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1/12/1998 - Introduction to the Samba by Susan L. Sterner

Introduction Samba S OJOSlDOSCAMPOS Brazil January12 Mr Peter B Martin Executive Director Institute ofCurrentWorldAffairs 4WestWheelockStreet Hanover NH03755 Dear Peter Brazil seems particular place ofcharmand theminds thosewholookat itfromadistance Itconjuresimagesofscantilycostumed womendancingtodizzyingdrumrhythmsandavast burningAmazonsend clean future pharmaceuticals smoke To cornerstoneofLatinAmericanmarkets andbyextensiontheworldeconomy Forothers itisaplaceofviolence hometotheincrediblyrich andtheincred Iamintriguedbythe truthsbehind these partiallyinformed images whythe United States culture reluctant south Conversely whyis Brazil leading LatinAmericaneconomy great producer literatureand folklore sounknownoutside itsownborders Whatare therealities oflife inacountrywithsuchahugenumberofworkingpoorand destitute Why withallofthehardship inequalitya ndpoverty Brazil imagepersistasacountryofincomparablebeauties swayinghipsandsoccer heroes Howdo Brazilianswanttobe intheworld For years husband Tyrone I Brazil ICWAfellows Myinterests lieinexploringthelivesofwomenofallclasses their expectations discovering nuances Brazilian popular culture whatmakesBrazil Brazilian Mygoalistobegineverydaywith senses alert absorb learn walks possible BRAZILFROMAFAR Asmyhusbandand IpreparedtodepartforBrazil wedecidedtopack ourbelongingsintostorageinLosAngelesanddrivethesouthernrouteacross United States farewell family friends Along sharedwiththem excitementaboutbeingICWA fellowsand living Brazil ExplainingICWAturned firstchallenge ofourfellow Fewbelieved suchawonderfulopportunity existed The topic Brazil always raised eyebrows Inevitably conversation would topics Amazon economy Our exchanges evoked sense adventure discovery I think family friends ready their travel There great enthusiasmandsupportallaround Yetunderlyingthese TOUCHINGDOWNONBRAZILIANSOIL wishes sense trepidation caution Our safetyastravelersfromtheUnitedStates acountrythat WeflewallnightfromWashingtonandarrivedat evokessuchangerandenvy concernedsome Others GarulhosAirportoutsideSaoPauloaroundmid morning worriedwewouldfallvictimtorobberybecauseofourcam TheapproachtoGanosfeltoddlyfamiliar Aswepassed eraequipment Wouldbribe demandingpoliceconsumeour overtheedgeofthesprawlingmetropolisofSoPaulo reservesofcash leavingusstranded Apartfromsafetycon roundedbylushgreenhills IwasremindedofLosAngeles ceresweregeneralquestions WouldwemissU S culture ourlasthome Onlytherethehillsthatrimmedthecitywere Wouldwebehealthy Andofcourse WhyBrazil theburntgoldoftheCaliforniadessert Ioftenfeltlikeajuniorambassad orfromBrazil Afterclaimingourbagswequeuedtoclearcustoms tolling beauty sophistication important contri anxiously hoping laptops professional cameras butionstotheworldeconomyandsociety LittledidI wouldslipbythem Ourwonyingcametonaught andwe knowthatsomeofthesamefearsexpressedbytheirques breezedthrough agreatsurprisetomybrother Rob tionswereonmymindaswell Indeed Ihadmany whoawaitedourarrivalontheothersideofthegates unarticulatedapprehensions floatinginmyhead They cametogetheronlyoncewearrivedinBrazil Welefttheairportanddrovethroughalightdrizzle Whenweapplied forvisasfromtheBrazilianconsulateinLosAngeleswelearned thatwewouldneedsponsorshipfroma Brazilian entity Throughthehelp classmate ofTyrone sfromGeorgetown University KristinLund andherfamilywe receivedsponsorshipfromGrupoLundand theAmericanChamberofCommerce forBrazil SoPaulo AmCham Weare deeply indebted Kristin herhusband Chip Vosmik parents Chris Susie andJohn Mein President ofAmCham Mr Lund sistant MargarethMark hasbeenan invaluable source ofinformationand assistance Without thesenewfriends fearwewouldstillbeinLosAngeles sortingthoughthelabrythianBrazilianbureaucracy