Fighting like Cats and Dogs

Throughout my year in Venezuela, I felt like I was up against something a lot of times . At times, it seemed like it was me against the world (yes, I realize that this is an exaggeration, but it was quite easy to get caught up in it). In fact, there were even moments when I felt like a cat in the middle of a room of dogs. The phrase "fighting like cats and dogs" came to mind more than once while watching the news or seeing arguments in the street between political enemies. However, I learned that those differences do not have mean that you can't get along... take Nala and Pochi, for example.

Nala the dog and Pochi the cat

Wouldn't it be nice to set aside our differences, if only for a moment, and make an effort to achieve something greater?

Last week I was moved by the way that so many of my friends from all over the world and from all walks of life were posting updates about the Chilean miners' rescue. I heard on the radio about how this was finally a situation where everyone would win, not like a sporting event or competition where one side has to lose. I hope that my Venezuelan amigos can find their own ways to bridge the divide so that the cats and dogs finally stop fighting and unite to share in the simple joy of breathing in fresh air every day.

Life in Slow Motion

I returned to Ohio at the end of last week, but plan to keep writing in this blog to reflect on other aspects of my year in Venezuela, considering that even though the experience is over, I haven't stopped learning from it.

Since I've been back, I have had time to reflect on how Venezuela has affected every aspect of my person. One of the most striking differences I have noted in my personality is my level of patience. In Caracas, patience is a necessary quality, given the time one spends carrying out various and sundry (often mundane) tasks throughout the day. For example, it wasn't out of the ordinary to spend the entire morning waiting in line at the bank to make a deposit, nor letting four overflowing trains pass by before being able to squeeze into the subway.

On my way home from a job interview, I was slightly delayed because of rush hour traffic. I was surprised at how little it affected me. A year ago, I would've been extremely stressed in that bumper-to-bumper situation and it would've tired me much more. However, I became used to the traffic jams in Caracas at all hours of the day and night and Cleveland's rush hour pales in comparison. On the other hand, when traffic was flowing smoothly, I felt that I always had plenty of room and time to change lanes and maneuver safely and efficiently through traffic. It almost felt like the rest of the world was moving in slow motion.

Living in Caracas, in spite of its ups and downs, has made me a better person. One of the hardest parts of my reincorporation into American society will be to focus on those positive changes and try to learn from the difficult, more frustrating moments I lived through while there.

Radio Interview- Listen here!

I wrote awhile back about my radio interview for Propaz here in Caracas. Now, thanks to technological advances, you can listen to it in its entirety here. Happy listening!

Last day of class

I finally finished my second semester at the Universidad Central de Venezuela in July. The last day that we had our space seminar (see this entry), we had a small recognition ceremony with the head of the ABAE, a few of the presenters who came throughout the semester and other professors from the International Relations graduate program.

The class on our last day

Me with other professors from the UCV. At far right, in the white shirt, is Prof. Becerra. Behind him is the director of the ABAE, who graded my final paper. Next to him is another ABAE employee who gave a presentation on risk management.

After the awards ceremony

Road Trip to BAMARI

Back in May, I had a once-in-a-lifetime (at least for me) opportunity to visit one of the land control stations for the Venezuelan communications satellite, Venesat I. To give a little bit of background, I was in a seminar last semester about space exploration and space programs in an international setting. That is, how different countries and space programs cooperate, share information (or not) and some of the effects these actions have in international relations. Quite frankly, it was one of my favorite classes at the UCV.

Our teacher, Professor Robert Becerra, is probably one of the most intelligent people I know, especially in this area. He has worked in the Venezuelan version of NASA from the time it was just an idea, back in 2002 when it was decided that Venezuela needed to explore the idea of developing and launching its own satellite. Professor Becerra works in the International Relations department of the Agencia Bolivariana de Asuntos Espaciales (ABAE-Bolivarian Agency for Spacial Affairs). He drew upon all of his resources to bring us specialists in different areas of space and space exploration (technology, physics, risk management, history and the development of the Venezuelan satellite program, etc.) to give presentations during class and answer any questions we might have. Every week my knowledge of everything space-related increased exponentially. I will be posting more photos of the last day of class in another entry.

In an effort to give us more of a "hands-on" learning experience, Prof. Becerra took us to BAMARI (Base Aerospacial Capitán Manuel Ríos), a military base in Estado Guarico where one of the control centers for Venesat I is located.

