That thing I do
I'm doing that thing again. I'm doing that conference thing where I barely eat, I barely sleep, I smile incessantly and soak up the environment around me like a sponge in a desert oasis.
This morning began with an absolutely fantastic discussion on future seafloor mapping priorities for Brazil. We split into groups by our depth range of interest, and of course I went for the deepest one. Throughout the discussion, I picked up on the subtleties of how science works in Brazil. For example, a large majority of the funding comes from oil companies, and there are several long-standing issues surrounding the sharing of data. In an ironic way, oil exploitation has helped protect sensitive habitats from overfishing, and there are some knowledge gaps in what structures the benthic communities. It was an eye-opening discussion for me, and I wrote down everything I could.
After lunch, I teamed up with three other students from the conference to go see the city. Salvador sits on a peninsula, so we walked out to the end, where there is an historic lighthouse. The peninsula tip affords stunning, panoramic views to both the Atlantic Ocean and Tudos os Santos Bay, on the west side of Salvador. There are also several old Portuguese constructions in the area - a fort and a church, for starters. As we strolled along the boardwalk, I couldn't help but notice how many people were on the beach - a surprising number for a Monday afternoon. Of course, I've never seen the beach at its full capacity on a weekend, so maybe the sand-lovers out there today were just a dedicated few. I also noticed a number of large container ships on Tudos os Santos Bay. Salvador must be quite a busy port.
We stopped for a snack, and the two Brazilians in our little group asked if I had ever tried açia before. I shook my head no, because I had no idea what açia was. As it turns out, it's pretty similar to ice cream, but not quite. I'd compare it to a sherbet or a sorbet, and it is flavored, as the name suggests, by açia berries. Ours was served with sliced bananas on top and granola on the side. Following my companions' lead, I dumped the granola on top of the mix and took care not to shock my teeth with the cold açia. It wasn't as sweet as I expected, but the bananas made up for that. It had a nice, smooth texture, and I'd definitely eat it again.
Before we headed back to the conference venue for an evening cocktail hour, we made one last stop. My two Brazilian companions wanted to freshen up, so we went to their shared apartment. To make a long story short, I ended up the only gringo in a room of four Portuguese speakers, and I stunned myself by being able to follow the conversation. Granted, I couldn't contribute as much as I wanted, but I understood almost everything that was said. Brazil has a very open, relaxed culture, and I'm finding that even people I've just met are encouraging of a foreigner trying to learn their language.
My day finished with a social hour back at the conference, and I made sure to introduce myself to a few new people. One of my goals for this conference is to network like crazy, and I'm sure I'll walk away with at least a few solid contacts. For now, I'm riding high, fueled by adrenaline and science, breathing in every humid moment that Brazil has to offer.
This morning began with an absolutely fantastic discussion on future seafloor mapping priorities for Brazil. We split into groups by our depth range of interest, and of course I went for the deepest one. Throughout the discussion, I picked up on the subtleties of how science works in Brazil. For example, a large majority of the funding comes from oil companies, and there are several long-standing issues surrounding the sharing of data. In an ironic way, oil exploitation has helped protect sensitive habitats from overfishing, and there are some knowledge gaps in what structures the benthic communities. It was an eye-opening discussion for me, and I wrote down everything I could.
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| Farol da Barra, Salvador |
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| Açia |
Before we headed back to the conference venue for an evening cocktail hour, we made one last stop. My two Brazilian companions wanted to freshen up, so we went to their shared apartment. To make a long story short, I ended up the only gringo in a room of four Portuguese speakers, and I stunned myself by being able to follow the conversation. Granted, I couldn't contribute as much as I wanted, but I understood almost everything that was said. Brazil has a very open, relaxed culture, and I'm finding that even people I've just met are encouraging of a foreigner trying to learn their language.
My day finished with a social hour back at the conference, and I made sure to introduce myself to a few new people. One of my goals for this conference is to network like crazy, and I'm sure I'll walk away with at least a few solid contacts. For now, I'm riding high, fueled by adrenaline and science, breathing in every humid moment that Brazil has to offer.
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