I would like to start this first entry by introducing myself and giving a general breakdown of my idea for this blog.
My name is Kirk Myers. I am a University of Pittsburgh undergraduate student majoring in Political Science with certificates in Global Studies and Latin American Studies. I am currently completing a year-long study abroad program in Salvador, Brazil and I would like to share my experiences in Brazil with this blog. I arrived in Brazil on June 26th, 2009 and will therefore be blogging about past events as well as current ones. This blog, if successful, aims to analyze, criticize, compare, and reflect on my experiences, travels, and insights into Brazil from an American exchange student’s perspective. Upon arrival back in the United States I hope to familiarize myself with the Brazilian community in Pittsburgh and whichever city I may find myself in.
The blog will not retain a set schedule or length and will usually be written in English but will maintain a healthy use of Brazilian Portuguese phrases and references. I will say that I hope to update the blog at least weekly. Lastly, I hope readers get as much enjoyment from reading this blog as I know I will have writing it. I look forward to hearing from all of you.
I wanted to start the blog with a concept that has carried with me throughout my study abroad experience. Since my arrival here there has been a fascination between the American exchange students with the word saudades. I think this fascination is justified because in English we really have no good translation that encompasses all the different sentiments behind saudades. To exemplify this idea, I would like to give a quick story that involves the usage of saudades and the general confusion associated in translating it for English-speaking visitors.
First of all, I need to give a brief background on my exchange program situation. The program I am doing is run through an organization that offers exchange programs for either 6 months or one full year. Since I am doing the full year program I have had to say goodbye to the first semester students that left in December and I have been able to welcome the incoming students in February. This story took place with one of the new students that had just recently arrived in Salvador in March of 2010.
A friend of mine and I were watching a soccer match one evening in the kitchen of my host stay when my host mom came into the kitchen to finish washing some dishes. While we were watching the game, I remembered that I had recently received a jar of peanut butter in a package from home. I wanted to offer my friend a peanut butter and jelly sandwich because I knew after 7 months experience that peanut butter is one of the most sought after foods from home that isn’t sold in Salvador supermarkets. Before offering the sandwich, I thought it was only respectful to ask my host mom before passing out the family bread to visitors. When I asked my mom I explained to her, as I had when I showed her the family-sized, economical jar of peanut butter when it arrived, that my friend like me, had saudades for peanut butter and really wanted to make a sandwich. Before I could finish though, my friend, interrupted me and got a little defensive about the whole situation. He thought it was quite over the top to say that he had such affectionate feelings for peanut butter that they could be called saudades. I explained to him that saudades can represent anything you miss, whether it be food or family but the usage just didn’t translate and he continued to deny to my host mom that saudades were what he was feeling.
I think this incident is a good example of the beauty of the word saudades in that it carries a variety of meanings and sentiments all packed into one word. It is also a perfect example of why I have been making the case to friends here that English needs to adopt the usage of the word. It is not something that translates in English and it is a lovely, practical, compact word that could be easily used in everyday lingo. If the English language can borrow déjà-vu from French then let’s embrace the acceptance of saudades into our language.
Email for direct contact: kirkdmyers@gmail.com
