My last day in Brasil!! Ahhh! :( I can't believe it's come upon me so fast, but unfortunately it's here: it's time for me to go home :(. But before I say an official adieu (since this will be my last blog entry), let me quickly recap today and yesterday (since Ambar and I have to take a taxi to the airport cuz our flight leaves at 11).
So yesterday was spent diligently in search of specific items for my souvenir shopping. As a result of that, Ambar and I decided to try out Rio Sul (which is a bit on the outskirts of Copacabana; we got there on a bus that took us through a tunnel), since Anthonette and Daneka had gone and had found some cool stuff. I can't even accurately put it into words, but the place is ridiculously expensive: very shi-shi, very over the top, with only designer-name stores and the like. Basically, only the upper crust and Rio's elite (which mostly reside in Copacabana and Ipanema anyway) shop there. It was even more shi-shi than Short Hills Mall in NJ, and that's pretty up there too so you can just imagine. It was to the point where I felt out of place and uncomfortable there. So, Ambar and I stopped in at the store Anthonette had recommended (where Ambar bought her last item--a shirt--for herself; it was a bit expensive, but you only live once, right? ;) and then spent maybe another 40 min. walking around, but then left because it was just too much. All I could think about pretty much the whole time was how Paulo, Jacson and the kids in Falete had never set foot in there and probably never would. It only added to my discomfort.
So after we left, we got off the bus in Copacabana so that we could finally be done with our souvenir shopping. On the way home, we stopped and ate at a juice bar (Bar Baco; if you're ever in Rio you must go!! It's on the corner of Rua Francisco Sa and Avenida Nossa Senhora de Copacabana), which was actually where Ambar, Russell and I had originally wanted to eat last Friday when we went out to dinner with Anthonette on her last night. It was amazing! I finally got my carne assada the way it was supposed to be made!! It was fantastic! It came with rice, beans, spaghetti seasoned with garlic and olive oil (I don't even eat pasta and I ate it all! It was dope!), fries and lettuce and tomatoes (which were the reddest, juiciest ones I have had in a while!)! All that (drumroll please...;) for only $10 reais (well, $12 with a Guarana Zero, naturally ;)! It was absolutely awesome. It was definitely among the top 5 meals I've had in Rio over the course of this trip. I didn't shut up about it for quite a while afterwards. Oh yeah, and Ambar got the pernil (accompanied by all the same things I got with mine) ;).
Today was pretty chill and laid back. Since Ambar and I had to check out of our room by 12, we packed up all our stuff and just left it at the front desk so we could go to the beach for the day (we met Russell at Post 7 where he works on Ipanema Beach, and just hung out there the whole day; and finally tanned some! ;). It was a pretty amazing final day in Rio and the weather was absolutely perfect. We took some pictures, and even got in the water! :) After Russell got off work, we went to Beach Sucos and got our last acais in Brasil before we go home :(. For dinner, we went back to Bar Baco (!!), where I got the same thing as yesterday, lol, and on the way back to the hostel we got our last churros recheados :(.
I can't believe this is the end of my trip! But I must say, everything I did was amazing and I met some of the most genuine and wonderful people here I've ever met in my life. I feel like I did what I came to do here, and even if I didn't have an impact on other people's lives here, they've definitely had one on mine that I won't forget. Brasil has so much beauty at its core (both natural and metaphoric), and so much of that beauty lies within its people. I was blessed to have the opportunity to meet a number of those people in Falete as well as in my day-to-day adventures while I've been here. To say that I love it here is an understatement. Brasil is infectious and once you've seen it and experienced it, it gets inside of you and won't leave. I hope to always be able to come back here and experience Brasil in a new and exciting way each and every time. It hasn't disappointed me yet, and I doubt it ever will ;). And with that, I end this spectacular experience I've had here. This is one of the best things I've ever done for myself in my 22 years of life, and if you ever have an opportunity to come here, I say do it! :) Tchau, meu Brasil querido! Te amo!!
~Com muito amor,
Amanda ;)
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Meu Próprio Quadro!! :)
Today was full of plans to bronze ourselves and go to the Hippie Fair. Unfotunately only one of those plans (the Hippie Fair) worked out, because it was windy, cloudy and raining today. It was saddening, but the rest of the day more than made up for it ;).
So, we started off the day with a yummy breakfast (much like yesterday's, except this time with some of the juiciest watermelon I've had in a while) and then we headed out to the Hippie Fair, with intentions of getting all of our souvenir shopping out of the way. I bought a Carioca shirt for me (in the design of a Guaraná can), a Carioca shirt for Cella Bella (it looks like a "Coca Cola" ad), earrings and a Flamengo soccer shirt for Augusto. I still have a few more things to buy for my family, though.
Ambar actually bought more things than me and went all out: a Carmen Miranda bag for herself, earrings, 2 Carioca shirts (with different designs) for herself, a shirt for her mom, shirts for her brothers, and a mug for her dad. We made out pretty well, but since our exchange rate is so bad, a lot of what we bought ended up being equivalent (more or less) to the prices we'd pay in the states. In spite of all that, though, I'm happy with what I bought because I know it's unique and I wouldn't have been able to buy it anywhere else ;).