Inreturnfortheir supportwearegoingtophotographthe socialprogramssupportedbyAmChambothinthemetroSoPauloareaandinthe NortheastofthecountrywhereAmChamisinvolvedinhunger reliefprograms ItisourhopethatourworkwithAmChamwill subject future newsletters Coincidentally mybrother RobertSterner hasbeenlivingforthepasttenmonthsinSoJos6doCampos Brazil littleover anhourfromSoPaulo whileworkingonanassignmentwithCearalPartnersWorldwide Hehasbeengraciousenoughto offer tousa spareroominhisapartmentas stagingpoint forourworkin Brazil Althoughoursightshavebeensetonheadingto Northeast SaoJosedosCamposhasproventobeinterestingin itsownright SLS toSoJos6dosCampos anindustrial ofabouta million situated kilometers northeast Sao Paulo valley rivers rolling hills known Vale doParaiba Iletmyheadfallbackagainsttheseatand exhaustionsweepoverme Theanxietyandanticipation beginning ICWA combination theworryoverclearingcustomswithsomuchelectronic equipment taken I listened brother andhusband talkabout Brazil Mymind floated along theirwords aswemerged Ayrton Senna freeway leaving behind cement structures hints citylife Weslipped intoarollingcountrysideoflush grass dottedbytermitemoundsandgiant anthills Nota sight Even livestock scarce This notthevista Ihadexpectedto fillmyfirstmomentsin Brazil The amount space toSoPaulo astounded Brazilseemedindeedacountryofurbancompression I expecting crowded suburban developments shopping centers favelas urban slums freewaysfromSoPaulotoRiodeJaneiro Butwecrossed Tropic Capricorn largest country South America without sight I wondered where eryonewasan dwhysuchhuge tracts ofland close cityseemunusedandunoccupied Iimaginedthat answers lurked historical patterns ofland owner shipandrural urbanmigration Issues ofland reform democratic access resources jumped front ofmymind Ithoughtofthesemterristas landreformactivists whoworktohavetheunderusedland ofthewealthy redis tributed landless Frommyveryuneducated point thebattle forreformlookedlongand Aswe exited Senna superhighway merged withtrafficonthePresidenteDutra theBrazil Ihaden visionedbegantoemerge Scatteredalongthe ofthe decrepit busyhighwayweresmall industries afewres taurants questionable hotels The occasional shack cinderblock crowded against proper businesses I glimpsed small towns distancewithshinyredclayroofsandbrightwhitewalls Thin muddy trails seemingly random points along grass trees hinting morehomes ofview Aswecrossedinto themunicipality ofSoJos6 buildings became frequent Bus stops peared along Long gashes ofbright redclaytoreintothelandscapewhereimprovementsand expansionswereunderway Itremindedmeofmyyears inMississippi wherethered claywasforeverbeingtorn pushed around improvement I wonderedaboutthepolitics ofpublic worksprojectshere andmadeamentalnote learn parallel expressions boondoggle porkbarrel Mega factories Kodak Fuji Johnson Johnson Volkswagon Ericsson andGMoccupied propertiesalongtheroad Iunderstoodthegrayscratchi nessofthe airqualityandwonderedaboutthelevelsof toxinsinthewatertable Ifeltliketheregionwasunder siegebycorporategiants Closertothetowncenter malls andsuperstores lined thefreeway Aswecrested heart golden arches McDonalds wedgedbetweenstore signs LaterthatweekIwaseven moredisturbedtocomeacrossaWalmartSuperstore I glanced ateverythingwithmixedemo tions BullyforU S enterpriseIthought butareweheadedtoahomogenized world culture Is there escaping stick U S corporate interests Afew turns freewayandwe hadarrived SoJos6dosCampos citythatwouldbe ourhomefor holidays DRIVINGWITHTHEGHOSTOFAYRTON SENNAandKNOWINGWHENTOFEAR AsIgottoknowthecity Iwasconstantlycautioned tohavemy documents withmeandtowalkwith SoJos6 typical dense centralized thathas grownoutward butrather awide spreading crescent smallhubs Close original center terraindrops river valley banhado filled fertilefarm AsyoudrivealongAvenidaSaoJoao