I have been home about 5 days and here are a few things that initially hit me hard when getting off the plane:
-Everyone is so WHITE
-So many overweight people
-I can understand every conversation! weirdddd
-Buildings and roads are so clean
-When I greet someone and try to hug them/kiss them they aren't quite as accustomed to it :) Opps!
-So much green space
-Fast food everywhere
-So much wasted energy in my house
-I have too many things
So far, it has been a pretty easy adjustment. I think this is partly because I have already spent so much time reflecting and thinking about my experiences that I understand where I am coming from and where I am going. I know there will be some rough patches adjusting back into this culture after being away for so long, but I hope to remember all my initial impressions to better understand the culture I live in.
July 21, 2010
There is a season for everything
Like they say, there is a season for everything and it was time for my time in Brazil to end and to rejoin my family and friends in Illinois. I would make this a long reflective blog, however, I feel like I have done enough reflecting and I'm just pumped to be home. As you can tell, I had the time of my life, but I have also come to value a lot of things from home that I used to take for granted. Grass, corn, clean streets, driving, and country music are just some examples :) However, though I am leaving Brazil, I am taking with me some things that I love about the culture and hope to integrate into my own life in the US:
1. Keep it simple. Simpler lives are happier lives
2. Don’t forget to help others
3. Live without stress… or at least try
4. Don’t pre-judge, sometimes after you get to know someone they are much different than you first thought
5. Bread and cheese for breakfast… mmmm!
6. Walking whenever possible
7. Meet new people whenever possible
8. Energy conservation! Unplug everything that is not being used, don’t waste anything
9. Keep practicing Portuguese
10. Keep in contact with Brazilian friends
11. Last minute trips with no planning usually end up being more fun!
12. Hug and kiss more =)
13. Just DANCE! Doesn't matter if you are good or not.. just do it!
14. Remember the value of family
1. Keep it simple. Simpler lives are happier lives
2. Don’t forget to help others
3. Live without stress… or at least try
4. Don’t pre-judge, sometimes after you get to know someone they are much different than you first thought
5. Bread and cheese for breakfast… mmmm!
6. Walking whenever possible
7. Meet new people whenever possible
8. Energy conservation! Unplug everything that is not being used, don’t waste anything
9. Keep practicing Portuguese
10. Keep in contact with Brazilian friends
11. Last minute trips with no planning usually end up being more fun!
12. Hug and kiss more =)
13. Just DANCE! Doesn't matter if you are good or not.. just do it!
14. Remember the value of family
My tattoo
So my third to last day in Rio, I may or may not have gotten a tattoo ☺ Don’t worry, it wasn’t as rash as it sounds. I have been thinking about it for over a year and I felt like Rio was the place to do it.
It is the design of the Christian fish. Back when Christianity was outlawed in the Roman Empire, Christians lived under great fear. When meeting someone for the first time, to discover whether the other was a Christian, they would casually draw an arc in the sand in the shape of the upper swoop of the fish. If the other recognized the symbol, they would complete the lower swoop of the fish to indicate they were also Christian and the two would talk about their faith without fear. If the other was not a Christian, the swoop in the sand caused no suspicion and they easily erased it with their toe.
Under the fish, it says “Prov 3:5” in beautiful old script. The verse is the following:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways, acknowledge him, and he will direct your path.”
This passage has many meanings to me. First of all, when I was a child, my parents used to sing this proverb to me whenever I was upset. I chose to put it on my foot as a calming reminder that God is guiding my steps. All you need to do is trust Him. When I was confirmed, I chose this passage as my confirmation verse. Not only that, but Jesus taught us to be “fishers of men” and this serves as a reminder of that. Now, not only does it remind me of all of this, it also reminds me of my time in Rio and of the friendships I made there.
And let me tell you, the mere experience of getting the tattoo is a memory to go down in the books. I went to “Helio’s Tattoos” in Ipanema, which apparently is pretty famous. The guy that runs the place, Helio, is one of the most eccentric and artistic people I have ever come across. First, he called us into his small workroom to talk while he was painting a huge tattoo on a naked woman’s back. No one seemed to mind and he just kept working while we chatted. Then, while we were waiting to he brought my friend and I into a small room he came out to watch youtube videos of bossa nova to “unwind.” He also showed us his photography and took pictures of our eyes to add to his collection, which he wants to make into an art piece someday.
Finally, after about 2 ½ hours of waiting, brought us into his workroom and put in a music video of tango and turned off the lights as he chatted to us about his life as a former alcoholic and about his beautiful family. The tattoo itself hurt a bit, but not as much as I thought it would. It only took 20 minutes or so and he did an amazing job. Afterwards, he showed us pictures of his family and then began explaining to us how Spiritualism encompasses all religions. He talked about that for the next 10 minutes and even gave us a book on it. Did he realize he just put a Christian symbol on my foot?
Needless to say, I couldn’t have asked for a more memorable experience.
It is the design of the Christian fish. Back when Christianity was outlawed in the Roman Empire, Christians lived under great fear. When meeting someone for the first time, to discover whether the other was a Christian, they would casually draw an arc in the sand in the shape of the upper swoop of the fish. If the other recognized the symbol, they would complete the lower swoop of the fish to indicate they were also Christian and the two would talk about their faith without fear. If the other was not a Christian, the swoop in the sand caused no suspicion and they easily erased it with their toe.
Under the fish, it says “Prov 3:5” in beautiful old script. The verse is the following:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways, acknowledge him, and he will direct your path.”
This passage has many meanings to me. First of all, when I was a child, my parents used to sing this proverb to me whenever I was upset. I chose to put it on my foot as a calming reminder that God is guiding my steps. All you need to do is trust Him. When I was confirmed, I chose this passage as my confirmation verse. Not only that, but Jesus taught us to be “fishers of men” and this serves as a reminder of that. Now, not only does it remind me of all of this, it also reminds me of my time in Rio and of the friendships I made there.
And let me tell you, the mere experience of getting the tattoo is a memory to go down in the books. I went to “Helio’s Tattoos” in Ipanema, which apparently is pretty famous. The guy that runs the place, Helio, is one of the most eccentric and artistic people I have ever come across. First, he called us into his small workroom to talk while he was painting a huge tattoo on a naked woman’s back. No one seemed to mind and he just kept working while we chatted. Then, while we were waiting to he brought my friend and I into a small room he came out to watch youtube videos of bossa nova to “unwind.” He also showed us his photography and took pictures of our eyes to add to his collection, which he wants to make into an art piece someday.
Finally, after about 2 ½ hours of waiting, brought us into his workroom and put in a music video of tango and turned off the lights as he chatted to us about his life as a former alcoholic and about his beautiful family. The tattoo itself hurt a bit, but not as much as I thought it would. It only took 20 minutes or so and he did an amazing job. Afterwards, he showed us pictures of his family and then began explaining to us how Spiritualism encompasses all religions. He talked about that for the next 10 minutes and even gave us a book on it. Did he realize he just put a Christian symbol on my foot?
Needless to say, I couldn’t have asked for a more memorable experience.
World Cup Madness
The past month and a half, the city has been alive with World Cup madness. Fifa set up a huge TV on Copacabana beach where I (and thousands of others) watched the majority of the games. It was interesting hearing the Brazilian perspective of the Brazilian team compared with the international commentary. For example, many Brazilians told me they didn’t think the team was strong enough to win because the coach hadn’t selected some of the best players to play for the national team. Coach Dunga was a controversial choice because he likes his team to play very regimented and technical, much different than the energetic flair of Pelé that Brazilians pride themselves on. Also, the strong rivalry with Argentina was never more prominent than when Argentina lost to Spain? After Brazil had already been knocked out. By celebrations that took place after the game, you would have thought Brazil had won! However, quickly after Brazil lost, the city returned to normal and seemed to completely forget that the World Cup had even happened. The hype is already beginning for the 2014 World Cup in Rio!
June 26, 2010
More reflections
A job application I recently completed asked me some thought provoking questions reflecting on my time abroad. This is one of the questions (and my answer) that I found really personally rewarding to answer.
How did your experiences affect you personally, professionally, and academically?
