Saudade is a portuguese word that lacks a suitable translation. It means something along of the lines of nostalgia, yearning, ennui or missing.
48 hours rest between me and my departure. I just said goodbye to my visiting friends. They allowed me to re-experience my favorite parts of Rio with the same sense of excitement that I had when I arrived. They also sparked another feeling. Though it is hard to tell sometimes, I have adapted quite well (both physically and mentally) to my new, strange environment. Both my friends got sick here, one to the point of hospitalization. I spent 3 days of their visit playing the role of hospital translator. In addition, they reacted to my homestay the same way I remember reacting my first week in Rio. I had almost forgotten the shock/horror I felt when I saw the amount of dirt and bugs I would be living with for 5 months. It took my friends visit to remind me how crazy this experience has been, especially from the American perspective.
I have been thinking about "saudade" a lot as my time comes to an end here. The thoughts really started on Friday, June 6th. I went to an event called "Jazz at the Maze," and it was probably the most amazing party I have ever attended. The Maze is a seemingly small building that is right in the middle of a favela in the Catete area of Rio. Once inside, it truly is a maze. There are strange staircases that lead to different hang-out areas and several lookout points that offer some of the best nighttime views I have had of Rio. I made a new friend there, another PUC student from New York. She described the experience in perhaps the most precise and concise way I have heard: "The highs are high and the lows are low." Simple, but extremely accurate. This thought has been ringing in my head ever since, and it has sparked the following lists of thoughts.
Things I have missed
Friends and family-I have met some cool people, but none that beat those that I am lucky enough to have in my life at home.
Personal space-does not exist in Rio. A curtain separates my bed from a loud family. Bathroom stalls are so small that I have to brush my legs against the toilet to close the door.
Safety-the horror stories from other exchange students (among other things) have kept me on edge the entire time here. I finally got robbed while my friends were here. Thankfully, it was not violent and not much was lost. I suppose I was due.
Taking care of myself-weirdly, I miss doing my own laundry and cooking for myself. I also miss spending money because I earned the money, not because my parents gave it to me (thanks Mom and Dad!). Independence is a hard thing to lose once you have had it. I can't wait to eat healthy, cook, clean, exercise, and earn some cash.
Things I have not Missed
Stressful schedules- It's funny, on paper, I accomplished more here than the average American student accomplishes in a normal semester. I received 18 credit hours and interned 12 hours per week, all while learning a language and having the time of my life visiting amazing places. Still, the amount of work I put into this is nothing compared to my life in the U.S.
Things I will not miss
Rio's horrific transportation- It takes 1 hour to get somewhere by bus that would take 90 minutes by foot. Rush hour is not an hour, but 4 hours. The traffic never seems to go away.
Brazilian Classism- This aspect of Brazilian culture deserves its own post. Basically, the wealth gap in Rio makes me want to vomit, and the majority of people have an attitude about it that only makes it worse. Wealthy people do not trust anybody because of the stories they hear or witness about violence and crime in their own city. The media and police are corrupt. In reality, the poor are some of the most welcoming and fun-loving people in the world.
Things I will miss
New friends- It is hard to say if I will ever see most of the people I have met here again.
Beaches, forests, parks, mountains, etc.- Rio is indescribably beautiful. Sometimes, it is easy to forget to appreciate my surroundings. When I get home and get over reverse culture shock, I will hopefully have some amazing images left in my memory.
Food- I am a sucker for several Brazilian staples. Picanha steak, rice and beans, smoothies made from Amazonian fruits, empadas, salgados, pizza, brigadeiros, the list goes on...
My own attitude- The way I approach life here is incredibly unsustainable, both for my wallet and my body. The amount of times I have said "sure, why not" to Tuesday night parties, afternoon cakes, and all-you-can-eat restaurants would have me dead-or bankrupt-before age 50 if I kept it up.
So I guess this is it? It all seemed anti-climactic until my friends visited to make me realize how much I have accomplished and learned. Still, distance, both in time and space, will only breed more reflection.
Saturday, June 21, 2014
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Long Lost Pictures
The first two pictures show a contrast between Rocinha, Rio's largest favela, and Ipanema. Both pictures are taken from the top of Dois Irmaos. I simply turned my body to show the contrast.
A view of Lagoa and Joquei Club from the top of Dois Irmaos
The Itaipu Dam provides sustainable energy to almost all of Uruguay and about 20% of Brazil.
The Iguazu Falls are beautiful!
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Não vai ter copa?
The news surrounding the 2014 FIFA World Cup has, logically, made its way all around the world. I am going to attempt to recount some objective stories that are occuring at this moment in history and then provide my perspective from living in the thick of it.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/conzpreti/anti-fifa-graffitis-are-covering-the-streets-of-brazil
Here is a buzzfeed article (indeed not the greatest source) that has compiled a fairly effective collection of the anti-FIFA graffiti all over Brazil. I have seen similar drawings first-hand.
Here are some of the pictures, in case you are too lazy to copy/paste the url.
As usual, the media tends to highlight the negative. In addition to the type of graffiti displayed above, there are many areas of Rio that have created a very welcoming, positive atmosphere for the Cup. Granted, these places are mostly wealthy. If you have not seen the news surrounding the World Cup, the argument from the majority of Brazilians is towards their own government. Millions of dollars were spent on a month long event, while millions of people are suffering from lack of food, shelter, sanitation and education. In addition to the government, citizens speaking out against FIFA itself argue that though in principle, a world-wide event should bring economic prosperity to the host country, FIFA will take most of the profits leaving Brazil in shambles.
http://revolution-news.com/anti-fifaworld-cup-tweetstorm-june-8th-at-7pm-brt-engpt/
Above is a list of tweets with the hashtag #naoworldcup.
http://online.wsj.com/articles/strike-continues-in-sao-paulo-days-ahead-of-world-cup-1402314097
Here is a more academic article about the strikes in São Paulo. The last 6 weeks in Rio have been full of similar strikes from bus drivers, museum employees, etc.
So what do I think?
You won't find me at a Não Vai Ter Copa manifestation, but it is really easy to disagree with everything going on related to this event. There is little to no rebuttal from FIFA or the Brazilian government, which to me suggests that the negative media is largely true. I'm now glad I did not get tickets to a game; I cannot in good faith support something that does so much damage to the place I have come to love.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/conzpreti/anti-fifa-graffitis-are-covering-the-streets-of-brazil
Here is a buzzfeed article (indeed not the greatest source) that has compiled a fairly effective collection of the anti-FIFA graffiti all over Brazil. I have seen similar drawings first-hand.
Here are some of the pictures, in case you are too lazy to copy/paste the url.
As usual, the media tends to highlight the negative. In addition to the type of graffiti displayed above, there are many areas of Rio that have created a very welcoming, positive atmosphere for the Cup. Granted, these places are mostly wealthy. If you have not seen the news surrounding the World Cup, the argument from the majority of Brazilians is towards their own government. Millions of dollars were spent on a month long event, while millions of people are suffering from lack of food, shelter, sanitation and education. In addition to the government, citizens speaking out against FIFA itself argue that though in principle, a world-wide event should bring economic prosperity to the host country, FIFA will take most of the profits leaving Brazil in shambles.
http://revolution-news.com/anti-fifaworld-cup-tweetstorm-june-8th-at-7pm-brt-engpt/
Above is a list of tweets with the hashtag #naoworldcup.
http://online.wsj.com/articles/strike-continues-in-sao-paulo-days-ahead-of-world-cup-1402314097
Here is a more academic article about the strikes in São Paulo. The last 6 weeks in Rio have been full of similar strikes from bus drivers, museum employees, etc.
So what do I think?
You won't find me at a Não Vai Ter Copa manifestation, but it is really easy to disagree with everything going on related to this event. There is little to no rebuttal from FIFA or the Brazilian government, which to me suggests that the negative media is largely true. I'm now glad I did not get tickets to a game; I cannot in good faith support something that does so much damage to the place I have come to love.
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
I've made it?
I have had two very rewarding linguistic experiences in the last week or so. Last Wednesday, while I was walking down my mountain towards class, I got lucky enough to hitch a ride with one of my neighbors. I had never met this one before, so we spent the first 90 seconds saying how are you, where are you headed, etc. When we got towards the bottom of the hill, I told him I was an exchange student from the United States. "What?!" he said, "you aren't Brazilian? I didn't perceive that you were foreign. Are your parents Brazilian?" I said no, thanked him, and laughed as I got out of the car.
The next day, I took a cab home from Baixo Gavea, my University's most lively bar hang-out. I asked him what his thoughts were on the World Cup. He said that he thinks foreigners will be greeted with open arms and have a lot of parties to go to. The problem, he explained, is that the Brazilian Government will embarrass itself by not having completed what it promised (I will write a post in a week or so that attempts to explain the strikes, anti-FIFA movements, etc. It is fascinating and terrifying at the same time). While I was directing the cab driver how exactly to get to my house, I told him that I was an exchange student at PUC. "Ah hah!" he said, "I thought you had a Portuguese accent!" When I told him that I was from the United States, not Portugal, he was quite surprised.