whichtraces perimeter banhado green fields distantmountains visible Awalkto theedgereveals cluster about cinderblock wooden homes clinging hillside perimeter fields Thin wisps ofsmokerisefromafewhouses Stayawayfrom there Iwascautioned safavela Thedrugdealers livethere You gothereandyougetkilled Iunderstood cautionbehind words questionedhowwell represented reality residents lives Each 2Houaiss Antontio andIsmaelCardim DiciondrioIngls Portugus EditoraRecord RiodeJaneiro1997 andTaylor James L Portuguese English Dictionary Editora Record Rio deJaneiro supply following definitions Boondoggle cava4o profitablejoborbusiness oneobtainedbypull vantagensobtidasporproteq4o advantagesgained bypatronage protection empregoqueexigepoucadedica4o workdemanding littleeffort Dedicarsea trabalhosem utilidade prdtica apply oneself useless endeavors porkbarrel fundidos destinados melhoramentos comfins polfticos Funds earmarked forimprovements political Friends offered these Brazilian expressions Empresafantasma phantomwork moneychangeshandsforprojectswithouttheintentionofeverdoingthework apoliticalpay Projeitofaronico Pharaoh project Apublic works projectdone ockets interested parties Cabidedeemprego thenepotismandcronyismthatoccurswhensomeone iselectedtoofficeandthenappointsonlyfamily andfriendstowell payingpositions It ssimilartotheideaof coattails inEnglish Acabide isthecoatrackorclotheslineof elected person towhich friends relative attachthemselves So Brazilians havemanyparallel terms Institute Current World Affairs timewepassedby Iwonderedaboutthepeopleliving thereandhowitfelttobelabeledinsuchharshterms Later another conversation husband I werewarned Neverdrivedowna dirtroad Ifthepave mentruns turnaround fastasyoucanandgetthe there That favela They first questions later I resisted these ingsnotbecauseIwantedtodrivecarelesslyintoaneigh borhood I parade singing Julie Andrews favela world I resisted because IhadheardthesamewordsbeforeinNewOr leanswhentalkingabout theprojects I dhear dthem spokenabout isolated rural areas ofMississippi againwhenImovedtOLosAngeles thelandofriots andcelebritymurders I velearnedthatstereotypestravel twowaysandarepowerfuldividers Livingbehindthem diverse humanbeings experiences The trick knowinghowto filter information Almosteverythingassociatedwithfavelas isgivena negative At night Tyrone I would crackerspoppingaroundthe Wementionedthisto Portuguese teacherwho remarked firecrackers fresh shipment arrived thefavela Ithoughtperhapsitcouldbekidsplayingwith firecrackers I unaware I absorbed tensionI feltuntilafewdaysafterourarrival Mybrother evening flight airport through which arrived This meant would drive freeways night I worriedaboutthis alldaywithoutrealizing Brazilian drivers seemed wacky tmyworst I feared bination empty freeways possiblycrooked Aswedrove airport brother tossed driving repeated stories ofpeoplewhohadmetunfortunateends driving alone night isolated roads He recounted various incidents ofthieves rolling large rocks thehighway toslowlone driversandambushthem Wereviewed return route The important pointwas offtheAyrtonSenna usually deserted atnight andavoid allroadsleadingintoSoPaulo The option would stick moving crowded Via Presidente Dutra Just Dutra andhead direction ofRio You youstick Dutra Rob Wedropped offmybrother exited airportand realized Dutra heading Rio exist Ratherthanriskgetting lostinSaoPaulowe opted Ayrton Senna Palms little sweaty cursingmybrother sname Igotonthefreewayandleft Wedrove tense silence waiting boulders rolldownthe llsorpolicelightstoflashinthemirror At point where Ayrton Senna merges ViaDutratopassthroughtheValedoParaiba weturned artery labeled Rio Immediately weknewwewere thewrongroad TheDutrais litteredwithlittlebusinessesandclusters homes On headlights blackness Only hills surrounded There little lages dotting