from a great group of men. Oh and.. the retirees bought me lunch! Dr's buying ME lunch? And medical staff flocking to me? Somebody pinch me!

Brasil Loves Lula BUT Obama is a Close Second

In every home Obama stood out in the plethora of Portuguese chatter I couldn’t understand. Each family inquired about our election and President Obama. The Brazilians went gaga for Obama when he told Lula “you’re the man”. President Lula is now referred to as “the man” by the people of Brasil. This phrase was plastered on the front page of every paper for weeks.

Foho Gong Wrong

Foho is a very famous dance in Brazil. The name originated from WWII; it means dancing for all. When U.S. troops were stationed in Brazil they hosted dance parties for the troops. Somewhere along the way the troops thought it was called "foho" instead of "dancing for all". I'm guessing cashasha shots played a role in this mix up. Regardless, it stuck. The dance and music has several variations.

Upon my arrival to Brazil I was anxious to experience foho however, I got off to a rough start. My host in Natal (Emanuelle) knew I wanted to learn, so she asked a friend to take me foho dancing. My roommate, Tracey (an exchange student from Arizona) joined. Upon hitting the foho floor I immediately knew something was terribly wrong. This dance requires a partner and my other half didn't know rhythm if it hit him square in the face. 5 minutes into foho I lost feeling in my right hand and toes. I thought this was suppose to be fun for all?! I'm assuming the knuckle squeezing was a nervous reflex? Stepping on my toes was a symptom of no rhythm. Baby Jesus didn't bless this guy with dancing skills. After a lot of looks from the sidelines my girl Tracey, from AZ saved me. Turns out it was much more graphic from the sidelines. Tracey said he was flapping one arm like a chicken in between steps! That was not the last of his chicken-like behavior. Round 2-5 exhibited several awkward chicken-like neck pecking attempts. I felt like I was in battle ducking and dodging from this character. My neck, my toes, my hand!

Later in the evening Tracey offered her boyfriend to me for a few dances so I could experience and learn some REAL foho. Emanielle, Tracey and I laughed until our faces hurt the following morning. Emanielle thought he was a good dancer and didn't think he liked the ladies much. Boy was she wrong!

Changing my tune and my clothes

My host family had a backyard party this weekend. During my travels I've found myself pretty clueless to what I'm getting into. Case in point, I thought this was a small, casual, backyard GSE Rotary party. When I heard the live band strike a tune from my bedroom I quickly realized this was more than a casual cookout. It was a catered event with 50+ people from the neighborhood and community. I changed my clothes to the tune of the saxophone and began to mingle. The couple on the right took me to a concert during my stay. We had a riot! The couple in the back are my host parents. Great people. The Mom introduced me as her American daughter at the party. The Brazilian culture is very warm and sincere. I love the pace and outlook on life. They pass very little judgement and embrace a good time.

Toe Jam

Lady liberty has a run for her money here! This statue is topping the Brazilian BMI charts, it's the 3rd largest statue in Brazil. Saints & statues are very popular here so that's really saying something. I'm not sure if our heads are a good scale BUT we look like a small piece of toe jam next to these holy feet. The view from this point was beautiful. The woman pictured was one of many wonderful people we met in Guarabira on Sunday.

A meatsicle

American children eat lolli pops or popsicles. Brazilian children knock back meat on a stick! This Country loves their meat. Too cute. This was captured at the Guarabira Rotary Meeting on Sunday. The club was no stranger to fun. When our greyhound full of Rotarians (Guarabira was a 2-hour drive) pulled into town I could hear bass pumping from the Rotary club. As the air brakes were pulled, and the bus doors opened I was greeted with cashasha shots, skol, fresh fruit, beans & rice, heaps of great people, and music.

Name that Food

A hot what? From the looks of it, a pulled pork sandwich with a lotta extra toppings (including lil robin eggs) is referred to as a hot dog! Ya learn something new every day.

Aggressive Bugs

I guess cold winters are good for something... killing off bugs! No cold season means no bug population reduction. The Brazilian blood sucking skeeters have had a hay day with me. My body looks like a bad trilogy of connect the dots.

Reflections from Brazil - Week 3

• Daylight savings sounds like a super sale to the folks here. It gets dark at 5pm year round.
  
• If the trail guide tells you to freeze, you best be freezin. Not all Brazilian snakes play nice with Michiganders.
  
• Motorcycle taxis will hall everything but a kitchen sink around town.
  
• In Brazil making out in public and in front of your parents is normal. Taking pictures of the act while making out apparently is normal too. Hey Son, can you pass the salt when you're done sucking face? Now that's a family dinner.
  
• Motels are sold by the hour here.
  
• Stop sings are just a suggestion. Driving on the center line is normal.
  
• Baking in C vs. F makes a big difference! I hope you like your casserole blackened.
  
• Children don't move away from home until they are married. My parents would have set up some arranged marriage for me at this point!!
  