We were given a very warm welcome by the people who work at the satellite station when we arrived and given a tour of the grounds. The only place we weren't allowed to go, the main control room for the satellite, was shown to us via video. We were even allowed to climb up and see the different antennas close up , which made some of us feel like kids again, as seen in the second picture.

Each of the antennas served a different purpose, whether it be send out the signal to shift the satellite's position, access a different signal (like DirecTV or Global Positioning), etc.

After the tour, we headed to the classroom/conference room to continue with a few other activities. However, nature called to some of us and we made a pit stop before going to class. When I went into the bathroom, I was glad that I understood the Spanish part of the sign that told me not to throw the toilet paper in the toilet, because the English part befuddled me.

According to wordreference.com,

extrude
A	verb
	1	extrude, squeeze out
				form or shape by forcing through an opening; "extrude steel"

I'll leave that for you to try to figure out! It didn't make much sense to me.

In the classroom we listened to a speech by one of the BAMARI/ABAE employees and did other activities, like constructing the satellite below. I somehow managed to finish mine successfully before anyone else (I used scotch tape, they used glue, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out how I got done first!) and got a reward in the form of Venezuelan chocolate- yum!

After the arts and crafts activity, we went to the hallway to participate in a team-building exercise. We were divided into two different teams and had to form a sort of human worm. After we got into position, the two teams raced to the finish while trying not to break the worm. It was truly a group effort, because if one person put in more effort than the person behind him, the worm would break. If a person was slower than the rest, the worm dragged. We were rolling on the floor laughing by the end, and the professor's point about everyone having to do his/her part had been made.

At the end of the day, we were tired yet satisfied with the day's activities. Thanks, Dr. Becerra and ABAE for helping make this day such a success!

"This is why the young people are leaving..."

A few days ago, El Nacional newspaper published a graphic photo of the conditions of a morgue in Caracas. The result was mixed, from outrage to quiet recognition. I have kept myself out of places like that and tried to avoid violent areas, but even so, I saw a cadaver on the side of the road one Saturday morning. A cadaver! I remember that we had to pass by that spot twice, so I was sure of what I saw. I was surprised by what I saw, but more surprised by the fact that I wasn't thoroughly shaken and haunted by nightmares. I just accepted what I saw as sad, and moved on.

No one, pro- or anti-government can deny that there is a serious problem with violence here. Anytime the topic is brought up in daily conversation, essentially every person has a disturbing story to tell, whether it be about something that happened directly to him/her or to a family member. I'm not going to share any of the stories; suffice it to say that most of the victims were not involved in illegal activities or anything of the like. They simply wanted to live a normal life. I don't think I will ever get to the point where I can understand this kind of violence.

Some people tell me that security and safety are a state of mind. I agree that how safe you feel and the way you live your life depends on your own perspective. But the facts don't lie- crime and homicides are widespread in Venezuela, which is very unfortunate for this beautiful country. I have grown to love a lot of things about this country and can only hope that they will find the way to move forward and make it a safer place.

Read this article for more information.

Hermano

I just saw the Venezuelan movie "Hermano" and will admit that it was a bit more than I had bargained for... but then again, it isn't the first time that I have felt that way this year. The movie is about two brothers who are fighting to get out of the poorest slums in Venezuela (and the biggest in Latin America)-Petare. Soccer is one brother's plan to get both of them out.

I'm not going to summarize the movie here, it really needs to be seen and experienced to be truly understood. I said before that it was more than I had bargained for because it hit too close to home. Throughout this year I have met different people who also want to "get out," whether it be figuratively or literally, and haven't been able to. Some of the people who study at my university are doing so in order to better themselves and provide for their families with one or two good jobs rather than four or five odd jobs. Other people simply do not see where they fit in in the current societal situation. Many have commented that they feel like they don't have an opportunity to grow and develop themselves personally and professionally here in Venezuela. but don't really have a choice. I can't begin to imagine the impotence they must feel.