Anoccasional passed other direction We continued passing exitsbecause lacked entries I tried relax headed north hoping familiar maybe station Insidious infected The narrowed climbedagentleslope alittlefogcollectedaroundus If nothing could drive Rio around I thought Suddenlybright lights flaredupin front Brake lights Tothe I realized therewasapolice waycheckpoint cabin I switched right roadjustasmyheadlightsilluminatedthelegs liceman I swerved squeaked curse words I missed Sure thecopswouldbeonmytailfor erratic driving Islowed below speed limit tried hemmed tween trucks But lights never flashed viewmirrorand adozen kilometers latermystomach throat appeared So Jos6 No bribes noboulders nobandits myfirstdriveinBrazil cameto As Ilayinbedthatnight Imarveled atmysenseof relief I completely convinced I right Either wells goingto riseupfromthe grassandsurroundthe I going pulled Policia Federal Policia Militar Policia Civil Policia Rodovdria there aremanytypes ofpolicia I surewhatthey bribed hassled arrested disappeared None thathappened Iwasstruckbythepowerofsuggestion andthecultureoffeartowhichIhadfallenvictim Iwas livingwith ahead stereotypes tBrazil samestereotypes Ithought Iwasbeyond But there signs everyday these stereotypes fears For years military state policehavebeenaccused ofinvolvementin vigilante tivity against viewed poorly trained corrupt bandits hirecommanding wayslikepiratesontheseas BribesareillegalinBrazil scommontobe advised ifstoppedbya driver should reales U S There havebeenmany cases police involvement violence One infamous casewas protestbysemterristas state Para There agroup military Police surrounded protesters including children fired crowd killing injuring Afew years earlier police killed street children slept front Rio deJaneiro church SLS documentfoliobeforehandingitovertotheofficer The documents patrol verify themandreturnwith orwithouta citation This allows briber bribee The never demands money motorist offeran illegal bribe Everyone innocent system around Even relatively quiet Sao Jos6 groups security guards hover entrances banks other nesses Each apartment building guard secured parking Some buildings control towers about height second floor thatmoni torcomingsandgoingsalongthesidewalk Single family homes surrounded barricades orbrickwallstoppedwithglass shards Somefeaturethe sporty electrified wireoptionthatemitsalow cracklinghum Nothing isblatant allworks itswayintothesub conscious speaks fears Brazilians harbor As freeways Brazilians gionseemtoavoid allbutthebusiesthighwaysatnight And beach Saturday rather through mountains Friday The ulture notinmyhead alone As Ireflected thatnight mysur prisewasinhowdeeplyandquickly Ihadabsorbed Bythenextmorning Ifeltrecoveredenoughtotake wheel againand thebeach about kilome It things Brazilians TyroneandIwantedtofeelthemystiqueoftheBrazilian coastline Stillgroggyfromthepreviousnight wethrew togethertowels dictionaries beachguidesandourever needed documents tossed Deter mined tonotgiveintostereotypes andmadebraveby sunlight I relaxed sights along newroad Afewkilometers outside oftownwedecided station little coffee quiejo cheese There nothing coffee quiejointhemorning It sironicthatinBrazil wherecof feehasbeenanimportantpart oftheeconomyfor centu coffee usually pretty lousy needs sugar easily However served piping which In coffee canbefound variety offorms espresso bitter equivalent Italian espresso pingado espresso regularcoffeecutwithsteamedmilkandservedinasmall glass locals mastered grabbing slippery waxynapkinand holding boiling glass infamous cafezinho complimen coffee offered restaurants Cafezinho usually served thermos small table Those taste little plastic similar those usedbyhospitalstodispensepills pumpinaninchof coffeeandtoss itbacklikeashotofvodka Ifonlyitwent downso smoothly Theespressoandpingados