It is hard to put into words how my experiences in Brazil have affected me, but here is my best effort. Academically, I took classes in Portuguese, Community Development, Brazilian Foreign Policy and Social Political and Economic History of Brazil. As a Psychology and Political Science major (with minors in Latin American Studies and Portuguese) these courses were very interesting to me because they aligned directly with my passions. Specifically, I really enjoyed my course on Brazilian Foreign Policy because I learned how to think about world events from a completely different perspective. This class included students from many countries, all of whom had different perspectives on current world events and policies. I also found it very interesting to learn the Brazilian perspective of US actions such as the war in Iraq and interventions within South America. I was constantly comparing articles I read in the New York Times to articles in Brazilian newspapers, which told the story of the same event in different ways. Overall, I learned that in the academic world, you must always consider your cultural perspective when analyzing anything.
Professionally, I learned that I would enjoy living and working abroad. However, I also think it is very important to learn the language of the place you are living. I can’t even count how many times Brazilian’s attitudes towards me completely changed once they realized that I was learning Portuguese. So many doors were opened to me when people saw that I respected their culture and was making the effort to learn their language. I also learned that I do not think I would like teaching English long-term to children. I certainly enjoyed my experience but was surprised how difficult and draining it is to teach children. Perhaps I would like to teach adults after more training. Finally, I took the opportunity to visit the American Consulate in Rio to speak with a State Department official about employment opportunities. I learned about many opportunities to work abroad and plan on looking into jobs with the State Department and other US agencies that work internationally.
Personally, I grew more than I thought possible. When my mom visited me for the week, she commented on how much more confident I seemed. In general, I think that I learned the importance of a simpler and less stressful life. This is something that really struck me when I first arrived because people do not have any “extra” things that they don’t use in their homes or in their lives. They value everything they have, which is something I know that I could certainly work on. Also, for my Community Development class, I visited several favelas around Rio with classmates who live there. They showed us the realities that these people face, both good and bad, and I learned the importance of using whatever you have to help others. Most of my classmates were on scholarships to study at my university and some commuted more than two hours each way to get to class. They did all of this happily because they felt blessed to have the opportunity to go to college. They also planned to return to use what they learned to better their communities. I hope to keep these lessons with me to wherever I go from here.
How did your experiences affect you personally, professionally, and academically?
It is hard to put into words how my experiences in Brazil have affected me, but here is my best effort. Academically, I took classes in Portuguese, Community Development, Brazilian Foreign Policy and Social Political and Economic History of Brazil. As a Psychology and Political Science major (with minors in Latin American Studies and Portuguese) these courses were very interesting to me because they aligned directly with my passions. Specifically, I really enjoyed my course on Brazilian Foreign Policy because I learned how to think about world events from a completely different perspective. This class included students from many countries, all of whom had different perspectives on current world events and policies. I also found it very interesting to learn the Brazilian perspective of US actions such as the war in Iraq and interventions within South America. I was constantly comparing articles I read in the New York Times to articles in Brazilian newspapers, which told the story of the same event in different ways. Overall, I learned that in the academic world, you must always consider your cultural perspective when analyzing anything.
Professionally, I learned that I would enjoy living and working abroad. However, I also think it is very important to learn the language of the place you are living. I can’t even count how many times Brazilian’s attitudes towards me completely changed once they realized that I was learning Portuguese. So many doors were opened to me when people saw that I respected their culture and was making the effort to learn their language. I also learned that I do not think I would like teaching English long-term to children. I certainly enjoyed my experience but was surprised how difficult and draining it is to teach children. Perhaps I would like to teach adults after more training. Finally, I took the opportunity to visit the American Consulate in Rio to speak with a State Department official about employment opportunities. I learned about many opportunities to work abroad and plan on looking into jobs with the State Department and other US agencies that work internationally.
Personally, I grew more than I thought possible. When my mom visited me for the week, she commented on how much more confident I seemed. In general, I think that I learned the importance of a simpler and less stressful life. This is something that really struck me when I first arrived because people do not have any “extra” things that they don’t use in their homes or in their lives. They value everything they have, which is something I know that I could certainly work on. Also, for my Community Development class, I visited several favelas around Rio with classmates who live there. They showed us the realities that these people face, both good and bad, and I learned the importance of using whatever you have to help others. Most of my classmates were on scholarships to study at my university and some commuted more than two hours each way to get to class. They did all of this happily because they felt blessed to have the opportunity to go to college. They also planned to return to use what they learned to better their communities. I hope to keep these lessons with me to wherever I go from here.
The American Stereotype
US stereotypes are not only caused by the President and leadership, but by the impressions that others get of American’s living in their countries. I have experienced two types of Americans living abroad. The first type, are those that come to the country to really learn the culture, participate in every aspect of daily life, absorb themselves in the opportunities, and really respect the people. The other type, are those that give Americans a bad name. You know the ones. Loud, obnoxious, and disrespectful (with or without intentionally doing it). In Brazil right now, it seems to me that more and more type 2 kinds are coming to scout out business opportunities. With Brazil’s economy growing at 5% while the rest of the world is still climbing out of the financial crisis, investors are seeing the personal benefits that expanding into the Brazilian market brings them. Although some of these people really do mean well and give back to the communities they live in, others are, in my opinion, just continuing the ancient practice of imperialism with a new modern twist. They give little thought to the damage that they are doing to the people there.
For example, I recently visited Rocinha (the largest favela in South America) with my Community Development class, led by several people in our class who live there. Our first stop was the top of the morro where we wandered into a bar/restaurant/pool table lounge/car repair shop/owner’s home to talk to the man who owned it about this particular area of the community. He told us that after the recent heavy rainstorm and flooding that caused mudslides within other favelas, the government was using the opportunity to “relocate” over 13,000 families from this part of Rocinha to the outskirts of the city. The government claims it is for the people’s safety, but this man told us of a different reality. He said that the people that built these “houses” piled one on top of the other, are the same people who also often work for the Brazilian government as construction workers and have built most of Rio. They know what they are doing and the structures are sound. He said that the government is hoping to relocate these people so that they can sell the property (with a perfect location near the tourist areas and gorgeous view of the whole city and beaches) to make room for a high-rise hotel. In fact, the government closed the school for “safety reasons” that served to educate the local children. Now, the government argues that the people there are living in a dangerous area without access to education and that they should move to a “better” environment an hour and a half away from where they currently live. The community is currently organizing efforts to rebuild the school out of their own pockets to make it harder for the government to kick them out.
Many foreign businesses are beginning to see the areas that favelas now inhabit (often with the best views of the city) as moneymakers and are trying to take over the property. These enterprising individuals often don’t realize how much damage they are really doing, and only see the personal gain.
I guess people in developing countries are used to being used. One brazilian asked me “so you are just learning Portuguese so that you can get a good job back in the US, right? Will you ever come back?” Of course I will be back. You probably won’t be able to get rid of me now ☺ But this is not the sentiment that they expect.
My host mom is always so surprised and impressed when I leave “Zona Sul” where I live and visit friends in less affluent parts of the city. She told me about another girl who lived with her for some time and never left this area. She described the girl as “very very American.” “What do you mean by that?” I asked, and then she realized her mistake. “I’m sorry but many American’s I have met are very closed-minded and only see what they want to see.”
The American stereotype abroad sucks. For this to change, it not only takes a change in foreign policy at the upper-most levels of government, but also the change in attitude of those millions of Americans living abroad. Can we change it? Yes we can ☺
For example, I recently visited Rocinha (the largest favela in South America) with my Community Development class, led by several people in our class who live there. Our first stop was the top of the morro where we wandered into a bar/restaurant/pool table lounge/car repair shop/owner’s home to talk to the man who owned it about this particular area of the community. He told us that after the recent heavy rainstorm and flooding that caused mudslides within other favelas, the government was using the opportunity to “relocate” over 13,000 families from this part of Rocinha to the outskirts of the city. The government claims it is for the people’s safety, but this man told us of a different reality. He said that the people that built these “houses” piled one on top of the other, are the same people who also often work for the Brazilian government as construction workers and have built most of Rio. They know what they are doing and the structures are sound. He said that the government is hoping to relocate these people so that they can sell the property (with a perfect location near the tourist areas and gorgeous view of the whole city and beaches) to make room for a high-rise hotel. In fact, the government closed the school for “safety reasons” that served to educate the local children. Now, the government argues that the people there are living in a dangerous area without access to education and that they should move to a “better” environment an hour and a half away from where they currently live. The community is currently organizing efforts to rebuild the school out of their own pockets to make it harder for the government to kick them out.
