{"id":189,"date":"2014-05-26T09:34:52","date_gmt":"2014-05-26T09:34:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.oceanblogs.org\/futureoceandialogue\/?p=189"},"modified":"2014-06-05T07:40:43","modified_gmt":"2014-06-05T07:40:43","slug":"dragao-do-mar-ankunft-am-veranstaltungsort","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.oceanblogs.org\/futureoceandialogue\/2014\/05\/26\/dragao-do-mar-ankunft-am-veranstaltungsort\/","title":{"rendered":"Arrival at Dragao do Mar"},"content":{"rendered":"

German version: see below<\/em><\/p>\n

Breakfast at 6:30 a.m.; the container with the \u2018Future Ocean Dialogue\u2019 exhibition should be delivered to the exhibition center in the middle of the city at 7:00 a.m. Yesterday evening Jan from the transport company was sure. We can hardly believe it, since we have already had three days with our Brazilian guides Rebecca, Marianna and Rodrigo to immerse ourselves in the Brazilian \u201cway of life\u201d. Rebecca is from Fortaleza, Marianna from the South close to Itajai and Rodrigo is working as a teacher in Recife. All three are active in an NGO<\/a> that advocates the protection of the oceans. We are delighted to have such competent and broad-minded people working with us.<\/p>\n

In Brazil everything always works out, however, always somehow differently than anyone could have predicted. Just relax \u2013 that\u2019s the ticket. And so we are still sitting here and waiting. Now and then we get a message \u2013 it\u2019s going to take some more time. Now it\u2019s after 10. The temperature climbs to about 37\u00b0 C. \u00a0The exhibition room is sunny, there is no draft or breeze to cool it down; the wind doesn\u2019t come until midday.<\/p>\n

The Cultural Center Dragao do Mar<\/a> is a wonderful place, however, in the evening full of life with markets, live music and traditional dance performances. Students, families and groups of all ages and levels of education meet here. Topics involving the ocean are very popular. There is an NGO very near the center, Aquaris, which organizes \u201cCoastal Clean Up\u201d days, takes care of young manatees and carries out preservation activities. Anna, a young marine biologist from Portugal, showed us around the station yesterday and showed us the two young manatees, which are being taken care of up to 2 years here until they can be set free again. The population is threatened, is stagnating at around 500 animals. We also saw labs and a small exhibition in the station.<\/p>\n

11 o\u2019clock, a new message \u2013 the freight elevator, which we checked out on Friday, is out of order. Brazilian way of life! Plan B? Unload on the main road? The group gets in gear. There is a solution for everything. Another message. The technician for the elevator is here. We\u2019ll stay with plan A, unload at the freight elevator. But we\u2019re still not even sure how close the truck can get to the exhibition center. An electric cable is hanging low over the entire driveway. And the driveway is about 50 meters long and made out of bumpy cobblestones.<\/p>\n

12 noon. Now the truck will come for sure at 1 o\u2019clock. Jan, our transport partner here, contacted the driver directly. The group goes to eat \u2013 the noon meal is the main meal in Brazil. It is nearing 1 p.m.; the truck could be here any minute. The excitement is building and despite the heat we are on the street. Finally the truck arrives at 2 p.m.; a big relief for the group. All the employees of the exhibition center Dragao do Mar gather to watch. The Germans are coming with the container. It gets very busy; we have to get under the electric cable \u2013 high voltage \u2013 the truck with the container just fits in the driveway. The driver remains calm. Rodrigo, one of our guides, brings a couple of brooms and binds them together. Two men, Rodrigo and Emanuel, climb up onto the truck and try to raise the electric cable over the container. It works; a half hour later the truck is parked at the entrance. Some boards for an improvised ramp (the ramp we sent didn\u2019t make it through customs) are found and the first module is out of the container. In the meantime it seems that half of Dragao do Mar is here and looking at the blue boxes. The smaller boxes take the freight elevator up without any problem and our guides practice driving the lift truck. That\u2019s fun.<\/p>\n

The fun soon stops, though, with the big boxes. They are too high for the elevator. There is a solution for everything and this time it means taking the instruments and monitors out of the exhibition modules and tipping these on their sides. Heavy work for the German-Brazilian group: five men, five corners.<\/p>\n

Finally at 8 p.m. all the modules are upstairs. Wonder of wonders, everything seems to be in good shape. The boxes weren\u2019t opened at the customs inspection \u2013 thanks to the designation \u201cembassy goods\u201d!<\/p>\n

We go for a beer and are curious what tomorrow will bring when it comes to setting up the modules.<\/p>\n

Tired but in good spirits,
\nFriederike, Gerd and Emanuel<\/p>\n

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