Back in Boston

Hello from a snowy Boston! It was very pleased to return on Monday afternoon to warm weather, finding rain rather than snow. I apparently missed a few bad storms, but it's now catching up with me. After the break, I find the snow that's been creating a blanket over the city today welcoming, calming and beautiful... but it is definitely getting colder.

I have a lot to tell about camp, but missed my first week of classes and am jumping back in so will have to wait until I have a handle on my new schedule and courses until I can write more. I spent a good deal of time journaling, however, so I hope to share this with you.

I can tell you now, though, that one of the reasons I haven't been on as much (other than simply not having internet access) has been a security issue. During orientation, I heard first and second-hand stories from the area of Brazil we were staying in of kidnappings and armed robberies (in people's homes) and it posed a serious threat to reveal that I was at a site in the country with a large group of affluent kids. CLV has a direct connection with IBM so a lot of the students' parents work for the company and I did not want to put any of the villagers - or staff - at risk by giving away too much information.

Camp in general was also a lot different from what I expected. The staff had all lived abroad and spoke other languages, many of them with CLV experience (some in Minnesota, some at the Hometown locations in Europe and Brazil). Like CLV's other programs, we ran a language immersion-based program with time for singing and language classes twice a day, but it also had a business theme, teaching the kids (ages 9-16 with a generally high level of ability) to use practical English. The villagers only attended for a one-week session at a time, but during this time, they created a small city of sorts, called Simtown, with five branches: City Council, Fine Arts Council, the Media, Parks and Recreation and the Chamber of Commerce. We held elections with speeches and a town hall style meeting (covered by the media and for which the Fine Arts Council was hired to do election posters). The Chamber of Commerce made food to sell, Parks and Rec planned events with entrance fees, the Fine Arts Council took orders and came up with projects that we needed to write grant proposals to get money for. The kids did it all with the staff helping mostly with language and in a support/mentorship role. They even paid taxes and levied tariffs on things like not using English in activities. Each branch had a senator, spokesperson and accountant/treasurer who figured out wages based on participation.

Truly incredible and I think the kids gained a lot. I certainly did as a staff member, as well.

Like the other villages, we also held nightly evening programs focused on cultural themes: State Fair, the Wild West (I ran an Oregon Trail simulation with some others), Homecoming (which became a fashion show when it rained), Halloween (incorporated into a Clue-themed scavenger hunt) and immigration (all steps of the process, with attention paid to difficulties incurred by those with different SES).

The first week, we had about three counselors to four kids in each cabin, with eight kids to two counselors the second week. Living with Brazilian kids, I learned a lot about cultural differences (like that Brazilians like to "bathe" several times a day, even if it is for a few minutes... different from the US and difficult with ten people to a shower), but the experience also reenforced how many common traits we truly have as members of our global community (and how kids are really just kids... anywhere).

And finally, the food. Many hated it. I loved it... and came back with a few extra pounds to prove it. But it was worth it. Missing the cheese and bread already!

As I am back in school mode, I actually need to get going to get some reading done. My best friend is coming in from Minnesota for the weekend so I'm trying to plan ahead (and am now finally caught up on sleep), but thank you to those of you following along and I hope to be able to share more soon... especially so I can capture some of the more detailed memories and moments while they are still potent. Brazil in general was magical, but also so grateful I had the opportunity to participate in the Hometown program (and would do it again in a heartbeat).

Until next time... chow! - b

Back in tiny, beautiful Cebreuva. Its pouring outside, typical of the unpredictable, sub-tropical rains that come as fast as they go, as if they were a simple breeze. The colorful buildings surrounding the square across from the internet cafe and stone streets shine under the streetlights as groups of men and boys stand in groups sprinkled around the square. Im hot in my tshirt and capris, but Ive just washed my clothes on the stone washboard at the resort/site and hung them to dry on the railings, banisters and balconies of my cottage so I can pack for my trip home tomorrow so this is all I have. I feel at ease and peaceful, although very tired.

Weve just finished our last week at camp. Time flew. I could have blinked and it would have crept by, except there are too many posters, projects and memories from the amazing and wonderful group of kids to deny the experience. Im ready to go home... but so happy I came.

This is my one hour on the net for the week and the last I will have in Brazil. I will update more soon (as I have said before) and plan to let pictures tell the stories if I do not have time to share the words.

I am exhausted and will need to hit the ground running when I return to Boston (class the same day), but I wanted to check in to tell you all that things are going well. The camp is packed and we are hopefully ending the day with a staff campfire at our makeshift home tonight. Its been an incredible week. Very different from my Norwegian camp experiences (my other CLV), but also fantastic in its own right.

For those of you that sent birthday wishes, I will also thank you all and get back to you individually in due time but - in general, THANK YOU- and I can tell you now that the day was extroidinary on so many levels: hiking with wonderful people, swimming in waterfalls, Brazilian BBQ (possibly one of the best 3 meals of my life), a distillery tour and an expectantly touching, ejoyable and special trip to the local orphanage (which I wish I could have gone back to once more). Literally could not have requested a better agenda.

I am off to meet others for pizza before heading back so - until next time - I will leave you all with warm wishes and kind regards from tiny, little alligator town.

Hello from beautiful, tiny Cebreuva in Southern Brazil!

We just finished a session and am feeling the CLV magic x 100 (kicked in day 3 as I was literally covered in gold eyeshadow and dressed as a vampire, searching for a CLUE murderer with a group of 10 year olds...

Today we did our closing program and I almost cried saying goodbye to some of my students, which I definitely didnt think would happen after just a week. Then I moved houses, cleaned up, prepared my evening program and some lessons for next week... and went into town to hit up a grocery store (since I definitely want to bring some of the treats Ive discovered home but will essentially go straight to the airport when I leave here next week) and relax with some coworkers. Now for some coveted internet time (about an hour for the week) before dinner.

