Time flies...
Door: Hilda Alberda
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Hilda
11 Maart 2006 | Brazilië, Recife
Ola, tudo bem?! I just realised, after reading some stories on the blogs of my classmates, that I only have three weeks to go... Wow, time really flies! I really don´t want to think about leaving really, while there is still so much to see, research, discover and do here in Brasil. Although, besides all the ups, I had some downs here... this is another amazing experience and I don´t want it to end yet. The bad thing about travelling is that eventually you have to leave the life that you built up somewhere/ somehow and the people you have met behind. Hmmm... Well, but it´s not the 2nd of April yet, so I am going to enjoy my time left in Brasil as much as possible!
While everyday has new surprises for me, here in Brasil, it is sometimes difficult to keep track of what I did, discovered or whatsoever. Anyway... let´s just start with another story about my unlucky friend Alexandre. Last Friday night I was really lucky not to be with him, while he got robbed another time. This time he was driving at night in his car from Boa Vista (a neighbourhood in Recife) to Olinda (where he lives). Suddenly on both sides of his car two motorcycles appeared and both drivers pointed their guns towards Alexandre. He had to stop, one of the men got into his car, the other drove before him. They drove through Olinda for about 4 hours, Alexandre with a gun pointed in his stomach, looking for ATM-machines. Many of these machines appeared to be broken, so the situation must have been very stressful. I heard this story from Amanda, while I didn´t speak to Alexandre this week cause besides (only) R$100,- his cellphone was stolen (again!). The violence of everyday life in Brasil...
Another thing related to violence is the manifestation I went to on Tuesday afternoon. I think I already told you this manifestion was agains violence towards women, while in the first 50 days of 2006 already 52 women got murdered by their husbands... Amanda told me that this number raised to 70 now already. Unfortunately I couldn´t stay very long, while it started in the late afternoon and I went there alone, so I had to get back on my own as well. As you can imagine, I am not so confortable walking the streets of Recife at night, especially on my own. But, I got a good impression of the walk and banners... they had signs with all the 52 names of the women who were killed and other banners with texts against violence towards women. When I came home I actually saw just a few seconds of the manifestion that was broadcasted on the evening news.
The next day, wednesday the 8th of March, it was International Women´s day. On the initiative of Dona Pedrina (the lady that ´rules´ the pension where I live - she acts like a mother to all the girls that live there), we celebrated this day with all the girls. That was so cute, all the girls gathered together at eight and Dona Pedrina came upstairs with a big chocolate cake, coke (coca cola ofcourse), guarana (another soda drink) and little gifts. On the refrigerater (?!) she put the text: Feliz Dia da Mulher.
Furthermore I did some more interviews this week, very long ones actually! There were some very interesting stories between them (although almost all of them have interesting things to tell us, their lives are so different anyway...). Let me think of some examples... We interviewd one man that openly talked about the past in which he drank a lot and was violent against his wife and betrayed her a lot. It is intersting how people tell us these stories in detail. This man changed his behaviour after he got evangelic. The church appears to be very valuable in the lives of many inhabitants of Caranguejo. We already heard some stories of people that changed their lives after they got involved in this church and ofcourse with God. In is interesting to see how they talk so openly about their past and about the positive influence of God in their lives... they seem to be evangelists themselves. We also interviewed a woman that lived together with 3 husbands of whom she all got a child and who all betrayed her with another woman. She changed her religion from being catholic to becomming evangelic and that´s where she the man that she is married to now. She is with him since 7 years now and he appears to be very jealous but a big help in the household, he´s taking very good care of her and all her children are really found of him... hopefully he won´t betray her...
The best interview was also the longest one, it took more than 3 hours! But it was so nice! We interviewed a man that must be the perfect husband (if you consider living in Caranguejo...). He is really devoted to his wife, she helps him in the household (they actually share the tasks, but now he has no registered work he has more time and does more) where most men say they help their wifes in the household. Furthermore he told us in detail about all his work experiences and about how he met his wife. It was really nice to listen to him and see how exited he was to talk about meeting his wife and how well he treated her! Wauw... Hihi. Both Amanda and I were so pleased after this interview, this is how men should be, not only when considering women´s empowerment...
This week I had my 19th interview, while I was planning to do 20 of them, I am on my way! Next week I will hopefully complete the interviews with the ´missing´ partners of three couples, which than makes 22 interviews! I am also planning to find other information at NGO´s and other contacts and organisations.