It was one of those movies that taught me as much about myself as it did about Venezuelan life in Petare. The times that we have had to pass through Petare for whatever reason, we always did so fearfully, taking every possible precaution to make sure nothing happened to us as we drove through. We were suspicious of anyone who got too close. Forget getting out of the car. But as "Hermano" reminds us, the people living there are not monsters, they have just grown up differently than we have and have not had the same opportunities. However, I don't plan on driving down to Petare to lend a hand anytime soon, because I've realized that I really don't understand what life is like there and it would be pretentious of me to assume that I could make a difference without that understanding. "Hermano" gave me a glimpse into that world and boggled my mind, reminding me how much of the world I don't yet comprehend.

This entry is a bit scatter-brained because that's how the movie made me feel. Certain scenes keep repeating themselves in my head and I have a feeling they will for quite some time. I can't fathom having to go through what they did- one brother was abandoned as a baby and the other puts food on the family table with "dirty money," people they love are senselessly murdered.... I was not the only one who needed a tissue.

However, the message that shone through the whole movie was positive- the people that you care about are your family, and it is the most important thing you've got. That's the message I choose to take to heart.

Feeling Like a Kid Again

I never thought I would actually enjoy it. In fact, I thought it would disrupt my sleep and make me feel claustrophobic. That couldn't be further from the truth! In fact, I'll admit it- I love my mosquito net.

Right after I returned from a trip to Peru and Ecuador, I found myself about to be homeless, and frantically searched for a place to stay. Fortunately, my Rotary contacts came through for me, and I moved in with my good friends Pedro and Gina, who have a beautiful house and lush gardens and trees around it. I was a little bit nervous about the mosquitoes and other bugs that live in the gardens, as they tend to feast upon my foreign blood (it must be like filet mignon to them) and make me itchy for weeks.

Luckily, they have lived here for years and are well-prepared. I was instructed in the proper use of the mosquito net for my bed (make sure it covers the whole bed and doesn't rest on me, because they will bite me through the netting, check and make sure there aren't any bugs already in it before I go to sleep, and don't open it a lot if I get up to go to the bathroom) and tried it out. I slept like a baby the first night and felt this sort of power surge- the mosquitoes couldn't get to me! I fought the mosquitoes, and won, at least at night. This may not seem like a lot to other people, but it was a huge relief to be able to laze around under my mosquitero without a care in the world. Plus, it kind of felt like when I was a kid and constructed forts in the living room with chairs, sheets and cardboard boxes, something I haven't felt in a long, long time.

My "big kid" fort

The Calm During the Storm

Caracas has been more tranquil since I last wrote, which is a relief. When the rains started back in April, life calmed down again. Throughout the year, I've noticed that the city goes through a fairly rapid ebb and flow depending on different factors like the weather, politics, etc. It surprised me that I was able to perceive these changes so easily because normally one does not notice them when living in the midst of them. For example, a friend is much less likely to realize you just got a haircut if he or she sees you every day than if she hasn't seen you in six months.

Now that I've piqued your interest, what exactly am I talking about?

One change was obviously the rain because it was drastic- after a drought so severe it caused long-lasting wildfires and drastic energy cutting measures, the rains started to fall every day. Whereas before I wouldn't even need to worry about taking a jacket, now I had to make sure to pack an umbrella in my bag every time I stepped out of the house. I feel like my year here is coming full-circle because I arrived in the rainy season.




Caracas is returning to its lush, green self, which puts me in a more positive mood. I remember that through January, February and March I would look out the window at my university and wonder if the brown and yellow trees would ever recuperate. It's amazing what a little water can do for everyone and everything.

Tying up Loose Ends

It has been almost a year since I touched down onto Venezuelan soil for the first time. This place has made me grow, learn, experience and create in a way that I never had before. I haven't written very much in the last few months because just living in Caracas was enough to keep me occupied, both mentally and physically, especially in the last weeks of my second semester at the UCV.

Over the next few weeks I hope to do a little "catching up" and reflect on some of the different parts of my experience here that I haven't written about. I had to move for the second time and am now living with some amazing Rotarians who have been there for me the whole year, and even more so recently when I had nowhere to go. So for the few weeks I have left here in this unique country, I will be writing more in an attempt to tie up some loose ends and see if I can understand a bit more of this "mundo al revés," as some call it.

