is basically decorated like Christmas in the U.S. Which is a little difficult due to the lack of fir trees and snow in particular. But the Brazilians are a crafty bunch and they seem to make due anyway. The grocery store around the corner from our pousada is a prime example as they already strung a cloth fir tree (complete with large ornaments) in front of the main palm tree. That along with snowflakes from the ceiling and rope lights around the entrance and I am basically home. I haven't actually talked to a Brazilian yet who has touched snow but it does seem to be the main component of every window display related to Christmas. Santa (white of course) in a snowy land with holly, mistletoe and Christmas trees.
Yesterday I was coming back from a little work and had forgotten there was a soccer game on. The entrance to the pousada was full of men leaning forward in their chairs to watch Cruzeros take on Flamenco (and win with a last minute goal.) As I walked to our room on the third floor I realized that every room with people in it also had the sound of the game blaring from it. So everyone was either inside watching, in the lobby watching, or (Frances and I) leaving to watch over pizza (the store was closed again - Porto Seguro takes its sabbath seriously.)
I have been going to health posts to talk to the people in the waiting rooms about their origins and what brought them here as well as their jobs. I guess my research is suddenly taking me for a turn in a different direction. I'm not exactly sure right now but I am enjoying it. Though being in different health posts really opens my eyes to a lot of what goes on in the health system here. I hope that the U.S. can somehow figure out how to provide health care to everyone but it will be tough. Most people in the U.S. wouldn't be too excited about waiting in an outdoor waiting room at a health clinic or the hospital. Especially (the health clinic) one with dogs running in and being chased out by one of the secretaries. Here though, without these clinics (even ones with dogs hanging out) the great majority of the population (only ONE AND A HALF PERCENT of year round Porto Seguro residents can afford private insurance) would not have any access to health services whatsoever. (And ironically a lot of that 1.5% seems to be made up by workers within the public heatlh system.)
On another note...Brazilian men are making me cynical about the entire male gender. I know it isn't fair but it is hard not to be at this point. I keep waiting for one to prove me wrong. It weirds me out that you can't just be friends with guys here. It really just doesn't exist and any gesture of friendship thus tends to be taken as something else.
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the entire male gender? hello extrapolation! i think that you may have strayed from the yellow-brick road of statistical significance. you'd better hope professor pickard doesn't read this entry. he would be appalled. if you think i sound appalled, oh my GOODNESS, he would make me look jolly.
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