Obviously, these two shining moments do not mean that I speak perfectly in Portuguese. I still run into some people that I cannot understand at all, and others that cannot understand me. Still, documenting these moments is important to me; I am slightly stressed about the idea that the day I leave here might be the most trilingual I will ever be. Chatting online with Brazilian and French friends may be my best way of practicing in the future. Sadly, it will have to be a conscious and forced effort on my part to keep it up.
My blog has become text heavy again. Soon I will post pictures from one of the planet's most amazing places, Foz de Iguaçu.
The next day, I took a cab home from Baixo Gavea, my University's most lively bar hang-out. I asked him what his thoughts were on the World Cup. He said that he thinks foreigners will be greeted with open arms and have a lot of parties to go to. The problem, he explained, is that the Brazilian Government will embarrass itself by not having completed what it promised (I will write a post in a week or so that attempts to explain the strikes, anti-FIFA movements, etc. It is fascinating and terrifying at the same time). While I was directing the cab driver how exactly to get to my house, I told him that I was an exchange student at PUC. "Ah hah!" he said, "I thought you had a Portuguese accent!" When I told him that I was from the United States, not Portugal, he was quite surprised.
Obviously, these two shining moments do not mean that I speak perfectly in Portuguese. I still run into some people that I cannot understand at all, and others that cannot understand me. Still, documenting these moments is important to me; I am slightly stressed about the idea that the day I leave here might be the most trilingual I will ever be. Chatting online with Brazilian and French friends may be my best way of practicing in the future. Sadly, it will have to be a conscious and forced effort on my part to keep it up.
My blog has become text heavy again. Soon I will post pictures from one of the planet's most amazing places, Foz de Iguaçu.
Friday, May 23, 2014
The End is Near
I only have 5 weeks left in Brazil!!! How did that happen? The last two or three weeks have been hectic. I have been making every effort to try something new each day, mostly using suggestions from my handy Lonely Planet book (they should thank me for free advertising).
My weekends in Rio are quickly coming to an end. Tonight I will travel to Arraial do Cabo, one of the world's most beautiful beaches, for the weekend with some friends. A group of Brazilians are friends with my friend's friend, and they have offered to let several of us stay in their house for the weekend. Brazilian hospitality is quite strange. It is often the case that they will not do anything with you unless they perceive they will gain something from the interaction. Other times, they are extremely nice and generous.
Next weekend I am flying to Iguaçu, and the weekend after that I have tentative plans with some Brazilian friends to go to some unknown location and stay in somebody's house yet again. The World Cup will start shortly thereafter. I have two USC friends coming down for the first week of the Cup that I am excited to babysit. By the time they leave, I will have less than 10 days until I board the plane to head back to the U.S.
It is such a weird feeling to be able to clearly envision the rest of my experience here. I feel as though I spent the first 2 months full of wonder and mystery not knowing what memories I would carry home with me. Then I spent about 6 weeks living completely in the present. Today, it is as if I have been slapped in the face with the end.
Here's to making the most of the last 5 weeks!
My weekends in Rio are quickly coming to an end. Tonight I will travel to Arraial do Cabo, one of the world's most beautiful beaches, for the weekend with some friends. A group of Brazilians are friends with my friend's friend, and they have offered to let several of us stay in their house for the weekend. Brazilian hospitality is quite strange. It is often the case that they will not do anything with you unless they perceive they will gain something from the interaction. Other times, they are extremely nice and generous.
Next weekend I am flying to Iguaçu, and the weekend after that I have tentative plans with some Brazilian friends to go to some unknown location and stay in somebody's house yet again. The World Cup will start shortly thereafter. I have two USC friends coming down for the first week of the Cup that I am excited to babysit. By the time they leave, I will have less than 10 days until I board the plane to head back to the U.S.
It is such a weird feeling to be able to clearly envision the rest of my experience here. I feel as though I spent the first 2 months full of wonder and mystery not knowing what memories I would carry home with me. Then I spent about 6 weeks living completely in the present. Today, it is as if I have been slapped in the face with the end.
Here's to making the most of the last 5 weeks!
Saturday, May 10, 2014
Intro to Brazilian Food
The Brazilian diet is even more disgusting than the American diet. I have consumed more sugar and fat here in Brazil than I have in the last 2 years combined. However, I am so incredibly active that the food does not seem to have an immediate negative effect on my body. I walk somewhere between 5 and 10 miles on the average day. In the States, I spend almost all of my time sitting on a box inside of a box looking at a box.
For breakfast, Brazilians typically eat just bread and butter with coffee. A special breakfast (what is typically given to tourists in hotels or hostels) would also include fruit, cheese, ham and possibly coffee cake.
Lunch is typically the biggest meal of the day here. Both lunch and dinner include rice and beans (ALWAYS), some type of meat (chicken, beef, pork or fish) and a vegetable or salad of some sort.
There are great restaurants here, but most are pricey. Nothing here is targeted towards middle class consumers, because a middle class hardly exists. In the states, it is pretty simple to fill up for 10-15 dollars. Here, you either eat at home or pay the equivalent of 20-30 dollars to eat out. Restaurants are always packed with tourists and a few elite Brazilians, but the majority of citizens do not consider eating out as part of their life.
One way to really get your money's worth is to go to a Rodizio restaurant, the famous all-you-can-eat Brazilian style restaurant where waiters bring around endless amounts of food to your table. The most common Rodizio style joints are churrasco (BBQ), sushi and pizza. Back during Carnaval, I went to a sushi rodizio with several German guys who are all bigger than me. The restaurant hated us.
For breakfast, Brazilians typically eat just bread and butter with coffee. A special breakfast (what is typically given to tourists in hotels or hostels) would also include fruit, cheese, ham and possibly coffee cake.
Lunch is typically the biggest meal of the day here. Both lunch and dinner include rice and beans (ALWAYS), some type of meat (chicken, beef, pork or fish) and a vegetable or salad of some sort.
There are great restaurants here, but most are pricey. Nothing here is targeted towards middle class consumers, because a middle class hardly exists. In the states, it is pretty simple to fill up for 10-15 dollars. Here, you either eat at home or pay the equivalent of 20-30 dollars to eat out. Restaurants are always packed with tourists and a few elite Brazilians, but the majority of citizens do not consider eating out as part of their life.
One way to really get your money's worth is to go to a Rodizio restaurant, the famous all-you-can-eat Brazilian style restaurant where waiters bring around endless amounts of food to your table. The most common Rodizio style joints are churrasco (BBQ), sushi and pizza. Back during Carnaval, I went to a sushi rodizio with several German guys who are all bigger than me. The restaurant hated us.
Friday, May 2, 2014
A Quick Lesson From Nature
Why, yes, I am listening to Colors of the Wind as I write this.
Some of the pictures from below come from inspiring places. In general, being abroad leaves a lot of time to do nothing but think (sometimes too much time). When I was in such places, I did a whole lot of thinking. I put my Emerson and Thoreau hat on from Junior year of high school. Here you have the best "Universal Truth" I came up with during the journey.
Chapada Diamantina is full of companies that offer treks through the mountains, waterfalls, etc. For one of the routes, we decided to bypass the tour guide and just see what we could find on our own. Our adventure was slightly dangerous, but you can't live in fear. We went for it, and we made it to the destination: yet another amazing waterfall.
The journey to this waterfall takes you up a small mountain, through a thick forest, and then rock-hopping against the current of a river. The guides know all the turns to make in the forest and which rocks are easiest to jump through. Obviously, we did not.
Take a deep breath. Brace yourself Here comes my profound life metaphor I learned from hopping through the rocks.
When jumping from rock to rock, it is very interesting how hesitation is your worst enemy. At first, I thought it would be best to calculate each move in a very precise manner. With some experience, I found out that speed and momentum were necessary to pull off a lot of the jumps with ease. The few times I fell or scratched myself were the times I spent longest trying to determine my next move.
Alright, Mr. Emerson. My analysis of my experience on the rocks is as follows. Really, it is nothing more than a cliché we hear everyday. Essentially, I learned the importance of following my instincts. Sometimes, perhaps in life's most important decisions, we must feel instead of think. I have a tendency to over-rationalize everything I do. How valuable it will be to have a personal and natural memory that reminds me of the ever-important balance between thoughts and feelings that I so often forget.
Some of the pictures from below come from inspiring places. In general, being abroad leaves a lot of time to do nothing but think (sometimes too much time). When I was in such places, I did a whole lot of thinking. I put my Emerson and Thoreau hat on from Junior year of high school. Here you have the best "Universal Truth" I came up with during the journey.
Chapada Diamantina is full of companies that offer treks through the mountains, waterfalls, etc. For one of the routes, we decided to bypass the tour guide and just see what we could find on our own. Our adventure was slightly dangerous, but you can't live in fear. We went for it, and we made it to the destination: yet another amazing waterfall.
The journey to this waterfall takes you up a small mountain, through a thick forest, and then rock-hopping against the current of a river. The guides know all the turns to make in the forest and which rocks are easiest to jump through. Obviously, we did not.
Take a deep breath. Brace yourself Here comes my profound life metaphor I learned from hopping through the rocks.
When jumping from rock to rock, it is very interesting how hesitation is your worst enemy. At first, I thought it would be best to calculate each move in a very precise manner. With some experience, I found out that speed and momentum were necessary to pull off a lot of the jumps with ease. The few times I fell or scratched myself were the times I spent longest trying to determine my next move.