Hanging out on the East Side

Our bus made a stop at the Eastern most point of South America. Here was the view. I waited for 25 Brazilian's to finish their photo shoot in this spot before I could get a picture. The Brazilans take A LOT of pictures of themselves. During these tours it's like we're in the middle of their own personal shoot.

Turtle's First Steps!

We rolled into Joao Pessoa Friday morning on a tour bus with 24 other tourist sporting fanny packs and Brazil stamped apparel. Upon our arrival we made various stops at some of the local attractions. One of my favs was at the beech. Go figure! We watched a group of Turtle Specialists (I just made that job tittle up) release baby turtles into the ocean. It was adorable to watch them waddle into the sea.

Dune Buggy Pit Stop - Zip Line

My favorite stop during the dune ride was the zip line! Ginny, Chip, Emily and I all zipped down a cliff on a wire and landed in a river. Em & I went down together. What a great day.... and it isn't over. I'm going Foho dancing tonight. Dunes by day, dancing by night. I could get used to this life!

Dune Rides in Natal

This is no Silver Lake dune ride! I would have to assume this would not be legal in the states BUT it was a riot!!  The dune adventure was 9am-3pm. The word of the day was HOLD ON! Some of the cliffs and climbs we made were insane. The views were wonderful. Our dune buggy made many stops at scenic points, restaurants, swimming spots.

Beaches in Pipa

We visited a world famous beach in Pipa today. The drive was breath taking. Our host took beautiful winding roads that hugged the shoreline to a car ferry. After the quick ferry ride we drove ON the beach to our destination of relaxation. If the tide allows, vehicles can drive on the beach here. It was a great day of sun, scenery, hospitality and fabulous seafood!

Deep thoughts by Leslie

If selling pills in the States doesn't pan out I could always be a motorcycle taxi driver in Brazil.

A day on the beach near Mossoro

It was great to get away and enjoy some of the sun for an afternoon. Upon our arrival we had this Jeep and quads at our fingertips. The water was warmer than most showers in Brasil!

To call this a bike race would be a stretch...

This morning the Mossoro, Brasil Rotary Club provided us with bikes. The club sponsored a 3-mile bike "race". We had many laughs. The first chuckle began with TV interviews. Emily, Chip, Matt, and I chatted it up with the local TV reporters like it was our job. However, this time the interviewer was an english translator! Rumor has it youtube might reveal our moment of fame. Another chuckle took place at the starting line. All of the U.S. Rotarian's  were the focus of the morning. Once we "sprinted" out of the gates, an old-school VW van with rooftop music & intercom speakers lead the charge.... at 3 m.p.h. (that's a stretch). A fat lady eating cake on foot could have beet me on my Huffy. My hair didn't even blow back. As we were paraded thru the cobblestone streets of Mossoro every neighborhood was reminded of our names and why we were in spandex sweating our A#$%* off!! What a riot!  Another moment for the books.

Reflections from Brazil - Week 2

• Malaria medicine makes you feel like you're on the set of Alice & Wonderland.
• Some houses don't flush their TP. Opps, we didn't get the memo till now.
  
• Brazilians put more condiments than toppings on their pizza. Ketchup, mustard & mayonnaise on pizza is the norm.
• Nobody batts an eye at power outages. Our hotel lobby went black, nobody missed a beet.... except me. My crazy, claustrophobic skull was creating a skit of me stuck in a dark 3x3 elevator rocking back & forth in the fetal position.
• Brazil roads make Michigan roads look smooth as a babies butt.
• Don't believe a Brazilian if they tell you you're eating chicken.
• Don't reach for food unless you're positive it's an appetizer (right Emily?). That lady in Caico is probably still scowling at us. How did we know it was her dinner you were eating?
• Everybody here puts sugar & cream in their coffee (pronounced cafe' in Portuguese) except me. Em told our host family I drink my coffee negro. They just stared. It was a bit of an awkward silence. We are still trying to word smith that one.

Knee deep in Translation Books

The following is a common practice at our house. Pedro, Emily, and I have 4 dictionaries between the three of us. We are staying with Pedro and his family in Mossoro. The home is beautiful! Tonight I can lose the books we are going Foho dancing. No talking required to dance! Tomorrow our team is heading to Pedro's beach house for the day. We are all looking forward to some fun in the sun. This will be our first beach day of the trip!

On the road again

We hopped back into the kidnapipng van this morning (sporting our new bonnets). We just arrived to Mossoro. Our host house is beautiful! Emily & I are laying by the pool for an hour before we visit a Rotary school. Did I mention we have wireless internet?! Yay! AND did I mention a high rise construction crew is yelling & whistling at us? I would assume it's good we don't understand what they're saying!

Classic Caico Farewell

The Caico farewell wasn’t complete until we received embroidered sun bonnets. I hope the side view in this picture gives you some perspective on how large these babies are. We needed a wide load clearance flag. When we said our good byes (a kiss on each cheek is customary here) we were pecking our hosts in the head with our large bonnet beaks. Classic Ciaco moment! I had to leave the scene for a bit to gather myself.

