I have less than 24 hours left in Ribeira; sadly, by tomorrow at this time, I will be at the airport in Salvador, waiting to board the flight back to Rome. I have just one more night of listening to the buses rumbling by outside my window, just one more evening to see the sun set over the bay, just one more night to say goodbye to all the folks I have gotten to know in my almost eight weeks here. And, of course, just one more morning of hearing “BraaaasilllGaaaaaaasss” and making the trek on Marlene’s bicycle into Uruguai to say goodbye to all the people I met and worked with there as well.
I will not miss the noise, nor the dirty rainwater splashing up onto my pants, and I have to say that I think I am looking forward to being able to communicate again WITH EASE with those around me…however, at the same time, I am sure that when I am back in the relative quiet of Rome (because compared to here, Rome really is quiet), I will be thinking fondly of the sounds of voices outside my window, buses, and the music/publicity that blares from speakers on bicycles, speakers in cars, speakers in pushcarts (it’s a wonder these people aren’t deaf by now), and laughing at the memory of how so many people continued to persist in their efforts to speak to me, even though I repeatedly said to them that I had no idea what they were saying…
At the same time, I am a bit sorry that I didn’t see more of Brazil (or for that matter, even of Bahia, or even of Salvador!) than Ribeira and Uruguai BUT at the same time, since I did not come here as a tourist but as a volunteer, I am also quite satisfied with my time, because by staying put in one place and hanging out with the same people all the time, I actually developed relationships and friendships with them, rather than one-time conversations or encounters that would not endure. I feel, really and truly, that IF!!! (who knows?!) I were ever to come back here, I would have a “home” and that I would really be welcomed back as a friend of many. I think that if I had not spent the last nine months traveling around as a volunteer, living out of my suitcase and off of other people’s hospitality, I would be tempted to stay longer, but as it is, I have made what has been for me a big tour around the world, and I am ready to unpack my suitcases and move back into my home and my life as I know it again.
Many thanks to Roy for encouraging me to come to Salvador; thanks also to Pietro for his enthusiastic response to my emails, also encouraging me to come; a big big thank you to Marlene for her gracious hospitality, particularly each morning when I went knocking on her door seeking my morning coffee…
Teaching English here at ICBIE was just one part of the experience; just as important are the memories and acquaintances and friendships that resulted from being here…too many people and too many memories to write them all down in this blog. Suffice it to say that I am absolutely happy to have had the opportunity to be a part of this project, and I encourage anyone who has any interest in it, to try to get here and experience it yourself!