Alright, Mr. Emerson. My analysis of my experience on the rocks is as follows. Really, it is nothing more than a cliché we hear everyday. Essentially, I learned the importance of following my instincts. Sometimes, perhaps in life's most important decisions, we must feel instead of think. I have a tendency to over-rationalize everything I do. How valuable it will be to have a personal and natural memory that reminds me of the ever-important balance between thoughts and feelings that I so often forget.
Sunday, April 27, 2014
"Spring Break"
OK, so the picture above was taken before my Spring Break trip. My school organized a "field trip" for exchange students to an old coffee plantation. The countryside was awesome and we got to play around in lakes/pools all day.
Our first stop on the Spring Break trip was to Belo Horizonte in Minas Gerais. I loved the town! It feels much more manageable and safe than Rio. The food in Minas is incredible and quite cheap! We visited several free museums and went to one night club before heading to our next stop.
This picture is from Ouro Preto, a colonial town about 2 hours away from Belo Horizonte. We only got to stay for a few hours, but I would have stayed forever! The town has beautiful churches, a lively crowd of college students, and chocolate all over the place.
I present to you the world's largest rodent, a capybara. These guys are absolutely disgusting. Apparently, they can run as fast as horses. These that we saw were quite lazy and just bathed in the mud all day.
We left Minas Gerais for Bahia, where we stayed in Chapada Diamantina for several days. I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking.
The water is black because of the minerals it contains. Despite the strange color, it is actually fresh enough for the local people to drink.
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Jeitinho Brasileiro
First of all, I promise that my next post will be exclusively pictures. I am currently on “Spring Break” and exploring
the Northeast of Brazil with 2 Americans and 2 Germans. We have found ourselves
in a small Brazilian paradise called Chapada Diamantina in Bahia. Getting here was a bit of a struggle. "Jeitinho" literally translates to "little way," but it is a Brazilian cultural aspect so strong an entire book could be written about it (and I'm sure one exists). Anyway, I have employed it several times in the last few days, sometimes successfully, other times not. I am going to have to explain in a list so I can make sure I am clearly recalling my memory.
-We arrived in Belo Horizonte on a 7 hour overnight bus ride from Rio. BH is awesome; it is safe, fun and has amazing food.
-After a few days at the very cool Samba Rooms hostel, we decided to visit Ouro Preto, a beautiful colonial town near BH. The line to buy a bus ticket to Ouro Preto was 2 hours long. People were bombarding us in the back of the line with offers to take a personal car to Ouro Preto. We didn't think it was safe, so we passed. When we finally got to the front of the line, the ticket we wanted was sold out. One more personal driver heard what happened and ran up to offer us a ride. Fed up and tired, we took it. So Jeitinho. It was very pleasant and the driver was awesome. Sometimes in Brazil you just have to trust people.
-Ouro Preto was one of the coolest places I have ever seen. A great small town escape full of nice people and beautiful churches. I'll post pictures soon.
-After the lovely visit we returned to BH where we waited for our 24 hour bus ride to Salvador. We arrived at the bus station excited for the long journey through the Brazilian country side. When we went to board the bus, the driver told us that we were supposed to board the bus at the other station (WHAT OTHER STATION!) Long story short, we missed our bus. We complained for a while to the company telling them that nobody explained anything about this "other station." Great Portuguese practice. In the end, they told us all they could do was let us sell the ticket to anybody trying to take the same ride anytime in the next year. We tried to sell it for 2 hours or so. A funny sight, Gringos running around the bus station trying to sell a 24 hour ticket. Obviously, we did not manage to sell it, and we probably never will. At the end of the day, we lost 100 bucks a piece. In the grand scheme of life, having this story to tell is probably more valuable than that 100 bucks.
-So how did we get here? We found some other small, less official looking company that sold us the same ticket for the same price. The employee working at the stand was about 12 years old, and the company only accepted cash. What's worse, the other big, official company had never heard of it. We didn't have much of a choice, so we just went for it. Very Jeitinho yet again. We boarded the bus in a strange place, not the official terminal. The whole event was extremely unorganized, but that's Brazil!
-16 hours into the bus ride, we found out that we were going to have to get off and transfer to a different bus somewhere in the middle of nowhere. Nobody told us this, but it did not come as a surprise. It worried us for a while, but it worked out just fine in the end.
-We finally arrived in Salvador and stayed for about 24 hours. Currently, Salvador is one of the most dangerous places in Brazil. We are only going back to catch a flight back to Rio.
-Right now we are in paradise. Yesterday we took a guided tour that included a waterfall, a beautiful view from the top of a mountain, a cave, and a natural pool that is as blue as the sky. Some of the best pictures I will have from my whole experience in Brazil probably will come from yesterday's tour.
-We arrived in Belo Horizonte on a 7 hour overnight bus ride from Rio. BH is awesome; it is safe, fun and has amazing food.
-After a few days at the very cool Samba Rooms hostel, we decided to visit Ouro Preto, a beautiful colonial town near BH. The line to buy a bus ticket to Ouro Preto was 2 hours long. People were bombarding us in the back of the line with offers to take a personal car to Ouro Preto. We didn't think it was safe, so we passed. When we finally got to the front of the line, the ticket we wanted was sold out. One more personal driver heard what happened and ran up to offer us a ride. Fed up and tired, we took it. So Jeitinho. It was very pleasant and the driver was awesome. Sometimes in Brazil you just have to trust people.
-Ouro Preto was one of the coolest places I have ever seen. A great small town escape full of nice people and beautiful churches. I'll post pictures soon.
-After the lovely visit we returned to BH where we waited for our 24 hour bus ride to Salvador. We arrived at the bus station excited for the long journey through the Brazilian country side. When we went to board the bus, the driver told us that we were supposed to board the bus at the other station (WHAT OTHER STATION!) Long story short, we missed our bus. We complained for a while to the company telling them that nobody explained anything about this "other station." Great Portuguese practice. In the end, they told us all they could do was let us sell the ticket to anybody trying to take the same ride anytime in the next year. We tried to sell it for 2 hours or so. A funny sight, Gringos running around the bus station trying to sell a 24 hour ticket. Obviously, we did not manage to sell it, and we probably never will. At the end of the day, we lost 100 bucks a piece. In the grand scheme of life, having this story to tell is probably more valuable than that 100 bucks.
-So how did we get here? We found some other small, less official looking company that sold us the same ticket for the same price. The employee working at the stand was about 12 years old, and the company only accepted cash. What's worse, the other big, official company had never heard of it. We didn't have much of a choice, so we just went for it. Very Jeitinho yet again. We boarded the bus in a strange place, not the official terminal. The whole event was extremely unorganized, but that's Brazil!
-16 hours into the bus ride, we found out that we were going to have to get off and transfer to a different bus somewhere in the middle of nowhere. Nobody told us this, but it did not come as a surprise. It worried us for a while, but it worked out just fine in the end.
-We finally arrived in Salvador and stayed for about 24 hours. Currently, Salvador is one of the most dangerous places in Brazil. We are only going back to catch a flight back to Rio.
-Right now we are in paradise. Yesterday we took a guided tour that included a waterfall, a beautiful view from the top of a mountain, a cave, and a natural pool that is as blue as the sky. Some of the best pictures I will have from my whole experience in Brazil probably will come from yesterday's tour.
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
21st Birthday Abroad
The question asked most frequently during the first few years of college is probably the same for many American students:
"When do you turn 21?"
I always knew that my 21st birthday would come in a rather anticlimactic fashion. I couldn't help but envision several different scenarios. Some involved a night out with American friends who could appreciate the significance of the day. Another prediction was a peaceful and innocent evening with my Brazilian hosts. What really happened was probably impossible to foresee.
I usually don't like birthdays, especially my own. In my mind, society has built into our lives an over-abundance of illogical reasons to celebrate being alive, and I just don't need any more gluttony imposed on me. So, in my greatest display of hypocrisy, I impulsively bought myself tickets to Lollapalooza in Sao Paulo for my birthday.
Though thousands were in attendance, I spent the weekend away from all Brazilians and Americans. I was in a group of 7 people including 5 girls: a Norwegian, a German and 3 French; a Spanish guy and myself. We took an overnight 6 hour bus to Sao Paulo on Friday night, attended the festival all day Saturday, crammed all 7 of us into one hotel room Saturday night, went back to the festival all day Sunday, then went directly on another overnight bus back to Rio on Sunday night. 72 hours with no bed really is not so bad.
The bands we saw included Muse, Arcade Fire, Lorde, Vampire Weekend, Imagine Dragons and many more. If you have ever been to Lollapalooza or a similar music festival, you know that sharing any other details would probably not be wise in this type of forum.
My true birthday, Monday, began at midnight in the bus station. Not a single hour during the whole weekend passed without one of my friends screaming in my face, "IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY!!!!" so I figured the celebration was over. When the clock struck midnight, the German girl, Isabelle, put a brownie with a lit candle in front of my face: "The candle is in the shape of a zero," she said, "because today is the first day of the rest of your life!" My new friends then started to sing happy birthday to me in their home languages. Finally, they threw me a present: a white t-shirt with notes written on the back to serve as a souvenir for my birthday weekend.
