Man, I feel like a woman!

Sorry, it was the first thing to pop into my head as I thought about writing.

This morning, I said goodbye to a team of 9 Brazilians from the Vila do Louvor base in Sao Paolo. I really enjoyed my time with them - laughing, eating, shopping and just hanging out.

I also really enjoyed the conversations I had with some of the team members. Being around the girls made me feel like it was okay to be feminine - not like I needed to be this hard-faced creature that walked the streets, having to protect myself. Being around the guys made me feel safe and protected, and they called out the beauty that I don't always notice is within me.

I love every chance I get to hang out with Latin American guys ... it reinforces my love for their culture and beauty. In my opinion, they seem more prone to find a woman that looks like me beautiful. They also are (in general) one of the few who (because of their cultural norms) can touch, hug, embrace and speak life to the untouched places of my heart without me feeling dirty.

Interacting with these guys was so different from the interactions I've had with the African men here in SA. They reminded me that there are guys out there whose attention I would actually want. It's tough to explain my objections to the men here to people who haven't known anything else, to whom the things that irritate me are normal. When I say there's a difference, most people who haven't lived it can't see it.

I was glad to have the interaction with them that I've had these last few weeks ... it reminded me that I am a woman, and that it's okay for a man to see me as one.