I don't really know where to start. Words could never recapture it. I have a lot of pictures from Bioconstruindo, so maybe when I get them uploaded, it will paint a better picture, so to speak. So much happened during Bio, it felt like I was here for a month. We learned and saw a lot, a lot more than any of us thought we would have time for. I'm glad because I, of course, wanted to see everything.We were all having premature anxiety attacks during the first two days of planning before the workshops began. Consensus building is a pain in the ya know, but dictatorship is worse, so, it went the way it does. We, all 200 plus of us, fianlly got signed up for the workshops we wanted, and then, after all that, we all floated like butterflies between them, not sticking to any specific schedule. Heehee. Sigh.

There were workshops on how to build with superadobe, adobe, cob, tijolo de pilao (compacted earth), tijolo de leve (a frame with wiring and filled with a mixture of earth and straw, etc), tijolo de armado (I helped make a cupola structure with bamboo--also can be made with rebar, kids), a boi-septico tank, took architecture with simplified calculus (I heart math!!!), made a bamboo picnic table, roof-top gardens. there was so much, I am definitely forgetting things. I'll fill in once I review pics. The last night of Bio we had an awesome festa with all the people and instructors, had a capoeira circle, drank caparinias with fresh passionfriut! What!!! Its a drink made with cashasa, a Brazilian rum made from fermented sugarcane. It's delicious! And, a wonderfully made mojito by our boy Gabrielle! Both so fresh and delicious! Oh, and there is a sugarcane squishing machine made of all wood on the premises. Totally rocks being able to drink straight, unrefined sugar, you have no idea. Then, we had an all night dance party and bonfire. I was told people thought I was possessed because they did not know I could bust a jam so hard core. Then I stayed up all night with three and a half other friends (the half went to sleep for an hour before he had to be up to make us breakfast--an employee friend). It was such a pain getting him up. Everyone who has ever helped get me up for anything, thank you, and I am soooooo sorry! Later that day, we went to a waterfall nearby, like 15 of us. There are waterfalls all around Pirenopolis. It's one of the main attractions in this region. It was a fairly decent heighth, with an awesome cliff base to jump from. So, I did. It was insanely cold. It felt great. I laid in the water, looking at the sky for a little while, letting my body go numb from the cold. Then, it was perfect. As I was laying there, a guy climbed over a slim, rocky area over to an extended log that was wedged between large rocks, boulders but not. He then balance beamed out to the tip and jumped into the center of the swimming area, where we all knew it was deep enough already. Of course, if he could do it, I could, right. So, I got out of the freezing water that I had only recently adapted to, and climbed over. Balancing was a b*tch! I hate heights that are on an edge. They freak me out. I don't mind being up high; I like it, even. However, edges, yikes. Only one way to live life though; always push the boundaries of your comfort zone. So, I did it. SO COLD!!!!! =:)

The next day, we went to a different waterfall (in Portugese, cachoeira). There was nowhere to jump off anything groovy, however, there was a cave you had to climb into to get to the waterfall. Then, inside, there was a swimming hole, surrounded by gigantic rock faces. It was beautiful; you can see all the layers in the rock face from the years of erosion. I love rocks. The swimming hole dumped out into a shallower swimming area. It was deep enough for a rope swing though!!! We ran into some of our other Brazilian friends from Bio there and chilled out (literally, also very cold water). I jumped around on the rocks, a favorite pasttime. We took motortaxies to the waterfall, hiked about an hour up to the waterfall, and walked on the way back. Walking was quite a ways, maybe another hour and a half. Walking from town to Ecocentre takes another hour after that. So, it was a very long day. In town, we got acai, which they serve really thick here, with honey and grains, and stuffs.

There's lots more, but I have to run to class! Love you all! Peace and Solidarity!!!! And Permaculture!!