Many foreign businesses are beginning to see the areas that favelas now inhabit (often with the best views of the city) as moneymakers and are trying to take over the property. These enterprising individuals often don’t realize how much damage they are really doing, and only see the personal gain.
I guess people in developing countries are used to being used. One brazilian asked me “so you are just learning Portuguese so that you can get a good job back in the US, right? Will you ever come back?” Of course I will be back. You probably won’t be able to get rid of me now ☺ But this is not the sentiment that they expect.
My host mom is always so surprised and impressed when I leave “Zona Sul” where I live and visit friends in less affluent parts of the city. She told me about another girl who lived with her for some time and never left this area. She described the girl as “very very American.” “What do you mean by that?” I asked, and then she realized her mistake. “I’m sorry but many American’s I have met are very closed-minded and only see what they want to see.”
The American stereotype abroad sucks. For this to change, it not only takes a change in foreign policy at the upper-most levels of government, but also the change in attitude of those millions of Americans living abroad. Can we change it? Yes we can ☺
June 10, 2010
And they told me Rio was dangerous... what about Champaign?
In the last semester, I have received many crime alert e-mails from University of Illinois about robberies and assaults that have occurred on campus at various times during the day and night. And they told me Rio was dangerous…
On that note, I wanted to talk a little about crime here. Rio has a reputation for being a city full of street children and drug traffickers who are always on the prowl. Although the city certainly has its fair share of crime, I am surprised how different it is from my preconceptions. Before coming, I was told not to bring anything valuable because it WILL get stolen. While it is best to not have much on you while walking around the city, it really depends on your location.
Residents of Rio are very aware of the city’s rep as a dangerous place and are working hard to change that perception. From my experience, as long as you stay in places that aren’t super touristy and are smart and aware of your surroundings, you probably won’t have problems. However, things happen regardless of how safe you are being. Two of my friends were walking around Lagoa (a big lake in the center of the city) at 3pm one afternoon with a guy friend and 3 or 4 teenagers robbed them at knifepoint. There were plenty of people around and they weren’t wearing flashy clothes or anything. Things happen. Most of the time, all they want is money. They aren’t trying to hurt anyone. Just give it up and you will be fine.
I also get this vibe that many people (especially wealthy Cariocas) live with a constant feeling of fear. When I told my host mom about some of the awesome things I’ve done and seen that are certainly “off the beaten path” (aka: in poorer areas of the cities), she was dumbfounded that I even considered going there. I have experienced this reaction by many other upper-class people as well. However, when talking with middle or lower-class people, they respond much differently. To them, it is their community, their home, and they feel safe there because they understand the environment. When I visit these places, I am always with people who live there or know the area and I sometimes feel MORE safe in these areas than in the richer parts of the city where many poor people are hanging out in hopes of getting some quick cash.
Overall, yes, Rio has a lot of crime, but not a significant amount more than other cities in Brazil, or in the world. In my opinion, we need to cut Rio a break. This reputation for crime is quite exaggerated.
On that note, I wanted to talk a little about crime here. Rio has a reputation for being a city full of street children and drug traffickers who are always on the prowl. Although the city certainly has its fair share of crime, I am surprised how different it is from my preconceptions. Before coming, I was told not to bring anything valuable because it WILL get stolen. While it is best to not have much on you while walking around the city, it really depends on your location.
Residents of Rio are very aware of the city’s rep as a dangerous place and are working hard to change that perception. From my experience, as long as you stay in places that aren’t super touristy and are smart and aware of your surroundings, you probably won’t have problems. However, things happen regardless of how safe you are being. Two of my friends were walking around Lagoa (a big lake in the center of the city) at 3pm one afternoon with a guy friend and 3 or 4 teenagers robbed them at knifepoint. There were plenty of people around and they weren’t wearing flashy clothes or anything. Things happen. Most of the time, all they want is money. They aren’t trying to hurt anyone. Just give it up and you will be fine.
I also get this vibe that many people (especially wealthy Cariocas) live with a constant feeling of fear. When I told my host mom about some of the awesome things I’ve done and seen that are certainly “off the beaten path” (aka: in poorer areas of the cities), she was dumbfounded that I even considered going there. I have experienced this reaction by many other upper-class people as well. However, when talking with middle or lower-class people, they respond much differently. To them, it is their community, their home, and they feel safe there because they understand the environment. When I visit these places, I am always with people who live there or know the area and I sometimes feel MORE safe in these areas than in the richer parts of the city where many poor people are hanging out in hopes of getting some quick cash.
Overall, yes, Rio has a lot of crime, but not a significant amount more than other cities in Brazil, or in the world. In my opinion, we need to cut Rio a break. This reputation for crime is quite exaggerated.
There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living. -Nelson Mandela
I couldn’t be more happy with my choice to come to South America. From the language, to the music, the history and the culture, everything is SO different from home. I feel like studying in a European or other westernized country would have made my experience vastly different. As my semester is winding down, I’m trying to scratch off the last few things I still want to do here, but I am realizing that I have sucked the morrow out of this experience. I have done things I did not even know existed, learned a language that at one time seemed impossible, seen the best and the worst of Rio, and have made some really great friendships along the way. That is what studying abroad is all about.
Happiness is in the little things
Today walking up the narrow sidewalk to Videgal, sandwiched between the highway and a rock cliff, we encountered a man riding his bike down the hill with his bike stocked with juice and snacks to sell. We encounter him everyday. This time, instead of only a friendly “hello, how are you?” he stopped and offered us orange juice, literally just as I was thinking about how thirsty I was from the long walk uphill. Perfect timing! We thanked him profusely and continued the long walk up to Videgal to teach. On our walk home we took a new route home. All of a sudden we hear a “hey!” and turn around to find the same man selling his things on the corner. He gave us more juice and a pastry and talked to us about his life for a few minutes. He lives in Videgal by himself and every morning and evening he pedals his loaded bike down the hill to sell his things on the main street. He seemed very happy and said he made a lot of money selling his things there. He refused our persistent attempts to pay for our snacks, and we parted ways, until next time.
Why is the world so unfair? Why are there so many nice people that have nothing, yet there are people who have everything and are so unhappy? I think that God sent this man as a reminder to me that no matter how much or how little you have, you can still find happiness... and share it with others.
Why is the world so unfair? Why are there so many nice people that have nothing, yet there are people who have everything and are so unhappy? I think that God sent this man as a reminder to me that no matter how much or how little you have, you can still find happiness... and share it with others.
May 31, 2010
Momma Eack in Rio
My mom visited me last week! When I picked her up at the airport there were some tears. I hadn’t seen her in over four months, the longest we have ever been apart since I was born. I got her an apartment near the beach, great shopping, and close to me… the triple threat. The first few days we mostly spent our time walking around the area, hanging out at the apartment or eating at delicious restaurants and catching up on our lives. Then, we got out and saw some really cool things that I hadn’t seen yet and she met all my friends. Here are a few of the highlights:
-She met a woman in the Charlotte airport who is a doctor and lives in Rio. She invited mom and I to her home for tea in a very cute, artsy part of Rio, up in the hills called Santa Teresa. Mom and I went to her beautiful home (complete with self-made paintings, collections from her many travels, 2 maids, a swimming pool, and a home theatre) for tea and had a wonderful time discussing politics, the differences in health care systems and our families. She even invited me back to stay with her when I come back to Brazil to visit!
-A Brazilian friend of mine invited us to a samba roda (where a samba group sits in a circle and plays different instruments while people dance around them) in the downtown part of the city. It was on a Monday night and everyone there just came straight from work, many clutching instruments of their own to join in the music-making. We also ate some typical Northeastern Brazil cuisine such as calde verde (green soup) and some stew and potatoes concoction. Mom learned how to Samba and she had a great time meeting my foreign and Brazilian friends.