For now, I leave you with this picture, taking on a scuba-diving outing off of Margarita Island. If you can't tell, I'm the one in the middle. :)

Sapitos

Whenever it rains (which is frequently now that we are officially in rainy season), the air is filled with the hypnotic sound of what seemed to be crickets or something of the sort. At night their sound is like a metronome, lulling me to sleep. I was told by my friend Gina that they were "sapitos" ("little toads"), but couldn't believe that a little toad would make that kind of noise. Plus, even the locals insisted that they were "grillos" (crickets). One night as I was leaving Gina's house, I asked her again about the origin of the noise and she said she would prove it to me. We started to look through the plants by the door and found this little guy, who stayed in one spot long enough for me to collect the photographic proof.

Chávez offers a cure to children's insomnia

Want to know how to cure your child's insomnia? Have them watch his speeches, says the Venezuelan president. Read the article here.

The Return of the Macaws!

A few days after the first macaw sighting, I walked outside to find not two, but four macaws eating out of my neighbor's hand! The landlady told me that she's seen up to 8 out there at a time. And for those wondering, no, these are not domesticated macaws. :)

In the words of Chico Buarque, Brasilian Minister of Education...

Living in Venezuela has made me much more conscious of the changes that are occurring in the climate, and not just the aspects that have to do with global warming, but the natural processes that occur throughout the year, too. Because there are only two seasons here, wet and dry, it is fairly easy to tell in what season we are currently in. For example, when I arrived in September of last year, everything was lush and green because of the rain. By the beginning of 2010, the trees were turning yellow and brown from the lack of rain. Luckily, it started raining last month (we're now officially in rainy season again) and the country is once again full of flowers and greenery. The article I posted recently about the burning of lands by the Pemón tribes in the south of Venezuela has made me think more about the effects that we as humans are having on the environment. It brought up the question of if we should interfere in the affairs of indigenous tribes (or other groups) if their actions, in turn, affect others not involved in the situation.

Brazil has had its own problems in this area. The Amazon rain forests have been destroyed at an alarming rate, causing international conflict. The article refers to the forests as "the lung of humanity." Who should be held responsible for this destruction of these irreplaceable ecosystems, an issue that affects the whole world? Is it the responsibility of the country where the forest is located or should the forests be "internationalized" (that is, the international community as a whole would share the responsibility)? The following is an article with the transcription of a response to this question given by Chico Buarque, Brazilian Minister of Education, four years ago at a US university. I agree with the comment that it is still a topic of vital importance even though four years have passed.

Internationalize the Amazonia?

Brazil’s Amazon basin, some 360 million hectares cleaved by the world’s largest river, the Amazon, whose 80,000 kilometers in length is equal to the distance between New York and Berlin, holds the planet’s greatest biodiversity reserve. This unique, complex, exceptional ecosystem is a colossal Patrimony of Humanity. Should it be internationalized?

Cristováo Buarque

During a debate in a US university over four years ago, a young US ecologist asked Cristóvão Buarque, then the Workers Party governor of the Federal District of Brasilia and currently Brazil’s minister of education, about his ideas on internationalizing the Amazonia, so often described as the “lung of humanity.” It was then and still is a theme strongly sustained in Washington’s power circles.

The young man said he hoped Buarque would answer with the vision of a humanist rather than of a Brazilian. What he got was a response that was both Brazilian and humanist, one as valid and timely today as it was four years ago. As increasingly happens with such important and surprising messages, it has been repeated on various Internet pages, accompanied by the implicit digital sign, “pass it on,” it’s for everyone. Hundreds of groups, organizations, institutions and publications that present alternative ideas to today’s “single thinking,” most of them outside the United States, have already reproduced his response. Better late than never, envío is also helping to disseminate his brilliant and clinching message, which we strongly applaud.

“From a humanist perspective...”
“As a Brazilian I would always argue against internationalizing the Amazon Rain Forest. Even though our government has not given this patrimony the care that it deserves, it is still ours. As a humanist who fears the risks posed by the environmental degradation the Amazon is suffering, I could imagine its internationalization, just as I could imagine the internationalization of everything else of importance to humanity.

If, from a humanist perspective, the Amazon must be internationalized, we should also internationalize the world’s petroleum reserves. Oil is as important for the well being of humanity as the Amazon is for our future. The owners of the reserves, however, feel that they have the right to increase or decrease the amount of oil production, as well as increase or lower the price per barrel. The wealthy of the world feel they have the right to burn up this immense patrimony of humanity.