After our Hippie Fair shopping, we dropped our bags off at the hostel and asked Tracy at the front desk where would be the best place to buy a bottle of cachaça (for my dad). She said Zona Sul (which is a big supermarket chain in Rio; our guidebook says it is the best supermarket in Rio, in fact--it's super clean and organized, and has a larger variety of things you wouldn't find in the other supermarket chains here; it's also more expensive, though, of course lol), so we headed over there (it's just a few blocks from our hostel). We found the liquor aisle, and there was a man who worked for Zona Sul standing there who asked us if we needed any help. I explained that I wanted to buy a bottle of cachaça for my dad, and asked which one would be the best one to buy. He explained that the lighter/paler cachaças are the best ones for caipirinha-making, but that the darker ones are better for "after dinner" drinks, etc. (which is what my dad would be drinking it for anyway) and that aged cachaças are generally better, which was really interesting and useful to know. He even gave us a sample of one of the caipirinha cachaças, lol! (which was ridiculously strong, and which I probably will not drink again; so I won't be partaking in any of those "after dinner" drinks with my father, lol). I ended up going with a 3 year old bottle of cachaça with a commemorative design that said "Rio de Janeiro" on the front and had an etching of Ipanema's moutainous skyline. It's quite pretty actually. I hope my dad likes it. The man also asked if we were Brasilian ( :)!!!), and we explained that we weren't and were from New York. His reply was, "Oh, because you speak better Portuguese than most Brasilians." (!! :)!!). It was awesome.
On our way back, we saw a guy (his name is Bernardo Araujo) around the corner from our hostel (whom we had seen yesterday) that was painting and selling paintings. His pieces are absolutely amazing: full of wonderful colors and vibrancy and truly unique style. We admired some of the pieces yesterday (but didn't stop too long because we had been thinking of how much money we have spent and how much we were going to spend today at the Hippie Fair), but today we couldn't resist stopping and asking because they were so beautiful and eye-catching. We asked how much they were and he let us look through his book of designs. Bernardo explained that he custom makes paintings for people and that currently he was in the process of making 2 for other people. He also told us how much he loves to paint and how he feels that each piece he makes is special and unique (which shows). It was so awesome to hear how passionate he was about his work and how much his craft means to him. We asked if he could make a smaller painting for each of us. He agreed and we picked out the designs we wanted and paid him $30 reais for each. He told us to come back at 6 to pick them up. We went back at 6 but he still wasn't done and needed more time, so we went to eat dinner (at our new "Big Nectar," which is called "Beach Sucos" ;) and came back. We ended up having to take a few walks around the block (and looking at interesting stores), but the paintings were done by 8:20. We didn't mind, though, because the paintings were well worth the wait. They're absolutely gorgeous, and custom-made at that!! We took a few pictures with Bernardo and thanked him profusely for making them for us. He gave us his business card (with his e-mail address) and told us to e-mail him the pictures :). We paid him an extra $25 reais as an extra thank you. He was so nice and it was super sweet for him to agree to make those paintings for us on the spot (I think very few people in any other country would have agreed to that). They're sitting on a shelf drying in our room right now. I'm so happy! :) I can't wait to hang it up and show it off! ;)
While we were waiting for Bernardo to finish our paintings, Ambar and I crossed the street to look at the menu at "Garota de Ipanema," a bar across the street from our hostel (Ambar actually wanted to eat there, but we've decided to just get drinks there one night because the prices are astronomical). After we looked, we sat down on a bench outside of the bar, and right next door was the "Garota de Ipanema" shop that I came to the first time I came to Rio!! :) I was soo happy because I had wanted to go again on this trip and couldn't remember where exactly in Ipanema it was. Who knew it was right across the street from us all this time?! So now that we know where it is, we're definitely going because I absolutely loved it the first time I went (I bought a shirt with the "Garota de Ipanema" lyrics on it; the store also has pictures of the actual woman the song's about with the composer and the lyricist! It's so awesome inside). I can't wait to go! :)
The last thing I'll leave you with about my fabulous day, is a new word (or saying I guess you could say) I learned today. So when I was buying a shirt for Bella, the girl behind the table was showing us different designs. Ambar was picking out a shirt for a friend, and we asked her in Portuguese if she had anything smaller. Her response was in the form of a question, "Baby look?" I didn't think much of it, but then when we found the "Garota de Ipanema" store (!!), we were looking at the display in the window and there was a list of items they sold and the prices. One item (under shirts) said "Baby Look," and that's when it dawned on me that the Brasilian equivalent for "baby tee" is "baby look," which I thought was super cute ;). Hence, that is why "baby look" is my new phrase of the day, lol. Ambar cracks up everytime I say it.
Anyways, that's all for now. More to come. Tchau!
So, we started off the day with a yummy breakfast (much like yesterday's, except this time with some of the juiciest watermelon I've had in a while) and then we headed out to the Hippie Fair, with intentions of getting all of our souvenir shopping out of the way. I bought a Carioca shirt for me (in the design of a Guaraná can), a Carioca shirt for Cella Bella (it looks like a "Coca Cola" ad), earrings and a Flamengo soccer shirt for Augusto. I still have a few more things to buy for my family, though.
Ambar actually bought more things than me and went all out: a Carmen Miranda bag for herself, earrings, 2 Carioca shirts (with different designs) for herself, a shirt for her mom, shirts for her brothers, and a mug for her dad. We made out pretty well, but since our exchange rate is so bad, a lot of what we bought ended up being equivalent (more or less) to the prices we'd pay in the states. In spite of all that, though, I'm happy with what I bought because I know it's unique and I wouldn't have been able to buy it anywhere else ;).