I will obviously explain everything later, but for a glimse, here is a website that was created for the parents (and somehow gets updated)... http://hometownbrazil.villagepages.org/

In short, its pouring outside and its terribly hot (wish I had packed the sundressed!) but I am having a fantastic time. In the last two days Ive found myself dressed as a southern soujerner, faking an accent with dyed blonde hair and writing lyrics to Beyonce songs with Brazilian adolescentas. Bizarre, but so fulfilling. I will say, however, that isolation from the world is a strange thing and I find it ironic that we are here to expand the worlds of Brazilian kids worlds while we remain naive of what is going on in reality. I just found out about Haiti. I just checked in with my parents for the first time in 2 weeks.

But while I have a lot of pressure on me and am very busy, I also find myseld feeling so lucky for this experience and glimse into this culture and the lives of the people here who maybe experience things slightly different than what I was raised with.

The more places I go, the more questions I have and the more I see the similarities.

Tomorrow is our day off so Ill be going on a jungle trekk in the morning along with some other small adventures. I am incredibly excited (despite how tired I really am - in a good way) and hope that all of you are also doing well. Pictures, stories and more to come in a week or so - probably from Boston. Ill be hitting the ground running (classes start now) so it might take some time, but until then, besos. -b

Camp!

Hey!

Well, Im here, Im safe... and I have no internet.

Ill try to check in next week when I can come to town again, but I literally only have 15 minutes now and need to send my 21 year old brother a birthday email instead of pasting in my blog.

Talk to you all soon! xo

Volunteer

Before I go and on a random note, here are some volunteer opportunities that some other people at the hostel are doing to do little trips to different areas around the world (ways to see, stay, experience on a short budget or quest for adventure)

helpex.net

wwoof.org

Englightening Breakfast

Sitting at breakfast with the CLV people. An eclectic mix. Many have worked at Hometown Europe. One girl worked at German for a while and the other at Spanish. One guy just finished college at Penn State and is on the beginning of an unknown journey around South America. Some speak Portuguese; most of us don't. New role model in one woman, a nurse from OR, who has done so much and lives a very international, inspiring life.

The bus was changed from 10 to 4, so have some extra time. Found a cheap guitar, though.

Here are some tidbits...

Among discussions of favorite books, documentaries and experiences (interesting icebreaker), some passed on words of wisdom...

Ag mendito
Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself.

To deliver a whole person care, it takes a whole person. And until one shows up, we'll use a team. - part of Parsley's hospice department

The best way to predict your future is to create it.

Don't do anything you can't explain to 12 stranger.

Go in with a plan, but don't expect to use it. - Nursing prof in Oregon

Don't raise your voice, improve your arguments. - Desmond Tutu

The night is drawing nigh - how long the road is. But, for all the time the journey has already taken, how you have needed every econd of it in order to learn waht the roead passes-by. -Dag Hammerskjold

Drink coffee. Do stupid things faster, with more energy.

Everything will be OK in the end. If it's not OK, it's not the end.

It is better to experience things than have things - Parsley
Experiencing things is having things - Becca

So far, the group is working well together and think it'll make a good team. Looking forward to orientation and the program today!

Sao Paulo and Potential Away Message

I just wanted to drop a quick note to say I'm safely in Sao Paulo.  I met a few of my coworkers today and we're heading out tomorrow morning to the site, about 45 minutes out of town, after running some errands and buying final supplies.

I'm still partial to Rio, but Sao Paulo (the world's 2nd largest city and largest metropolis, with about 29 million people with the surrounding areas) is interesting.  Explored a lot yesterday - including seeing an amazing exhibit at MASP, the park downtown, Paulista Avenue, the Japanese area, the Cathedral and then going out in the Replublica area at night - and today I also gained perspective from some of my new colleagues, who have spent time here.

Much to come, but if I can't post soon (might not have the net for about a week), here's a little glimpse.

Cheers to Paulista Avenue - SP's main street!

Refuge from the City - a small native forest park in the middle of Paulista

called the Parque Siqueira Campos (or Tianon).  It was named after a

garden in Versailles... can't say there is much resemblance, however.

Liberdade, the Japanese part of town (SP has the world's largest Japanese

population outside of Japan).  The Brazilian-Japanese immigration museum

was closed, but I had fun looking around.  Was surprised that almost everyone working

here spoke Chinese, though (not nihongo) and also by the stalls with fakes, etc...

The cathedral in the rain

Some of the other people from camp. 

One a random note, the girl in the first row, second from the left ("Grace") 

actually went to the same uni as me, graduated the same year, 

we were Jr Counselor's at CLV at the same time (when we were 17), she's worked 

in Bemidji, MN for most of the time I was working at camp 

there (years ago, but still...) and she's been traveling a lot since. 

Might go to BC next year. Very parallel paths for someone I've never met! 

First Day in Sao Paulo

I spent the last day in Rio hanging out with Priscilla's family, at her sister's new apartment. Really charming neighborhood and lovely apartment - close to both families.

This is Pria's brother-in-law's brother, Deby, Pria's bro and me hanging out

(so I can "practice my Portuguese"...grrr)

Lunch - delicious lasagne and salad

Pria's mom (my Brazilian host mom!), her sister, grandma & Pria

Outside the apartment - there was a kid riding his horse

up the hill for a while. Mountains in the background-beautiful!!

Watching the news about the massive mudslides and floods :-(

(also interesting that the boys played video games here for hours

beforehand... think this is an international trait)

Needless to say, it's only been a few days, but I feel so blessed to have been connected with this family. When they drove me to the bus station in Rio (at 1am), Pria's mom told me it was sad I was leaving now that I was part of the family. The family was really cute. They weren't allowed in the bus platform area without a ticket (or they had to pay), but they each grabbed a bag and the girls walked through (pretending like "we knew what we were doing") and then waited with me in line. I almost wanted to cry saying goodbye (or see ya later), and definitely think I will try to be back for Pria's wedding... or before :)

Bus to SP

The bus ride down was pretty good. Bus is the primary form of long-distance transportation in Brazil and it shows in the quality of the ride that they're used to doing this. The bus was basically just a coach and not too expensive (less than $40 for a 6 hour ride), but the seats actually went all the way back and they gave us food and drinks. I saw a few of the famous Motel's (like the Japanese love hotels - very kitschy!) on the way out of town, but otherwise, fell asleep in Rio State and woke up in Sao Paulo!

