Linnea and I arrived in Fortaleza after three different flights (one missed connection,) an unexpected overnight stay in Saõ Paulo and each missing a piece of checked luggage. We were very happy to be greeted by the lovely, blue-eyed Annie- director of Fairloom who informed us she was relieved that we weren´t the spandex-suited, high-heeled fashionistas that stepped off the plane before us. She was certainly mistaken- were the disoriented girls with too many overstuffed carry ons wearing what was, more or less, pajamas. Annie helped us get situated in our new humble, yet colorful surroundings and took off for a week in the Amazon and Salvador with her boyfriend, Jed. This past week has already offered a fair share of adventure. Despite some unsettled stomachs, mosquitoes that are especially fond of leaving big red welts on pale foreigners like myself and some larger than life roaches which we have declared war on- we are faring quite well. We fall asleep to the sound of the ocean in our hammocks and awake to the bobbins clicking away at Casa Culutral Arte e Vida (where we´ll be working) first thing in the morning. The biggest highlight of Fortaleza so far has been the people- we´ve been invited to dinner and capinheiras most nights and are constantly followed by an entourage of children who are very eager to show us the ways of their beloved favelah.
Pictured above is our street (Casa Cultural is on the left with the black writing, our house is directly across.) Pictured below is view from the bedroom window.