ifyoucanfigureouthow avoid burned fingers wonderful morning oncethe tastebudsreorientthemselves totheBrazilian palate Andnothinggoesdownso deliciously quiejo In region ubiquitous queijo shows nearly every establishment serves coffeeshops busstations McDonalds littlecartson street It favoritemid morningsnackorlunch breakfast super strong espresso Ideally queixo light flour seasoningandfresh softcheesefromMinasGerais thestatenorthofSoPaulo Brazil sWisconson ifyou Thecheese ispasteurizedbutun agedandhas texture sweet It shredded batter thenspooned abaking sheet inuni formgoopymounds thenbakeduntiltheoutsidebrowns crunchy crust inside becomes thick spongy Sowhatbetterwayto start sunriserunto coast thanwitha littlepingadoandapaodequiejo Wepulled combination station roadside snackbar novelty The crowd inside belied stopped Plates clattered short ordercooks called outnumbersand tookrequests Sambamusicblared scratchy speakers Aboutfour dozenmutebodieshoveredaroundelevatedtables Shift ingtheirweightfromfoottof theycrowdedovertheir steamingcupsandgnawedawayatgooeybreads Bath strings peeked under shirts The casional toeswiggledtothemusicbuttheir owners eyeswerefilledwith exhaustion perhaps little night before They stared pasteach other blank faced chewingtheirbreakfasts trance anything adayat thebeach If I thought I going mosey along roads enjoyingthevistas Ihadanotherthinkcoming Freshly gassed upandcaffeinatedbrigadesofcars piled fullwith bodiesandbeachaccoutrements roared ofthe mountain anything stoodbetweenthemandthewater Acurious thinghap penswhenaBrazilian getsbehindthewheelofavehicle Ithinkthe entirepopulationis firstcousins Dr Jeckyll Mr Hyde Overall Brazilians friendlyandetiquette mindedpeopleI vemet buttry tocrossastreetandyou reliabletogetclipped It theyinvoke spirit ofAyrtonSenna theFormulaOne champion cardriverandadorednativesonwhodied Cafezinho understandit canalsobetakenasageneraltermforacoffeebreakoracupofcoffeeservedinanyoftheother forms mentioned The zinho ninho suffixes Portuguese diminutives suggesting either small serving pleasurable diversionfrom rigors daily routine Institute Current World Affairs crash years Signs above streets Motorista tambem pedestre Drivers You apedestrian Althoughthelaws arebeingtightened still generalhigh speed allonthe As little liter engine chugged hills buses unidentifiable contraptions zoomed passingontheleftpassingontheright without visibility The there possible never lingerbehindthesametaillightsformorethanafewminutes The Mississippi twoMississippi ruleofthumbformain taining distancebetween exist My husband maintains I onlyone theworldwhoprac tices Ifacaristravelingtooslowlyandblocking theway others leaving execute daring nearest driver crowd verybumper carand driver through viewmirror They llgetthemessage Idid Higher serra passed through valleys shroudedinlightfogand littlehillsidetownswithmod white washed colonial churches We climbed climbed passing farmers beginning their families walking bibles occasional vendor setting upstands tohawkfresheucalyptushoney string cheese andicedcoconutjuice Withthewindowsdownwedrove throughthemistandletthe cloudyair flowthrough thecar blowingawaythedrydustofthe While ascent mountains filled twists turns narrow lanes crazy drivers retro spect seemed relatively As descent began narrowed barely ridge rimming mountainside Snaking forth hundred AyrtonSennasjockeyed position eachone outdoing theotherininsanefeats Iglidedslowlydowntheroad pulling chain impatient bottlenecked behind Aswerounded abend rizondroppedsuddenlyandwefoundourselves lookinganincrediblemountaindescenttoChurningBay Enseada doMar Virado thetown Caraguatatuba Thin wisps clouds drifted across stopped tolookdownintothesemi circularbaydotted byrounded islands Clearingwhatwehopedwasthe lastpolicecheck point Tyrone I looked