The metro was easy to find at the bus station. I asked Pria how to pronounce the area of town I was going to and then asked someone at the metro station where to get off. When I got there, it was pouring (thankfully stopping a bit later), so I took a short cab ride with the bag.

And so here I am... in the world’s second largest city and largest metropolis!

I’m meeting the camp people here today, but it's too early to check in and nobody is here yet, so I'm basically just hanging out and catching up. Lucas, the guy at the door who showed me in, though and let me relax at breakfast. I haven't seen our rooms yet, but so far I love the house and garden. I guess the place was started by a group of seven students who bought the house as a place to live together during school and kept this scheme going when they started letting others stay. I don't think this area of town (near Clinicas) is as trendy or chic as it was rumored to be, but the house itself is certainly very charming - and it's good to have a place to drop!

So far, haven’t seen much of the city, but I’m off to explore since I have to wait a while here. I wanted to check out the museum about Japanese-Brazilian relations (maybe it the Japanese part of town? - know it was founded by the current Emperor), but nobody’s heard of it so going to see the main drag and old city first, then ask how to get there at the fine arts museum. I think today was a good day to arrive, too, as there are apparently flea markets all over the city, free entrance to the city center museums, there’s music on the streets and in the shops (although I hope the rain isn’t a deterrant if it keeps going) and Sat is supposed to be SP’s most intense night out. We'll see!

I was warned by the cariocas (Rio natives) that this city isn’t as nice as Rio, at least culturally, but I’m getting the opposite side of the rivalry here so far. Considering I fell absolutely, head-over-heels in love with Rio, I’ll try not to be too biased as I form my impressions… but so far, thinking Brazil in general is just a dream.

(ps – since I started writing, the downpour has stopped. My nickname at school in Japan was “good weather girl” and Pria was laughing about how the weather in Rio turned around and we had a nice New Years when I showed up. Now SP is looking already for my little stroll around the city… kinda strange with this luck, especially after watching Match Point this week. Maybe Woody Allen was onto something??)

New Years of Copacabana - 1/1/2010

Wow.  Last night was such a fantastic time. I hardly know where to begin...

Getting to the Party

We had to buy our subway tickets for a certain time slot a day in advance, so we decided to meet Pria’s friend Deby around 8 and head to the beach together.  I initially thought we would be way too early, but the train was packed like a can of sardines and we didn’t arrive in Copacabana until just before 10, so I think it was perfect.

When we arrived, the streets of Copacabana and the beach were busy as expected, but everyone was in white so there was a certain energy and beauty to it all; even with the frustration of trying to get through the sea of people (holding hands, not to lose each other).

The Beach

There were free giant music stages all along the beach, like at Summer Sonic, Oxygen, or any other huge music festival, with famous Brazilian singers and then the "samba schools" (samba clubs that dance at carnival; basically girls dressed in all the feathers, ritz and glitz) later in the night, around 3am.  I have to admit I never knew there were so many kinds of samba, even types that sound like rap.  And I finally learned how to dance!

I was with Brazilians the whole time so I felt completely safe (met up with a friend from Pria’s church and her relatives), but also so welcome and actually just comfortable.  A few times guys would walk by and try to kiss one of us (overheard plans of kissing competitions), touching our arms or just saying hello, but one of the friends acted as a bodyguard.  Really funny moment when we were talking to an American guy and his girlfriend literally pulled him away mid-sentence... apparently we weren't the only ones worried about guys being too drunk or out of control.

3... 2... 1...

When midnight rolled around, thousands of people popped their champagne and sprayed it over the crowd while we counted down together.  Fireworks went off from barges on the water as women walked into the sea with flowers, gifts for a goddess, and most people just jumped up and down cheering.  Cruise ships lines the horizon on one side, with packed apartments, light and palm trees on the other side of the white, sandy beach, across the boulevard.

I had a Red Bull, but otherwise only a caipirinha for a picture and the experience.  Gotta say this was probably one of the best of my life.

When we returned home, we danced down the street to the echo of the samba players (the usually packed streets of the Tijuca area deserted) and then feasted on cakes, fruit and sandwiches with Pria’s parents as the sun came up, a tradition in Brazil.

Will post pictures, which will do more justice, but absolutely amazing evening.  

Happy New Years again to everyone and best wishes for good things to come. Love from Brazil, b

New Year's Fireworks

Crowds at the Metro Station

Walking down the avenue at Copacabana

Samba School on one of the Copacabana stages

First Sunrise of the Year

Wednesday 1/30/2010

Today was my first full day with Pria. I think the crazy, party-life Rio that the people in the hostel seem to discover all-too-often is over, but it’s been replaced by a really nice family, homestay kind of Rio that I feel extremely fortunate to receive. I’m sharing a room with Pria and grandma, as I mentioned before, and I honestly already feel like this family is my Brazilian host family. We just click.

They’re literally feeding me whenever they get the chance and are so worried about every little detail and making sure I'm OK and safe. They tried to get me to stay a day longer, too... and I looked into it... but I have to be in Sao Paulo to meet up with the camp people and we already booked a place to stay there, so I booked the bus today with the dates I had previously scheduled.

After sleeping in today, we enjoyed a low-key breakfast in the apartment: bread with salami, this cheese-spread stuff I love called requeirao (sounds like “he-ce-jsoe” – had it last night on little balls of fried cheese called pao ize queijo (which sounds like “pon- chee - kee - sue”) and coffee. Pria’s mom was also making French toast, or rabanaza (sounds like “harbonara”) for lunch, but we basically just got ready to go and left to catch a bus to the city so we could explore for a bit.

Bussin It

On the ride into Ipanema (where I got my ticket) and downtown (where we had plans), Pria pointed out a lot of areas I'm not sure I would have noticed otherwise, including the Santa Marta favella. Santa Marta was the favella in Michael Jackson’s music video (which attempted to bring attention to the poverty here) and was successfully and peacefully occupied by the police earlier this year, so that the drugs have apparently stopped and it’s now safe to go through.

