Dear reader, if you’ve read some text of mine, you know that I have a pessimistic view of reality, know that I do not see only one side of things because my personal experiences always lead me to conclude that there is nothing purely good or bad . Nothing can be reduced to a simple “black and white” formula and who reduces reality to this does not deserve my respect.

Favorite sport in the Brazilian summer

Maybe I have an ultra-romantic or decadentist spirit within me. Perhaps my cynicism is the most striking quality in me. Maybe I am as confused as the guy from the video “Believe” (Chemical Brothers). I do not know. Stopped to make psychoanalysis because I was getting tired of looking for answers that brought even more questions. It seemed that I was peeling an “infinite onion”, pursuing my own tail! And being disturbed as I am, a lot of things disturb me.

This beauty kills dozens every year

And one of the things that annoys me most is the nature. As a former friend said once “family and mountain are very similar because they are beautiful only by far, far away!”. For me the same applies to nature.

Typical summer night in Sao Paulo

I think the nature is wonderful, fabulous, something almost divine, however, appreciate the nature by far, because nature frightens me. Neither am I talking about hurricanes or storms, though this is a huge problem here, but of animals and plants that frighten me, as well as a dog frightens a cat.

Mamangava. What would be your reaction finding this thing in your neck?

Let me try to explain why this happens. I live in a country where the flora and fauna are exuberant, with a biodiversity that goes beyond the imagination of any human being. But, as there is an incredible diversity is a series of constant dangers. Did you know that is Brazil is the country where there is a the biggest incidence of lightning? The record was registered is in Sao Caetano do Sul, which reached a total of 280 lightning strucking the city in 3 hours! And yes, every year tens of people die because of it on the beaches, in cities, in the fields. Most lightning fall in Sao Paulo state, concentrating 30% of them. I had two neighbours who had the “big luck” to have their house hit by lightning.

What would be your reaction finding this thing on your bathroom?

But also, there is an army of insects and arachnids that are always on the lookout. I’ve been through some situations that turned me into a 5 years old girl. Once was travelling by car and a wasp entered the window and just within my clothes. Another experience with flying insects was when a mamangava (a giant bee) landed on my neck (by luck it didn’t bit me, otherwise I would be hospitalized). There is also my meetings with unexpected arachnids under my bed and a “lacraia” while I used the bathroom. And no, I don’t live near any forest, on the contrary, I live in a metropolitan area with more than 3 million people, the problem is that insects and arachnids are well adapted to Brazilian cities.

What would be your reaction finding this thing on your room?

Finally, Brazil is beautiful, but very dangerous. The dangers come from heaven, earth and water, there’s no way to escape them. Besides the urban violence that kills tens of thousands of Brazilians, there is the nature, which insists kill even more people.