Connections

Connections: Rotary, University(IESPES) and Pastoral do Menor:
Reflecting on the past three months of my Rotary grant stay here in Brazil, I would say “connecting things together, bit by bit; with patience” - this has been my mantra.

First I was assigned to teach a marketing class at IESPES, the local university here in Santarem. I encouraged the students to make marketing plans, and to think beyond the box about what kinds of businesses they could create on their own. My university students here are studying in the discipline jornalismo, many already are working for on-line or paper newspapers, local radio / television stations.

Then because of rotary connections, when I arrived in June I aligned efforts with a non-profit here called Pastoral do Menor. Through that organization, I worked with a group of unemployed women to initiate a microcredit cooperative - they would make purses from recycled plastic coke and fanta bottles and I would lend them the money to start (micro credit) and then work to export them to other parts of Brazil and the US. My students from my IESPES marketing class came to visit Pastoral do Menor, interview the women, appraise the situation and between us we have made up a marketing plan. So we will see what develops, we are doing a test run in September for selling the products in the US. (Fotos of women and students)

Special thanks to my friend Tish who came to visit me here in Brazil and support the Women’s Cooperative.!

Obrigada

I have many people to thank for my good fabulous stay here: Steve and Aurea, Gustavo, Karina, Ron and Vera, my Pastor de Menor family (Dona Ana and Gileci).

Things I Tried to Learn from Brazilians

- To walk graceful, like all Brazilian women (I never did take the course “finishing school” in my education, is it too late?)
- To eat without getting my fingers or mouth soiled, or leave crumbs all over the table (there is a reason you get only a very tiny napkin with meals here). Maybe less is more!
- That in spite of what misfortunes may happen in life, be patient, try to enjoy life with friends and family - more parties/festas! For It's Áll Good!

And so here is a picture of me with my new Brazilian ``digs`` and attitude!

More Thanks and Parting Thoughts on Brazil

• More thanks to my Quilombo (medical boat team) family for guiding me to not be a casualty but even a help to them, all the taxi drivers and tour guides I came across with their interesting views of what it means to be a Brazilian, especially Darlan –of Sao Luiz,; and last but the most important thanks to Ana, the maid at the Fundacao Esperanca where I was housed, who cooked and cleaned for me all the time. What will I ever do when I get back to the States without a maid???
  
  Things I understand now
  -why women wear platform shoes - to stay above the mud and dirt
  -why women never put purses on ground - because of bugs
  
  
  Best scenic destination, little known -Lencois in Maranhao (hundreds of clear blue mineral lakes in pristine white dunes on beaches - spectacular!)
  
  Things I will miss - hugs and kisses, gentileza - gente boa - such good people!, spirit of handling terrible things in life. I will miss all kinds of Amazon fruit we so not have in the US - graviola, cupuracu, caju
  
  Things I will not miss - bugs, heat, trash, noise (cars roaming about blasting political endorsements/advertisements from loud speakers)!
  
  Best thing Brazil has copied from the rest of the world– plastic chairs – durable can survive Amazon, anywhere, cheap
  
  Worst thing Brazil has copied from the rest of the world – Coca cola, Fanta. Gosh, Brazil has a delicious drink of its own – Guarana from real juice!