We got off at my old neighborhood (if I can afford to call it that) in Ipanema in order to get my bus tickets out of Rio. While the ticket wasn’t too hard to sort out, thee were already getting booked out for the first few days of the year so was glad we went when we did.

“Hav - ah-ai-nish”

On the way back to the bus, we stopped in a few shops and to try the Ovomaltine-flavor McFlurry at McDonalds, but it had started to pour (like really pour, tropical-rain-style) when we were ready to roll so we decided to duck into the Havianas store to wait it out.

Havianas are getting pretty popular everywhere, so you might have heard of these sandals before, but it seems like literally everyone here owns a pair of the Brazilian shoes (although it seemed like literally everyone in Sydney had them last year, too).

When we got to the store, I was really shocked by how decked-out or expensive some pairs were (they had silver and gold ones with diamonds that were over $100!!) were, but we started talking to a saleslady who explained that it was much cheaper to get personalized sandals if you had them custom-made. We were still waiting for the rain, so I looked into it and, sure enough, the woman was totally right. I got a ridiculous deal on a brown pair that I had two little diamonds added to.

Downtown

Once we finally got going, we hopped another bus (dodging the massive puddles and spray that soaked the crowd at the bus stop everytime a car whizzed past) and headed to the central business district to see the museums and public library, which also has exhibits. I rode through the area on my first bus ride into town, but I was totally blown away by the atmosphere of the old city, where we got off. Old, European structures literally housing exhibit after exhibit. Side streets with cobblestone and outdoor cafes. Brightlight colored buildings. Church spires and bells between rooftops. And later on, confetti all over from the businesses who decided to celebrate their last working day of the year and begin the New Years festivities now. Exceptionally charming.

Pria brought me to the Centero Cultural Banco do Brasil (CCBB), a huge library, business building and museum, free to the public. They had two cool exhibits, one about shapes and lighting and the other about currency, which were impressively done. Currency isn’t always the most exciting of subjects, but they had put patterned windows into the floor, so it looked like you were walking on coins, and had currencies of all forms from ALL over the world. They had a cool exhibit on different Commonwealth notes (showing Queen Elizabeth, and also the notes depicting her at different ages) and also a progression of the Brazilian money, which dropped three zeros from its currency as it emerged from a financial crisis about 20 years ago (i.e. 5000 Reals today isn’t exactly the chunk of change it was in ’88). Pria also told me stories about when the money changed and other exhibits she’s seen at the CCBB. Really lovely afternoon.

We walked around for a while, despite the rain, but it was too late to go to the library or national museum so we just peeked in from the outside. Then we went to get train tickets for tomorrow night, and I was totally shocked to find that a) you can’t just buy a regular ticket, but have to get a special ticket for New Years, b) the New Years tickets were sold out at most stations, c) the trains will run all night tomorrow so we can totally go home whenever we want (good because I’m going out with Pria, two of her friends and maybe some of my friends from the hostel) and d) there was an insanely line for the SUBWAY tickets (not even the event) once we had found a station that still sold them. I think it’s safe to say tomorrow will be huge. This will actually be the first time Pria and her friends go to Copacabana for the big party. Most of the caprianas (Rio locals) go to another beach or house party, since there are millions on the beach, but I convinced them to come with me and I think it will be fun. Worth seeing at least once ;)

Tijuca - My Brazilian Home Sweet Home

Well, anyways, now we’re back home. Pria’s mom made us dinner (wasn’t wild about the farofa – sounds like “farfe” – but loved the empadao – sounds like “impardon”… and there’s a “chu” or accent somewhere in there…) and we’re going to watch the movie we rented, Woody Allen’s Match Point. It was kind of fun to go to the video store because they have a section here called “cult” (along with Drama, Comedy, etc) that included a LOT of my favorites, including all the Woody Allen movies. Pria and I have the same taste in movies and MP comes highly recommended, so I’m excited about a low-key night before tomorrow.

So, I will close by saying I hope this finds you well and if I don’t get a chance to write until after the celebrations tomorrow… a very HAPPY NEW YEARS from me to you!

I couldn’t be happier to be here right now, but my mind and heart are definitely missing certain people and certain places. Stay safe and miss you. Here’s to the best year yet. Love, Bren

Tuesday - 12/29/2009

Well, today has been an interesting day.  I got my first lil sunburn (my fault for not putting on enough lotion, some Nivea aloe lotion to fix it at the mall, a Brazilian phone number (still working out how to unlock my US cell), and best of all, I met the couchsurfing host!

Moving to my new home in Rio

I met Pria at the Tijuca subway station at 4 and led me to her house.  I had the suitcase with me, which isn't huge, but it's definitely bulky compared to the hiking backpack I'm used to and I was glad the house wasn’t far.  

Pria and her family live in a pretty nice, gated apartment complex in the middle of a residential neighborhood.  It’s a little funny because I feel a bit like a high school exchange student with the whole family, even grandma who is visiting from the Amazon, in the same house and because nobody other than Pria speaks English, but so far, it's going really well.  Pria's grandma keeps making her translate all of her questions and stories (in addition to making sure I’ve had dinner and have tried the traditional Brazilian fare, haha) and tonight we went to the mall to run errands with and return some presents with Pria’s sister who just got married.  It was pouring when we got outside, so probably a good time to be inside and the girls were fun to hang out with.

I was a little annoyed earlier in the day when I took the subway here for the first time and it took much longer than expected (although I got to use the Ipanema metro station, now open for a whole 5 days).  We're a bit more removed from the city center than I thought I would be, too, but I definitely feel like I’m getting a taste of REAL Brazil.  

Pria and I already have plans for the next few days and she wants me to go out with her friends for New Years (taking first train home), which I sort of feel obliged to do despite the plans I have with people from the hostel I was staying in. Either way, we’ll still be able to check out New Years on Copacabana and Priscilla is extremely nice and pretty laid back, so I think it’ll be fun.

Anyways, just wanted to check in quickly and let everyone (ie my mom) know that I'm here, safe and the couch-surfing bit is going well.  Besos from Tijuca and more soon - b

Corcocavadas – The Christ Statue

It was supposed to thunderstorm all day today, but was pretty sunny when I got up, so I decided to check out the Christ statue, set in the heart of the famous Tijuca National forest.  

