Now it doesn't make sense, of this I am aware. Heading to the far northeast of a country I have already been to when in a little over a month and a half I am to fly out of Santiago, Chile...in other words, I am not going in the right direction yet rather moving ridiculously far from it, all the while enduring days of bus and spending loads of money I am not so sure I should be spending. So why does she do it? You might ask. Hmmm...it goes something like this:
A few months back I started looking into possible opportunities for post-Buenos Aires, pre-California, came across a posting on helpx.net for a project called "Abracadabra" in Northeastern Brazil, shot them an email about my interest in coming to join them come November, but received an email back saying that unfortunately they weren't going to be on the farm until January. And so my search continued. I had remembered reading about a "neighboring farm" of Abracadabra, and it just so happened they too had a link. And so I came to learn of the non-profit called PURAVIDA. I wrote Elin, the lady in charge, fell in love with her spirit, and soon thereafter became increasingly intrigued and enthusiastic about their mission and vision. All I kept thinking was, "I want to be a part of this community!" and "I have to do this"- thoughts that are still on the forefront of my mind today. In brief...PURAVIDA is based on a cacao farm on the coast of Bahia, their primary focus being sustainable living, permaculture, and the creation of art and educational outlets for the local community. I am not entirely sure as to what exactly I will be doing, but I am ready and rearin' to jump right in to whatever projects they have going, get my hands dirty, and perhaps swing a machete or two...
(Oh, and a small world connection I must share: While Col and I were in Itacare, Bahia in March- just an hour or so from the farm, we became addicted to the cacao truffles traced with flavors like lime and chili that we found at the popular Middle Eastern joint...turns out those pieces of goodness were crafted by the loving hands of
fazenda Puravida! Insane, right?)
For a more detailed look at PURAVIDA, check out their blog:
http://puravidaonline.wordpress.com/about-the-ngo/ and take a peek at the photos that only lured me in farther:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22395023@N08/
And so it's happening.
Tomorrow I leave Buenos Aires and head north, breaking up the journey with a few days in both Iguazu and Rio. And then off to the cacao farm I gooooo...
Interesting how I came to South America with a plan to see the whole of the continent and I've only covered Brazil and Argentina (and not even all of them). Truth is, this landmass is far too large to take on in one full swoop, and I am certainly not comfortable with spending a few nights in each capital city just to say I've been there and done that.
Traveling slowly is something I've come to appreciate and
returning to places we've already been is a concept I am just now grasping. I find myself constantly falling in love with places and peoples, forced to tear myself away when the departure date comes round. I have to continually remind myself that despite all that has yet to be experienced in this world, in this life...that
it's okay to go back.
I left because I couldn't stop moving. I couldn't stop searching for the perfect place. That's the thing about travelers. We always have to see what's over the next hill. But someone once wrote that to leave is to die a little. So I came back to the place I left. And immediately I found my heart beating alive...I understood it was the waves that had pulled me back...waves like this never stop rolling in a person, just beneath one's awareness. The sea has a way of slipping us back to our beginnings, soothing a rusty place inside of us, to remind us of something. Like a secret trance, a forgotten calling.
From "Light on a Moonless Night" by Laurie Gough
In Rio, I stayed with Gabriela (fellow couchsurfer) at her apartment in the neighborhood of Botafogo. Spent a relaxed four days making smoothies, peddling around the city, and playing storytime with my loverly host.
Here in Itacare I am staying with couchsurfer Felipe ("Felipsters"), sleeping under a mosquito net on his dreamy little plot of land- a few of the trees to be found: banana, jackfruit, cashew, coconut, mango & avocado! Consuming loads of acai and coconut, hitching to new stretches of sand, and loving being in my swimsuit and knarled beach hair from sun up to sun down. 
It really feels good to be back in Brazil. And I must say, it's nice to be back in the land of the tight, the short, and the barely there...my spandex are no longer the source of strange looks and sooo not fitting in. Hallelujah! :)