Today we were actually planning to go to the beach with the girls from the pension, but when I woke up at 7, it was raining... (and ofcourse only one of the other girls was awake although they were so keen on leaving at 7.30h... Brasilians and their appointments...). Anyway, we will probably go tomorrow. Instead of the beach I visited some sights in Recife Antigo with one of my new housemates. We bought some souvenirs as well! And, I made some pictures... although no digital ones.
Well, I think this is most of what I was planning to tell you... it is almost getting dark, so I will be going home soon.
Beijos,
Hil
While everyday has new surprises for me, here in Brasil, it is sometimes difficult to keep track of what I did, discovered or whatsoever. Anyway... let´s just start with another story about my unlucky friend Alexandre. Last Friday night I was really lucky not to be with him, while he got robbed another time. This time he was driving at night in his car from Boa Vista (a neighbourhood in Recife) to Olinda (where he lives). Suddenly on both sides of his car two motorcycles appeared and both drivers pointed their guns towards Alexandre. He had to stop, one of the men got into his car, the other drove before him. They drove through Olinda for about 4 hours, Alexandre with a gun pointed in his stomach, looking for ATM-machines. Many of these machines appeared to be broken, so the situation must have been very stressful. I heard this story from Amanda, while I didn´t speak to Alexandre this week cause besides (only) R$100,- his cellphone was stolen (again!). The violence of everyday life in Brasil...
Another thing related to violence is the manifestation I went to on Tuesday afternoon. I think I already told you this manifestion was agains violence towards women, while in the first 50 days of 2006 already 52 women got murdered by their husbands... Amanda told me that this number raised to 70 now already. Unfortunately I couldn´t stay very long, while it started in the late afternoon and I went there alone, so I had to get back on my own as well. As you can imagine, I am not so confortable walking the streets of Recife at night, especially on my own. But, I got a good impression of the walk and banners... they had signs with all the 52 names of the women who were killed and other banners with texts against violence towards women. When I came home I actually saw just a few seconds of the manifestion that was broadcasted on the evening news.
The next day, wednesday the 8th of March, it was International Women´s day. On the initiative of Dona Pedrina (the lady that ´rules´ the pension where I live - she acts like a mother to all the girls that live there), we celebrated this day with all the girls. That was so cute, all the girls gathered together at eight and Dona Pedrina came upstairs with a big chocolate cake, coke (coca cola ofcourse), guarana (another soda drink) and little gifts. On the refrigerater (?!) she put the text: Feliz Dia da Mulher.
Furthermore I did some more interviews this week, very long ones actually! There were some very interesting stories between them (although almost all of them have interesting things to tell us, their lives are so different anyway...). Let me think of some examples... We interviewd one man that openly talked about the past in which he drank a lot and was violent against his wife and betrayed her a lot. It is intersting how people tell us these stories in detail. This man changed his behaviour after he got evangelic. The church appears to be very valuable in the lives of many inhabitants of Caranguejo. We already heard some stories of people that changed their lives after they got involved in this church and ofcourse with God. In is interesting to see how they talk so openly about their past and about the positive influence of God in their lives... they seem to be evangelists themselves. We also interviewed a woman that lived together with 3 husbands of whom she all got a child and who all betrayed her with another woman. She changed her religion from being catholic to becomming evangelic and that´s where she the man that she is married to now. She is with him since 7 years now and he appears to be very jealous but a big help in the household, he´s taking very good care of her and all her children are really found of him... hopefully he won´t betray her...
The best interview was also the longest one, it took more than 3 hours! But it was so nice! We interviewed a man that must be the perfect husband (if you consider living in Caranguejo...). He is really devoted to his wife, she helps him in the household (they actually share the tasks, but now he has no registered work he has more time and does more) where most men say they help their wifes in the household. Furthermore he told us in detail about all his work experiences and about how he met his wife. It was really nice to listen to him and see how exited he was to talk about meeting his wife and how well he treated her! Wauw... Hihi. Both Amanda and I were so pleased after this interview, this is how men should be, not only when considering women´s empowerment...
This week I had my 19th interview, while I was planning to do 20 of them, I am on my way! Next week I will hopefully complete the interviews with the ´missing´ partners of three couples, which than makes 22 interviews! I am also planning to find other information at NGO´s and other contacts and organisations.
Today we were actually planning to go to the beach with the girls from the pension, but when I woke up at 7, it was raining... (and ofcourse only one of the other girls was awake although they were so keen on leaving at 7.30h... Brasilians and their appointments...). Anyway, we will probably go tomorrow. Instead of the beach I visited some sights in Recife Antigo with one of my new housemates. We bought some souvenirs as well! And, I made some pictures... although no digital ones.
Well, I think this is most of what I was planning to tell you... it is almost getting dark, so I will be going home soon.
Beijos,
Hil