After our Hippie Fair shopping, we dropped our bags off at the hostel and asked Tracy at the front desk where would be the best place to buy a bottle of cachaça (for my dad). She said Zona Sul (which is a big supermarket chain in Rio; our guidebook says it is the best supermarket in Rio, in fact--it's super clean and organized, and has a larger variety of things you wouldn't find in the other supermarket chains here; it's also more expensive, though, of course lol), so we headed over there (it's just a few blocks from our hostel). We found the liquor aisle, and there was a man who worked for Zona Sul standing there who asked us if we needed any help. I explained that I wanted to buy a bottle of cachaça for my dad, and asked which one would be the best one to buy. He explained that the lighter/paler cachaças are the best ones for caipirinha-making, but that the darker ones are better for "after dinner" drinks, etc. (which is what my dad would be drinking it for anyway) and that aged cachaças are generally better, which was really interesting and useful to know. He even gave us a sample of one of the caipirinha cachaças, lol! (which was ridiculously strong, and which I probably will not drink again; so I won't be partaking in any of those "after dinner" drinks with my father, lol). I ended up going with a 3 year old bottle of cachaça with a commemorative design that said "Rio de Janeiro" on the front and had an etching of Ipanema's moutainous skyline. It's quite pretty actually. I hope my dad likes it. The man also asked if we were Brasilian ( :)!!!), and we explained that we weren't and were from New York. His reply was, "Oh, because you speak better Portuguese than most Brasilians." (!! :)!!). It was awesome.
On our way back, we saw a guy (his name is Bernardo Araujo) around the corner from our hostel (whom we had seen yesterday) that was painting and selling paintings. His pieces are absolutely amazing: full of wonderful colors and vibrancy and truly unique style. We admired some of the pieces yesterday (but didn't stop too long because we had been thinking of how much money we have spent and how much we were going to spend today at the Hippie Fair), but today we couldn't resist stopping and asking because they were so beautiful and eye-catching. We asked how much they were and he let us look through his book of designs. Bernardo explained that he custom makes paintings for people and that currently he was in the process of making 2 for other people. He also told us how much he loves to paint and how he feels that each piece he makes is special and unique (which shows). It was so awesome to hear how passionate he was about his work and how much his craft means to him. We asked if he could make a smaller painting for each of us. He agreed and we picked out the designs we wanted and paid him $30 reais for each. He told us to come back at 6 to pick them up. We went back at 6 but he still wasn't done and needed more time, so we went to eat dinner (at our new "Big Nectar," which is called "Beach Sucos" ;) and came back. We ended up having to take a few walks around the block (and looking at interesting stores), but the paintings were done by 8:20. We didn't mind, though, because the paintings were well worth the wait. They're absolutely gorgeous, and custom-made at that!! We took a few pictures with Bernardo and thanked him profusely for making them for us. He gave us his business card (with his e-mail address) and told us to e-mail him the pictures :). We paid him an extra $25 reais as an extra thank you. He was so nice and it was super sweet for him to agree to make those paintings for us on the spot (I think very few people in any other country would have agreed to that). They're sitting on a shelf drying in our room right now. I'm so happy! :) I can't wait to hang it up and show it off! ;)
While we were waiting for Bernardo to finish our paintings, Ambar and I crossed the street to look at the menu at "Garota de Ipanema," a bar across the street from our hostel (Ambar actually wanted to eat there, but we've decided to just get drinks there one night because the prices are astronomical). After we looked, we sat down on a bench outside of the bar, and right next door was the "Garota de Ipanema" shop that I came to the first time I came to Rio!! :) I was soo happy because I had wanted to go again on this trip and couldn't remember where exactly in Ipanema it was. Who knew it was right across the street from us all this time?! So now that we know where it is, we're definitely going because I absolutely loved it the first time I went (I bought a shirt with the "Garota de Ipanema" lyrics on it; the store also has pictures of the actual woman the song's about with the composer and the lyricist! It's so awesome inside). I can't wait to go! :)
The last thing I'll leave you with about my fabulous day, is a new word (or saying I guess you could say) I learned today. So when I was buying a shirt for Bella, the girl behind the table was showing us different designs. Ambar was picking out a shirt for a friend, and we asked her in Portuguese if she had anything smaller. Her response was in the form of a question, "Baby look?" I didn't think much of it, but then when we found the "Garota de Ipanema" store (!!), we were looking at the display in the window and there was a list of items they sold and the prices. One item (under shirts) said "Baby Look," and that's when it dawned on me that the Brasilian equivalent for "baby tee" is "baby look," which I thought was super cute ;). Hence, that is why "baby look" is my new phrase of the day, lol. Ambar cracks up everytime I say it.
Anyways, that's all for now. More to come. Tchau!
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Cristo Redentor
Today Ambar and I woke up at 7 so that we could go see Cristo Redentor, and also so that we could be back in time (before 1) to move our stuff into our private room. The only thing I would say that's better about this hostel than Baron Garden, is that they serve us breakfast (which I greatly appreciate so that we don't have to spend even more money on another meal). It was pretty good too, actually. I had 2 fresh, mini loaves of bread (with butter and some great strawberry and guava jams), a few slices of cheese (from a cheese brick, which was awesome and creamy tasting) and some fresh pineapple juice (which was great because it was light and not overly sweet). There were also mini bananas, slices of papaya, some chocolate-looking cake, slices of ham, coffee, and tea. Overall I think I'm going to be pretty satisfied with our breakfasts, which is a definite plus.
