February 16, 1835







The moon hangs in the sky and even as i write this it seems to glower over me in frustration. Being the writer that i am i take this is consideration as a warning, bad weather maybe? a dead fox? Something of that sort. You come to expect things like this when you live in a hut the size of an outhouse in the midst of early Latin America. It was only two days ago that i first set foot on the red soil of the dry cerrado. Why i ever chose to pursue my writing career and come here is something that puzzles me, and the fact that my husband let me come is something even the more puzzling. It’s gorgeous here and i couldn’t imagine being anywhere else. It was on September 7th 1922, that Brazil gained independence from the hands of the Portuguese, it’s amazing to see just how well off they are now after that time of war and bloodshed. The whole place is bustling for they are in the midst of a big coffee boom, and though i love coffee it’s sad to see that they use slaves to sustain their growing economy and demands.


There are other changes that i have not taken so kindly too though. Ever since the leave of the Portuguese, the power of the Catholic Church has diminished, including its patronage of the visual arts. So even though i am constantly supplied with as much caffeinated drinks as i would like, the decline of cultural production has kept me at bay as to what it is i feel towards this place. It seems everyone’s in a hurry to get everything back the way it was, but never stopping to realise that what it is that they seek is already gone. Time is tricky that way. But i’m not one to dwell on the negatives on life and so i can quickly put away my judgement and praise the long reign of Emperor Don Pedro II which is marked by a commitment to education and the arts. The transition to a republic, when it comes, is peaceful. The large numbers of Africans, the heritage of a long history mixed with us Europeans and natives, creates a population distinct from Brazil's neighboring countries. One that i am very happy to partake in.















- Catalina de Erauso