A day in Caico

Today we visited an outdoor biology center, took a nap, talked to some nuns in a convent, checked out two museums, went to a local potters house, and visited a youth-based art center. Tonight we have a Rotary meeting. We`re back on the road to conquer the next town in the morning!

Learning about pills Brazil style

No we`re not on the set of Grey`s Anatomy. It`s a pharmacy in Caico. This is very different from the U.S. All the medications dispensed are made in the pharmacy. I was very impressed with the sanitation and government regulations the pharmacy had to follow.

We may be lost in translation but we´re polite

Language barrier 1 - when in doubt say obrigada (thank you). We´re back to speaking the 10 words we know in Portuguese. During our stay in Caruaru we had several translators. We´re a bit spoiled. For the next 3 days were back to hand gestures, yahoo translator, and our pocket dictionaries! I feel like I´m in a never-ending game of win lose or draw! Emily & I are staying at the same house. From what we gathered on yahoo translator we are having an English speaking friend for dinner.

Radio Interview gone wrong in Caico

We have been treated like celebrities on this trip but this morning took the cake. We embarked on a 3 hour ride in what we refer to as the ¨kidnapping van¨. When we pulled into Caico we were greeted by the local radio station. Did I mention we don´t speak much of the language?! I missed out on an interview because I was in the bathroom, that was no accident on my behalf. Upon gathering myself and realizing they didn't stock the bathrooms with TP, I headed back to the ¨live remote¨. I would love to get my paws on a copy of that radio air time! The two who were subjected to an interviewed looked like a deer in headlights. I stood back and hyperventilated. We had a good laugh about it over lunch.

A visit with the plant whisperer/Root Dr

After touring Hepron we visited with a local Brazilian man who has been growing plants and treating locals with the harvest of his crops. The drink Matt is holding is a derivative of his plants. It was very interesting to hear his story. He has a true love for the earth.

Hebron Pharmaceutical - Caruaru

Matt and I toured Hebron today. Antonio came along for translation and transportation. He has been a life saver the last 4 days! Today we also visited a Rotary school for children with special needs, presented at the Rotary Caruaru club AND earlier in the morning I did a tour of the pharmaceutical and biomedical department at Asces University. I was sent to the principal´s office. Except this time it was for a photo shoot!

Happy Easter from Brazil

Easter on a boat! A bit nontraditional however, I did go to 6pm Mass this evening. My Easter meals consisted of pig intestine, rice, beans, a chocolate egg, pizza & Skol! Our hosts today were a riot! We took an hour drive out of Caruaru to a resort. It felt like a typical Summer Sunday on Gun lake with my family. Our drive to the resort was held up by a heard of cows. Apparently, they filled up on Easter lillies and took a nap in the road.

Reflections from Brazil - Week 1

• Don't ask to use the bathroon in a sangria bottling sweat shop/factory. It makes a gas station bathroom in Gary, IN look inviting!
  
• Pig intestine is salty.
• If you look Brazilan people assume you know the language.
• Giving the o.k. symbol can be highly offensive if you happen to tilt your hand in the wrong direction. I'm sticking with the thumbs up these days.
• You shouldn't eat with your fingers. However, it's excessive to cut your grilled cheese breakfast sandwich into 105 pieces. After 3 days of slicing & dicing my host Mom did a grilled cheese consumption demonstration. Wudda been good to know on day 1!
• Brazilian cows eat cactus. And I thought I suffered from heart burn?!
• Capacity recommendations in a vehicle means nothing. 8 people in a S-10 truck with no A/C is how we roll.
• Internet connection in Brazil is about as speedy as me in the morning.
• If you're on the cusp of laughing don't make eye contact with Emily.
• When you're in the shower repeat to your self the following phrases: don't drink the water & don't open your mouth. I learned from Charlot's role in Sex & the City.

Me and 13,000 others checking out JC

We were invited to see Passion of Christ. The entire production was built into the mountains of New Jerusalem, Brazil. We walked through each scene with the actors as it was being played out. The moon was amazing. The mountains were breath taking! However, there was a lesson learned. Christians will trample you for a front row view of Jesus. After I was pummeled by this "Christian" and all her sisters in Christ I asked her would would Jesus do. She had no idea what I said but, it gave me a good laugh!

Your typical Friday

A donkey ride on the top of a mountain. And yes.... the shirt was issued from the Bezerros Rotary team.

Serra Negra Moutains - Highway to Heaven

I felt like I was in the clouds here, it was amazing! We took a safari-like ride in the back of a truck to this lookout. We cracked a cold Skol and took in the scene.

Biking in Bezerros

Our host family in Bezerros treated Emily & I to a motorcycle ride after dinner. In this town we laughed so hard our faces hurt. The language barrier was at an all time high in this town!