While we were eating, we also met the first actual amicable person in this hostel since we've been here. She actually introduced herself to us (since I've already turned my New Yorker mode back on and it's on full blast, I haven't been going out of my way to introduce myself, etc.), which was really nice of her. Her name is Rachel and she's from Ireland and just arrived in Rio from Argentina last night. She was really nice and seemed genuinely excited about being in Brasil. She even asked us where she could go around the hostel to get some Havaianas. I guess I am really a Carioca now--giving directions/recommendations and the whole 9 ;).
We finished up breakfast and then took the bus to Corcovado to take the train up to Cristo.
We got there at around 9:30 and pretty much just had time to buy our tickets before the train came. It was really cool and a nice ride, especially since the first time I went to Cristo when I first came to Rio, we had a private jeep take us all up to the top. So this was a cool first-time experience for me too :). I had almost forgotten how spectacular the view is from the top of Corcovado. I do remember it being one of my favorite things I did while I was in Rio that year, though. It's absolutely amazing, and no words can accurately describe how breathtaking it is. I think it might be the highest point from which you can see the city in all of Rio. Seeing that really makes you understand why they call Rio the "Cidade Maravilhosa." It's literally one of the most incredible things I've ever seen and I think that everyone should try to make it a point to see it before they die. I'd love to bring my mom sometime. She'd absolutely love it.
Needless to say, we took tons of pictures of the view, of Cristo and us posing, lol. It was awesome and I'm glad we went so early in the day. I can't wait to post all my pictures ;). On the train on the way back down, we met this Cuban guy (born in Puerto Rico) who asked us where we were from, named Rob. He's actually a Harvard med student and has been living in Salvador (which I'm dying to go to! Next trip to Brasil! ;) for the past 6 months doing research. He was pretty chill. He also lived in NY he said for a year working in a medical center in Harlem. He said he has one more month left in Salvador, and that we should definitely go there the next time we come to Brasil (which I intend to!). He was explaining to us how the vibe is so different from Rio, and how great the people are there. I guess today was our day for meeting nice people ;).
Afterwards, we caught the bus back to the Mango Tree (after some slight confusion as to which bus we were supposed to take) and finally switched into our private room! It's worlds better than the ridiculous room we stayed in last night. It has a double bed and a full-size bed (Ambar and I flipped a coin to see who would get the full-size bed; I won! ;), and we have our own private bathroom. There's also a really cool painting on the wall above one of the beds (I think we need to chill with the buying paintings thing, though ;). I'm definitely a lot happier, and I look forward to not having to climb (since we've been sleeping in bunkbeds on the top bunks for the past 2 weeks) a ladder to get into bed anymore ;).
The rest of our afternoon/evening is pretty open. I'm not really sure what we're doing, but I think we'll mostly just enjoy our room (!!) and get some dinner somewhere [cheap!] later tonight. It's nice to have time to chill out and relax :). We especially have to build up our strength/energy for souvenir shopping at the Hippie Fair tomorrow (which is just a few blocks from our hostel) and a long, hard day at the beach ;), lol. Updates soon! Beijos!
Tchau, Catete! :(
Ok, so yesterday (after going to Falete to say bye to the kids) was a nightmare, but let me start from the beginning, with the good stuff first.
So I got to Falete at around 9:15 and Jacson was there waiting for me (as usual) and for the kids to open the gate to the center. The night before after finishing the kids' notebooks, I made him and Paulo thank you cards (because Ambar and I had a hard time finding ones that weren't associated with love and lifelong affection). So I gave him his when I got there. I think he really appreciated it, and even though I wish I could've gotten him something more I think he got the point that I really appreciated everything he's done for me since I started working in Falete. It was nice :). The kids got there a few minutes later, but it was only Kassie, Caio, Paula, Livia, Taciane, Marcelle and Libia. None of the other boys apart from Caio came (which is fine cuz Caio is one of my favorites anyway), but I did wish at least Vanessa had come so that I could've said bye to her. So we all went into the classroom and I told them that we wouldn't be learning anything new, but that I had a surprise for them. I was a little nervous about giving them the notebooks because I didn't even know if they'd like them, but I passed them out and they were all staring at them. I explained that each one had everything I'd taught them in English since I started teaching them and that everyone had their own with their names on the front. Although no one said anything (I think they didn't really know what to say), I think they really did like them which made me happy :).
Afterwards (since we weren't having class), I told them I wanted to take pictures with them so we all went outside. At first Livia (because she said her hair wasn't done; she's 6 by the way!) and Libia (I don't know why she didn't want to; she's 13) didn't want to take pictures, but eventually they gave in. I took lots and lots of pictures: with Jacson, with the kids, of the kids by themselves, etc., etc. Most of them insisted on being allowed to take some of the pictures themselves, so I let them. Surprisingly, some of them took some really good ones that I intend to keep (Taciane in particular). I also took pictures (from inside the gate) of the surrounding favela and of the center itself. The only bizarre/sad thing that happened was that Paula and Kassie actually got into a catfight (pulling each other's hair, smackign each other on the ground and scratching each other). To the point where I had to step in the middle and tell them to let go of each other (Kassie had bloody scratches on her arms, back and cheek from Paula :(. I never quite got to the bottom of why they were fighting (even though I asked them directly), but it seemed that Paula thought Kassie was talking about her. Typically teenage girl things I suppose (even though Paula's only 11, she looks like a teenager already). Within an hour of fighting, though, they were pretty much back to talking which was strange but I preferred it that way on my last day.