-One beautiful Sunday we got up early and hungout on the beach all day. She got some much needed sun, had a cold coconut milk, tried matte leão (a popular beach drink of tea and lemonade) and we watched the sunset from Copacabana beach.
-She bought souveneirs and tried acarajé (a fried doughy food made with shrimp) at a Hippie Fair in Ipanema.
-We had a wonderful candlelit dinner outside with my two best friends here, sipping wine and swapping stories for 2 hours.
Overall, she had a wonderful time unwinding after a stressful semester and we had a great time catching up ☺ It couldn’t have been any better.
-She met a woman in the Charlotte airport who is a doctor and lives in Rio. She invited mom and I to her home for tea in a very cute, artsy part of Rio, up in the hills called Santa Teresa. Mom and I went to her beautiful home (complete with self-made paintings, collections from her many travels, 2 maids, a swimming pool, and a home theatre) for tea and had a wonderful time discussing politics, the differences in health care systems and our families. She even invited me back to stay with her when I come back to Brazil to visit!
-A Brazilian friend of mine invited us to a samba roda (where a samba group sits in a circle and plays different instruments while people dance around them) in the downtown part of the city. It was on a Monday night and everyone there just came straight from work, many clutching instruments of their own to join in the music-making. We also ate some typical Northeastern Brazil cuisine such as calde verde (green soup) and some stew and potatoes concoction. Mom learned how to Samba and she had a great time meeting my foreign and Brazilian friends.
-One beautiful Sunday we got up early and hungout on the beach all day. She got some much needed sun, had a cold coconut milk, tried matte leão (a popular beach drink of tea and lemonade) and we watched the sunset from Copacabana beach.
-She bought souveneirs and tried acarajé (a fried doughy food made with shrimp) at a Hippie Fair in Ipanema.
-We had a wonderful candlelit dinner outside with my two best friends here, sipping wine and swapping stories for 2 hours.
Overall, she had a wonderful time unwinding after a stressful semester and we had a great time catching up ☺ It couldn’t have been any better.
May 2, 2010
A musical goodbye
You know sometimes you meet someone and you just become instant friends? That is what happened with us and Mark, a South African guy we met at our hostel in Buenos Aires a couple of months ago. He is traveling around South America for a year surfing. Fortunately for us, fate brought us together once again when he spent the last month or so in Rio.
Last week, he took off for Colombia to complete the last 2 months of his trip so we were invited to a going away party for him at the place he was staying. The people he stayed with are all musicians and we spent the whole night listening, singing, and attempting to play the various instruments they had lying around. One was a metal bucket that they had drilled screws into so you could play it like a drum. There was also a small keyboard that worked like an accordion with a plastic tube you would blow into while pushing the keys. I managed to remember part of my 7 years of piano training but would forget to blow on the tube to make it play!
The night ended with Mark playing American Pie on the guitar and everyone crowding around him to sing at full voice. It was spectacular and a wonderful way to send off a good friend that I hope to see again, sometime, somewhere.
Last week, he took off for Colombia to complete the last 2 months of his trip so we were invited to a going away party for him at the place he was staying. The people he stayed with are all musicians and we spent the whole night listening, singing, and attempting to play the various instruments they had lying around. One was a metal bucket that they had drilled screws into so you could play it like a drum. There was also a small keyboard that worked like an accordion with a plastic tube you would blow into while pushing the keys. I managed to remember part of my 7 years of piano training but would forget to blow on the tube to make it play!
The night ended with Mark playing American Pie on the guitar and everyone crowding around him to sing at full voice. It was spectacular and a wonderful way to send off a good friend that I hope to see again, sometime, somewhere.
More things Brazilians are obsessed with
-Dancing
*anything, anytime, anywhere
-Ticket system
*When you enter a bar or store, you are given a ticket. you then get the things that you want to buy, and they mark it on your ticket. Then you pay when you leave Problem: sometimes people consume a little more than they can afford and are then stuck begging to their friends to pay their bill so they can leave. Also, if you lose your ticket they usually have a minimum price that you must pay which is somewhere in the REDICULOUSLY EXPENSIVE category. No pressure or anything. (PS- Brittany, you would not survive haha)
-Inefficiency/Job Creation
*To go along with the ticket system, this often means that you must wait in two different lines. For example, when I need to buy something from the bookstore at school, I must first wait in a line to get my ticket. Then I take the ticket to a different line, where I then wait to pay. The only upside I see to this is that more people are employed. If anyone can think of a more logical reason for this, please, tell me :)
-Butterfly Hairclips
*Yeah, remember those hairclips that make it look like a butterfly is perched on your head? They love em. Come on guys, that was sooo 6th grade. :)
-Spandex
*You would think the extremely hot temperatures would prevent people from wanting to wear extremely tight clothing, but it seems to be quite the opposite. Not only do you see way to much of some people, but this also makes it acceptable for men to go running in nothing but a tight, brightly colored speedo. Bahhh.
*anything, anytime, anywhere
-Ticket system
*When you enter a bar or store, you are given a ticket. you then get the things that you want to buy, and they mark it on your ticket. Then you pay when you leave Problem: sometimes people consume a little more than they can afford and are then stuck begging to their friends to pay their bill so they can leave. Also, if you lose your ticket they usually have a minimum price that you must pay which is somewhere in the REDICULOUSLY EXPENSIVE category. No pressure or anything. (PS- Brittany, you would not survive haha)
-Inefficiency/Job Creation
*To go along with the ticket system, this often means that you must wait in two different lines. For example, when I need to buy something from the bookstore at school, I must first wait in a line to get my ticket. Then I take the ticket to a different line, where I then wait to pay. The only upside I see to this is that more people are employed. If anyone can think of a more logical reason for this, please, tell me :)
-Butterfly Hairclips
*Yeah, remember those hairclips that make it look like a butterfly is perched on your head? They love em. Come on guys, that was sooo 6th grade. :)
-Spandex
*You would think the extremely hot temperatures would prevent people from wanting to wear extremely tight clothing, but it seems to be quite the opposite. Not only do you see way to much of some people, but this also makes it acceptable for men to go running in nothing but a tight, brightly colored speedo. Bahhh.
This island is BIG: Ilha Grande
With another 5 day weekend this past week, we had been discussing places to travel for weeks. First it was the Amazon, then the Pantanal, than Minas Gerais, than Búzios, and we finally decided on Ilha Grande two days prior. On Thursday, we literally woke up, drove to the bus station and looked for bus tickets to head the 3 hours south to the point where we can catch the ferry over to the island.
The history of Ilha Grande is pretty interesting. First, it was a pirate hideout, then a place to smuggle slaves. Then it became a leper colony because ships would drop off their contagious passengers on the island and leave them. Next, a prison was built to house criminals. Because of it’s tumultuous past the island still does not have much development to this day. Many people are wary of building in a place with such a dark history. I didn’t find it dark at all, in fact, it was one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen.
Me and seven others arrived at the island close to dusk without a place to stay for the evening. Luckily, William, a French ex-pat who started a hostel 6 years ago met us and coerced us into the jungle with him to his cute little hostel. We had a whole cabin to ourselves… well, expect for the killer mosquitoes. We ended up sleeping three to a bed under a mosquito net and STILL managed to get eaten alive.
The next day we still had no plans, and set out for the only town on the island (consisting of about 2 streets). The only things existing on these streets are hostels, restaurants, and tourist companies. Luckily for us, that is all we needed. It wasn’t long before we were approached by a hostel worker who told us about a boat cruise that was leaving in an hour that would stop at 3 different beaches and 2 lagoons. A live band and free food and drinks were all he had to say. We were there. The rest of the day we spent jumping off the top deck of our 2-level pontoon boat, dancing to the Argentinean rock music the band was playing, and swimming in the crystal clear water. We had an absolute blast.