What an amazing rush it was to have friends from all over the world put so much effort into making my birthday special. Throughout the day Monday I did absolutely nothing but reflect and chat with people from home. The combination of heartfelt messages from my lifelong friends and the ridiculous stunts from my new amigos was inspiring.
As a 17 year old, I decided to major in International Business because I knew it would give me the opportunity to connect with people from all over the world. Studying languages enables me to have meaningful conversations with millions of people. The great web of life is powerful. My birthday sparked the epiphany that though the world sometimes feels so big, it is really quite small.
Friday, April 4, 2014
Linguistic Observations
The following observations may be entirely flawed/biased/incorrect. I would be doing myself a disservice if I did not at least attempt to document how my expectations and experiences regarding the portuguese language differ.
Last night, a girl kept telling me that I speak portuguese better than her. This was simply a joke to encourage me (everybody who studies languages knows how good it feels when a native speaker compliments you), but I think she meant my portuguese was "better" than hers because she heard me use the conditional tense, which Brazilians rarely use in colloquial speech. This spurred a string of thoughts about how my portuguese, which I have learned largely from textbooks, differs from the Carioca's.
1.) The following verbs are used not only everyday, but in almost every sentence. These are verbs that I hardly ever thought to use (some I did not even know) when I studied portuguese in a U.S. classroom.
Last night, a girl kept telling me that I speak portuguese better than her. This was simply a joke to encourage me (everybody who studies languages knows how good it feels when a native speaker compliments you), but I think she meant my portuguese was "better" than hers because she heard me use the conditional tense, which Brazilians rarely use in colloquial speech. This spurred a string of thoughts about how my portuguese, which I have learned largely from textbooks, differs from the Carioca's.
1.) The following verbs are used not only everyday, but in almost every sentence. These are verbs that I hardly ever thought to use (some I did not even know) when I studied portuguese in a U.S. classroom.
- Deixar: to leave, to let, or to allow.
- Pegar: to get or to catch. (this verb is just as overused as "to get" is in english)
- Tomar: to take, as in to take a shower or take some food. This verb is a perfect equivalent to the french "prendre." For any of you that have spoken english with Europeans, you may have noticed that they always say they will "take" a coffee or "take" lunch. This is slightly awkward for American english, but it is the direct translation from most romance languages (at least portuguese and french, but I imagine the others as well).
- Parar: to stop. OK, so this one isn't quite as common. I personally wake up to it every morning because my 1 year old "roommate" is always getting yelled at.
- Segurar: to hold, to secure. Again, I hear this one a lot because of baby Antonio.
- Pedir: to ask. I always thought "perguntar" was more common, but pedir is always used as the verb. "uma pergunta" is used as a noun.
- Ficar: to stay, to be. I actually learned in the States that Cariocas love this verb. Nonetheless, it is worth noting that it is indeed extremely common, much more than ser or estar (which also mean "to be")
2.) Cariocas never use the imperative! It is considered overly formal and intimidating to use commands. Instead of "pare" for "stop" they simply use the third person present conjugation, "para."
3.) The future tense is basically nonexistent in colloquial speech. Instead, to express an idea in the future, Cariocas always the verb "to go" instead of using the future tense. This is less concise in terms of word count, but is often quicker in terms of syllables.
For example, a carioca would always say, "Vou jantar às 7 horas" (I am going to eat dinner at 7) instead of, "Jantarei às 7 horas" (I will eat dinner at 7). We do this in english too, but not as often as they do in portuguese.
4.) The present progressive form is much more common than I expected. Since I studied french before portuguese (and the present progressive doesn't really exist in french in the same way it does in english or portuguese), I thought this tense would be rare. I have actually found it to be more common than the present indicative, as it is in english. Ex: "Estou falando" (I am speaking) is more common than "Falo" (I speak). In french, you would usually just say "Je parle" to express either of these thoughts, although you could say "je suis en train de parler" (literally: I am in the process of speaking) if it were necessary to emphasize the continuous nature of the action.
5.) I have met a few people from Sao Paulo, and their accent is vastly easier to understand than the Carioca's. To provide a U.S. analogy, Rio can be compared to a New York accent, and Sao Paulo seems more midwestern.
6.) The word "oi," which translates as "hi," really means "what?" or "yes?" more than anything. For example, if somebody yells at somebody else from across the room, the receiver will shout back "oi?" to get them to repeat.
I will share more later. As boring as this topic may be for most, I find it fascinating!
Friday, March 28, 2014
Stories Worth Remembering
Disclaimer: The following post exists more for my personal recollection than for the objective education of my readers.
The 14 Year Old Girls:
Today I ventured alone (of course alone! Being abroad is about learning how to be independent and OK with it) into Flamengo, a part of Rio that is slightly less famous than the glorified Ipanema and Copacabana. Using my incredibly handy Lonely Planet tour book about Rio-thanks to my sister Amy for the perfect Christmas present-I made an itinerary for myself of sights to see in Flamengo. After about an hour of transportation, I emerged from the Metro and knew I was relatively close to my first destination: a futuristic cultural center. I got my book back out of my draw-string bag to pinpoint exactly where I was in relation to the building. After about 20 minutes of walking, I began to feel slightly lost. I get lost just about every day here, but it is a calm sense of confusion; there's always a way home.
As I approached a large intersection, the pedestrian light began to flash. To avoid waiting, I sprinted across the street. Once I was safely walking on the other side, a group of 5 14-16 year old girls approached me from behind. They must have sent their bravest to complete some sort of dare involving me:
"Boa tarde," she said (good afternoon) with a big braces-filled smile.
"That was stupid of me to run across the street wasn't it?" I quickly replied in Portuguese.
"No it wasn't stupid. You're beautiful. Give me a hug." So I did. "Are you Brazilian?"
"Claro que não!" I replied (of course not!), certain that she already sniffed out my accent. "Sou Americano."
She made that half jaw-drop, half smile expression of shock and stopped to sink back into the rest of her pack. I chuckled and continued walking. Behind me, I heard her tell the other girls that I was American. One of the girls gasped and asked if she was serious. Foreigners are not typical in the Flamengo area.
A mere 30 seconds later we were all stopped together at an intersection. I did the obvious thing; I reignited conversation so that they could help me find what I was looking for:
"Do you all live here in Flamengo?"
"Yes."
"So you can help me find something?"
"Sure. What are you looking for?" They all had big, goofy smiles on their faces.
"The futuristic cultural center." I showed them the name of it in my book. "Have you heard of it?" It was obvious from their body language that they had not.
"Sure! Just follow us we will show you."
Over the next 2 or 3 minutes, I continued to walk with them down the same street. The girl that initially hugged me was now practicing her English on me. The further we walked, the more certain I was that they did not know where I wanted to go. I got out my map and pointed out the center to them. "Where are we now?" I asked.
They got a little nervous. "Just follow us and we will show you something better to do!"
"Oh yeah? like what?" I was open to suggestions from some locals, obviously. The girls all looked at each other. When nobody came up with an idea, they just laughed. Finally the pack leader asked a random woman what direction I needed to go (something I would have ultimately done myself). In the end, they were taking me the wrong way. I said goodbye to them and made it to my destination, which was very cool!
A rather anticlimactic story, I admit, but I don't think anything like that has ever happened to me at home. Perhaps my "traveler attitude" is what sparked it. Maybe the mindset with which I have attacked each day here makes me a more approachable person. Last night I spoke with a Norwegian student who has been studying here since the beginning of last semester. He told me that perhaps the most valuable thing he has learned is the importance of bringing his "traveler attitude" back home with him. Maintaining this disposition does not mean one has to spend more money each day or even attend more events. It is much more than that, but it is simultaneously (and paradoxically) much simpler. On an exchange with a defined end date, the natural approach to life is to keep your eyes open and your head held high; I mean this both in a literal sense and as a metaphorical idiom. I make a conscious effort to enjoy every moment and to not miss any opportunities to try something new. If the finitenesss of this experience is what creates such a mindset, why do I not carry that with me everywhere? Everything in life has an ultimatum-even if I do not yet know when it will come. So, what am I saving myself for?
The Old Man:
2 hours flew by and I had accomplished approximately half of my Flamengo itinerary. Due to slow transportation and wait-time, it is typical for me to get through about half of what I plan to do in a given day. This aspect of Brazilian life does not agree with my type-A personality, but it has been good for me to learn how to tame myself and not let adversity upset me.
Tired from walking in the heat all day and needing to kill about 20 more minutes before starting my voyage back home, I took a seat on a park bench. I breathed deeply and enjoyed a few moments of peace amidst the bamboo trees. I opened my bag to drink the remains of the water I brought with me. In my peripheral vision, I saw an old man with a cane approaching very slowly. When I could feel his presence about 10 feet from me, I looked up and made eye contact with him. "Can I sit here with you?" he asked immediately.
"Of course!" I replied with a smile and scooted over to give him more room. My initial thought was to drink the rest of my water to give me a natural reason to get up. Most people, myself included, are quite reluctant to share space for no reason.
About 30 seconds passed and I took my last sip of water. I had calmed down by this point. Instead of thinking of ways to escape the old man, I was now contemplating what to ask him. He went first, which made my job easy: "Are you Carioca?"
"No, I'm American."
"Ah American! What state?"
"St. Louis, Missouri. Have you heard of it?"
"No. I've been to Miami, Orlando and Tampa."