Paulo came about an hour later and I gave him his card. He seemed to really appreciate it too. He's such a great person and does so much for the kids (he's also Paula's father), when he doesn't even have to and the majority of people in the favela wouldn't bother. I really do want to keep in touch with him and with the kids, so I included my e-mail address in the card I gave him (in Jacson's too), and he gave me his e-mail address so I could write to them (which I intend to do). He said that they were planning to move the center further up in Falete (it's aparently a bigger house/center), and said he'd send me pictures of it. At around 11:30 I had to say bye (because Ambar and I had to leave Baron Garden to check into our hostel in Ipanema). It was really really hard. There were a lot of hugs, a lot of "i love yous," and a lot of begging me not to go. It was really difficult to leave them, because I do care about them individually so very much and I see the potential each of them has to to be something in this world and not let the favela they live in consume them. I gave each of them hugs and kisses (Paulo and Jacson included) and told them I'd write and to write to me. As sad as it was, I walked away feeling like I had had some kind of positive impact on their lives and that felt really amazing. I hope they don't forget me even if I never do het to see them again, because I will honestly never forget them.
So I got back to Baron Garden at about 12:20 and Ambar and I had Lia call us a cab. We said bye to her, Timmy, Jozelha and Fatima. That was sad too, because I had honestly come to feel like it was my home in Catete. Russell was there too, but we didn't say a long goodbye to him because we were meeting him and Anthonette for dinner at Anthonette's hotel in Copacabana. The cab ride to Ipanema didn't take long (about 20 minutes), but almost immediately you could see the difference between where we had come from (the favelas and Catete) and where we were going. It's no secret that no one lives on this side of Rio (Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon and Leme) unless they have money and it shows...in everything: the stores, the streets, the people, the restaurants. It's pretty shocking especially us coming from the humble and homely atmosphere we had been in for 2 weeks. Yes, it's beautiful down here (in terms of the beaches and the views) but there's a sense of materialism and impersonalness that you just can't shake. There's no saying "bom dia" to people randomly in the streets, because people will look at you funny and scoff at you. It's just a completely different dynamic that I wasn't prepared for after coming from Catete and Falete. It's sad that it isn't like that here, but it's something I'll have to adapt to in our final days in Rio. I guess I have to turn my "New Yorker" mode back on.
So we checked into the Mango Tree at around 1. The guy at the front desk asked where we were coming from, and we explained that we had been in Catete for 2 weeks. His reply was: "Oh, Ipanema is much better." What a snob! Actually it isn't, son. That comment alone left a bad taste in my mouth.
I must say, I'm not very impressed with the hostel itself (which is really surprising given the top-notch reviews this place has received online from people who have stayed here). Yes it's bigger than Baron Garden, but it's not necessarily nicer. And the people suck. There's no casual conversations with strangers or anything like that. No one stops to ask where you're from or what you've been up to while you've been in Rio. I must say that staying in Leah's house spoiled me, because we had a sense of purpose and connection. Here, none of that exists. Everyone is just here for themselves and keeps to themselves, and some people were downright rude but I'm trying to get used to it. I guess this is what a "typical" hostel is like.
So we ended up having to spend last night in a shared room (not just with chicks, but with guys too) of 4 bunkbeds. The room was about half the size (and more narrow) than the room we shared with the other 6 girls in Baron Garden: it's in the back of the hostel and up a flight of stairs. I was not pleased at all. We were told we could move into the private room we had originally booked today because it was still occupied when we arrived. The bathrooms were also a ways away (at the bottom of the stairs). So not only could I not (because of a lack of room and because there were dudes sharing our room) change in the room we were sleeping in, but if i had to pee really badly I had to rush down a flight of stairs just to get to the bathroom. Ridiculous. I was so heated. Needless to say, we spent as little time in there as possible. We basically put down our stuff and went to look for something to eat and to look around Ipanema.
We ended up going to this place not too far from our hostel called "Delirio Tropical," because it looked good from the outside and one of our guidebooks said it wasn't too pricey. Big mistake. I don't know if it's just that we ordered incorrectly or if everything is just ridiculously priced there (there was a menu on the wall and we had decided what to order, but then we were told to go to a line where people behind the counter served us things from a buffet-style line; it was really confusing), but our meals came out to an exorbitant amount. For example, I got a can of Coke Zero, a small cup of fruit salad, about a cup of chicken ceasar salad and a piece of girlled chicken and it came out to $21.30 reais ($14.20!)!!! Even by New York standards, that's a bit ridiculous. The chicken was less than the small portion of salad I received ($6.50 reais vs. $7.20 for the salad)!! I could not believe it! And yes, the food tasted super fresh and was good, but to be honest it definitely was not worth all that money (the portions were not sizeable by any means), and I was still hungry afterwards. I was so pissed off. That on top of the hostel debacle was not helping my mood either.
