Hello, Goodbye.

Dearest friends,

In the last hours before I embark on my journey I want to say thank you for supporting me and loving me! In the past couple of days my stress has augmented to the point where I even forgot my password for this damn blog!!

Getting ready for Brazil has been hard. It's as if  I have been waiting for this my whole life and now that it is here I am scared. It's a funny feeling, being scared of the unknown.  I suppose most people go through this but as always I seem to think that I am exempt from these emotions, but ALAS I am not.

I am reminded of when I was 15 and leaving to France. It was a crazy time! I cried for maybe a week straight, almost turned around and came home upon arriving in Paris. But I stayed, and I loved it, and since then, France has become my second home.

I am now flying to a place that my ancestors and my father called home. I hope the people will accept me and I hope Brazil will love me, the way I have loved it for so many years.

I've been an admirer of Brazil since a young age, the wonder began with the way my dad's friends would talk, the tone in their voice, they way they danced. I love the way my step mom laughs, she does it so loudly it can only make you smile, and the women in Brazil and their beautiful hips... what's not to love? and the beans *yuum*, and the way of life!

The musicality of the culture, the love and warmth that can only come from Latin America.  So, im leaving my comfort in Oakland, CA and getting on a plane to MIAMI meeting 10 new people, a TA and a director and going into the heart of Brazil, into the depths of my dreams, and into an enchanted forest or two.

I'm anxious and I probably will not sleep tonight. Still waiting for my laundry to dry,  I need to walk around my apartment to make sure my pack isnt too heavy, but mostly I want to savor my last moment here with my love because I will miss him dearly.

Finally, let it be known that Brazil, I will soon be yours! I promise to love you dearly and honestly, and protect your land and serve you with the utmost respect and dignity. I love you and I do not even know you! I cannot wait to meet you and learn from you.

Goodnight.

L

Adventure Is Out There

Bonjour,

My name is Lazzuly, and I am a student, a traveler, a wanderer, a child, a sister, a lover, a nature enthusiast and a seeker of knowledge.

I am traveling to Brazil to discover my roots and discover the secrets of the lungs of the earth- the amazon and the other ecosystems that comprise the beautiful land of Brazil.

The premise of this blog begins like this:

You know those dreams you have as a child that seem far to idealistic? Well, the journey I am about to embark on is one of my childhood dreams! I am living my dream, I am traveling to Brazil to learn about its plants, and birds, and insects and the functioning of different ecosystems and interactions between species. And I hope to god- that with this experience I can gather the tools I need to be a future steward of this beautiful, wondrous world we live in.

I am reading this wonderful book " A neo-tropical companion" as a prerequisite to my program in Brazil and I am loving it! To imagine myself in a world where I need to stop for leaf-cutter ants to cross the forest floor, and steer clear of brightly colored frogs and snakes excites me. I am entering a world where touching a tree trunk can be dangerous because of ants, where plants contain compounds that can change the world (i.e cocaine, morphine etc), where people have lived for thousands of years in isolation from main-stream society... all this is fascinating and I cannot wait to see it first hand. It is so humbling to know that humans do not rule everywhere. We have power behind lies in this industrial society. Every action we take- no matter how cautious we are, is detrimental to other organisms. In the tropics the wilderness has the power- power and balance- there is no abuse of power. Be courteous and kind to the animals and plants and they will leave you alone! I cannot wait to be apart of that... that whole new world.

I hope you will join me on this journey and follow me through my adventures!!