other grinned Wehad arrived different Brazil Themountainroad ended roundabout Caraguatatuba offto thenorthor south Weturned north toUbatuba Bay first South Atlantic It going Trafficwovethroughthedusty unmarkedstreets ofthetown sharingthelaneswithpedestrians criss cross ingthroughthe carsandvendorsonricketybicyclesbal ancing childrenon thehandlebar carrying loads fruit beach Each obstacle course potholes lombadas speed bumps which wholeexperiencethe sensationofcruising inalow rider withbad hydraulics Wepulled adustybeachside lotandnegotiated themany smallboys watch offer refuse We changed bathing suitsandwalkedintothesand Thebeachwasfilledwith families gaggles ofteensandvendorshawkingfoodand beachwear Wewalked along while tounwindand shoulders I turned themountainroadwehaddescended Therewasnohint frenetic hills greens dotted Impressionistic sprays purple orange yellow flowering trees Myfeet coarse yellow I walked water stood first South Atlantic It momentthat IholdinmymindasmyarrivalinBrazil BIKINIDEMOCRACY Slowlythepeoplearoundmecameintofocus Ireal izedth atIwastheonlywomanwearingaone piecebath Compared everyone I looked Esther Williams Women every possible sizeandshapestrolledthebeachinbikinis Thisreminded topic interestsme greatly cultural ferences thewaywomenview their bodies ality Unlike States where close perfectiondare tobarethemselvesinscantilycutbiki herewomenwalk awareness ofthemselves beings entitled sensuous comfortable theirimage nomatterwhattheylooklike ireflected I actually seenveryfewwomenwearingmakeup andthosethatdidusedvery little Perhapsthatwasbe cause I small interior I filed these thoughts noted I contradicted I anticipated before arriving Brazil I thoughteveryoneinabikiniwouldbethegolden skinned Girlfrom Ipanema andthose thatweren twouldbeinflu enced ideal beauty immortalized lyrics But thatBrazilianwom enarefreeofaestheticpres suresisafalseone Brazil sreputationforhighratesofelective plastic surgery booming cosmetic markets indicates Nature always regarded ultimate artisan Indeed television magazines theradio arepepperedwithinstant solutions overeat ingandpeskycellulite Theprevalenceofplasticsurgery centersinourSoJoseneighborhoodhints thiscom Friends whole country Senna He practically regarded martyr particularly since discoveredafterhisdeaththathehadsetupcharitablefoundationstoaidchildrenbutneversoughtpublicityforhiswork Itwas recently announced thatHollywood takenup torch Antonio Banderas slated thefamous racer Although Sao Jos6 100km coast considered interior therefore simple unsophisticated Ofcoursethisopinion isadvancedprimarilybytheresidentsofcoastal cities SLS VENEZUELA COLOMBIA Amazonas Para BRAZIL Bahia Mato Grosso BOLIVIA Minas Gerais Sul S OPAULO ARGENTINA SoJos6 Campos SoPaulo plexcontradiction Equallyevidentis factthatplastic surgery means nagging insecurities stricted Onmorethanoneoccasionas Iwalkedthroughtown I handed promotional flier Saude Unicor health insurance claims onlyone includes elective cosmetic surgery itscoverage R U S month The front fliershows beautifulmodeland themonthlyprice On Beauty Plan plastic surgery fering broad selection breast reduction augmenta aestheticcorrectionofthenoseorstomach facelifts variety liposuction options That Beauty Plan selling point surance company health insurance company atthat indicatesbothahigh demandforsuchprocedures andbroadacceptanceofplasticsurgeryaspartofabeauty regimen Onere centmorningIjumped onthe elevator building myselfface nurse I recog nized floor About wearshershoulder lengthhairthe color ofbeach blonde straw looks attractive Dressed nurse uniform clutching fluffy haired rierunder herarm smiled quickly atmeand looked Iglancedatthedog groomedanddecoratedwith white satin above I looked womanandnoticed smallwhitebandages corners Institute Current World Affairs along bottom