After that, we walked around for a while to calm down. We walked along the Ipanema beachfront in search of Havaianas (which we didn't say any traces of). We did end up buying a few things, though. Ambar bought a really pretty painting for her apartment, and then we spotted a woman with some beautiful handmade dresses on display. It was the most beautiful sunflower yellow I've seen. She also had a lavender colored dress of the same design. She said they were $35 reais each (I felt bad haggling with her sicne they were handmade), which I just couldn't afford. So I was getting ready to walk away, but Ambar asked how much she'd charge us for both (the yellow one for me, the lavender for her) and the woman said 50 (which was really awesome of her). So, we ended up getting them ;). After that, we took out some money, bought some gray Havaianas (which I've never seen before, and had to get) and came back to the hostel to change and get ready to meet Russell and Anthonette for dinner at 6.
We ended up taking a cab from our hostel to Anthonette's hotel because it seemed really far on the map (which it was). We got there at around 6:30 (rush-hour/weekend traffic) and Russell was already there. Her hotel was phat and you could tell it cost quite a pretty penny to stay there. We looked through our guidebook and decided on a place that didn't look too far away, and especially after the whole lunch fiasco I was eager to get it out of my mind with a good--and economical--dinner experience. But alas, it wasn't meant to be. We ended up walking for about 25 minutes, and when we finally reached the place it seemed pricier than anticipated. So, we stopped at few more places, but Anthonette was dead set on having some pasta, so the places we stopped that Ambar, Russell and I were down with she didn't want because they didn't have pasta. Finally, we randomly stopped in the place that looked like a large bar that served food (it was completely empty, by the way; bad sign) called "Winners" (ironic), and Ambar stopped in to ask about pasta. We ended up staying there and Ambar and Anthonette ordered pasta, and Russell and I ordered pizza. Anthonette took about 10 bites total of her pasta and said she didn't want anymore. Russell's and my pizzas took about 25 minutes to even come out to us (by this time it was like 9:30) and they weren't even that good. I ended up only eating three small slices (they're more like small pizzas they make in Italy than pizzas from New York or Pizza Hut, etc.), and giving the rest of it to Russell to take back to Baron Garden. I was soo mad. And on top of that, my food (plus a Guarana Zero) came out to $16 reais!! Yesterday was just not my day.
We walked Anthonette back to her hotel, took some pictures and said bye to her and then walked Russell to the metro station (which was directly in front of Anthonette's hotel). We decided we'd see him Monday on Ipanema Beach, since that's where he works til about 4. Ambar and I took a cab back to the Mango Tree (at around 11) and vowed that we're pretty much eating at Big Nectar (since it's a chain, there's quite a few in Ipanema) for the rest of the time we're here since we wasted so much money on ridiculousness yesterday.
That pretty much sums up the weird and aggravating day that was yesterday. I'm going to write about today in a different post. Ate logo!
So I got to Falete at around 9:15 and Jacson was there waiting for me (as usual) and for the kids to open the gate to the center. The night before after finishing the kids' notebooks, I made him and Paulo thank you cards (because Ambar and I had a hard time finding ones that weren't associated with love and lifelong affection). So I gave him his when I got there. I think he really appreciated it, and even though I wish I could've gotten him something more I think he got the point that I really appreciated everything he's done for me since I started working in Falete. It was nice :). The kids got there a few minutes later, but it was only Kassie, Caio, Paula, Livia, Taciane, Marcelle and Libia. None of the other boys apart from Caio came (which is fine cuz Caio is one of my favorites anyway), but I did wish at least Vanessa had come so that I could've said bye to her. So we all went into the classroom and I told them that we wouldn't be learning anything new, but that I had a surprise for them. I was a little nervous about giving them the notebooks because I didn't even know if they'd like them, but I passed them out and they were all staring at them. I explained that each one had everything I'd taught them in English since I started teaching them and that everyone had their own with their names on the front. Although no one said anything (I think they didn't really know what to say), I think they really did like them which made me happy :).
Afterwards (since we weren't having class), I told them I wanted to take pictures with them so we all went outside. At first Livia (because she said her hair wasn't done; she's 6 by the way!) and Libia (I don't know why she didn't want to; she's 13) didn't want to take pictures, but eventually they gave in. I took lots and lots of pictures: with Jacson, with the kids, of the kids by themselves, etc., etc. Most of them insisted on being allowed to take some of the pictures themselves, so I let them. Surprisingly, some of them took some really good ones that I intend to keep (Taciane in particular). I also took pictures (from inside the gate) of the surrounding favela and of the center itself. The only bizarre/sad thing that happened was that Paula and Kassie actually got into a catfight (pulling each other's hair, smackign each other on the ground and scratching each other). To the point where I had to step in the middle and tell them to let go of each other (Kassie had bloody scratches on her arms, back and cheek from Paula :(. I never quite got to the bottom of why they were fighting (even though I asked them directly), but it seemed that Paula thought Kassie was talking about her. Typically teenage girl things I suppose (even though Paula's only 11, she looks like a teenager already). Within an hour of fighting, though, they were pretty much back to talking which was strange but I preferred it that way on my last day.