In much the same way, the wealthy countries’ financial capital should be internationalized. Since the Amazon Rain Forest is a reserve for all human beings, no owner or country must be allowed to burn it up. The burning of the Amazon is as serious a problem as the unemployment caused by the arbitrary decisions made by global speculators. We cannot permit the use of financial reserves to burn entire countries in the frenzy of speculation.

“Let’s internationalize all the world’s children as patrimony of humanity”
Before we internationalize the Amazon, I would like to see the internationalization of all the world’s great museums. The Louvre should not belong merely to France. The world’s museums are guardians of the most beautiful pieces of art produced by the human genius. We cannot let this cultural patrimony, like the natural patrimony of the Amazon, be manipulated and destroyed by the whims of an owner or a country. A short time ago, a Japanese millionaire decided to be buried with a painting by a great artist. That painting should have been internationalized before this could happen.

The United Nations is holding the Millennium Summit parallel to this meeting, but some Presidents had difficulties attending due to U.S. border-crossing constraints. Because of this, I think that New York, as the headquarters of the United Nations, should be internationalized. At least Manhattan should belong to all humanity, as should Paris, Venice, Rome, London, Río de Janeiro, Brasilia, Recife... Each city, with its unique beauty and its history, should belong to the entire world, to all of humanity.

If the United States wants to internationalize the Amazon Rain Forest to minimize the risk of leaving it in the hands of Brazilians, we should internationalize its nuclear arsenals, if only because the country has already demonstrated it is capable of using these arms, causing destruction thousands of times greater than the deplorable burnings done in the forests of Brazil.

In their debates, the US presidential candidates have defended the idea of internationalizing the world’s forest reserves in exchange for debt relief. We should begin by using this debt to guarantee that each child in the world has the opportunity to go to school. We should internationalize the children, treating them, all of them, no matter their country of birth, as patrimony that deserves to be cared for by the entire world. Even more than the Amazon deserves to be cared for. When the world’s leaders begin to treat the poor children of the world as a patrimony of humanity, they will not let them work when they should be studying, die when they should be living.

As a humanist, I agree to defend the internationalization of the world. But, as long as the world treats me as a Brazilian, I will fight for the Amazonia to remain ours. Ours alone.”

Retrieved from this website on May 10, 2010.

Rotary Las Mercedes- March 2010

Here you can read (in Spanish) and see pictures of the day I gave a speech to Rotary Las Mercedes back in March.

Visiting Macaws

When I walked out of my apartment building the other day, I heard what sounded like an army of macaws (I know their "rawk" very well by now because they enjoy the trees close to my apartment and I hear them all day) having a party. I could see some of the birds in the trees next to my building and across the street, but it seemed like they should've been closer for how loud they were. I turned around in the parking lot and saw them- there were two of them on my neighbor's porch! Apparently she leaves food out for them, and this day I even saw her come out and give them food from her hand. There was a little mini-doberman/chihuahua dog on a nearby porch that looked quite nervous. I paused to contemplate them and took this picture.

ProPaz's blogspot about the radio interview!

In the ProPaz blog, an entry was written about the show last Monday that I participated in. You can read the entry (in Spanish) here.

Radio Mi Condominio

Last Monday, April 26, I was invited to be interviewd on the ProPaz radio program on Radio Mi Condominio. ProPaz is an organization dedicated to cultivating peace not only here in Venezuela, but all over the world.

"La paz mundial no es una utopía. Consideramos que cada quien debe ser proactivo, desde sus pequeños espacios, desde sus realidades cotidianas, para conquistar el objetivo propuesto. Desde ProPaz hemos decidido contribuir, a través de la promoción de la responsabilidad social y de los derechos humanos." Presentación de ProPaz de su página web.

"World peace isn't a utopia. We feel that every person should be proactive in his or her small spaces and daily lives, to conquer the proposed objectives. We at ProPaz have decided to contribute by promoting social responsibility and human rights." ProPaz's website

The radio program started a few months back and is an hour long session on Monday afternoons, accessible via the ProPaz and Radio Mi Condominio websites. Last Monday, there were three of us there to be interviewed. Pedro Ramírez, who is also the president of Rotary Club Las Mercedes, was my interviewer. One of the other interviewees was Nelson Sanz, one of this year's winners of the Rotary Foundation World Peace Fellowship, which will enable him to study at the International Christian University in Tokyo, Japan. Joining him was Erica, a young woman who is in charge of the Model United Nations program at my university, the Universidad Central de Venezuela.