"Cool! Have you lived here in Rio your whole life?"
"Yes. Here in Flamengo my entire life. I'm 88 years old. How old are you?" This number hit me. This man was older than anyone I had ever talked to.
"I am just 20."
"Ah 20. How long are you here in Brazil?"
"I am doing a semester here at PUC. I arrived in the beginning of February, and I have to leave in the middle of the World Cup-at the end of June."
"And do you have family here too?"
"No I am here alone. They are all in the United States."
"Ah how terrible!" He laughed. For whatever reason, it was hilarious and horrible that my family would just dump me in Brazil for 5 months.
"No it's good it is a great experience for me!" There was a short lull in our conversation, and my mind raced to find the best question to ask the oldest man I had ever met. This is what I came up with:
"So, you have lived here your entire life. What do you think has been the biggest change in Brazil, either in the Government or society?"
He thought for a moment, and I waited anxiously, hoping that I would fully understand all of his Portuguese. It hadn't been a problem so far; the man had crystallized intelligence, so he spoke in a very clear and slow manner. "When I was 20 years old," he began, "I worked extremely hard every single day. Today, for most people, it is the opposite."
When you talk to old people, it is usually the topics on their minds that will have the most substance, not answers to your questions. Luckily for me, this old man changed the subject to tell me his thoughts.
"Exactly one year ago today, I broke my back here in this park." He pointed to a place a mere 15 feet from the bench we were sitting on. "That's the only reason I walk with this cane. Look here!" he grabbed my hand and started to un-tuck his shirt from his pants. Leaning forward a bit, he rubbed my hand across his now deformed vertabrae.
"I'm so sorry" was about all I could think of to say. Permanently damaged from whatever happened a year ago, it was as if the old man came back to his injury site to make amends with it. Everything the man had said to me up to this point led me to one conclusion: I needed to leave the bench and carry on. So, I told him I had to return to PUC to go to class (which was entirely true), asked for his name, and left. I shook João's hand firmly, and I couldn't help but feel like I was living a scene as Holden Caulfield from The Catcher in the Rye as I walked away. Instead of needing to catch children from falling off the cliff, I needed to catch myself.
The 14 Year Old Girls:
Today I ventured alone (of course alone! Being abroad is about learning how to be independent and OK with it) into Flamengo, a part of Rio that is slightly less famous than the glorified Ipanema and Copacabana. Using my incredibly handy Lonely Planet tour book about Rio-thanks to my sister Amy for the perfect Christmas present-I made an itinerary for myself of sights to see in Flamengo. After about an hour of transportation, I emerged from the Metro and knew I was relatively close to my first destination: a futuristic cultural center. I got my book back out of my draw-string bag to pinpoint exactly where I was in relation to the building. After about 20 minutes of walking, I began to feel slightly lost. I get lost just about every day here, but it is a calm sense of confusion; there's always a way home.
As I approached a large intersection, the pedestrian light began to flash. To avoid waiting, I sprinted across the street. Once I was safely walking on the other side, a group of 5 14-16 year old girls approached me from behind. They must have sent their bravest to complete some sort of dare involving me:
"Boa tarde," she said (good afternoon) with a big braces-filled smile.
"That was stupid of me to run across the street wasn't it?" I quickly replied in Portuguese.
"No it wasn't stupid. You're beautiful. Give me a hug." So I did. "Are you Brazilian?"
"Claro que não!" I replied (of course not!), certain that she already sniffed out my accent. "Sou Americano."
She made that half jaw-drop, half smile expression of shock and stopped to sink back into the rest of her pack. I chuckled and continued walking. Behind me, I heard her tell the other girls that I was American. One of the girls gasped and asked if she was serious. Foreigners are not typical in the Flamengo area.
A mere 30 seconds later we were all stopped together at an intersection. I did the obvious thing; I reignited conversation so that they could help me find what I was looking for:
"Do you all live here in Flamengo?"
"Yes."
"So you can help me find something?"
"Sure. What are you looking for?" They all had big, goofy smiles on their faces.
"The futuristic cultural center." I showed them the name of it in my book. "Have you heard of it?" It was obvious from their body language that they had not.
"Sure! Just follow us we will show you."
Over the next 2 or 3 minutes, I continued to walk with them down the same street. The girl that initially hugged me was now practicing her English on me. The further we walked, the more certain I was that they did not know where I wanted to go. I got out my map and pointed out the center to them. "Where are we now?" I asked.
They got a little nervous. "Just follow us and we will show you something better to do!"
"Oh yeah? like what?" I was open to suggestions from some locals, obviously. The girls all looked at each other. When nobody came up with an idea, they just laughed. Finally the pack leader asked a random woman what direction I needed to go (something I would have ultimately done myself). In the end, they were taking me the wrong way. I said goodbye to them and made it to my destination, which was very cool!
A rather anticlimactic story, I admit, but I don't think anything like that has ever happened to me at home. Perhaps my "traveler attitude" is what sparked it. Maybe the mindset with which I have attacked each day here makes me a more approachable person. Last night I spoke with a Norwegian student who has been studying here since the beginning of last semester. He told me that perhaps the most valuable thing he has learned is the importance of bringing his "traveler attitude" back home with him. Maintaining this disposition does not mean one has to spend more money each day or even attend more events. It is much more than that, but it is simultaneously (and paradoxically) much simpler. On an exchange with a defined end date, the natural approach to life is to keep your eyes open and your head held high; I mean this both in a literal sense and as a metaphorical idiom. I make a conscious effort to enjoy every moment and to not miss any opportunities to try something new. If the finitenesss of this experience is what creates such a mindset, why do I not carry that with me everywhere? Everything in life has an ultimatum-even if I do not yet know when it will come. So, what am I saving myself for?
The Old Man:
2 hours flew by and I had accomplished approximately half of my Flamengo itinerary. Due to slow transportation and wait-time, it is typical for me to get through about half of what I plan to do in a given day. This aspect of Brazilian life does not agree with my type-A personality, but it has been good for me to learn how to tame myself and not let adversity upset me.
Tired from walking in the heat all day and needing to kill about 20 more minutes before starting my voyage back home, I took a seat on a park bench. I breathed deeply and enjoyed a few moments of peace amidst the bamboo trees. I opened my bag to drink the remains of the water I brought with me. In my peripheral vision, I saw an old man with a cane approaching very slowly. When I could feel his presence about 10 feet from me, I looked up and made eye contact with him. "Can I sit here with you?" he asked immediately.
"Of course!" I replied with a smile and scooted over to give him more room. My initial thought was to drink the rest of my water to give me a natural reason to get up. Most people, myself included, are quite reluctant to share space for no reason.
About 30 seconds passed and I took my last sip of water. I had calmed down by this point. Instead of thinking of ways to escape the old man, I was now contemplating what to ask him. He went first, which made my job easy: "Are you Carioca?"
"No, I'm American."
"Ah American! What state?"
"St. Louis, Missouri. Have you heard of it?"
"No. I've been to Miami, Orlando and Tampa."
"Cool! Have you lived here in Rio your whole life?"
"Yes. Here in Flamengo my entire life. I'm 88 years old. How old are you?" This number hit me. This man was older than anyone I had ever talked to.
"I am just 20."
"Ah 20. How long are you here in Brazil?"
"I am doing a semester here at PUC. I arrived in the beginning of February, and I have to leave in the middle of the World Cup-at the end of June."
"And do you have family here too?"
"No I am here alone. They are all in the United States."
"Ah how terrible!" He laughed. For whatever reason, it was hilarious and horrible that my family would just dump me in Brazil for 5 months.
"No it's good it is a great experience for me!" There was a short lull in our conversation, and my mind raced to find the best question to ask the oldest man I had ever met. This is what I came up with:
"So, you have lived here your entire life. What do you think has been the biggest change in Brazil, either in the Government or society?"
He thought for a moment, and I waited anxiously, hoping that I would fully understand all of his Portuguese. It hadn't been a problem so far; the man had crystallized intelligence, so he spoke in a very clear and slow manner. "When I was 20 years old," he began, "I worked extremely hard every single day. Today, for most people, it is the opposite."
When you talk to old people, it is usually the topics on their minds that will have the most substance, not answers to your questions. Luckily for me, this old man changed the subject to tell me his thoughts.
"Exactly one year ago today, I broke my back here in this park." He pointed to a place a mere 15 feet from the bench we were sitting on. "That's the only reason I walk with this cane. Look here!" he grabbed my hand and started to un-tuck his shirt from his pants. Leaning forward a bit, he rubbed my hand across his now deformed vertabrae.
"I'm so sorry" was about all I could think of to say. Permanently damaged from whatever happened a year ago, it was as if the old man came back to his injury site to make amends with it. Everything the man had said to me up to this point led me to one conclusion: I needed to leave the bench and carry on. So, I told him I had to return to PUC to go to class (which was entirely true), asked for his name, and left. I shook João's hand firmly, and I couldn't help but feel like I was living a scene as Holden Caulfield from The Catcher in the Rye as I walked away. Instead of needing to catch children from falling off the cliff, I needed to catch myself.