Paulo came about an hour later and I gave him his card. He seemed to really appreciate it too. He's such a great person and does so much for the kids (he's also Paula's father), when he doesn't even have to and the majority of people in the favela wouldn't bother. I really do want to keep in touch with him and with the kids, so I included my e-mail address in the card I gave him (in Jacson's too), and he gave me his e-mail address so I could write to them (which I intend to do). He said that they were planning to move the center further up in Falete (it's aparently a bigger house/center), and said he'd send me pictures of it. At around 11:30 I had to say bye (because Ambar and I had to leave Baron Garden to check into our hostel in Ipanema). It was really really hard. There were a lot of hugs, a lot of "i love yous," and a lot of begging me not to go. It was really difficult to leave them, because I do care about them individually so very much and I see the potential each of them has to to be something in this world and not let the favela they live in consume them. I gave each of them hugs and kisses (Paulo and Jacson included) and told them I'd write and to write to me. As sad as it was, I walked away feeling like I had had some kind of positive impact on their lives and that felt really amazing. I hope they don't forget me even if I never do het to see them again, because I will honestly never forget them.
So I got back to Baron Garden at about 12:20 and Ambar and I had Lia call us a cab. We said bye to her, Timmy, Jozelha and Fatima. That was sad too, because I had honestly come to feel like it was my home in Catete. Russell was there too, but we didn't say a long goodbye to him because we were meeting him and Anthonette for dinner at Anthonette's hotel in Copacabana. The cab ride to Ipanema didn't take long (about 20 minutes), but almost immediately you could see the difference between where we had come from (the favelas and Catete) and where we were going. It's no secret that no one lives on this side of Rio (Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon and Leme) unless they have money and it shows...in everything: the stores, the streets, the people, the restaurants. It's pretty shocking especially us coming from the humble and homely atmosphere we had been in for 2 weeks. Yes, it's beautiful down here (in terms of the beaches and the views) but there's a sense of materialism and impersonalness that you just can't shake. There's no saying "bom dia" to people randomly in the streets, because people will look at you funny and scoff at you. It's just a completely different dynamic that I wasn't prepared for after coming from Catete and Falete. It's sad that it isn't like that here, but it's something I'll have to adapt to in our final days in Rio. I guess I have to turn my "New Yorker" mode back on.
So we checked into the Mango Tree at around 1. The guy at the front desk asked where we were coming from, and we explained that we had been in Catete for 2 weeks. His reply was: "Oh, Ipanema is much better." What a snob! Actually it isn't, son. That comment alone left a bad taste in my mouth.
I must say, I'm not very impressed with the hostel itself (which is really surprising given the top-notch reviews this place has received online from people who have stayed here). Yes it's bigger than Baron Garden, but it's not necessarily nicer. And the people suck. There's no casual conversations with strangers or anything like that. No one stops to ask where you're from or what you've been up to while you've been in Rio. I must say that staying in Leah's house spoiled me, because we had a sense of purpose and connection. Here, none of that exists. Everyone is just here for themselves and keeps to themselves, and some people were downright rude but I'm trying to get used to it. I guess this is what a "typical" hostel is like.
So we ended up having to spend last night in a shared room (not just with chicks, but with guys too) of 4 bunkbeds. The room was about half the size (and more narrow) than the room we shared with the other 6 girls in Baron Garden: it's in the back of the hostel and up a flight of stairs. I was not pleased at all. We were told we could move into the private room we had originally booked today because it was still occupied when we arrived. The bathrooms were also a ways away (at the bottom of the stairs). So not only could I not (because of a lack of room and because there were dudes sharing our room) change in the room we were sleeping in, but if i had to pee really badly I had to rush down a flight of stairs just to get to the bathroom. Ridiculous. I was so heated. Needless to say, we spent as little time in there as possible. We basically put down our stuff and went to look for something to eat and to look around Ipanema.
We ended up going to this place not too far from our hostel called "Delirio Tropical," because it looked good from the outside and one of our guidebooks said it wasn't too pricey. Big mistake. I don't know if it's just that we ordered incorrectly or if everything is just ridiculously priced there (there was a menu on the wall and we had decided what to order, but then we were told to go to a line where people behind the counter served us things from a buffet-style line; it was really confusing), but our meals came out to an exorbitant amount. For example, I got a can of Coke Zero, a small cup of fruit salad, about a cup of chicken ceasar salad and a piece of girlled chicken and it came out to $21.30 reais ($14.20!)!!! Even by New York standards, that's a bit ridiculous. The chicken was less than the small portion of salad I received ($6.50 reais vs. $7.20 for the salad)!! I could not believe it! And yes, the food tasted super fresh and was good, but to be honest it definitely was not worth all that money (the portions were not sizeable by any means), and I was still hungry afterwards. I was so pissed off. That on top of the hostel debacle was not helping my mood either.
After that, we walked around for a while to calm down. We walked along the Ipanema beachfront in search of Havaianas (which we didn't say any traces of). We did end up buying a few things, though. Ambar bought a really pretty painting for her apartment, and then we spotted a woman with some beautiful handmade dresses on display. It was the most beautiful sunflower yellow I've seen. She also had a lavender colored dress of the same design. She said they were $35 reais each (I felt bad haggling with her sicne they were handmade), which I just couldn't afford. So I was getting ready to walk away, but Ambar asked how much she'd charge us for both (the yellow one for me, the lavender for her) and the woman said 50 (which was really awesome of her). So, we ended up getting them ;). After that, we took out some money, bought some gray Havaianas (which I've never seen before, and had to get) and came back to the hostel to change and get ready to meet Russell and Anthonette for dinner at 6.