hereyebrows justaneverydayworking woman maybeonthe BeautyPlan TAG TEAMSANTAS After mosquito harassed sleepless nightonthe floor vacantUbatubaBay house weawokethe nextmorn headed Caraguatatuba There early morning light watched sound technicians amplifiers andsawhundredsofvolunteersdonfuzzy Santa Claushatsin85 degreeheatFahren Wedecidedto stickaroun dtoseewhat wouldhappen Wefound afewchairsand placedtheminthesand towatchthe event unfoldand peeled toward ocean By10a itwaswellabove90degrees crowd continued Fami milled around bright white waiting things underway Small children loose playing soccer balls paddleballs Santa volunteers handed A young woman dressed fluffy white boots pantyhoseandaSanta shelper outfittook stage cadre coordinated background They danced recorded music alding arrival Santa Claus The speakers warpedthatthewordswereindecipherabletomygringo butthefamiliesinthecrowdssangalonganddanced childrenontheir Wewatched absorbingthespectadeandwonderingjust howmuchmoresunwecould Fromoverthe horizon appeared small helicopter We joked Santa probably passing through Sure enough helicopter slowed approached ncert began descend I grabbed camera running bathing crowd Santa arrived makinghiswaythrough children Thecrowdwasso thick I couldn closer tohimthan20 people It first I photographed crowdwearing abathing suitand carryingan extra rolloffilminmyteeth Iwasstillwearing50percent crowd exception Santa helpers Eventually Santa stage candy crowd My already bruised random I retreated watch wouldhappennext Iwanderedbehindthe stage Rather depart through crowd Santa exited theback stage Seeing children their mothers roped offareaand called hisname Santaapproached theropeand smiled Thechildren Getting Santa blessing turned suddenly timorous stared velvet giant Withpieces ofhisbeardmatted against hischeeksand rivers ofsweatpouringdownhisbrow Santa reached cluster childrenand gently ressed theforehead little Sobeautiful hesaid Theotherchildrenshuffleda littlecloser Notoneasked foraPowerRanger Nintendogame puppy oreven simple They waited blessed Santa hands movedtenderlyfromforehead toforehead illuminating their faces touch For brave offered Mothers snapped photos thecramped confines Somechildren returned Santa gestureby smoothing beard theirheadsbrieflyuponhis shoulder Theywerevis iting saint where saints clout canmakea difference Butsaintsneedtotakebreaks Andwhenthey dressed inSanta suitsandit degrees Santas stroke Santa signaled stage handlers needed whisked intoa Therehestrippeddowntobellypaddingand hisownhair anotherSanta suitedupand prepared It Christmas Mean while group ofcurious childrenhadworkedopen corner stood eating popsicles watched respective dismantling sembling ofthe Santas With candy Santa II stepped crowd waving politician The Santa helpers repeated serenade stage tossed candy children Much older first Santa II looked spryly jumped crowd tohugchildrenand flash thenationalthumbs upsign Great Children rushedhimbeggingforahug acaress ablessing Meanwhile Backinthe Santa IIIwasgluing onhis beard FREEINGOURCHICKENS Originally Tyrone I planned depart Brazil inmid November Wethought thiswould giveusthetime getinvolvedwithsocialprograms interested groundwork beforethecountryshutdownfortheChristmas Theprocess ofgettingourvisa foiled allofthat however andwedelayedourtripuntilearlyDecem Bythe timewearrived summervacationwasin swing upcoming holidays everyone smind Alocaljoke isthatBrazilianslove stretch Carnival beginning months earlier Christmas holidays dubbed Nataval Natal Carnival Manyofour contactshad indeed beguntheirmonth longfeiras vacations Resigned toaslowerholidaypacethanwehadan ticipated Tyrone I decided advantage opentime Portuguese teacher finesseinthelanguage andgetinvolved ineverydaylife We found Yelva pronounced EL incredibly energeticwomanwhoteachesEnglishtoBrazilianwork