The next morning it was raining very hard, and we didn’t know what to do. We ended up hanging out at our hostel until mid-day when the rain stopped, and then heading down to the beach to take a water taxi to the most famous beach on the island, Lopes Mendes. Lopes Mendes beach was ranked one of the Top 10 Beaches in the World one year, a fact that you hear from every local’s mouth. To get there, you have to take a boat about 30 minutes from the town and then hike another half hour or so. The only problem was, we didn’t know about the hike part and one of our friends had a nearly broken ankle. The short hike turned into nearly an hour while Johannes hobbled up the steep hills aided by a makeshift crutch bamboo stick.
The beach was better than I expected! I spent the whole day watching the ocean because I was too scared of the massive waves to get in. We also relived our childhoods by jumping around and climbing all of the rocks in sight. Overall, it was a great trip and I hope to return on a weekend with better weather to spend more time there.
The history of Ilha Grande is pretty interesting. First, it was a pirate hideout, then a place to smuggle slaves. Then it became a leper colony because ships would drop off their contagious passengers on the island and leave them. Next, a prison was built to house criminals. Because of it’s tumultuous past the island still does not have much development to this day. Many people are wary of building in a place with such a dark history. I didn’t find it dark at all, in fact, it was one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen.
Me and seven others arrived at the island close to dusk without a place to stay for the evening. Luckily, William, a French ex-pat who started a hostel 6 years ago met us and coerced us into the jungle with him to his cute little hostel. We had a whole cabin to ourselves… well, expect for the killer mosquitoes. We ended up sleeping three to a bed under a mosquito net and STILL managed to get eaten alive.
The next day we still had no plans, and set out for the only town on the island (consisting of about 2 streets). The only things existing on these streets are hostels, restaurants, and tourist companies. Luckily for us, that is all we needed. It wasn’t long before we were approached by a hostel worker who told us about a boat cruise that was leaving in an hour that would stop at 3 different beaches and 2 lagoons. A live band and free food and drinks were all he had to say. We were there. The rest of the day we spent jumping off the top deck of our 2-level pontoon boat, dancing to the Argentinean rock music the band was playing, and swimming in the crystal clear water. We had an absolute blast.
The next morning it was raining very hard, and we didn’t know what to do. We ended up hanging out at our hostel until mid-day when the rain stopped, and then heading down to the beach to take a water taxi to the most famous beach on the island, Lopes Mendes. Lopes Mendes beach was ranked one of the Top 10 Beaches in the World one year, a fact that you hear from every local’s mouth. To get there, you have to take a boat about 30 minutes from the town and then hike another half hour or so. The only problem was, we didn’t know about the hike part and one of our friends had a nearly broken ankle. The short hike turned into nearly an hour while Johannes hobbled up the steep hills aided by a makeshift crutch bamboo stick.
The beach was better than I expected! I spent the whole day watching the ocean because I was too scared of the massive waves to get in. We also relived our childhoods by jumping around and climbing all of the rocks in sight. Overall, it was a great trip and I hope to return on a weekend with better weather to spend more time there.
Just another day in paradise..
I just had a wonderful run on the beach this morning. Jamming to some great songs, I prayed and reflected on everything that is happening in my life right now. The sun was shining and everyone was out walking, running, playing soccer, lounging on the beach, and drinking cold coconuts at the little huts all along the beach. The newness of the environment wore off a couple of months ago, but I still have moments (like this morning) when I just think, “Wow, I’m really here right now.” Weekends are a time to spend with family for most Brazilians, so it is common to see grandma, grandpa, mom, and dad, strolling along the beach while several little children run around their legs. Sometimes it really makes me miss my family. I love you guys!
April 21, 2010
The most Brazilian weekend you can imagine
This weekend was INCREDIBLE. I think what made it so great was that I hung out with Brazilians the whole time and practically spoke only Portuguese the entire weekend. It was great. I feel like I’m really improving my speaking skills and it’s really exciting. Here is a quick recap of the weekend:
Thursday (yes, the weekend starts on Thursday ☺ )
We met up with Mark, a South African friend we met at our hostel in Buenos Aires. He has been surfing all around South America for nearly a year and is on his final stretch in Rio and then to Colombia. It is so cool that we can still keep in contact with people that we have met on our travels here! In fact, the same night we also met up with a guy that owned the hostel we stayed at in Florianopolis just 2 weeks ago. He was in Rio doing promotions for his hostel! What a small world ☺
Friday night
Went to a Brazilian girl’s birthday party and danced funk at a club in centro at 10pm. The place was three stories, had dancers on a stage and videos of surfers on all the TV’s (kind of random, but cool haha). It felt like a 2am rage at 10pm and I knew it was going to be a good night. Then we went to Lapa (another area of the city with lots of bars, clubs, and outdoor places to hang out). As we were wondering up one of the side streets, we stumbled across this little parking lot that had been transformed (via a bar in a corner and a loud speaker system) into a Forró dancing place. I think I have fallen in love with Forró music. It is a lot like country/folk music and the dance is so much fun. Check out this link to see what I mean→ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dprByOLIxB4. We danced until 5:30am… sleep is overrated. Here is another link to some cool information on Forró: http://worldmusic.nationalgeographic.com/view/page.basic/genre/content.genre/forro_720/en_US
Saturday
I went straight to our university from Lapa for an all-day field trip with the International Program to a farm 2 hours outside of Rio. Thank goodness we had 2 hours to sleep on the bus ☺ The farm was really cool. It is actually a hotel, ecological preserve, and farm (cattle and they make their own minas cheese). There was so much to do there we couldn’t possibly get bored. I zip-lined from a really tall platform about 100 meters (wait, am I using the metric system now? Haha) into the lake. There were also a ton of obstacle-course like things to do over the lake as well. If you fell, which I definitely did, you fell into the lake! We also played volleyball, slept by the pool, and did a hick version of a slip-and-slide, complete with a tarp, soap, and a hose. It was a wonderful day!
Sunday
Sunday afternoon I was invited by my Brazilian friend to a family birthday party in a north suburb of Rio. The hour and a half bus ride north passed by miles and miles of slums, for as far as the eye can see. It is incredible how big of a difference there is between the area I live in, and other parts of the city. Because the birthday boy happened to be a HUGE Flamengo soccer team fan, and the party happened to be on the night of the Rio championship soccer match, of course the birthday was Flamengo themed. A bright red Flamengo cake and red and black balloons adorned the backyard. When we arrived in the middle of the game, the entire party was crowded around a 15” TV monitor, sitting on a stool in a corner of the patio and people were SCREAMING at the TV. I have never seen so much passion in my life. We ate some churrasco (Brazilian BBQ) while pretending to be absorbed in the game as well. The owners of the house support Botofogó (the opposing team), so when Botofogó won, the (very drunk) man did a belly-flop into the pool, then started popping all of the birthday balloons screaming about being the champions. The game was quite a buzz kill for the party because everyone was so pissed off after, but an hour and a couple drinks later, everyone was back to having a great time.
The people we met were so incredibly friendly. The woman who lived there gave us a full tour of her home, invited us on a family day-trip, and invited us back for a family dinner! Overall, it was another wonderful weekend in Rio.
Thursday (yes, the weekend starts on Thursday ☺ )
We met up with Mark, a South African friend we met at our hostel in Buenos Aires. He has been surfing all around South America for nearly a year and is on his final stretch in Rio and then to Colombia. It is so cool that we can still keep in contact with people that we have met on our travels here! In fact, the same night we also met up with a guy that owned the hostel we stayed at in Florianopolis just 2 weeks ago. He was in Rio doing promotions for his hostel! What a small world ☺
Friday night
Went to a Brazilian girl’s birthday party and danced funk at a club in centro at 10pm. The place was three stories, had dancers on a stage and videos of surfers on all the TV’s (kind of random, but cool haha). It felt like a 2am rage at 10pm and I knew it was going to be a good night. Then we went to Lapa (another area of the city with lots of bars, clubs, and outdoor places to hang out). As we were wondering up one of the side streets, we stumbled across this little parking lot that had been transformed (via a bar in a corner and a loud speaker system) into a Forró dancing place. I think I have fallen in love with Forró music. It is a lot like country/folk music and the dance is so much fun. Check out this link to see what I mean→ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dprByOLIxB4. We danced until 5:30am… sleep is overrated. Here is another link to some cool information on Forró: http://worldmusic.nationalgeographic.com/view/page.basic/genre/content.genre/forro_720/en_US
Saturday
I went straight to our university from Lapa for an all-day field trip with the International Program to a farm 2 hours outside of Rio. Thank goodness we had 2 hours to sleep on the bus ☺ The farm was really cool. It is actually a hotel, ecological preserve, and farm (cattle and they make their own minas cheese). There was so much to do there we couldn’t possibly get bored. I zip-lined from a really tall platform about 100 meters (wait, am I using the metric system now? Haha) into the lake. There were also a ton of obstacle-course like things to do over the lake as well. If you fell, which I definitely did, you fell into the lake! We also played volleyball, slept by the pool, and did a hick version of a slip-and-slide, complete with a tarp, soap, and a hose. It was a wonderful day!
