Home: Weekly Photo Challenge

This weeks challenge was home.

Within my first week of being in Brazil, I was sure to scope out a favela. As I walked through, all I saw was beauty all around. The people and the houses were captivating. 

This was one of the most beautiful houses that I saw while in Brazil. The colors of the door, the bricks and the plants in this photo are absolutely lovely.

After returning to the hostel I decided to draw this house as a part of my drawing a day project.

Pay it Forward

Joinville from my window

We have all heard of various Pay it Forward (PIF) projects where you do something for people and they in return do something for someone else.

As a part of the US-Brazil Connect program I am required to complete a PIF project focused on culture or language. As an artist, I naturally chose to create and share some art. I am still working on this project and plan to for a little while, since my response to Brazil will be quite in depth and large and I still am not sure where it will go. I also expect my creative response to continue for some time.

My Project

I am creating artwork based on my experience in Brazil. Much of this work is in progress and still in sketch form. I have also been journaling a lot about Brazilian culture, my experience and Portuguese.
As of now some of the topics I am exploring include art, music, African diasporan culture, relationships between men and women, women’s roles, women’s beauty, religion, non-suggestive physical affection and more.

Joinville Rooftops

Artwork and Sharing

I created several drawings while I was in Joinville and had them in an exhibition in Brasilia for a month after. I am now taking these drawings and sharing them on YouTube and in my Blog. I will be uploading one or two short videos per day and creating a post every other week, so it is difficult to say when it will be finished. As I post them I will share them on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites.

How To Follow My Brazil Response

I also have linked several blog posts to US-Brazil Connect's website.

The part for this assignment that has been completed so far can be seen on my Art+ Blog and on my YouTube Chanel Felicia Follum. Check back regularly to see new additions. You can also see my art responses to India and other travel. Check in the side bar.

 

Esperar - To Hope: Quando as Coisas Não Funcionam

 

People in brazil have a strangely beautiful and amazing ability to wait patiently and maintain relaxed when things não funcionam.

I talked to a man on a bus about this. I pondered "eu não entendo como pesoas em brazil tem muitos patience. É muito interesante pra mim."

I'm pretty sure this man ended up missing his flight because the bus didn't come on time. Yet...

We calmly talked about brazillian patience, lack of function, and a myriad of other topics for over an hour (em Português, I might add). 

Em los estados unidos pesoas....grrrr (meu mao português at work here...)..." In the US we want our money back if we stand, waiting, almost two hours for food.

But, I suppose it is rare that we would ever wait that long in the first place. We refuse to pay and walk out long before the 30 minute marker. 

If something goes wrong we get angry and try to get the priority service we paid for. After all we either earned or deserve it.  

At the end of out conversation, I think this man and I came to the conclusion that Brazilians are used to things não está funcionando so there is "no problem" and a backup plan will come along so that eventually things will work out even if they don't work... But Brasileiros sabem that eventually it all works out and not staying relaxed doesn't help.

If you wait through, it will all work out, even if it doesn't function properly or work. 

Se você tem patience, todas as coisas vão funcionar, mesma que ele não funciona direito.

I will end this post with a message I sent my husband while I was waiting for a delayed airplane with some Spanish-speaking imagrants coming to Pasco to work...

"well a cool fact...Portuguese and Spanish both use the verb esperar. It means "to hope" but is used for "to wait" as well. So you are literally hoping for something or someone. I like it. I think it shows insight into the hopeful mentality and patience Latin Americans have...anyways back to hoping :) love you"

24 Hours: No English

Its been 24 hours and my brain is kinda freaking out. I'm exhausted and feel like I am a major pain in the ass because people have to explain everything several times and the tension and the frustration and knowing I'm bad at Portuguese is is making it more difficult to understand, speak and recal what I do know...

Por outro lado, eu gosto la experiência porque é unique e eu sai que eu vou crescer mas que todas las otras situações em Brazil. Eu vou aprender mais português. Os pesoas tem muitos patience comigo também. Elles são fantásticos. 

My portuguese is atrocious and its frustrating because I want to connect with people deeper but I can't because the words must be simplified so much. Even my thoughts in English are being dumbed down.

meus pensamentos em português são ideias complexas. Eu adoro la experiência é acredito que eu vou aprender muito coisas sobra la Brazilian cultura so observando. E eles falan que meu português é bom pra dois meses. E eu mais o menos concordo. Tenho muitos feliz e sorrisos quando uma convenção é swave. 

I miss home (mostly my husband) and I miss spicy food, eating with my hands and taking my shoes off indoors. I miss Laramie and am sad that there is a possibility that I may never return. I am sad that I'm not yet in Washington and I'm sad that Jim is stuck there without me.

