Different Places. Different Smells.

I've been up all night cleaning my room and finally trying to make it feel like home. Between being sick and the holidays I haven't felt like organizing my room. I think part of me wasn't ready to because I am so use to it being temporary. The last 4 years I only came home maybe a couple months a year and then would go back to Baltimore. I finally was able to clean out one of my suit cases from my trip but still have one left. I don't think I am still ready to empty it. I open it up and my clothes smell like Brazil. I remember when I was younger, when my cousin Nalita came to visit she had this same pleasant scent and as weird as it sounds..I'm not ready to part with it. The same thing happened when I was waiting at the airport in Atlanta on my way to Rio. Someone that was waiting to board the plane had this scent and it made me smile. So for now it will wait in the corner until I desperately need the clothes. Luckily since the weather is cold here right now I don't need most of it.

As I mentioned in the last entry, I've been watching a few different films about Brazil. The most recent being Manda Bala. It is a pretty intense documentary that tells the story of several different people from central Brazil. Their stories and struggles are centered around the corruption and violence that take place in many parts throughout Brazil. I found a lot of the information upsetting but not all too surprising. However, I was surprised by one major issue that was discussed in the film. It addressed the daily kidnappings that take place in São Paulo which was something I wasn't aware of. Often times it involves the victim's ear being cut off and sent along with a ransom that includes a taping of the victim's suffering. I couldn't bear to watch parts of it. I still am puzzled by the struggle among classes and the divisions among the wealthy and poor. I know that equality in the world can't really exist but at times it is hard for me not to hope. I mention this because this film depicted two different sides of these kidnappings. One being the victim and the other the criminal and after hearing both sides it almost made up for how terrible the act is because I began to feel for the criminal. But how could this be?