No Bloco X... but New Hampshire or Salvador?

Finally got the word on Bloco X - there'll be no Bloco X rehearsal in Europe this spring! They had some kind of problem finding an available venue in France, then a "last minute scramble" in Germany but couldn't get a venue. Apparently it is not that easy finding a gorgeous venue for 120 extremely loud samba drummers for a four-day party, oops, I mean "rehearsal". They'll probably get together sometime later in the summer & they're already planning for next year, but nothing this spring.

So on the one hand, awwww, because I was really looking forward to seeing all my London friends and my Sambayabamba friends and my German friends and ... etc. But on the other hand - this opens up May and June for some other opportunities, particularly a quick trip to Salvador that I've been trying to squeeze in for about a year now. So I just checked plane fares: $695 from PORTLAND OREGON to SALVADOR BRAZIL, yes I said SIX HUNDRED AND NINETY-FIVE DOLLARS!! (For various two-week chunks of May and June.) wow.

I was shocked to realize that if just pulled up stakes and moved to Salvador for a month, I'd actually save money - the plane ticket is cheaper than my monthly rent in Oregon. (and I can stay free in Salvador, 'cause I have an apartment there with my friend Lisette.)

I can't quite swing a whole month there because of this pesky job thing that I have here in Oregon (I seem to have accidentally landed 3 part-time jobs for the summer - on elephants, birds and sea turtles; 3 grants got funded! who would have thought!), but, oh boy, it's tempting. Maybe if I just go for two weeks...

The other extremely tempting opportunity is the new Brazil Camp East in Windsor New Hampshire, June 7-13, brand new this year, from the same folks who run the fantastic California camp:
http://www.calbrazilcamp.com/bce/

... not sure if I can really afford either of these, but it sure is fun to dream. Just in case... last Sunday I started a money-saving experiment (my research question being : can I get through a week without spending any money at all? Not even a penny? Not even on coffee?). And I started selling off some of my possessions - my saddle, my old buddies Spyro the Dragon and Ratchet & Clank, a lot of Brazilian cds & dvds that I don't use much. Lightening the load. Basically if I haven't used it, or read it, or looked at it, in 2 years, it's outta here. I'm so intensely looking forward to the freedom of summer. I can't wait to be free again.... Just 3 more weeks of classes and then I am free....