I took the city bus over, figuring out where to get off when I overheard a guy from New York and some Argentinean girls (who spoke Portuguese) talking about going to visit the same spot and asked to join them.  We quickly formed a little group, picking up a Brazilian guy and an Italian along the way, and bargained for a bus to take us up when we found out there was over a three hour wait for the train ride to the top (ridiculous considering it costs $35 round-trip!). 

All I can say about the view from the top are that they were fantastic.  I've heard Sugarloaf also has a great view, especially at sunset, but I don't think I'll get to go with the rain.  That being said, it really should be a requisite that everyone visits the tower/peak/monument in a new city like this - it puts everything into perspective (sometimes, like in Seoul, revealing how small the metropolis can be) and makes you appreciate the location on another level.  

On the ride to the top, we stopped at two lookout points before going to the actual statue.  One of the site was actually a helicopter landing pad and the other just a flat, stone lookout, with sweeping panoramic views of the entire city and sea.  Breathtaking views - these pictures are from this area...

The Christ Statue

Me with a view of Sugarloaf Mt and Rio

After half an hour or so, we hopped back into the buses and transferred to another van to made our way up to the actual Christ statue.  

The timing was actually perfect, as we still got clear views of the city we arrived, but also the chance to watch the storm move in.  We were actually at cloud-level (or just above), but it was a little crazy when the lightening started (just before the rain) and everyone’s hair started to stand up from the charge.  We were still on the peak when it started to rain, but the break in humidity and cool water actually felt great, so my new friends and I didn’t mind walking around.

The actual statue is the world’s largest art deco statue and was built in the 20s; very impressive from the base.  The whole thing was actually tiled, which surprised me, but there was an impressive amount of detail.  

As with most tourist places around the world, the experience of visiting a famous site is not as serene and you might expect (crowded with lots of tourists pushing around, trying to get their own version of the famous shot or probably a Facebook profile picture or two to prove they were there), but I did enjoy the scenery and time at the top of the hill; a beautiful backdrop of green hills and lush forests below us.

Our makeshift group sort of got split up when the rain hit, and by the time I headed down with Alex, the guy from New York, it was downright pouring. We had to wait a while for the buses, but we did discover an old, almost deserted colonial-era hotel that was (eerily) charming and beautiful and seemed like a discovery, even though I am sure many others have left footprints on the path before us. 

As mentioned, I don't think I'll get to see the famous Sugarloaf Mountain (one of the big sites in Rio, a peak you take a cable car to) because of the weather, but I was initially planning to visit it after this trip if weather permitted.  Since it didn't, however, I headed back to Ipanema on the bus and had dinner with Alex before going back to the hostel and just hanging out with people there.  

On one final, random note, something else to share.  While the rain cooled us down, the highlight of the evening (after the wonderful afternoon of sightseeing, of course) was also this discovering acai.  Basically, it's a protein, potassium and calcium-rich berry from the rainforest that they mix with sugar and ice to serve as a frozen dessert... delicious anytime, it's great in the hot weather.  Reason 344 why Brazil is amazing...

Rio de Janeiro

I thought I should take a minute to talk a little more about this place.  It’s interesting how the longer you spend somewhere, the more you peal back the layers and learn.  More and different sides reveal themselves when you least expect it.  Before I get into details an tangents, though, I'll tell you more about the city in general.

First and foremost, it's important to know that Rio is broke down into sections.  The city itself is very large, now the second largest in Brazil, but the capital moved from Rio to Brasilia in 1822, so it is now mostly famous for its landmarks, natural settings and, of course, carnival.

Ipanema

Of the different sections of town, you may already be familiar with Ipanema because of the Girl from Ipanema (samba) song - and the author of the song is actually from the street next to where I'm staying! - but it is actually a real area, the girl from the song is real and I've gotta say the area definitely has it's charm.  

A small inlet divides Ipanema from Copacabana, another famous beach, which is larger but also rumored to be more dangerous and touristy from most people I've talked to.  

Ipanema is clean, safe and simple (although the shops do seem more upscale, etc), but I have also noticed a lot of poverty.  There are homeless people on many corners, for example, but just as many police because of the tourists.  It feels safe, but it's also a little strange to have a social divide.  

I wouldn't call Ipanema a tourist grotto like Thamel in Kathmandu, but I think a lot of Westerners stick to this side of town if alone or at night.  When I told the British girl I'm rooming with I was leaving Ipanema to go to Santa Theresa alone about three hours before sunset (so there was a CHANCE of being there alone in the dark), she was shocked and told me I was crazy.  Needless to say, even though there was that little incident with the guy screaming at me in Lapa (at a lit busstop, on the way home), the area wasn't even remotely dangerous compared to some of the "bad" parts of town and the favellas.

The Rio locals, or cariocas, I have met have also been very kind and - even though I have been very cognizant of my surroundings - I have generally felt safe; again, even traveling alone.

Rio

As for the wider city itself, Rio is a city of over 10 million people squeezed between the ocean and the mountains. Locals love Rio calling it cidade maravilhosa (marvelous city) and refer to themselves as caricas for being part of what is undoubtedly one of the world's most beautiful city setting.  I can attest to the fact that they're not wrong.  

Rio’s post card is the symbol of Brazil. Corcovado, the Christ Redeemer and the Sugar-Loaf Hill, a cablecar/hiking trip with a wicked view of the entire city, are the most famous sites. The tourism spots are numerous (I could go on...), but I should also mention Maracanã Stadium, the soccer temple that I visited earlier and where the World Cup will be held, as well as Passarela do Samba (Samba Catwalk), almost like a block-long concrete stadium where the Rio samba-schools parade during the city's biggest event, Carnival in February.

Sao Paulo is supposed to be more more "international" (they have more immigrants), but I can understand why Rio de Janeiro considers itself the art and cultural center of the continent. Away from the beaches and intense night life you will find much art by contemporary artists in galleries and museums, excellent shopping (particularly for jewelry, theaters, clubbing, sport events) and a huge variety of restaurants.  