Nelson, Erica and Pedro during the interview

When asked how to best cultivate peace here in Venezuela, Nelson responded that education is vital in the process. Later, in my interview, I added that it's also important to be exposed to different cultures and peoples in order to begin to break down the prejudices that are so easily formed, but so hard to destroy. Pedro asked me about my impressions of Caracas, what motivated me to come to Venezuela and other aspects of my scholar year so far. He had told me before the interview that it would be just like a conversation between the two of us...with a whole lot of people listening in! He was right, and it was much less nerve-racking than I thought it would be.

The program went by so quickly I couldn't believe it when I saw our radio assistant, Flavia, waving her hand that it was time to wrap things up. The experience was very gratifying and I would most certainly be willing to partake in similar events in the future.

Getting ready to go into the room for my interview!

Pedro, Nelson and Erica, who were on the show for the first half.

Looking in from outside the soundproof radio booth.

All smiles because it was a total success!

Thanks Pedro, Nelson, Erica, Flavia, ProPaz and Radio Mi Condominio!

Farms and a Brazilian Steakhouse!

I was out in Valencia at a Rotary Conference (soon to be written about) and went out to meet a Portuguese friend (he's practically Venezuelan- he's lived here since 1986!) at his farm in San Francisco de Asis, outside of Maracay. I loved the feeling of being out in the country, away from the insanity and noise of Caracas. It was refreshing to be around extensive grassy areas and animals.






I'd never been to a chicken farm before, so this was a new experience for me. The cheep-cheep of the newborn chicks was therapeutic, as was getting to play with them a little bit.

This little one only weighed 35 grams because she just hatched the night before. The coloring on her head is from a vaccine that there are given immediately upon arrival. Noé told me that the chicks hatch at night at another farm and are brought to him the next morning, before their first meal. That way, he has total control over what they eat and their health.

Weighing the little one. Here you can see the first feathers that grow on the wings. Because of that, they don't stay for very long in these cages with the doors open.

Once in awhile they get a couple of outcasts...roosters! These little guys somehow made it into the mix of hens and will be separated soon. Obviously, for an egg (and not breeding) farm, it's not advantageous to have a bunch of roosters running around! Noé told me that out of the 42,000(!!) chicks that were delivered to him, only a handful turn out to be roosters, as seen by their distinctive markings.

"Run for it, guys!! Jump out here and save yourselves!!" is what it seems like these chicks are saying. Honestly, I felt bad for them, living their whole lives in cages... :( but found this image hilarious because it looks like they're trying to organize a break-out. :)


Apparently the practice as chicks pays off- this hen (that looks semi-rooster to me) managed to fly the coop!! But not for long... Noé is an expert chicken-catcher.

It took him less than 10 seconds to catch the runaway!

After our afternoon on the farm, we went to this amazing Brazilian "churrasquería," or steakhouse, Pare Stop Centro Turístico. I was way too busy being fascinated by the seemingly endless tables of food and waiters who kept coming by the table to offer us any of many delicious meats and even pineapple roasted with cinnamon and sugar. The latter was my favorite and I went for seconds- there's no better desert! And the battered-fried bananas were out of this world. There were tables of sushi, seafood, jamón serrano, cheeses, veggies and anything else imaginable.

The photo above is of one of our many waiters pouring us a shot of the Spanish liqueur "43". It was quite tasty, but VERY strong. Since it has to be served very cold, the bottle is frozen into a block of ice so that when it is being wheeled around on the drinks cart, it stays cold. By the way, he didn't spill a drop!

The photos on this blog show every different part of the restaurant except the sushi bar(!!) and the women's restroom. He comments that the experience to the steakhouse made him feel like Alice in Wonderland. Kudos to the blogger for a great entry! As you can see, Pare Stop is a must-visit for anyone coming to Caracas.

The Pemón in the Gran Sabana

Venezuela made the "front page" of the New York Times website today, and I found the article to be of particular interest because I was just in this region a few weeks ago. I will be writing an entry about my 9-day trip to Gran Sabana, but as I have probably 600 photos and a lot to say, it is a work in progress.

La Gran Sabana, or the Great Savannah, is a region inhabited mostly by the Pemón indigenous tribes. They live in circular mud brick homes with a type of thatch roof. Having been inside a few of them at the campground we stayed at (run by Pemón families), I can attest to how well they keep out the heat. Even the sun beating down on them (the same sun that made it necessary for us to regularly apply at least 50SPF sunscreen) doesn't make the temperature rise.