Sunday
Sunday afternoon I was invited by my Brazilian friend to a family birthday party in a north suburb of Rio. The hour and a half bus ride north passed by miles and miles of slums, for as far as the eye can see. It is incredible how big of a difference there is between the area I live in, and other parts of the city. Because the birthday boy happened to be a HUGE Flamengo soccer team fan, and the party happened to be on the night of the Rio championship soccer match, of course the birthday was Flamengo themed. A bright red Flamengo cake and red and black balloons adorned the backyard. When we arrived in the middle of the game, the entire party was crowded around a 15” TV monitor, sitting on a stool in a corner of the patio and people were SCREAMING at the TV. I have never seen so much passion in my life. We ate some churrasco (Brazilian BBQ) while pretending to be absorbed in the game as well. The owners of the house support Botofogó (the opposing team), so when Botofogó won, the (very drunk) man did a belly-flop into the pool, then started popping all of the birthday balloons screaming about being the champions. The game was quite a buzz kill for the party because everyone was so pissed off after, but an hour and a couple drinks later, everyone was back to having a great time.
The people we met were so incredibly friendly. The woman who lived there gave us a full tour of her home, invited us on a family day-trip, and invited us back for a family dinner! Overall, it was another wonderful weekend in Rio.
April 9, 2010
Surviving a Natural Disaster
If you haven’t been following the news, let me fill you in. Rio just had the worst flooding it has seen in recent history. It rained HARD for over 48 hours and on and off for 3 days after that. So far, 180 people have been confirmed dead (mostly due to mudslides) and hundreds more are still unaccounted for. No one could go to school or work because all the streets were flooded. My host brother told me he has never seen it this bad. The lake just down the street from me completely flooded its banks, which no one can remember ever happening before. Water stood in some streets over 5 feet high. Although for many people this was merely a inconvenience because they could not get to work, for people who live in favelas or up on the mountains, it was VERY dangerous.
For 2 days I couldn’t leave my apartment because the street outside was a rushing river of trash infested water. My school canceled classes for the entire week because of electrical problems. Luckily, Rio has a great system of street cleaners and the roads were pretty clean a few hours after the heaviest rain stopped. Apparently, the drainage system in this city is not large enough to handle the amount of rain that they get. Every time it rains hard, it floods. The difference this time was that it rained in 2 days what it usually rains in 1 month!
Here is a link to a news report: http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2010/04/08/world/international-us-brazil-floods.html?_r=1&ref=americas.
To see more pictures watch this slideshow, which includes many of the places I see everyday: http://g1.globo.com/Noticias/0,,GF81194-5606,00-VEJA%20IMAGENS%20DAS%20CHUVAS%20NO%20RIO%20DE%20JANEIRO.html
Hopefully they fix this problem before the World Cup and Olympics!
For 2 days I couldn’t leave my apartment because the street outside was a rushing river of trash infested water. My school canceled classes for the entire week because of electrical problems. Luckily, Rio has a great system of street cleaners and the roads were pretty clean a few hours after the heaviest rain stopped. Apparently, the drainage system in this city is not large enough to handle the amount of rain that they get. Every time it rains hard, it floods. The difference this time was that it rained in 2 days what it usually rains in 1 month!
Here is a link to a news report: http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2010/04/08/world/international-us-brazil-floods.html?_r=1&ref=americas.
To see more pictures watch this slideshow, which includes many of the places I see everyday: http://g1.globo.com/Noticias/0,,GF81194-5606,00-VEJA%20IMAGENS%20DAS%20CHUVAS%20NO%20RIO%20DE%20JANEIRO.html
Hopefully they fix this problem before the World Cup and Olympics!
April 6, 2010
Easter Break in Floripa
For Easter break, three friends and I headed off to Florianópolis (aka: Floripa), a beautiful beach city on an island in the south of Brazil. It is a famed vacation and honeymoon destination because it has over 40 beaches on the island, many of which are only accessible by boat.
Me and one other friend decided to save some cash and bus the 18 hours down on Wednesday after teaching English. Unfortunately, we underestimated how long it would take to get to the bus station and between that and the horrendous Rio traffic; we missed our bus by 15 minutes! The bus company helped us switch our plans to take a 12-hour bus to Curitiba, and then a connecting bus to Floripa. The next afternoon, we arrived at our (AMAZING) hostel called Tucano House, run by a brother and sister who are not much older than I am. One day while his mother was at work, Caiel (the brother) knocked down a wall in the house that he grew up in, and told his mom he was converting it into a hostel. That was 2 ½ years ago, and since then, the hostel has one numerous awards; most recently, they were named “Best Hostel in South America.” They make wonderful home cooked meals for the guests every night, organize beach trips during the days and trips to clubs/bars in the area every night. At the hostel, we met up with our other two friends who had flown there, had a delicious sushi dinner at the hostel, and went out to a very fancy club with the people we met in our hostel.
Friday, we spent the day at a secluded beach called Solidão (Portuguese for “longing”) playing frescoball (kinda like ping pong without the table), hiking to a beautiful waterfall and swimming in the cool pool beneath, and sleeping on the beach. On the way home, the bus driver suggested we stop at a well-known “cachaça factory.” Cachaça is sugar-cane rum that is the signature drink of Brazil. For the next 45 minutes, our van climbs further and further up into the mountains surrounding the beach. At one point, we all had to jump out of the van so that it could make it up the steep dirt road. Finally, we wander down to a farmer’s barn. However, this was no ordinary barn. This was a straight up moonshine barn. The walls were lined with 2-liter coke bottles, jars, kegs, and even GASOLINE CANS full of homemade cachaça of different kinds.
We tried several different kinds including mango, banana, passion fruit, apple, and straight 80% cachaça (which he even poured on a table and lit on fire as some kind of proof that it could probably run a car). Only in Brazil… Later that night we had the most delicious seafood at a local restaurant. We ordered the island specialty “Progression of Shrimp” in which plates of shrimp prepared different ways are brought out one at a time. After eating so much beans and rice in Rio, the flavors were greatly appreciated!
Saturday, we took a boat to Campete Island to hang out for the day. The island closes every Easter for the fall/winter season because it is a very protected island and they want to preserve the vegetation there. Pulling up to the island, I nearly had to pinch myself to see if I was dreaming. The water was crystal clear and blue. The white sand gleamed in the sun and dark, beautifully shaped rocks jutted out from the sides of the beach, and the remainder of the island was forest. Yachts docked in the shallow water and people lounged on the beach. We passed the whole afternoon enjoying the beautiful sunny day and again eating more seafood at one of the two restaurants on the island.
Our last night on the island, we joined the organized hostel trip to a club via two party buses to the mainland 1 ½ hours away. The club was actually built IN A CAVE. They had three dance floors, each playing different types of music and each in a different cave. It was incredible! We stayed out all night dancing and went straight to the beach when we got back before catching our bus back to Rio. We had 18 hours to sleep on the bus so might as well sleep then, right?