Everyone Should Come Once

In short, there are some cities that take a while to grow on you. Some you never really find affection for.  And others that capture your heart with just a taste.  This city falls into the last category.  Each day is better than the last... and I am absolutely head over heels in love with the place.

Maracana Stadium

The Soccer Game 

Yesterday turned out to be a blast.  A few friends from the hostel went along and I met some Isrealis and people from one of the other hostels on the block on the way.  The match was actually a celebrity match, so it wasn’t as crazy as a real game (too many break-aways, the refs were far too kind of some of the penalty kicks and some of the players were pretty old), but it was cool to see Zico (a Brazilian soccer hero, now about 60) score three goals and I loved the energy in the crowd.  The best was when they belted out the national songs. 

Samba

After the game, I grabbed a bite to eat and was planning on spending the night in.  I started chatting with the people I had met from the other hostel, though (awesome, very international group that had gone independent of our tour but ended up in the same area) and was having such a great time that I decided to go to a samba club one of the guys was getting everyone into for free.  We cabbed over to the club (the ride in itself was worth the trip) and joined the VIP line, but were ultimately about an hour and a half later than we were supposed to be there once we arrived.  The regular line was longer than ours, which was almost around the block, so once we realized it could be hours until we got in, we decided to grab a few cabs and head back into Ipanema to go somewhere closer to the hostel.  It was probably a good thing as I was definitely underdressed for this club (in a black dress)… and the night turned out to be amazing regardless.  

One of the guys in the group is a semi-professional footvolley player from Germany (think volleyball with no hands – it’s popular on the beaches here) so he led us to this great bar where we hung out for a few hours, even pointing out the van where a lot of locals were buying their beers and sneaking them into the club.  Met some cool half-Brazilian, half-Japanese girls with crazy tattoos when I tried to stop some drama in line at the women’s bathroom (fight over who was in line first) and ran into some Swedish girls I had met on Friday at the Lapa street party.  Small (tourist?) world.  

I was starting to get tired at one point and was shocked to check someone’s clock and find it was past four, so one of my new Turkish-Swedish friends walked me back to the hostel.

Late one, but fun day & night... visiting the Maracana Stadium was a treat in itself, but will definitely look for my seat when the World Cup finals are held there in 2012!

Happy New Years!

Ive been writing away, but dont have much internet access on my computer at the moment so will have to post in a few days. If youre wondering where I am... Ive been adopted (note, not abducted) by a Brazilian family in Rio!

Im now staying with Pria, who I met on couchsurfing, rooming with her and grandma, who is visiting from the Amazon (but the whole family is here in the Tijuca apartment). The first night we ran errands and had dinner, yesterday we explored downtown and today the manicure lady (a friend of the fam) came over to beautify the ladies for the big New Years Eve party at church tonight. I convinced Pria to come to Copacabana Beach (2-3 million people in white and fireworks galore), so Im heading down with three Brazilian girls and maybe meeting some hostel friends there later.

So much for the bikini bod, though. The fam has been feeding me the most amazing Brazilian food (fresh acerola juice for breakfast today), teaching me a LOT about *real* life here (although Pria is the only one who speaks English and Im - somehow - now quite fluent in Portuguese yet) and theyre just so sweet.

Ill have more to share when I get better access (tomorrow is my last night in Rio and then off to Sao Paolo to meet the CLV peeps), but until then, I wish you all a marvelous New Years!

Much love from a rainy Rio, b

Football ahoy

Trying to waste some time as I wait for the football (soccer) guy to get here. Ari and his bro are coming too, which is exciting. I also referred them to Solange and it looks like they might end up staying at her house.

Had sort of a panicky moment this afternoon when my ATM card was rejected at THREE different banks. I finally got it to work at citibank, but theres a big fee for using the atms. at least i can get money... and know where to go. Ironically, I met two guys from Newton, MA (blocks from where I live) at the last bum bank local that told me about the citibank trick. Small world!

The hippy fair was pretty awesome, too. Not so much hippy stuff, as I expected, but just an open-air market with art, crafts, jewelry, fakes, etc. I found a really great feather headband and some cheap, stone pendants for the girls I work with and friends at home, but i didnt have time to go back and get them with the cash fiasco. Ill go bac k if its open tonight.

Anyways, gonna go fill up on water before we head out, but lovely day in the city. Cant wait for the game... Ill let you know if I make the big screen (cheering for Brazil, naturally) ; )

Osimperdiveis (the world's first twin cousins)

Check out these guys I met them at my hostel.  They're cousins from Sao Paulo, traveling together and doing the busker thing before starting "real" jobs before college (the one - who lived in Minnesota as an exchange student - told me his mom would kill him if she knew they brought the pins, haha). 

Oh, and if I look scared in this picture... it's because the pins are literally flying in front of my face!

Will have to post pictures of some of their juggling tricks later, or check out their website on the link. 

Juggling aside, truly a set of fabulous, funny guys!!  This is why hostels can be fun.  You never know who you will meet :)

Brazilians

Just a random note before I go.  I'm noticing that almost all of the emails, messages and Facebook posts I'm getting that pertain to this trip mention something about meeting, bringing back or partaking in some kind of, ahem, passionate relationship with the beautiful Brazilian men.

Just to clear up the rumors, the men are totally OK, but Brazil definitely had an interesting international reputation compared to the reality I've met.  It's not as scary/dangerous as I expected, as mentioned (well, if you're cognizant and careful)... but also not covered with supermodels.  Seen a few hot guys, but the speedos kind of take away from the look.  

And Giselle would definitely stand out.

That being said, people are still attractive, generally thin and there's a lot of skin on the beach.  We'll see what adventures and observations the next few days bring, but for now, starting to wonder if Brazil is just showing off the hidden jewels in these international beauty contests... hmm :-p

Soccer Sunday

Today I had brunch at one of the many corner sandwich/juice places.  Last night it was an egg, cheese and ham (fried) sandwich.  Today I had bananas and cheese on wheat with a raspberry juice.  So cheap. So delicious. Bliss.

