The Adventure Continues...

Big Love to all the family and folks back in the Bay and beyond. It is our 2nd week here in Canoa Quebrada and the routines are pretty well established. Nuria is taking an early morning dance class while I am hanging with the offspring. We usually do some home schooling, eat a seconded breakfast and swim in the pool. By 10'oclock it is about 96 degrees in the shade, no joke! The mid-morning class Nuria and I are both taking. This week Frey is teaching a contact improv class called "Count on me". While we take class, the kids play with their new best friend, Lillyana, who is four. Her mom, Ruth, is one of the dance teachers. We have all made great connections and instantly offer each other support in the realm of child care.
Tonight there was a Capoeira and Samba class, followed by an amazing dinner. Ayamila got dressed up and had me paint her face like a "White Leopard" as the pictures show. Khalil Caetano styled his hair-doo with great attention to detail and put on a nice dose of glitter for the evening. Before all this, Nuria and I had some beautiful play time on the beach at sunset time. We practiced some partner flips and frolicked in the waves...pure bliss.
I am feeling deeply grateful for all I have been blessed with in my life. What an incredible gift the opportunity to travel and learn as a family has been. There is much more to come. Thanks for staying connected with us, please feel free to leave comments here on the blog or write Nuria, Giancarlo, Khalil Caetano, or Ayamila a personal e-mail, familiadaterra@gmail.com
love, peace and axe...

Week One in Canoa

Hi this is Giancarlo. We are enjoying our time here in Canoa Quebrada. The sun blazes all day long. The coconuts are sweet. And shade is very necessary. The dance classes with Frey Faust are mind expanding and body centering. As I learn a new way to move through space, I am creating new patterns. After ten days in Brazil I feel as though we are getting acclimated in creating a routine that works for the whole family. Khalil is deep in his studies and learning of the world around him. Aya has made a new friend named Lilliana who is also four. Nuria and I are continuously learning how to love one another and enjoy our lives together to our fullest capacity. I feel a deep gratitude for the opportunity to travel and learn and grow in this way. We both share the feeling of a familial connection with this community of dancers and explorers of the body/mind/spirit trinity.

Hello from Canoa quebrada. We are right on the ocean very close to the equator. It is so sunny and hot here we feel like dried meat whenever we are at the beach. The dancing is brilliant. It makes me so happy, I am taking a rope class, which is a new love. Aya and Khalil hang out during one of the classes, as Giancarlo and I are both dancing. the group of people here feel like family already. My friend Sri Louise, who I met at a festival in Maine 17 years ago is here, it is such a joy to see her again. I am including a photo of her, and the dance floor and the kids in a rede(hammock ) playing while we are in class. Aya wants Tutu bobbin to know that she loves her and she will be back later. She also really likes Auntie RiRi. does anyone know how I can get a video onto this blog. It all takes way too long.

life in the hotel

We sure do have some fun in our hotel!

last day in Bahia

Tomorrow we leave for Fortaleza and then drive to Canoa Quebrada 300K out of the city. This is where the Axis syllabus dancing begins. Tonight we are in Bahia, dancing and music, dirty streets and balmy air, tourists and cars. The kids are getting used to cold showers and fried chicken. We have not trained capoeira once. It feels sacrelidgeous, but between flight delays, jetlag and homeschooling we have had our hands full. Today we watched Olodum play in the street, we all loved it. more later

Our Entry

Our entry was a bit rough, or shall I say Perrrrrfecto. Our first flight was delayed which meant that we had to spend the night in Lima and then negotiate for further ticket changes. Of course GC's control issues got triggered, Mama Nuria's Adventure cravings got satiated and the Kids were well lets just say disoriented and amazing.

All of us, so Jett lagged and sleep deprived finally made it to Bahia. Here the Smells and sounds are familiar and distant. Both Giancarlo and I are reminded of our many adventures, now so far away. Being here as a family is about something different. Aya is making friends left and right, and Khalil is missing his friends back home. I will send photos when we get to a faster internet connection. Photos taken by Khalil too!!