Day 2 (by Tiffany Gelvez)
First day of fieldwork!
Today was the first day of real work with speakers of Baniwa, Neenghatu, Guarani Ñandeva, and Marubo. The day started by taking the subway to go to Museu Do Índio. It was a new experience for the students and the ride was quite enjoyable as the subway stations were clean, colorful, and spacious. A great highlight from the subway experience was the music played by the ticket machine after our prepaid cards were purchased. It certainly added excitement to the commute, since it is not everyday one can hear pleasant music after buying subway tickets!
Upon arriving at Museu Do Índio, the students were excited to see the inside appearance of the establishment. The main office was built similarly to a Guarani house, which contrasted very beautifully with the outside buildings neighboring the museum.
The students had the opportunity work with Sandra, Francy and Nelly who kindly helped the students become comfortable with their work. The work session went smoothly, students followed Lima and Kucerova’s questionnaires in order to start the data gathering process. After the morning session, everybody had lunch together in a typical Brazilian buffet before getting back to work at 2pm. The work day ended at 4pm, and then the students headed to a bohemian bookstore close to the museum where they learned about Brazilian literature.
The day ended with a group dinner cooked by everyone. Professor Lima made some delicious tapioca (also known as beiju) with different toppings; including Brazilian fresh cheese, avocados, steak, and glazed onions. The students and Professor Kucerova helped with the cutting of vegetables, organizing of the table and after-dinner cleanup. Day two was a day of hard work but amazing rewarding experiences.
Research Excursion Program 