READY? GET SET....GO!

posted on: Saturday, May 24, 2008

I haven't been posting recipes lately because I haven't been cooking. I also haven't had any time to post anything. As my project proposal and qualifying exams approaches I have spent all the time that possible to prepare for it. I have been feeling exhausted, angry, stressed, incapable, stupid, and so many other emotions. I think exhausted is the most prevalent which intensifies all the others. I am excited about my project, don't get me wrong. I will be documenting farm workers in the Central Valley and their struggle to access health care. I think it's an important project and I seriously can't wait to start recording. The problem right now is the heinous writing that I have to do in preparation for the actual field work. I know it's important but it's still heinous. I woke up this morning feeling really down on myself and decided to look back at a previous project that I did in Bahia, Brazil. For the summer of 2003 I spend my time in the cacao region of Bahia living with and documenting the lives of families who had participated in Agrarian reform and were now planting and harvesting organic cacao. It was the most enriching and fulfilling trip of my life and until today I make an effort to keep in contact with the families that made the work possible. I think this summer will be great and I am excited to talk to farm workers and document their lives. However, between now and and a couple weeks from now when I will actually be doing my interviews I have to get this awful proposal out of the way and my qualifying exams conquered. In order to feel inspired and remember why I am doing this I decided to look back at some of the pictures I took from my time in Bahia and remember why I love documenting people.















7 comments:

  1. wow. those are amazing photos. it will all be worth it in the end. you're doing so well, damaris!

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  2. aloha damaris,
    i fell upon your blog via laiebeachcombers and have become a bit of a once a month regular.

    just wanted to let you know that your food and photos are fabulous. thank you for sharing.
    liz rago

    p.s. i knew your hubby when he was like 10 . . . maybe older . . . tell him "hi" if he remembers me.

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  3. I love the pictures. The nursing one is totally me and Zeke right now.

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  4. Being a working mom IS exausting!!....but accomplishing your goals will be so worth it. Liz also finished her schooling after Logan was born and I am so proud of her. I work in the business of healthcare-unfortunately that is what it has become...a business. It makes me so angry and I find myself talking about the few European countries that I think have a much better health care than we do. People actually stay in our hospital longer if they have better insurance!! Then, I have to remind myself of all the other good things our country does have to offer and provide for us. But the healthcare system would be great to write on. I would love to see your film.

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  5. Oi Da sou eu a Silvia, acabei de ler seu post a amei a historia da Bahia, vi as fotos e adorei. Com certeza sei que fez um trabalho maravilhoso e sei que vc se saira muito bem no seu ultimo projeto. Da vc me inspira com suas historias e seu jeito de viver sua vida, vc e muito inteligente e eu adoro ler suas historias tanto de outras pessoas ou de suas receitas.
    Beijos
    Sil

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  6. Your work is so very interesting. The kind of photo documentation and research interviewing you posted here is similar to the kind of work Mark and I want to do eventually. Get some sleep and hang in there!

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