Monday, March 24, 2014
Class/Internship Update
Almost every American student here at PUC would agree with me if I said that professors at American institutions generally have higher expectations than what we have experienced here. Of course, everything is always easier for exchange students. However, I am finding that the semester requirements for the Brazilian students here are comparable to half a semester's requirements in the States. A "5 page final paper" is extremely common here, which is not even mildly intimidating.
Here is a list of general school-related observations:
Every class starts 15 minutes late and ends 15 minutes early (thankfully so, because the shortest classes here are listed as 2 hours).
The classrooms are kept extremely cold (strong air conditioning seems to be one of the most common ways for people to show their wealth, but that's an entirely different issue). Some teachers do not allow the air conditioning to be turned off, while others will turn it off and on repeatedly throughout the class.
Professors maintain an informal relationship with their students; we may address them by first name.
The University has a 75% attendance policy. Students who do not attend at least 75% of the class sessions will fail the course automatically.
Lectures are more common than any other teaching style, but group discussions are a close second.
Most classes are not held in the same room for each session. I think this is simply due to the lack of rooms available, but it is actually better for the brain in terms of long-term retention.
Socially, campus feels like high school. Students are clique-y and status oriented. Campus housing does not exist, so students live with their parents and commute each day.
In conversation, Brazilians use the verb "fazer" (to do) to ask what my major is. Instead of "What do you study here?" they ask, "What do you do here?" This always strikes me as a strange word-choice, and the first time I heard it, I didn't understand. Perhaps it is just a colloquialism, or perhaps there is a sense that whatever each student chooses to study truly defines who they are.
Internship with U.S. Department of State-EducationUSA
I found out about my internship opportunity through a mass email that was sent out by the international office here on campus. Over 40 students applied, and they selected 6 of us to make up their team of interns. I work 12 hours a week, and the office is on my campus which is extremely convenient. Of course, the internship is unpaid. It is actually illegal for someone with a student visa in Brazil to get paid.
So far I have been put in charge of various tasks, mostly technology related. In general, the office is in charge of facilitating the application process for Brazilian students that wish to study in the U.S. My favorite thing to do is converse with the students and try to give them tips! Sadly, they all want to go to California. I suppose we all do, don't we?
The full-time employees in the office all speak perfect english. Since they all spent a lot of time in the U.S. learning English as a second language, they know what it feels like to be away from home and trying to learn a language. So, they give us all our directions in portuguese. If we don't understand they quickly revert to english, but at least they give us a chance!
Here is a list of general school-related observations:
Every class starts 15 minutes late and ends 15 minutes early (thankfully so, because the shortest classes here are listed as 2 hours).
The classrooms are kept extremely cold (strong air conditioning seems to be one of the most common ways for people to show their wealth, but that's an entirely different issue). Some teachers do not allow the air conditioning to be turned off, while others will turn it off and on repeatedly throughout the class.
Professors maintain an informal relationship with their students; we may address them by first name.
The University has a 75% attendance policy. Students who do not attend at least 75% of the class sessions will fail the course automatically.
Lectures are more common than any other teaching style, but group discussions are a close second.
Most classes are not held in the same room for each session. I think this is simply due to the lack of rooms available, but it is actually better for the brain in terms of long-term retention.
Socially, campus feels like high school. Students are clique-y and status oriented. Campus housing does not exist, so students live with their parents and commute each day.
In conversation, Brazilians use the verb "fazer" (to do) to ask what my major is. Instead of "What do you study here?" they ask, "What do you do here?" This always strikes me as a strange word-choice, and the first time I heard it, I didn't understand. Perhaps it is just a colloquialism, or perhaps there is a sense that whatever each student chooses to study truly defines who they are.
Internship with U.S. Department of State-EducationUSA
I found out about my internship opportunity through a mass email that was sent out by the international office here on campus. Over 40 students applied, and they selected 6 of us to make up their team of interns. I work 12 hours a week, and the office is on my campus which is extremely convenient. Of course, the internship is unpaid. It is actually illegal for someone with a student visa in Brazil to get paid.
So far I have been put in charge of various tasks, mostly technology related. In general, the office is in charge of facilitating the application process for Brazilian students that wish to study in the U.S. My favorite thing to do is converse with the students and try to give them tips! Sadly, they all want to go to California. I suppose we all do, don't we?
The full-time employees in the office all speak perfect english. Since they all spent a lot of time in the U.S. learning English as a second language, they know what it feels like to be away from home and trying to learn a language. So, they give us all our directions in portuguese. If we don't understand they quickly revert to english, but at least they give us a chance!
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Botanical Garden, Christ the Redeemer, and Other Cool Things
Friday, March 14, 2014
Study at PUC-Rio!
Greetings all prospective PUC students (it's pronounced Pooh-key),
Here are some quick thoughts to help you in your application process:
1.) Do you study Portuguese or Spanish?
If you already study Portuguese, you likely have your sights set on studying in Brazil. If this is you, stop reading and submit your application!
If you study Spanish and are far enough along to finish your minor before coming abroad, you could EASILY add a Portuguese minor by coming to PUC. Each semester, the school has a pre-term intensive Portuguese course that I believe is worth 6 credit hours (I did not come for the intensive course because I took Portuguese classes during each semester at USC). Then, during the regular term, you are required to take another Portuguese course for 6 more credit hours. This would allow you to rack up a total of 12 hours of Portuguese while in Rio-only 2 more classes needed to complete a minor!
If you don't have the drive to learn Portuguese, I would not recommend coming to Brazil. Americans romanticize Brazil, particularly Rio, to the point where many think traveling here is a luxurious experience comparable to visiting Paris. This may be somewhat true if you come to Rio for 1 week and fork over the money needed to stay in Copacabana Palace. Otherwise, living here for 6 months requires a certain toughness; Brazil is still a developing country. Nobody speaks English here in restaurants or stores, so the inability to communicate would simply require you to be even tougher.
2.) Do you want to see many different countries during your time abroad?
If your answer is "yes" and this is a high priority for you, I would recommend going to Europe. Travelling around South America costs a lot in terms of both time and money.
If you are like me, you believe that truly immersing and orienting yourself in one place is far more rewarding than getting a surface-level experience in a lot of places. If you want to embrace the metaphor of diving into the deep-end to find out if you can swim, then Rio is a great place for you.
3.) Will you have completed a professional internship before studying abroad?
Be wary of the South American academic calendar as you apply for schools. Since Summer here is during our Winter, your semester abroad at any South American school will likely run from March-July instead of January-May. We all know how important interning is during our undergraduate careers, so consider your entire 4 year experience and figure out how study abroad best fits in the puzzle.
That said, it is actually quite easy to land an internship here in Rio if you want one. I started mine this week.
4.) Would you rather visit a historic castle or hike through a forest to the top of a mountain?
I suppose it's pretty obvious where I'm going with this one. Though Rio does have its share of fancy buildings, the luxury here comes from nature. This is the most naturally beautiful place I have ever been, and it is astonishing how such a large population can co-exist with and maintain the environment.
I'll leave it at that before this turns into a Buzzfeed quiz. I hope those of you applying to study abroad have already considered these fundamental questions.
Let me close out this post with some very basic pictures that bring you into my everyday life:
Here are some quick thoughts to help you in your application process:
1.) Do you study Portuguese or Spanish?
If you already study Portuguese, you likely have your sights set on studying in Brazil. If this is you, stop reading and submit your application!
If you study Spanish and are far enough along to finish your minor before coming abroad, you could EASILY add a Portuguese minor by coming to PUC. Each semester, the school has a pre-term intensive Portuguese course that I believe is worth 6 credit hours (I did not come for the intensive course because I took Portuguese classes during each semester at USC). Then, during the regular term, you are required to take another Portuguese course for 6 more credit hours. This would allow you to rack up a total of 12 hours of Portuguese while in Rio-only 2 more classes needed to complete a minor!
If you don't have the drive to learn Portuguese, I would not recommend coming to Brazil. Americans romanticize Brazil, particularly Rio, to the point where many think traveling here is a luxurious experience comparable to visiting Paris. This may be somewhat true if you come to Rio for 1 week and fork over the money needed to stay in Copacabana Palace. Otherwise, living here for 6 months requires a certain toughness; Brazil is still a developing country. Nobody speaks English here in restaurants or stores, so the inability to communicate would simply require you to be even tougher.
2.) Do you want to see many different countries during your time abroad?
If your answer is "yes" and this is a high priority for you, I would recommend going to Europe. Travelling around South America costs a lot in terms of both time and money.
If you are like me, you believe that truly immersing and orienting yourself in one place is far more rewarding than getting a surface-level experience in a lot of places. If you want to embrace the metaphor of diving into the deep-end to find out if you can swim, then Rio is a great place for you.
3.) Will you have completed a professional internship before studying abroad?
Be wary of the South American academic calendar as you apply for schools. Since Summer here is during our Winter, your semester abroad at any South American school will likely run from March-July instead of January-May. We all know how important interning is during our undergraduate careers, so consider your entire 4 year experience and figure out how study abroad best fits in the puzzle.
That said, it is actually quite easy to land an internship here in Rio if you want one. I started mine this week.
4.) Would you rather visit a historic castle or hike through a forest to the top of a mountain?
I suppose it's pretty obvious where I'm going with this one. Though Rio does have its share of fancy buildings, the luxury here comes from nature. This is the most naturally beautiful place I have ever been, and it is astonishing how such a large population can co-exist with and maintain the environment.