looking advance themselves inmanagement Portuguese newly arrived foreigners multi national enterprises inSaoJos6 Alongwithgrammardrillsandslangdecoding Yelva answered questions about cityand resources We mentioned party attended first arrived frustration being keepup Brazilians floor Her suggested Centro VincenteAranha tuberculosis sanitorium thathad converted elderly halland center cultureand other There might classes great dance teacher Marcelo Brasil Thatafternoonwedroppedby tocheckoutthe ferings Everythinghad stopped until ofJanuary whenvacations ended By scheduleswouldbe SLS fordance classes Disheartened weturned justasMarceloBrasilhimselfwalkedthroughthedoor I think understood sense ofurgency about learningsamba butheliked ourenthusiasmand agreed holiday classes walked dance studio ceilings hogany floors Marcelo plugged dropped compact He asked whatweknew samba foxtrot bolero Welaughed We knewnothing theCajunTwoStepandmaybethe Bump Weagreed tomeetthenextafte rnoonfollowing lunch For aweekwespentthreehours adaystudyingPor tuguese three hours practicing samba We needed moretime inboth Marcelowould dancewitheach apagoderhythmandthenhaveusworkitouttogether Wewouldstiffly offthebasicboxofcouplessamba AttheendofthefirstdayMarcelotoldme Ihad Ger manhips andthatwebothneededto soltardefrango freeourchickens cutlooseandhavefun Wetried evenpracticing athome Mostafternoonsthepowerwouldgooutaboutahalf lesson andwewould dance sweaty boomless silence Onthethirdday Isuggestedthatwe danceoutsideunderoneofthebeautifulgazebosinstead ofsuffocatinginthe studio Marceloremarkedthatitwas agoodidea butBrazilianswouldneverdothatuntilthey danced perfectly Wewereshamelessandtoo sticky anyone thought As breeze through gardens Tyrone I would dance ownvoicescounting Urn pausa One pause Whenwegot itright Marceloyelled Beautiful onlyword Englishwordheknew Marceio eventually cajoled accompanying dance classes taught City Hall employees Heoffered itasameansforustogetmorepracticeand attend dance Weagreed towalkacrosstowntotheunionhallwheretheclassmet Therehispupilsweregatheringinformally kissinggreet ingsand tippingback beers Beer bottles empty secondround theway headed upstairs windowless tiled doubled meeting garage Two parked aluminum doors Marcelolined womenandmenacrossfromeach otherand announced pagode Couples paired partners assigned music began Tyrone I panicked Music Howcanwe actuallydance tomusic Wewere pausa Suddenly We stumbled through first other couples whirled around Then Marcelo called bolero andthemusicchanged Maybeweshould skipthepartyFridaynight Isuggested Children looking throu corner watch Santas change behind stage ofthe Caraguatatuba beachparty But Friday brave The union transformed The lights Streamers andcandlesdecoratedthewalls Wherethecarshadbeen parkedabandwas setup Thedancefloorwaspacked In center Marcelo spinning students around paced samba Uh I thought Um pausa tgoingtocut We worked through tables Marcelo dance floor We exchanged kisses encouraged strut stuff We demurred instead ordered capirinhas watchedthedancing Thiswasnotagroup ofbeginners After slowed tempo pagode Tyrone I emboldened familiarity rhythm through couples found thewaypart dance floor The three boysfrom favela waterfrom heavy storm thatfilleda oldfountain pausa pausa Couples whirled butwestucktoourcorner Afterafewsongswewere ableto freeourchickens My Germanhips beganto moveontheirown Beautiful yelledMarcelo Wewere speaking Brazilian LEARNINGFROMEVERYONE As weeks passed I pinch myself times I explore culture learn sibleabout Inmytimehere Ihaveforgedfriendships withseveralwomenfromvariouswalksoflife Theirlives willbe topic ofmynext newsletter Umabrazo brasileiro Photo TyroneTurner TheauthorgetsadancelessonfromAmandaCabral during visitwiththeCabralfamily intheBanhadoareaofSaoJosd SLS