When it snowed where we lived in the US, we would often find a wall of ice and snow at the end of our driveway – sometimes as high as 8 feet tall. It had been created by the snowplow clearing the road. There was no way to get out. Just part of the way of life there.

Here in João Pessoa that snow is only a distant memory. And because we are on the tip of the NE peninsula of Brazil, jutting out into the ocean, we have breeze and cooler temperatures than one would expect this close to the equator. Temperatures in the hottest and most humid times of year are far more comfortable here than in Florida. The weather is pleasant year round – so much so that I can’t even say that I prefer one season over another.

Before we found João Pessoa, we had been uncomfortable about events and trends in the US, and had been looking for another place to be. We were leaning toward the southern hemisphere, since so much was going on in the northern hemisphere around toxins, radioactive explosions, global warming, and war, and as the earth spins it drags all that from east to west. So we investigated one country after another in South America, but everywhere we looked we found either climate or politico-social reasons not to live there. (more…)

I contracted Dengue last week on Friday (June 2007) and can truly say it’s the most awful illness that I have ever experienced. I’m through the worst of it and I can now sit up for as long as 5 minutes but really have to stay near the bed. The smallest exertion means a lie down.

On that Friday night, it was as if a cold was coming on except every bone in my body ached.

However, on Saturday morning my appearance had changed. My body was red and bloated and every hair on my head was standing up. My now bloodshot eyes were popping out of my head. I was sweating like a waterfall, all my bones ached and I had completely lost the will to move. I couldn’t talk, only mumble and mutter or burble. To make matters worse I had a headache, which was like someone pushing metal spikes in and out of my temples.

A neighbour was summoned who immediately whisked me off to Unimed. When I first entered the hospital, I was shirtless, red, swelling and sweating, my eyes protruding, my head lolling from side to side, hair standing on end and I was blubbering like a three year old. To boot, I was walking like a horse riding robot, sans horse. To cap it all, I exploded from both ends. I was completely without shame because I had no control so don’t be embarrassed when the unspeakable happens. (more…)