Change of Plans

One of those things they teach you at DukeEngage Academy is about the differences in cultural perspective on certain values, such as dress and appearance, the individual vs. the community, and work habits and practices. But I've truly experienced one notion above all others during my time so far in Brazil. That is the sense of time and of planning. I've come to learn not to expect things to happen until they've actually begun happening. Naturally this comes as a shock to my American cultural upbringing, where strict scheduling and adherence to advanced planning are part of what makes society move with such efficiency.

Today, I learned that our trip to Rondonia, the Amazonian state, is once again delayed. This rescheduling is due to the fact that our contacts in Rondonia are currently on vacation, so leaving tomorrow would result in a pointless trip. How this news broke on the eve of our departure I am unaware, but I have learned to accept these hiccups as part of the experience. Now, the plan is to make our trip the first week of August, right before I leave on the 10th. Naturally, this concerns me because another delay will surely result in me not being able to go there, even though working with that region was the original purpose of my entire summer here in Brazil. But, as they told us again and again in the Academy, things never turn out like you originally expect.

Clearly, I'm disappointed with this news, but I have been assigned an interesting project to carry out over the next few weeks before we leave, so at the least I will be busy. This does, however, push up my timetable in terms of weekends I have left to make the trips I want to Sao Paulo and Rio. Tiago says we may be able to go to Rio this weekend or next weekend, and I hope this isn't just another one of the "plans" that gets delayed and revised.

The reality is that I'll be home in four weeks. Though that both seems like a little and a lot of time, I'll be very busy working during the week and (hopefully) traveling on the weekends. Hope you're all keeping well.