And the road continues...

An update on my constantly evolving plans:

(Taken from a previous email, so obrigado and excuses to the original recipients)

Anyways, it’s hard to believe, I guess, that I’ve been in Brazil for a month, and this settlement for a little over 3 weeks. I’ll be here in this settlement for about two more weeks, which is really good, because I’m just getting to the point where I’m feeling prepared to get the work that I need to done. After that point, I’ll be heading from Eldorado das Carajas (get on google earth/map you fools!) to Maraba by bus, and then am going to opt for the 8 hour bus from Maraba back to Belem, as I flew last time, want to save some $$, and figure it’s a good way to see the country side-although I might cave in and fly after all (I’m basically just telling myself that if I take the bus I can rationalize treating myself to a sweet hotel on the beach for three days before I leave to process and get my shit together (in addition to writing more grant applications for next year! Before I come home…). Once I get to Belem, I’m going to try to rest for a day or two, while hitting some museums I didn’t get to last time, and then am going to meet with some scientist peeps at some research institutions in the city, and then go check out this other MST settlement, called Mosquero, which is on the coast near Belem. Belem is one of the main locations that people take boats down the Amazon from (Belem is where the Amazon empties into the ocean); it’s a 6 day trip down the Amazon from Belem to Manaus, from what I hear it’s pretty boring though, as you’re kinda confined to your hammock along with everyone else for six days…and honestly after five weeks of sleeping, typing, and playing mandolin I’ve had about enough hammock, so although originally, I had wanted to take a little vacation after my time in the settlement and take a trip down the might A…I’m going to have to pass this voyage.

For purposes of my research, which I can explain in more detail later, I’m then going to fly down to the far south of Brazil, to the state of Santa Catarina, where I’m going to spend about a week at a different MST settlement. The basic reason is as follows: so I’m generally interested in looking at the relationship between the MST’s educational program and changing agricultural practices, and the changes in landscapes (both cultural and natural) that occur as result of education and those changing practices; specifically, I’m interested in looking at the MST’s relatively recent emphasis on “agroecology” and how that is or is not affecting educational practices. All of which is a long introduction to the fact that in the South of the country, where the MST is based, and originated, and is the strongest, the agroecological curricula is supposedly very strong. In the North, where I am, which is apparently a locus of land conflict and much more frontier-like (yeee haw cowboy!) the educational program (in general) is much more diluted. To clarify, what I’m talking about is that the MST basically runs its own schools, although it much more complicated that that, as the government provides the majority of the funding and materials etc, but it’s the MST that gains the land, and starts the school and then the govt. comes in later and legitimizes it through resources (perhaps, that’s at least my thought), so there’s this conflict between teachers who are loyal to the MST (about 4 of them) and those who are just normal teachers trying to earn a living. Anyways, from my perspective this division between the teachers is much more emblematic of larger issues the settlement (and likely the movement as a whole) are facing in terms of basically maintaining allegiance after the members win their land rights.

Anyhoooo, y’all are probably sick of reading about my poop if you’ve even made it this far, but as that’s all I eat, sleep, and breathe around here, when I’m not playing the mandolin that is….I don’t have a whole lot more interesting things to say! Except that Brazil is a nice country, although very expensive in comparison with other Latin American countries-probably the most expensive actually, a little cheaper than the states, but not much. But the people are really friendly, and the fruit is great, and I’m really hoping to get some chance to explore all the great places that I know are hiding here….so get your asses settled, and then come on down here!