Bull Island Beach in the north of Dublin - Foggy Day

Yesterday I went to the beach. Can laught, but I didn’t go to swim or to stay under sunshine. I only went to there to see one more time the beach in Dublin in the summertime. It was completely foggy, I couldn’t see the sea. I felt as if I was entering the heaven or into cloud. But, at least I touched sand and saw how Irish people enjoy the beach on the really foggy day. Take your towel, put it on the floor, play with your kids and be happy! That's all! No sun, no sea, no suncream(I could say no ice-cream also, but surprisingly someone was selling ice-cream), no tan, no beach!It was strange experience for me!

Week's Word: Alterity

Sometimes we need to keep away from our native land to know things about ourselves, and about the “other”. It is called “alterity”, according to wikkipedia, “is a philosophisical term meaning ‘otherness’ strictly being in the sense of the other of two (latin alter)”. In other words, the alterity experience take us realize that never would have imagined or seen, due to our difficulty to fix attention or curiosity in simple things that is familiar for us.
I like this term, because I’m abroad almost three years and at the moment is the best term for defining my experience in Europe. I came from the so-called Third World(maybe not) for the First World(maybe yes) on 29 July 2006, specifically in Lisbon.
I really had a great alterity experience. The first one was the way to say salute with two big kisses on the cheeks. So, if you find ten people in the same time you have to kiss each one. Oh, my God, In Brazil I just used to kiss my friends. Besides this, I discovered bad things about me like selfishness and individualism. That time was my first contact with myself out my country. Another alterity experience happened when I met Brazilian people; It went like if I had looked myself on the mirror. I could see the likeness among us.
I left Lisbon one month ago and now I’m in Dublin. It is strange, because I have seen more likeness than difference. Fortunately, Irish people is outgoing, but is crazy to cross the street like my people; what's more the bureaucracy doesn't working. Also is a new experience about Brazilian people, because I’m trying to talk to them only in English.

And why am I talking about this word, Alterity? It is just a introduction to speak about a book, which name is “My Inventend Country - a nostalgic journey through Chile”. The author is a woman Chilean, Isabel Allende that has lived in the USA a long time. She became famous with your the first novel “The House of Spirits” (1982), in 1993 this book was adapted into a film, starred Jeremy Irons, Meryl Streep, Winona Ryder and Antonio Banderas.

The text continues next post...

“Silenciados” – A Play of the "Dublin Gay Theatre Festival”

Last May we had in Dublin the international “Gay Theatre Festival”, wich Oscar Wilde was kind of "flag". I went to watch a play with my housemates, a French girl and a Spanish girl. We were expecting to see something in English, but when I caught the program I read “Silenciados” (Physical Theatre) in Spanish. Silenciados? They don’t speak, because is physical interpretation… My friends burst in laughter. For few minutes we were frustrated. But, we had bought our tickets… We did not have choice. But, I must say that was a great experience, because this play used to a homosexual topic to make us think about discrimination, hypocrisy and difference in our life.
First, five handsome men are lying down on the stage covered for a big transparent plastic. The soundtrack begins very loud with Muse song “Butterflies and Hurricanes”. They left the plastic as if they were born at that moment. We could feel their excitation. This feeling was kept inside us during all the play. It is energy, sexual and real.
There were on the stage five characters: "a prisoner 1985 in Auschwitz, caught in a Pink Triangle; Octavio Atuna is a gay activist killed in a small town in 2004; Jesus Prieto is a gay Christian who is struggling with his religious and sexual identity; Paulina is a Guatemalan transsexual and the last one is Mateo Rodriguez, a victim of bullying".
Each one has his time in this play. And sometimes one actor use the own stage to change his clothes, you can see his back part naked. I think is an intentional way to make us realize how our body is natural , it is not something forbidden.
Silenciados is directed by Gustavo Del Río (director of Sudhum Teatro in Madrid) who also performs in a piece devised by the ensemble. The others actors are Pedro Martín, Juan Caballero, Nicolás Gaude, Rubén, Mascato and Samuel Valverde.

Sudhum Teatro Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/elparitorioteatro

Commentary about the law “Topless sunbathe banned” in Brazil

In my opinion, this law “feeds” the hypocrisy of the Brazilian culture. You can show almost parts of your body, but not all. You can’t do sunbathe topless, but you can arrange your bikini just to cover your nipples. I mean, this law is false, because it doesn’t have function. Is obscene to show your breasts? Why can you show your bottom with smaller under two-part bikini? Is it less indecent? I don’t think so… Is it to protect children; I don’t think so, because they are watching worse things on TV. I agree with “we believe in the right to show our bodies”. It is obvious, Brazilian people are already doing during at “Carnaval Party”. It’s really warm country!

My first sunny weekend in Dublin

Last Friday (29th May) it was a really great temperature, about 20 degrees. I was hopeful that I would have a good weekend with sunshine, and to wear a dress and sandals. But, something that I hadn’t imagined happened. I was going down stairs and suddenly I fell down the stairs in my house and hurt myself. I got a swollen-foot, I couldn’t walk. Unfortunately, I had to spend all day in my bedroom last Saturday. I have fallen down stairs before, but I have never hurt myself. This time I injured myself because I had my laptop in my two hands and I didn’t drop it. So, you know…
After two days I went to hospital. The secretary asked me where I was from and said to me: “Because you are not European you have to pay 250 Euros”. She asked me what was my religion and how old I was. I had to wait 4 hours to do an x-ray and to consult the doctor that asked me where in my foot was aching and if I had fallen before.
Fortunately, she told me that my foot was not broken and I just had keep it up.