What can I say? Life is good when every day you wake up in
paradise, meet and work with amazing people, and fall asleep completely exhausted. So following with my usual routine when I’m
traveling, I’ve been slack with my blog.
It’s just there’s so much to do and see I’m not disciplined enough to
sit myself down in timeout for an hour and catch up. So I apologize. Let’s do some story telling.
Where: A fazenda by
the name of Meia Lua (Half Moon) located 10 minutes from the town of
Miranda. It is on the outskirts of the
Pantanal. The pousada is located on a
very large cattle farm and contains a kitchen, dining room, porch, pool, churrascaria,
and several guest houses.
When: I arrived two
Mondays ago to a place full of tourists, a churrasco, and a sink full of
dishes. I leave August 4th on
a night bus to foz de iguacu.
Why: I came here
because I wanted to explore the Pantanal at a reduced rate and also have a
temporary place to call home. I found
more than I could have imagined.
What: I am working as
a volunteer at the pousada doing anything they need. I work in exchange for a room and food and
also fun activities. I help a lot in the
kitchen, especially with dishes. When
you are cooking for 10 to 20 people dishes pile up FAST. If there were a certification program for
dishwashing, I would be a certified expert. I’ve also been able to work in the
Garden. They have this neat system where
you plant your garden so there are tall plants (trees), medium plants (like
corn and tomato), and then your smaller ground cover (like salads and
squash). I planted many seeds last week
and watered them everyday. This week I
have been able to see the fruits of my labor with many new little sprouts! It’s SO COOL!
People are going to eat from these plants that I planted. Why have I not been more involved with a
garden before. What is wrong with
me??? Anywho, back to the story. My
main priority is to communicate with the guest and act as a translator. This can be a bit tricky at times because my
Portuguese is really rocky but for the most part it works out. I go on activities with the guests to act as
a translator and guide. I sure had to
learn the animals and plants quickly! I
constantly stay busy but I’m loving every minute of it.
Who: This is the most
important part of the story. But isn’t
it always? It’s the people in our life
that make it rich. I was lucky enough to
have stumbled upon a pretty stellar group.
The farm is owned and run by Mirjam.
She is from Swizerland but has lived in Brazil for many years. She is extremely welcoming and takes great
care of her guests. The staff is small
and dedicated. They keep the place
running. There are two men who are responsible for taking care of the property
as well as guiding trips. They are both very nice and understanding of my
speech limitations. Last but not least
is the group of women who run the kitchen and clean the rooms. Their creative abilities with food are
limitless. I stick with them most of the
time and try to learn as much as I can.
Mariem is the only person who speaks English so my Portuguese skills are
really being tested! Last but not least are the tourists who are visiting the
farm. They all come from different
places and have great stories to share.
My experience would not be the same without them.
Why: I’m not really
sure what goes here. I guess I should
have paid more attention in English class.
But I’m going to go with… because life is beautiful!
There you go. A quick
catch up. A small rough draft of my time
here. But don’t worry. My story isn’t over! It’s just beginning.
Wishing you fresh coconuts right of the tree and toucans
outside your windows,
Kaylee
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