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I need to write about 20 posts about California Brazil Camp this year.... starting with the phone call that I got while I was pulled off at a gas station in southern Oregon, from the director of camp, asking about maybe getting in touch with Dudu Fuentes to see if he could come up at the very last possible second. Mestre Jonas's US visa had been declined and Brazil Camp was scrambling to find another top-notch Rio bateria director who already had a visa and who could come up to the US for two weeks (with about 48 hours' notice). We wouldn't be able to find an escola mestre at such short notice; but how about a bloco director? How about one of the new blocos that does other rhythms besides samba. Enter Dudu Fuentes, my dear friend from Bangalafumenga.

Long story short, Dudu came and we all loved him and it was fantastic and it was one of the great high points of all my time at CBC. And I translated (badly but gamely) all week for Dudu - not because my Portuguese is so good (it SUCKS, it SUCKS!!) but since I pretty much know all the Banga repertoire already and knew how to explain certain of his hand signs and what Banga is and so forth. And I ended up staying 3 days extra into Week 2 and pulling into Burning Man three days late.

But like I said I've got to write about 20 posts about all that. OK, this is just a placeholder post, check back later for more!