Overall it was a wonderful trip filled with great food, amazing beaches, good conversation, and great friends. What a great way to pass the Easter holiday ☺
Me and one other friend decided to save some cash and bus the 18 hours down on Wednesday after teaching English. Unfortunately, we underestimated how long it would take to get to the bus station and between that and the horrendous Rio traffic; we missed our bus by 15 minutes! The bus company helped us switch our plans to take a 12-hour bus to Curitiba, and then a connecting bus to Floripa. The next afternoon, we arrived at our (AMAZING) hostel called Tucano House, run by a brother and sister who are not much older than I am. One day while his mother was at work, Caiel (the brother) knocked down a wall in the house that he grew up in, and told his mom he was converting it into a hostel. That was 2 ½ years ago, and since then, the hostel has one numerous awards; most recently, they were named “Best Hostel in South America.” They make wonderful home cooked meals for the guests every night, organize beach trips during the days and trips to clubs/bars in the area every night. At the hostel, we met up with our other two friends who had flown there, had a delicious sushi dinner at the hostel, and went out to a very fancy club with the people we met in our hostel.
Friday, we spent the day at a secluded beach called Solidão (Portuguese for “longing”) playing frescoball (kinda like ping pong without the table), hiking to a beautiful waterfall and swimming in the cool pool beneath, and sleeping on the beach. On the way home, the bus driver suggested we stop at a well-known “cachaça factory.” Cachaça is sugar-cane rum that is the signature drink of Brazil. For the next 45 minutes, our van climbs further and further up into the mountains surrounding the beach. At one point, we all had to jump out of the van so that it could make it up the steep dirt road. Finally, we wander down to a farmer’s barn. However, this was no ordinary barn. This was a straight up moonshine barn. The walls were lined with 2-liter coke bottles, jars, kegs, and even GASOLINE CANS full of homemade cachaça of different kinds.
We tried several different kinds including mango, banana, passion fruit, apple, and straight 80% cachaça (which he even poured on a table and lit on fire as some kind of proof that it could probably run a car). Only in Brazil… Later that night we had the most delicious seafood at a local restaurant. We ordered the island specialty “Progression of Shrimp” in which plates of shrimp prepared different ways are brought out one at a time. After eating so much beans and rice in Rio, the flavors were greatly appreciated!
Saturday, we took a boat to Campete Island to hang out for the day. The island closes every Easter for the fall/winter season because it is a very protected island and they want to preserve the vegetation there. Pulling up to the island, I nearly had to pinch myself to see if I was dreaming. The water was crystal clear and blue. The white sand gleamed in the sun and dark, beautifully shaped rocks jutted out from the sides of the beach, and the remainder of the island was forest. Yachts docked in the shallow water and people lounged on the beach. We passed the whole afternoon enjoying the beautiful sunny day and again eating more seafood at one of the two restaurants on the island.
Our last night on the island, we joined the organized hostel trip to a club via two party buses to the mainland 1 ½ hours away. The club was actually built IN A CAVE. They had three dance floors, each playing different types of music and each in a different cave. It was incredible! We stayed out all night dancing and went straight to the beach when we got back before catching our bus back to Rio. We had 18 hours to sleep on the bus so might as well sleep then, right?
Overall it was a wonderful trip filled with great food, amazing beaches, good conversation, and great friends. What a great way to pass the Easter holiday ☺
March 30, 2010
“To teach is to learn twice.” ~Joseph Joubert
Last week I began co-teaching an after school English class to a group of 12 fifth graders at an NGO called Educari (http://www.educari-ong.org/homesite/) within Vidigal (a favela just south of Léblon beach). They are the cutest things ever! They are so excited to be learning English and love talking to us. According to the director, students in Brazil have classes either in the mornings (7-12pm) or afternoons (1-6pm). Educari provides extra classes, programs, and sports for these kids to keep them out of trouble and off the streets during the remaining hours while their parents are at work.
The school itself is nicer than my grade school. It has a great playground area, nice classrooms with plenty of supplies, TV’s and internet in most rooms, and even a movie theatre and popcorn machine! Apparently, the school was built for rich kids, but somehow got handed down to the school/NGO.
I am co-teaching with 2 of my friends, which is great because we can split the class into small groups for extra practice. It is definitely challenging because we have no experience teaching or preparing lesson plans, and we have the freedom to teach whatever we want. Scary thought, huh? It’s fun to make up games and activities for them, though. Only one of the 12 students has had an English class before so we are starting with the basics. However, they all started singing Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” to us the first day of class! It is incredible how much American pop culture has impacted Brazil. My host brother blares Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift in his room everyday. NBA jerseys seem like the thing to wear, and probably 50% (or more) of the TV shows and movies are in English with Portuguese subtitles.
As for the kids I teach; So. Freaking. Cute. Johannes told his friend (who then told me) that he has a crush on me. He always hugs me after class and walks us out to the entrance of the favela. Another cutie with wide eyes and a huge grin on his face all the time, Jonathon, asked to take a picture of us on his phone after class. The other day, we were walking down the hill back home and three of the girls in the class were walking up the steep staircase clinging to the side of the mountain back to their homes. They spotted us down below and started jumping up and down, yelling our names and waving! Talk about rewarding… I can already tell it's going to be very tough leaving them in 4 months!
The school itself is nicer than my grade school. It has a great playground area, nice classrooms with plenty of supplies, TV’s and internet in most rooms, and even a movie theatre and popcorn machine! Apparently, the school was built for rich kids, but somehow got handed down to the school/NGO.
I am co-teaching with 2 of my friends, which is great because we can split the class into small groups for extra practice. It is definitely challenging because we have no experience teaching or preparing lesson plans, and we have the freedom to teach whatever we want. Scary thought, huh? It’s fun to make up games and activities for them, though. Only one of the 12 students has had an English class before so we are starting with the basics. However, they all started singing Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” to us the first day of class! It is incredible how much American pop culture has impacted Brazil. My host brother blares Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift in his room everyday. NBA jerseys seem like the thing to wear, and probably 50% (or more) of the TV shows and movies are in English with Portuguese subtitles.
As for the kids I teach; So. Freaking. Cute. Johannes told his friend (who then told me) that he has a crush on me. He always hugs me after class and walks us out to the entrance of the favela. Another cutie with wide eyes and a huge grin on his face all the time, Jonathon, asked to take a picture of us on his phone after class. The other day, we were walking down the hill back home and three of the girls in the class were walking up the steep staircase clinging to the side of the mountain back to their homes. They spotted us down below and started jumping up and down, yelling our names and waving! Talk about rewarding… I can already tell it's going to be very tough leaving them in 4 months!
March 17, 2010
School updates
What?! You're actually STUDYING while studying abroad? Yes. I know from the look of this blog that it appears that I'm just using this opportunity to hang out and have fun for a semester (right, Dad?). Who does that? Contrary to popular belief, I am actually doing something productive (at least some of the time :) ). School is almost three weeks underway and I’m starting to actually feel settled in here. With the Intensive Language Program, Carnaval, and summer vacation behind me, it now seems like less of a vacation and more like I am actually living here.
This semester I am taking Portuguese, Brazilian Foreign Policy, Social Political & Economic History of Brazil, and Community Development. All of my classes are in Portuguese and with Brazilian students except for the Foreign Policy class which is taught in English. In my history class, I am the only exchange student. So cool, right? I’m really excited about it because already several people in the class have introduced themselves and offered to help me out if I ever have questions. This makes a huge difference! Especially when the teacher talks rather quickly and writes illegibly. The class also includes a group project in which we study one particular aspect of Brazilian history/culture and give a presentation about it to the class. SCARY! Fortunately, my group seems really cool and I don’t have to go until June. Hopefully by then I’ll speak well enough not to completely embarrass myself :/
The Brazilian Foreign Policy class is so interesting and right up my alley. The flamboyant professor is constantly parading around the room theatrically so it’s rather easy to stay awake despite the fact that it is during my usual afternoon nap ☺. It’s crazy how much Brazilian foreign policy (and history too for that matter) is dependent on US actions. We spent 70-80% of our last class just discussing how the US policies have affected Brazil, and many were not for the best. There are many examples of the US going back on treaties and agreements that we made with Brazil when it was in our own best interest. We just left ‘em hanging. It’s not that Brazilians are bitter towards the US, but it is clear that they don’t agree with our foreign policy in recent years... but I don’t know many Americans that do either. Oops, I didn’t mean for this to be a political commentary, but I blame it on the great documentary I just watched tonight. Check it out if you want to here some interesting interviews with the top government people about the decision to invade Iraq. It's called "Uncovered : The whole truth about the war in Iraq."
The Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro (aka pook-ey ☺). It is a private Catholic school located in the wealthy south zone of the city. The students who go there are typically very well off, and you can definitely tell. Let’s just say they don’t roll into their 9am class in pajamas. Although PUC students sometimes get the reputation of being stuck-up and rude, the ones that I have met have certainly not fit that stereotype. One thing that is different for me though, is some students are very rude to their professors. It is not uncommon for students to talk throughout the whole class, answer their phones, get up and leave ten minutes into class, or even have a full-on make-out session in the back of the room. (Ok, the last one is definitely not “common” but my friend did witness this last week). But for that matter, professors have a much different attitude about class as well. For one thing, most classes start at least 15 minutes after the time on your schedule. Sometimes the teachers come in 20-30 minutes late (but so do the students). I even hung out in a class for an hour once before the teacher finally started teaching. Although after 3 weeks I should know this, I can’t bring myself to be over 5 minutes late to class. I just can’t do it. I blame the years of conditioning. Maybe a few more weeks of sitting in an empty classroom and doing crossword puzzles, reading the newspaper, and awkwardly pretending to text people will crack me. Only time will tell.
More updates on school are sure to come. Thanks for reading!
This semester I am taking Portuguese, Brazilian Foreign Policy, Social Political & Economic History of Brazil, and Community Development. All of my classes are in Portuguese and with Brazilian students except for the Foreign Policy class which is taught in English. In my history class, I am the only exchange student. So cool, right? I’m really excited about it because already several people in the class have introduced themselves and offered to help me out if I ever have questions. This makes a huge difference! Especially when the teacher talks rather quickly and writes illegibly. The class also includes a group project in which we study one particular aspect of Brazilian history/culture and give a presentation about it to the class. SCARY! Fortunately, my group seems really cool and I don’t have to go until June. Hopefully by then I’ll speak well enough not to completely embarrass myself :/
The Brazilian Foreign Policy class is so interesting and right up my alley. The flamboyant professor is constantly parading around the room theatrically so it’s rather easy to stay awake despite the fact that it is during my usual afternoon nap ☺. It’s crazy how much Brazilian foreign policy (and history too for that matter) is dependent on US actions. We spent 70-80% of our last class just discussing how the US policies have affected Brazil, and many were not for the best. There are many examples of the US going back on treaties and agreements that we made with Brazil when it was in our own best interest. We just left ‘em hanging. It’s not that Brazilians are bitter towards the US, but it is clear that they don’t agree with our foreign policy in recent years... but I don’t know many Americans that do either. Oops, I didn’t mean for this to be a political commentary, but I blame it on the great documentary I just watched tonight. Check it out if you want to here some interesting interviews with the top government people about the decision to invade Iraq. It's called "Uncovered : The whole truth about the war in Iraq."
The Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro (aka pook-ey ☺). It is a private Catholic school located in the wealthy south zone of the city. The students who go there are typically very well off, and you can definitely tell. Let’s just say they don’t roll into their 9am class in pajamas. Although PUC students sometimes get the reputation of being stuck-up and rude, the ones that I have met have certainly not fit that stereotype. One thing that is different for me though, is some students are very rude to their professors. It is not uncommon for students to talk throughout the whole class, answer their phones, get up and leave ten minutes into class, or even have a full-on make-out session in the back of the room. (Ok, the last one is definitely not “common” but my friend did witness this last week). But for that matter, professors have a much different attitude about class as well. For one thing, most classes start at least 15 minutes after the time on your schedule. Sometimes the teachers come in 20-30 minutes late (but so do the students). I even hung out in a class for an hour once before the teacher finally started teaching. Although after 3 weeks I should know this, I can’t bring myself to be over 5 minutes late to class. I just can’t do it. I blame the years of conditioning. Maybe a few more weeks of sitting in an empty classroom and doing crossword puzzles, reading the newspaper, and awkwardly pretending to text people will crack me. Only time will tell.
More updates on school are sure to come. Thanks for reading!
March 9, 2010
Life is Good
This is one phrase I have been using a lot lately. How can the phrase not slip from your lips when you are living in one of the most beautiful places in the world, meeting new and interesting people everyday, and experiencing new things on a daily basis? But is this phrase about attitude or reality?
Until tonight, I would have said that it depends on the person. Some people (like me) have had incredibly easy lives. We have had most things handed to us without much fuss. The place we were born, the economic status of our families, and the opportunities available to us made it very easy to acquire a wealth of rich experiences, and I for one, am very thankful for that. However, if my life weren’t so easy, would I still have this positive “life is good” outlook? I’d like to think so, but how can I know?
Tonight was one of the most eye-opening experiences of my life. My Community Development class is an interesting mix of people. About half of the class is exchange students who are interested in learning about the social development projects within Brazil. A handful of others are middle to upper class Brazilian students, but the other students have a much more real perspective of these issues. These are mostly people who live in the favelas within Rio and want to learn how to better help their own suffering communities. Most are attending the university through NGO or government scholarships. For the entire two-hour class we were paired up with another student to get to know every aspect of that person, their experiences, and their everyday realities.
I was paired up with a 26 year-old woman named Francilene. She lives with her mom, dad, brother, nephew, and 5-year-old child in a one-room house in Rocinha (the largest favela in Brazil) just down the street from the university. She works for a community health organization within her community where she visits people in their houses to give them vaccinations, medicine, and information on diseases. She is studying at the university through a governmental scholarship and hopes to return to her community to further help the people there.
When it was my turn to talk, I was at a loss for words (and not only because I was struggling to speak in Portuguese). My reality is completely and utterly different than her reality. The opportunities that I have had in my own life to travel, go to school, learn new things, see new places, and live on my own, were literally handed to me on a golden platter. Guilt sunk in as I spoke about my own experiences and I found myself highlighting (and probably exaggerating) the problems within the US of poverty, healthcare, and expensive education.
I walked out of the class almost in tears. My naivety had smacked me square in the face. My perception of the world is a mere sliver of the whole picture. Our attitudes are shaped by our experiences. I praise God that my experiences have been so positive, and I realized I must use these advantages to help those who aren’t so lucky. Life is good but sometimes reality can be brutal.
Until tonight, I would have said that it depends on the person. Some people (like me) have had incredibly easy lives. We have had most things handed to us without much fuss. The place we were born, the economic status of our families, and the opportunities available to us made it very easy to acquire a wealth of rich experiences, and I for one, am very thankful for that. However, if my life weren’t so easy, would I still have this positive “life is good” outlook? I’d like to think so, but how can I know?
Tonight was one of the most eye-opening experiences of my life. My Community Development class is an interesting mix of people. About half of the class is exchange students who are interested in learning about the social development projects within Brazil. A handful of others are middle to upper class Brazilian students, but the other students have a much more real perspective of these issues. These are mostly people who live in the favelas within Rio and want to learn how to better help their own suffering communities. Most are attending the university through NGO or government scholarships. For the entire two-hour class we were paired up with another student to get to know every aspect of that person, their experiences, and their everyday realities.
I was paired up with a 26 year-old woman named Francilene. She lives with her mom, dad, brother, nephew, and 5-year-old child in a one-room house in Rocinha (the largest favela in Brazil) just down the street from the university. She works for a community health organization within her community where she visits people in their houses to give them vaccinations, medicine, and information on diseases. She is studying at the university through a governmental scholarship and hopes to return to her community to further help the people there.
When it was my turn to talk, I was at a loss for words (and not only because I was struggling to speak in Portuguese). My reality is completely and utterly different than her reality. The opportunities that I have had in my own life to travel, go to school, learn new things, see new places, and live on my own, were literally handed to me on a golden platter. Guilt sunk in as I spoke about my own experiences and I found myself highlighting (and probably exaggerating) the problems within the US of poverty, healthcare, and expensive education.
I walked out of the class almost in tears. My naivety had smacked me square in the face. My perception of the world is a mere sliver of the whole picture. Our attitudes are shaped by our experiences. I praise God that my experiences have been so positive, and I realized I must use these advantages to help those who aren’t so lucky. Life is good but sometimes reality can be brutal.
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