I'll leave it at that before this turns into a Buzzfeed quiz. I hope those of you applying to study abroad have already considered these fundamental questions.
Let me close out this post with some very basic pictures that bring you into my everyday life:
The School Newspaper
Lunch at the PUC cafeteria. For just 6 reais (less than 3 dollars), students get a tray filled with salad, beans and rice, and either steak or chicken. Sodexo, the company that feeds USC, also feeds PUC! The food is better here in Rio, however.
The living room/dining room at my homestay.
My porch!
The view from my house. I live near the top of a Mountain, which makes transportation rather difficult. I always joke that if I had a car and several million dollars (most of my neighbors are millionaires, I looked up the prices of the real estate on my street) I would move here!
My house from the outside
Saturday, March 8, 2014
School
So far, I have had 3 weeks of classes. I have attended classes in both English and Portuguese. My University allows students to spend the first several weeks of each semester attending whatever classes they want, no matter what their initial registration says. Then, students have an official "add-drop" day (similar to ours in the States). In the end, I registered for 2 business courses, a Brazilian history class, and the mandatory Portuguese course for exchange students.
My business classes have been the most interesting so far. Particularly, my International Marketing class has sparked fascinating discussions; Brazil, at least as far as textbooks are concerned, sits right in the middle of "high context" and "low context" countries. In terms of business negotiations, Brazilians care (at least in general), about knowing the personal lives of those with whom they do business.
Nothing truly begins in Rio until after Carnaval, which just ended. Monday, I expect my coursework to increase drastically. In addition, I will be interning for the U.S. State Department affiliate EducationUSA. My job will be to help Brazilian students that want to study abroad in the U.S. Hopefully I can recruit some gamecocks!
My business classes have been the most interesting so far. Particularly, my International Marketing class has sparked fascinating discussions; Brazil, at least as far as textbooks are concerned, sits right in the middle of "high context" and "low context" countries. In terms of business negotiations, Brazilians care (at least in general), about knowing the personal lives of those with whom they do business.
Nothing truly begins in Rio until after Carnaval, which just ended. Monday, I expect my coursework to increase drastically. In addition, I will be interning for the U.S. State Department affiliate EducationUSA. My job will be to help Brazilian students that want to study abroad in the U.S. Hopefully I can recruit some gamecocks!
Friday, February 28, 2014
Business in Rio 1
The market here is fascinating, so I plan on updating this information as I learn more. Rio is notorious for having one of the largest wealth gaps in the world. Experiencing that first-hand is both interesting and depressing. Walking out of the chic mall in Leblon and looking at the favela on the hillside fills me with a strange mix of guilt and thankfulness.
The complete nonexistence of a middle class creates a market that is not yet saturated with a wide variety of products (not to mention the infamous Brazilian Bureaucracy that makes entering the market nearly impossible). However, many of the products that are in the market are priced as though they are being sold in Paris. The simplest way to think of the culture and market in Rio is that it is a mix of Portugal and Africa (and literally, those are the people that make up the population). Favelas actually have their own commercial system that is much cheaper, allowing the squatters to survive. Residents from outside the favelas wouldn't dare consume their products, because it is A) somewhat dangerous, but B) Brazilians have an obsession with wealth and beauty that does not allow them to subjugate themselves to inferior lifestyles.
Still, many normal products are cheaper here than in the U.S. I have not quite figured out the pattern. I am in a whole new world of supply and demand that takes time to analyze.
Brazilian food is perhaps the industry I have had the most contact with, since, obviously, I eat everyday. The cuisine here makes very little sense to me. In spite of the coastal climate, Cariocas eat less fish than people from St. Louis, Missouri.
More to come on this topic, but I need to go to a Carnaval party. Até logo.
The complete nonexistence of a middle class creates a market that is not yet saturated with a wide variety of products (not to mention the infamous Brazilian Bureaucracy that makes entering the market nearly impossible). However, many of the products that are in the market are priced as though they are being sold in Paris. The simplest way to think of the culture and market in Rio is that it is a mix of Portugal and Africa (and literally, those are the people that make up the population). Favelas actually have their own commercial system that is much cheaper, allowing the squatters to survive. Residents from outside the favelas wouldn't dare consume their products, because it is A) somewhat dangerous, but B) Brazilians have an obsession with wealth and beauty that does not allow them to subjugate themselves to inferior lifestyles.
Still, many normal products are cheaper here than in the U.S. I have not quite figured out the pattern. I am in a whole new world of supply and demand that takes time to analyze.
Brazilian food is perhaps the industry I have had the most contact with, since, obviously, I eat everyday. The cuisine here makes very little sense to me. In spite of the coastal climate, Cariocas eat less fish than people from St. Louis, Missouri.
More to come on this topic, but I need to go to a Carnaval party. Até logo.
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Pre-Carnaval
The funny thing about blogging from another country is that each day I feel my English get worse and worse. I am always thinking in Portuguese (or French), so I am throwing eloquent English out the window. By the end of my journey this blog will be merely baby-talk.
Anyway
During the weeks leading up to Carnaval, parties can be found everywhere in Rio. They are called Blocos, and they are a blast! Some people dress up, but many just wear standard street clothes. Everyone dances and sings in the streets and drinks plenty of cervejas, caipirinhas and of course, agua.
Sunshine, alcohol, and a dense population full of beautiful people are a recipe for not only fun, but some violence as well. On Sunday, I was taking a bus to watch a samba rehearsal at Sambodromo (that's the big famous strip that people parade through in crazy costumes). A group of young people in the back of the bus seemed to be having a great time. Next thing I know, I hear a girl shriek and a couple of guys yell at each other. A fight started between 4 or 5 guys and quickly made its way to the front of the bus. I few punches were thrown, and fewer were landed. The bus driver pulled over as soon as possible, and the guys got off and chased each other. In the end, it is nothing but a good story for me to tell.
If you are coming to Rio anytime soon, use common sense. Don't speak English really loudly and don't flaunt your iPhone.
Friday, February 21, 2014
Stress
Adapting to a new environment is like temporarily lowering oneself on Maslow´s hierarchy of human needs. I mean that in the best way possible. Let me explain by contrasting what gives me stress at home vs. here:
AT HOME:
How will I make time to write that essay?
Am I ready to facilitate that meeting at work tomorrow?
Can I make it from work to class in exactly 25 minutes and grab lunch in between?
Will I be able to manage 4 classes and 3 meetings in one day?
What do I need to do to make myself a better leader on campus?
Should I pursue X career or Y?
Would my time be better spent chatting with my professor or attending a guest speaker?
If I stay up late to finish my homework, will I be able to give an effective campus tour in the morning?
Where do I stand on current events, social problems, etc?
ABROAD:
What will I eat for dinner?
How can I walk in such a way that will not make me sweat through my clothes?
If I do X, will I offend my host family?
Where can I go to the bathroom?
How can I ask where the bathroom is in the best Portuguese accent?
If I eat that will it make me sick?
Where can I find a cold water fountain?
Am I drinking enough water?
What should I do about my newly acquired sunburn?
Where can I buy dental floss?
What bus do I take to get home?
Should I go take my cold shower or stay dirty?
Which shoes should I wear to protect the blisters on my feet?
The "adaptation" phase I am currently going through is quite interesting. It is as if I have to re-learn how to take care of my basic necessities that have been second-nature for years. This may sound like a negative process, but it is really refreshing. It illuminates the pettiness of my daily U.S. grind. I am always the first to advocate for "getting out of your comfort zone." The more often I do that, the better I will become at adapting. Even if I live nos Estados Unidos for the rest of my life, the ability to evolve, readjust and even camouflage will prove invaluable.
Eu poderia estar em qualquer lugar, mas estou aqui.
AT HOME:
How will I make time to write that essay?
Am I ready to facilitate that meeting at work tomorrow?
Can I make it from work to class in exactly 25 minutes and grab lunch in between?
Will I be able to manage 4 classes and 3 meetings in one day?
What do I need to do to make myself a better leader on campus?
Should I pursue X career or Y?
Would my time be better spent chatting with my professor or attending a guest speaker?
If I stay up late to finish my homework, will I be able to give an effective campus tour in the morning?
Where do I stand on current events, social problems, etc?
ABROAD:
What will I eat for dinner?
How can I walk in such a way that will not make me sweat through my clothes?
If I do X, will I offend my host family?
Where can I go to the bathroom?
How can I ask where the bathroom is in the best Portuguese accent?
If I eat that will it make me sick?
Where can I find a cold water fountain?
Am I drinking enough water?
What should I do about my newly acquired sunburn?
Where can I buy dental floss?
What bus do I take to get home?
Should I go take my cold shower or stay dirty?
Which shoes should I wear to protect the blisters on my feet?
The "adaptation" phase I am currently going through is quite interesting. It is as if I have to re-learn how to take care of my basic necessities that have been second-nature for years. This may sound like a negative process, but it is really refreshing. It illuminates the pettiness of my daily U.S. grind. I am always the first to advocate for "getting out of your comfort zone." The more often I do that, the better I will become at adapting. Even if I live nos Estados Unidos for the rest of my life, the ability to evolve, readjust and even camouflage will prove invaluable.
Eu poderia estar em qualquer lugar, mas estou aqui.