Pemón Houses at our Campsite

While we were riding back to Caracas, I saw many small smoke clouds. I was immensely curious as to what they were from. I just assumed that they were burning garbage, as it seems like it would be difficult to have regular garbage collection in some of the more remote areas (*random sidenote* Last weekend I passed by the huge landfill where all of Caracas' garbage goes, just outside of Santa Teresa and Maracay.). At one point we passed by a fire raging along the side of the road in the shrubs. A bit later, I saw signs forbidding fires in the area:"Let's respect the biodiversity." I was confused by all of this because in Caracas, the wildfires seemed to be accidental. I didn't know that in certain regions, the fires were intentionally set.

This article tells the story of the Pemón and how setting these fires is a part of their way of life. Make sure to check out the photo gallery, too. The Gran Sabana is definitely one of the most beautiful and unique places I've ever been. Soon I hope to share the photos and stories here!

Interesting...

The sign in the window says "Not for Sale." Were you thinking of putting in a bid?? ;)

I saw this on the way out of a parking lot and loved it.

Happy Birthday, Venezuela!

Today, April 19th, 2010, was the bicentennial of the writing and approval of the first declaration of independence of Venezuela. However, it wasn't until July 5, 1811 that they were truly independent from Spain. The signing on April 19th was significant in part because it helped political revolutionaries like Simón Bolívar, who is very much revered even today, rise to fame and help Venezuela achieve true freedom from Spain. In fact, the country was even recently renamed "The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela" in his honor and the airport now carries his name as well. You can read more about the 19th of April here (it's in English).

Last night at 12:00AM, I awoke to loud booms and bangs and, in my sleepy stupor, was kind of worried. I mean, it's not every day that one awakes to such a racket. Then, on a hunch, I looked at my cell phone and saw "19 abril 2010" and "12:01AM." Then it hit me that it was just a celebration. I ran to look out the window and was able to capture it on my camera.

Then this afternoon, I went to a ceremony that was both commemorating the opening of a new public square/gathering area in the Chacao municipality and honoring the 200th anniversary of the signing of the first declaration of independence. A local orchestra rehearsed a few songs while we waited for the event to begin and a group of local musicians played Venezuelan folk music. The event was delayed as we waited for the guests of honor (the local mayors, political leaders, etc) to arrive. They eventually got there... with a parade!

The mayor of Chacao (on left) and the mayor of Caracas

The mayor of Caracas speaking

Unfortunately, soon after we were forced to run for cover when the heavens opened up on us. After the rains ceased, we returned to socialize a bit. That was when I got to meet a few councilmen, a radio show host and even the mayor of Chacao, Emilio Graterón! He treated me like an old friend and made me feel very welcome in his municipality. In fact, everyone I met was very open and friendly, even though I had never met them before and was obviously not Venezuelan. It was a great feeling.

Me and the mayor of Chacao!

So all in all, it was an exciting day here in Caracas, drama-free and positive. Cheers, Venezuela!

To sauce or not to sauce....definitely no contest here!

Since I've been living here in Caracas, I have found that there are foods from home that I miss, as happens every time I travel. However, sauces are most certainly not a part of this list. Sauces are varied and abundant: I've never even heard of some of them!

I went to one of the Calle de Hambre (literally, "Hunger Street"), where there used to be lines of hot dog, hamburger and other fast food carts. In the last few years, there have been many improvements and now there are actual restaurants instead of the carts. I went into one of the restaurants with some friends and got to experience the best of the best, all potentially covered in 1,000 different sauces.

Auto Lunch Adriana- your friends' hamburgers!

The sauces that were out on our table when we arrived- were they enough to satisfy us?

He says "¡sí!"

This hot dog brings new meaning to getting it with the works! You don't even need to get french fries because it comes with potato chips already on it.

This stuff smelled like liquid popcorn with extra butter...

My hamburger had a ridiculous number of toppings- bean sprouts, egg, tomato, lettuce, cheese and I don't even know what else! But it was quite tasty.

After a hearty meal, my Rotary counselor, Katy, and I were quite content to show off the additional sauces we could've used if the ones on our table weren't enough.