We’ve had rainy forecasts pretty much everyday, but it’s remained nice, so I might take advantage of the weather and head to the beach again for a bit.  I need to submit my applications for next year soon, too (still waiting on a recommendation from my grad school prof), so my couchsurfing friend recommended I check out the libraries here.  They’re air-conditioned and are supposed to be really nice (not to mention being better motivation to work than the beach).  If it's not raining tomorrow, I'll probably check out the Sugarloaf mountain and visit the library.

As for today, though, just booked something exciting - a soccer game!  I need to get going if I want any time to do other stuff before the game (and need to find an ATM), but definitely looking forward to this game, the last for several months with some kind of a celebrity match to boot!

Fairytale

I’m writing this from my hostel room balcony, which overlooks a narrow alleyway, lined with apartments and hostels (including the entrance to where I’m staying). The warm summer weather whispers tales of a wispy summer night, but one would never know we were located in the middle of one of the most popular areas of a major global city; the 10pm noise curfew means the parties, guests and neighbors have retreated inside and the only noises are the soft, swift sounds of the fans overhead and an occasional car honking in the distance.  A bird chippers intermittently.  There is a gate at the entrance of this little outlet, big and black, twisted wrought iron, now locked for the night.  I have a key, but I won’t use it tonight. 

Although it’s not more than 50 meters long, the alleyway is lined with large, potted plants; small, gentle trees with blooming dark pink flowers grace the cemented pathway that leads to stoops and colorful doorways.  The door to my powder-colored house is red. 

The image conjures up a very distinct and vivid memory of a moment in time when I was 19, walking along a narrow street in Crete with my good friend Joe and two comrades we had met on the boat from Athens.  Soft pedals fell through the air, past vine-covered walls and similar narrow apartments, as we savored the sounds of church bells ringing in the distance.  Mathias, the Polish guy, makes a comment about how that very moment, a stance in time, was his perfect, his ideal.  If he could be anywhere, he would wish to be in that scenic, elegant street exactly as it was at that moment.  It was like something out of a movie.

And sitting here now, I am reminded of Mathias and that experience.  Again, the overwhelming charm and solitude of the moment feels like a movie.  And I am blessed in some way to be the lucky girl with return tickets to this magical theater.

Ringing In Rio the Way It’s Meant to Be Done

Much has happened since I last wrote.  I’m going to break it down and this might be a long one, but I should just start by saying I am having the most amazing time. This trip is like a fairytale!

Starting where I left off, after resting for a few hours yesterday, I hung out in the hostel lobby (something out of an Amelie set) to relax, get my bearings and to email my parents to let them know, well, I made it alive.  

As I was doing my internet stuff, the guy sitting at the computer next to me struck up a conversation.  It turned out he was also in grad school (MBA) and visiting from Miami with his brother, on break from med school.  We chatted for a while and when we had both finished with our respective emailing, I joined Ari (the new friend) on a little adventure to find this synagogue he wanted to go to later on and to check out the scene at beach (Ipanema, a few blocks down).  When Ari had to get back to meet his brother, I chose to stay at the beach for sunset  (totally stunning) and made plans to meet up with the guys later on since we were all heading to the Friday-night street party in Lapa.  I had also made plans to rendezvous with people I met on the couchsurfing site, so it seemed like a good plan to meet for drinks and split a cab.

Christmas Mass

After catching the sunset, I spent several hours wandering around the streets of Ipanema, grabbing dinner (a franfile at Bob’s; took me a while to figure out that once you pay in one line, you get in another line to submit your paid order to get your sandwich) and doing some window-shopping, (definitely an upscale area, but everything was closed for the holiday).  As I was getting close to the hostel, I ran across an absolutely gorgeous church and noticed I was right on-time for the evening Christmas mass!  I joined the crowds and found a seat inside.

The Church was Catholic and Christmas mass was completely in Portuguese, but I sang about half of the carols (quietly) in English and tried about half of them in Portuguese (which I am sure other people found funny if they heard me). It really wasn’t hard to know what was going on (it is a ritual, after all, right?) and even though I have zero experience with Portuguese, it sort of felt like cheating to be able to somewhat read where we were in the program since the language is written with the roman alphabet (something I appreciate after being in Japan and struggling with the Chinese characters for so long).

To be honest, this Christmas was feeling a little weird, primarily because it’s a) warm, b) being spent far away from family and friends and c) sort of uneventful (in terms of actually celebrating the holiday).  It’s true that this is my fourth Christmas in a row outside of Minnesota (or even the country), but it’s still a little sad to be so far away from loved ones at a time when most people celebrate being together, and I think being able to attend mass (something traditional and important to this day) made up for a lot of those feelings.

Once mass ended, I opted to just head back toward the hostel to get ready to go out, but there were a lot of people out in the streets and many of the parks I passed were decked with blue and white Christmas lights and Christmas signs.  One bank even had carolers standing outside, belting out songs for the crowds.  Awesome vibe.

La-La-LAPA

After getting ready, I met the Miami boys at the bar on the corner and the three of us cabbed over to Lapa, passing through Copacabana and other areas of town on the way.  I ended up missing the couchsurfing crew, but we ran into a French girl Ari had met, and hung out with her and a group of fellow travelers (from all over) for a few beers at one of the open-air bars (best service I’ve seen in a while and it was $7 for the three of us to drink for an hour!).  Lapa is not supposed to be the safest area (they tell you not to wear any jewelry here, for one thing), but I felt totally at ease with my two new friends around and had a grand time wandering the streets and going from bar to bar.  I also discovered my new favorite drink… the Brazilian capriana: loaded with sugar, lots of lime slices, and it packs a strong punch (but I'm a fan).

The whole Lapa event was less of a street party than I would have expected, with most of the action coming from the pumping-clubs (playing samba) or open-air bars, but I think Christmas probably had a lot to do with it.  It was a very pretty area, though; what I imagine Cuba to be like.  There’s a large, white aqueduct splitting this section of town into two areas, with a lot of old, low buildings, many of them with paintings and graffiti on the side.  In contrast to the large, shiny office buildings peaking over the roofs from a few blocks down (the business district??), it definitely took on a lot of old-world charm.

