Hello - Olá

This is my first experience at blogging, can you believe it? I am told this sort of diary will be very much unlike the journal I kept when I was a teenager. For one, it is openly public and, most importantly, everything that is published here can become the starting point for a dialogue. In fact that is precisely the goal. That's why I'm inviting you to make comments, ask questions, add view points, agree with some things and disagree with others.

In short, I hope this blog will provide us with a few things:

- an informal communication space parallel to the official or institutional site of the community;
- an easy, dynamic and friendly way to exchange bits and pieces of thoughts, feelings, information that might be difficult to put anywhere else;
- an ice breaker, facilitating or mediating tool for all members;
- an incubator for other blogging experiences;
- a live record of the development of the Portulano community.

Enjoy it!