Day 9 - Tuesday, May 26, 2009: The University of Vila Velha

by Laura Wakim

After catching up on our sleep, we met at UVV at 10:45 for a second day of academic lectures. Professor Antonio Marcos Machado delivered the first lecture titled: "Brasilian Economy and Culture." Professor Machado's presentation was a comparative juxtaposition of Brasil and the United States. He discussed the stark contrasts between the two nations. One of the most interesting and glaring differences between Brasil and the United States is the prison system. Generally Brasilian prisons are overcrowded one-room single-wide trailer sized buildings. In the United States, we have overcrowding, but not to the point where prisoners cannot lay down to sleep due to the lack of space. Professor Machado did an excellent job of articulating the history of Brasil and the United States and where the nations stand today.

The following lecture was by our very own WVU Professor John Taylor titled “Constitutional Protection of Religious Liberty in the U.S. and Brasil.” Professor Taylor led a conversation concerning freedom of religion. We discussed the lines that have been drawn by the United States Supreme Court concerning religious expression. We also had to prepare an article about the Brasilian Protestant minister Sergio Von Helde. Von Helde was convicted of criminal acts of religious intolerance after he “verbally and physically assaulted” a statue of Nossa Senhora Aparecida (Our Lady Aparecida—Brazil's patron saint) on television. Professor Taylor's lecture/ discussion made us realize the differences between how Brasil and the United States deals with religious freedom.

Professor Evelyn Opsommer of UVV presented a lecture entitled "Racial Issues: A Comparative Study of Brasil and North America." The lecture provoked a fervent debate regarding race in both the United States and Brasil. This was a conversation that we very rarely have in America and it was amazing to see all of the different perspectives come out of the debate.

Professor Michael Blumenthal then delivered a lecture: "Poetic Justice, Legal Justice: What the Poet and the Lawyer Might Have In Common." We read a few poems. My favorite was a poem about a juror sitting through a trial. It combines a real life situation with biting sarcasm most lawyers possess.

After a day of classes, we went to Shalom's apartment for a pizza party. The view from his rooftop was so gorgeous that Natalie, Katie, Matt, Penelope, Josh Nightengale, and I decided to take a walk on the beach right outside of his building. We saw night fishermen and little children with their parents walking along the beach on this clear and starry night. It still amazes me that when I look to the heavens I do not see the same sky that I do when I am in West Virginia. Brasil is such a beautiful place. I sincerely hope that I will be able to return to this marvelous country someday.