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Frustrations
By far the most frustrating aspect of getting settled has been my attempt to acquire a phone. Most of the other international students simply bought a local sim card and have a pre-paid phone plan with whatever cell phone they use back home. I have visited probably 12 different stores in an attempt to accomplish the same thing, but I have had a different problem everywhere I go. Since I use an iPhone 5, I need a special kind of sim card that took me a while to acquire. Now that I have it, I cannot seem to "unlock" my phone. Tomorrow I will attempt to buy a very cheap phone and use that instead. Apple products are worth about 3X as much in Brazil as they are in the states, and they say having an iPhone 5 on you is the best way to get jumped. It is probably for the best that I will be leaving my iPhone safely in my room for the duration of my semester. Also, visiting all the stores has been great portuguese practice for me.
In addition to the phone issue, life here is expensive! Transportation and food costs have been tough to swallow at times, not to mention the night life!
In addition to the phone issue, life here is expensive! Transportation and food costs have been tough to swallow at times, not to mention the night life!
Tourist?
Two weeks into my life in Rio, I am struggling with the concept that this is not a vacation. I live here. While the locals may still treat me like a tourist, I must adopt the mentality of a true "Carioca."
Of course, I still have to make time to see all of the tourist sites.
EXCURSION TO ILHA GRANDE
During my first weekend here, I visited Ilha Grande with several other international students. I had the chance to see the famous Lopes Mendes beach. The fascinating thing I have found about beaches here, not just Lopes Mendes, is that they lack anything besides perfectly white sand. No shells, no seaweed, seemingly no living creatures. The only thing we did see on Lopes Mendes were these fairly large crabs with big eyes separate from their bodies that looked like they were from a cartoon. I have a video of me chasing one. They were incredibly fast.
FIRST WEEK OF CLASS
After the excursion, the first week of school began. I attended a ton of classes that I did not sign up for. The University has a fairly relaxed culture about dropping and adding classes. They act like there is plenty of space in any class we could want, so when the "drop/add" day comes in a few weeks I can potentially alter my entire schedule. I think I will ultimately take more hours than I intended, as class is perhaps the best way for me to make friends from all over the world and enhance my Portuguese skills.
I stumbled upon a row of houses on my campus that remind me of a typical collection of Greek houses you might see at an American university. These houses have no affiliation with Greek life, however. Instead, they are small clubs that are organized by major. I went into the "philosophy" house and found students playing Super Smash Bros on Nintendo 64. Alas! My chance to make the Brazilians worship me. I almost never lose in Super Smash Bros in the States. I walked in confidently and asked if I could play. In spite of the 7 controllers laying on the floor, only two functioned properly. When my new amigos found out I was American, they put me up against their stud: Omar.
I'll spare you the dirty details. Let's just say that Omar made me question my entire childhood. For those of you that have never played Super Smash Bros, consider this analogy: our match was like the Super Bowl, and Omar was the Seahawks.
CITY TOUR
Saturday morning I made it to the University by 8 a.m. to travel by bus around the city. I'll make a separate post with a simple list of what we saw combined with some pictures that will have to suffice for a description of the tour. Rio is a collection of every type of natural beauty I can think of. It is a city thrown between mountains, beaches, forests and even waterfalls.
Of course, I still have to make time to see all of the tourist sites.
EXCURSION TO ILHA GRANDE
During my first weekend here, I visited Ilha Grande with several other international students. I had the chance to see the famous Lopes Mendes beach. The fascinating thing I have found about beaches here, not just Lopes Mendes, is that they lack anything besides perfectly white sand. No shells, no seaweed, seemingly no living creatures. The only thing we did see on Lopes Mendes were these fairly large crabs with big eyes separate from their bodies that looked like they were from a cartoon. I have a video of me chasing one. They were incredibly fast.
FIRST WEEK OF CLASS
After the excursion, the first week of school began. I attended a ton of classes that I did not sign up for. The University has a fairly relaxed culture about dropping and adding classes. They act like there is plenty of space in any class we could want, so when the "drop/add" day comes in a few weeks I can potentially alter my entire schedule. I think I will ultimately take more hours than I intended, as class is perhaps the best way for me to make friends from all over the world and enhance my Portuguese skills.
I stumbled upon a row of houses on my campus that remind me of a typical collection of Greek houses you might see at an American university. These houses have no affiliation with Greek life, however. Instead, they are small clubs that are organized by major. I went into the "philosophy" house and found students playing Super Smash Bros on Nintendo 64. Alas! My chance to make the Brazilians worship me. I almost never lose in Super Smash Bros in the States. I walked in confidently and asked if I could play. In spite of the 7 controllers laying on the floor, only two functioned properly. When my new amigos found out I was American, they put me up against their stud: Omar.
I'll spare you the dirty details. Let's just say that Omar made me question my entire childhood. For those of you that have never played Super Smash Bros, consider this analogy: our match was like the Super Bowl, and Omar was the Seahawks.
CITY TOUR
Saturday morning I made it to the University by 8 a.m. to travel by bus around the city. I'll make a separate post with a simple list of what we saw combined with some pictures that will have to suffice for a description of the tour. Rio is a collection of every type of natural beauty I can think of. It is a city thrown between mountains, beaches, forests and even waterfalls.
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Of course, Futebol is a huge part of Brazilian culture. I saw this Kaka sticker on a car on my street (Kaka is one of the all-time great Brazilian players, in case you didn't know).
The most beautiful sunset in the world from the famous Arpoador at Ipanema. The audience gives a round of applause everyday when the sun finally sets.
Monday, February 10, 2014
First Impressions
During my first week in Rio, my emotions have ranged from excitement to fear to culture shock to flat-out fatigue. Let me organize some thoughts for you so you can hunt-and-peck and read what you want. Then, I'll hopefully be able to post some eye candy from one of the most naturally beautiful areas in the world.
LANGUAGE:
While I came into the trip thinking I would completely lose my french skills, I have actually used more french than portuguese since arrival. A lot of the international students are french, so I have befriended a few and thus had the opportunity to practice french. For any type of store transaction or question asked on the streets, I do rely on portuguese. People here don't immediately speak english when they hear your accent like they do in some other parts of the world. My top priority for this next week is to make friends with a few brazilians. With classes not starting until today, I have not had the chance to interact with many local students. Hopefully that changes!
TIME:
One of the most obvious differences between Brazil and the U.S. is the perception of time. At orientation, we were told that "official time" and "social time" were two completely different things in Brazil; so far, I'm not sure I agree. It seems as though EVERYTHING, whether a social gathering or an official meeting, starts late. The same sense of urgency and drive for efficiency that we have in the States does not exist here. It is not necessarily a good or a bad thing, just an observation.
HOMESTAY:
I essentially live on top of a mountain (but not a favela, it is a very safe and beautiful gated neighborhood). I have a host mother who has spent half of her life in Brazil and half in France, so I communicate with her in both portuguese and french. I have three roommates which has given me some immediate friends. They are from Kansas City, Milwaukee, and Germany. Overall my homestay has been a positive experience. The interesting thing I have noticed in many buildings, not just my house, is the lack of space compared to facilities in the United States. Bathroom stalls are tiny, as are desks in classrooms and offices. People are extremely cautious about wasting anything, whether it is space, food or a natural resource.
I'll post some pictures hopefully later today!
Thursday, January 30, 2014
All Set!
Wow! Did I get lucky with my home stay location, or what!?!?
My school, PUC-Rio, requires that International students live with a family during their time in Rio. I prefer this method of lodging anyway because it allows for the greatest learning opportunity with language and culture. It certainly has made me nervous over the last few weeks, because they give students the name and address of their host just a few days before departure! The street I will live on is tagged in the map above-just a short walk away from my University. It appears to be situated near a national park, and it is not far from the beach either. Also, the famous Christ the Redeemer statue is not far!
It appears I will be living in paradise. Before I depart, let me lay out some of the details about why I chose to go to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (besides the fact that it is the world's #1 ranked travel destination for 2014. That certainly doesn't hurt).
I have always loved languages, and I have studied French for most of my life. I knew coming to the University of South Carolina that I would be able to quickly finish a French minor. As my senior year of high school came to a close, I wondered whether or not I should try to tack on a second language. A friend of mine had an exchange student living with him that year from Switzerland. His name was Linus (Linus, if you find this blog, here's to you buddy). When I decided to study International Business, I asked Linus what language I should study. "Take Portuguain. Brazil has the growing-fastest economy in the world!" Linus offered this advice with confidence in his Swiss accent.
Silly as it may sound, that conversation was a defining moment for me, and it is the root of why I study Portuguese at USC. By the time I leave Rio, I hope to speak Portuguese just as well as Linus spoke English.
Oh yeah, and I'll be in Rio for most of the World Cup this summer. Stay tuned for that.
Friday, January 17, 2014
Pre-Departure
Greetings from St. Louis, Missouri! I am anxiously waiting to depart for my semester in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. During my extended winter break, I have been preparing for the trip by stocking up on essentials I will need (apparently they are much more expensive in Rio), reading travel guides and sharpening my Portuguese skills. I have my student visa safely in my grasp (phew), and I am still impatiently waiting to hear where I will live; my school reports home stay information about 10 days before departure. I'll check back in right before I board the plane. Tchau for now!
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