Saldages é minha palavra favorite en la idioma português. E eu penso que é descritivo de a cultura beleza. Uma cultura com muito emoções linda e sentimental. As pesoas aqui é carinhosos e dulce. Eles pensam com suas emoções. E eu gosto disso. Tenho saldages pra meus amigos en Santa Catarina e eu terei muitos pra pesoas aqui, pierto de Brasília, e todo o país.

Challenges make you stronger.
Viagem é cultivo bonito. 

Looking at Brasilia

*I ended up going 5 days and it was amazing...eu tenho cinco dias sem inglês e é foi muito bom! Obrigada amigos Brasileiros! 

E mais uma coisa. Disculpa meio mal em português...Eu escrevi este no meu diário/jornal, depois de um mês de practca português :p 

For those of you who speak both languages...I didn't intend on the two different tones...it just happened as I journaled and switched languages...

Art Exhibition in Brazil!

I have been blessed with several incredible opportunities while here in Brazil!

One if the most exciting art opportunities I have had is this opportunity to be in an art exhibition with several local, extremely talented artists. The reception will be tonight!

You can see my drawings on the black panels in the background. I drew one a day while in the South of Brazil. Prior to coming to Brazilia, I spent one week in Foz do Iguassu touring and one month in Joinville working with US-Brazil Connect teaching English.

The artwork in the front is from some of the kids 300+ that I had in workshops while here in Brasilia.

I can't wait and will be sure to share more photos!

Exposição de Arte: Week 3

One evening a super close Brazilian friend took us to an art reception. The art was wonderful.

I really enjoyed watching Alex and the other Brazilians look at the work. 

It opened a window into Brazilian culture. Alex spent nearly 15 - 20 minutes looking at and thinking about a drawing in the first room. Though he may not have spent that much time looking at all the works, he did spend much more time than Americans. I don't think he ever made to the entire show. 

The idea of time and how we relate to it is very different in North and South American cultures and this certainly could be seen in the way we view our art.

This piece was one of my favorites.

I absolutely loved the experience and the space as well. It was in an old abandoned beer warehouse with walls that seemed to have been built for this specific show. (Though of course it's possible that they were site specific pieces.)

 I hope to return to see the other exhibition. 

I would also like to talk to some of the artists a bit as well.

Jungle Pick-Nick: Week 3

Wow today was such a great day! We had a pick-nick with our kiddoes in a jungle for US Brazil Connect. 

I have this strange fascination with banana trees and today was my first actual hike through trails lined with banana trees and tropical flowers. In the following weeks there were more gorgeous hikes to follow, including one to a gorgeous waterfall. I should have some good video from that adventure. 

I think I will get another chance to go on a hike before leaving this beautiful and inspiring country.

We played volleybal, ate, sang karaoke, and hiked a beautiful trail in the jungle. 

I had a blast on the bus ride and at the pick-e nick-e with my students.   

I will share a blog about what happens on the back of Brazilian school buses. But for now, check out my YouTube videos.

3 Countries in One Day: Day 3-6/7

We unintentionally ended up in Paraguay a few days ago. Which is kinda sad becuase of the ease of border crossing also equals the ease of human and drug trafficking...

Standing in Argentina looking at Brazil (rt.) and Paraguay(lft.). 

But I absolutely haf a blast in Argentina with a good friend and his family. And Paraguay was a wonderful experience as well...

My US-Brazil Connect Bio

 Felicia Follum is a watercolor artist who has a passion for using her art to work with people in culturally diverse environments. She currently teaches art, blogging, yoga, and very basic languages (Spanish, Hindi, and Sign Language) to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. And teachers private art lessons with “at-risk” youth. She would like to eventually have her own studio space where she creates and sells artwork and offers various creativity-based classes. Felicia’s significant travel experiences include Pine Ridge Indian Reservation (in South Dakota), Haiti, Mexico, and India. She is excited to spend time in Brazil and see what creative work and lasting friendships will come out of the experience.

To learn more about US-Brazil Connect, check out their website

Ask Me Anything Monday: Travel

I have been getting some questions as a part the US-Brazil Connect program that I am in. I thought it would be fun to answer them in blog post form...so here goes. Enjoy my "Ask Me Anything Monday" series. Feel free to ask about my life, art, or creative inspiration.

What places inside and outside of USA have you visited? 

Alright, Outside of the US I have been to Haiti, India and Mexico.

For inside the US I have created the map above.
I have been to 18 out of the 50 states. It looks like more since I have been to more of the larger one and fewer of the smaller states.