House Party

I have no idea what time we left Lapa (it had to have been late considering the Lapa party didn't really get  going until 12), but after a while, the guys got ahold of a Brazilian friend (-of-a-friend) on their cell and we hopped another cab to meet them at a house party.  I still have no idea where we were, but this was by far the coolest house party I’ve ever been to; definitely what they are meant to be.  There was a bouncer at the gate of the mansion, but our names had been added to the list, so we went in to meet the friend (a really sweet Brazilian girl, prob about 20) and her friends.  The backyard was sprinkled in palm trees and they had put up a bar in front of the house.  Most people were dressed up. It was formal in a sense, but totally laid back.  Loved it.

Needless to say, I didn’t make it home until the morning, but I had such a great night chatting with new friends and sipping sweet drinks under the stars - a wondrous welcome to this place, which gets a bad international rap for being dangerous, but which I would (based on my first day) argue to be made up of so many kind, passionate and lovely people.

Saturday

Once I did make it back, I accidentally fell asleep in the bed across from mine at the hostel (no sheets and I was very confused when I woke up), but once I was up, I decided to take it easy for a while and just relax and do some studying/reading at the beach.  I packed just what I needed in a day bag, layered on the SPF50, and found a nice little spot between the yellow umbrellas and towels covering the white sand on Ipanema.  The reading only lasted for about 20 minutes, as I was kept having to wipe my eyes because I was sweating so much from the sun, but it was still nice to just enjoy the weather and lay out for a while.

Santa Theresa

As I mentioned in the first few posts, I had secured an amazing deal staying with a woman in Santa Theresa, which almost seemed too amazing to be true.  I've been emailing with a girl from couchsurfing for a few days and decided to cancel my reservation to stay with her family, but I still needed to find the ST place to deliver the vitamins I picked up for Solange (the woman I've been emailing with, who asked me to get them).  I was still skeptical when I took the bus over to her area of town, but when I got off the bus in Lapa to walk up and first saw the area, I swear I literally gasped in awe.  I’ve heard Santa Theresa is beautiful, but I wasn’t prepared for how beautiful the stone-clad streets would be.  Very nice, seemingly safe and amazing ambiance.  Along the way, I had some trouble finding a street, so I stopped to ask a family sitting outside where to go.  They insisted I didn’t walk alone (typically of older women being protective) and hailed down a van/bus to stop and let me in, telling them where to take me.  We passed a few pairs of policemen on horses, but otherwise, the streets were somewhat lit and the area didn't seem bad, but it was probably good to play it safe.

In the end, Solange and the house turned out to be very real and I was again blown away by the homestay location, which turned out to be a sprawling Spanish-style mansion on the mountain, with a marble swimming pool overlooking all of the city.  I almost got emotional seeing the Jesus statue, shrouded in clouds amidst the sunset – one of the most beautiful scenes I’ve encountered in a while – as Solange was giving me a tour.  Even though I told Solange I wasn’t going to stay, she and I really clicked and I spent a while hanging out at her house and chatting with her family.  They made me stay for a drink while and tried to make me stay for dinner, while we chatted about school (her daughter is 25 and a law student, the other two were playing in the pool) and other things.  In the end, though, it was getting late and I needed to get back to the other side of town, but if I ever come back to Rio, I would love to stay in this place!  I already feel like the family is my host family here after less than an hour talking.  But sometimes you just know...

Saturday Samba

So of course, even though I was tired, I didn’t exactly make it home straught away.  As I was walking back to the bus, I passed a vintage clothing store and popped in to look around.  I’m trying to be good and not buy much (because I already have too much stuff and I can’t carry that much now anyways), but - again, of course, I found the perfect white dress for New Years and it was a steal, so I had to get that (ok, and  a black bag that I think will be good for toting books or whatever back in Boston).  As I was about to leave the shop, again attempting to just head home, I was drawn instead in the opposite direction, up on a hill towards the sounds of loud music coming from a community dance hall.  I could hear the music from the shop asked the girl working there what was going on  and she told me (in the usual communication dance/ charades) that it was a samba party and it was OK to go.  So that’s how I ended up at one of the Saturday samba parties…

When I made it up the stone steps, the scene unfolded and I saw the source of the music: a samba band sitting around a table in the middle of this open pavilion, playing enthusiastically as a packed crowd danced and sang along.  Some people had also brought little picnics and were standing at the tables around the outside. I bought a beer from the bar (a bunch of kids with coolers in the corner of the room) and joined in on the dancing for a while, watching as people of all ages danced together around me.  My friend wasn’t kidding about all the pretty people in Santa Theresa, even though most at the party were older than college-age -  it was electric. 

I stayed for a while, but once I finally left, I did finally make it down towards home again, going back to Lapa by bus, passing an old-fashioned theater (like Amalie or the theater in Inglorious Basterds). 

Waiting for the Bus

I think I almost got mugged as I was standing at a stop, waiting for my next bus, but a Brazilian guy stepped in and saved/defended me, apologizing for the guy who had screamed at me in Portuguese (tried to whisper something in my ear and backed me into a stone wall… so not cool).  

I was also pretty proud when I figured out what bus to take, how to pay when you get in (sort of a little gate system where you pay an attendant and he lets you through) and recognized some of the sights near where I am staying (about 30 minutes from Lapa), so I knew when/where to get off.

When I got off, I asked this old man eating a sandwich that looked amazing where to get food and he brought me to the restaurant he had gone to and helped me order the same thing.  Delightful guy - turns out he had lived in New York for a while.  Even better sandwich.

Back at the hostel, there was a big group hanging out in one of the hostel lobbies (because of the noise curfew outside), but I just hung out with some of the people I had met for a little bit (a girl from England, the Norwegians, a British guy working at the hostel and a Brazilian guy) before calling it an earlier night.

And so here I am...

Sitting on the balcony and trying to catch up. Enjoying the summer weather.  My roommate is sleeping and I think I’m also going to head to bed, but what an awesome beginning to this trip.  It feels like I’ve been here for much longer than a day… I think I am falling in love with this city!