Somehow I made my way through all of the correct customs
lines and collected my suitcase. It was a bit harder to figure out
where to check in my luggage, but through frantic traveler's sign
language, I made it to the Tam Airlines domestic flights check in. I
also unwittingly recieved my first Brazilian Portuguese diction
lessons. Apparently an "m" following a vowel is like a nasal French
sound so Tam is pronounced more like "Tan". Going through security was
so easy that it made me feel a bit awkward. I've gotten so used to long
lines and the stripping down, shoes off, belts off, small "liquids" in
a quart-sized bag routine. There were no lines and two security guys
who looked extremely bored. I waited for detailed instructions, but the
guy told me to just put my carry on on the machine and go ahead and
walk through the dectector. And that was it. It reminded me of a
simpler time.
From Sao Paulo to Salvador the flight was delayed
and pretty empty so I took the opportunity to finally get a bit of
sleep. As we flew further and further north, the sky cleared up and I
finally got a view of Brazil and the coastline. As we approached
Salvador, I was extremely excited. It looked beautiful from above- a
combination of tall white skyscrapers, tropical greenery, favelas,
and blue ocean. At the airport, the vibe was very different from
hurriedness of Sao Paulo- it was very relaxed and calm. The weather was
warm and humid and there were Baianas selling Afro-Brazilian food right
outside of the airport. I met some fellow volunteers at the airport and
we took a van to the volunteer house. It was a good first look at the
scenery and people of Salvador. There are some areas that are way more
developed than the average 3rd world country but the favelas definitely
outnumber those areas. Quite a bit of it reminded me of Ghana but
without the excessive vendors. I was happy to see that I could pass as
a local.
Our house was in middle class neighborhood and rustic,
but clean. I learned that I would be in a tiny room with 5 people. A
bigger concern was that there were 3 showers for 30 people. But I had
promised myself that I would be open to whatever was presented to me
and accepted the fact that I would probably not always smell good while
I was there. At dinner, we met some volunteers who had been in Salvador
for awhile and were returning from a soccer game. That night, most of
us went out to a bar called Nova Schina in the Barra neighborhood. I
find that it's good to go out when you arrive somewhere and you're
jetlagged. A drink or two can help you get some rest when your sleep
schedule is off. We had a good time getting to know each other and I
had my first caipirinha- the Brazilian national beverage. We also got
ripped off for the first time... when you go out in large groups with
other foreigners, they'll often sneak extra drinks onto your bill if
you don't pay attention. But all in all, it was a good first impression
and I slept soundly that night...