We ended up taking a cab from our hostel to Anthonette's hotel because it seemed really far on the map (which it was). We got there at around 6:30 (rush-hour/weekend traffic) and Russell was already there. Her hotel was phat and you could tell it cost quite a pretty penny to stay there. We looked through our guidebook and decided on a place that didn't look too far away, and especially after the whole lunch fiasco I was eager to get it out of my mind with a good--and economical--dinner experience. But alas, it wasn't meant to be. We ended up walking for about 25 minutes, and when we finally reached the place it seemed pricier than anticipated. So, we stopped at few more places, but Anthonette was dead set on having some pasta, so the places we stopped that Ambar, Russell and I were down with she didn't want because they didn't have pasta. Finally, we randomly stopped in the place that looked like a large bar that served food (it was completely empty, by the way; bad sign) called "Winners" (ironic), and Ambar stopped in to ask about pasta. We ended up staying there and Ambar and Anthonette ordered pasta, and Russell and I ordered pizza. Anthonette took about 10 bites total of her pasta and said she didn't want anymore. Russell's and my pizzas took about 25 minutes to even come out to us (by this time it was like 9:30) and they weren't even that good. I ended up only eating three small slices (they're more like small pizzas they make in Italy than pizzas from New York or Pizza Hut, etc.), and giving the rest of it to Russell to take back to Baron Garden. I was soo mad. And on top of that, my food (plus a Guarana Zero) came out to $16 reais!! Yesterday was just not my day.
We walked Anthonette back to her hotel, took some pictures and said bye to her and then walked Russell to the metro station (which was directly in front of Anthonette's hotel). We decided we'd see him Monday on Ipanema Beach, since that's where he works til about 4. Ambar and I took a cab back to the Mango Tree (at around 11) and vowed that we're pretty much eating at Big Nectar (since it's a chain, there's quite a few in Ipanema) for the rest of the time we're here since we wasted so much money on ridiculousness yesterday.
That pretty much sums up the weird and aggravating day that was yesterday. I'm going to write about today in a different post. Ate logo!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
O computador não funciona!!
So, yesterday was a very long day. I was so anxious to write about my day, but annoyingly the hostel computer was (up to about a few hours ago) out of comission. No one exactly knows why (some people say that a fuse in the computer plug blew out, etc.), but the bottom line is that the computer wouldn't even turn on (hence why I'm writing about yesterday today :( ). Thankfully, though, Anthonette let me use her computer to start, but I felt bad using it for an extended period of time.
Anyways, yesterday I taught the kids about body parts, months of the year, the alphabet in English and how to say their birthdays. It went a lot smoother than I expected but of course I know when to stop teaching them new things and say we're done for the day because they get visibly antsy. The lesson itself was ok, though. I've found it's better not to plan everything down a T with them, because otherwise I'd be really annoyed that the lesson didn't go exactly as I planned it. As it is, though, leaving things a little open allows things to go more smoothly (if that makes sense). After class while the kids were eating their snack, I played "amarelina" (hop-scotch) with the girls (Paula, Kassie, Taciane and Vanessa) :). It's actually a lot harder than I remember it being, lol, and I was a bit tired after hopping a around for a while ;). It's so nice to see them excited about things, though, so I didn't mind playing with them. I also asked Paulo what time I should come in tomorrow (because Chantelle is going to the Iguazu Falls with some people from the other hostel and leaves today at noon; it's about a 22 hr. busride to get there), because I usually go in the afternoon on Fridays to teach. He agreed that the morning would be better. That way, I can say bye to the kids, take pictures with them, etc. :(.
After Paulo locked the center, Jacson and I walked up the hills (yes, again :( ) to go to Cantina do Gaucho. Partway up the second hill, though, I asked him if we could take a kambi or bus instead, and he said ok. Unfortunately for me, though, they don't stop on the hills so we ended up having to walk up them anyway until we reached the flat stretch of road to catch a bus (which by then we might as well just have walked the final flat stretch, but I was exhausted anyway so I just paid for us to both take the bus). The food at the Cantina was great and the best I've had in Rio in quite a long time, though, so I'm actually glad we went up there to eat (we ordered filet de frango grelhado with rice, beans and fries--for some reason, I've noticed that Brasilians like to serve fries as an option alongside their rice and beans; I also got a Guarana Zero, of course! ;). I also took a picture of Prazeres from the window of the Cantina (because there's an awesome hilltop view of the favelas and of Rio down below). I feel it would be weird and inappropriate to take pictures outside in the actual favela, so that's pretty much the only pictures I'll have of the favelas themselves (I am going to take pictures with and of the kids before I say bye to them).
I told Jacson I wanted to meet Saulo (and possibly take a picture with him, since he's a local celebrity to me for obvious reasons! ;), so after lunch we took the "bonde" (which is pretty much a cable car like that runs through up to Prazeres, I think), because he insisted I had to take it at least once before I left. It was cute, but as I was going to step off of it (and despite the fact that I was holding on to the handrail), I lost my footing and slipped (the step is also really high so I couldn't catch myself). Luckily, the guy who was collecting the money and another man who was getting on caught me by the arm otherwise the fall would've been even worse. As it was, though, I got hurt pretty badly. My left arm hurt like crazy and was bleeding a bit (I saw stars for a while afterwards cuz the pain was so sharp), but I tried to play it off to Jacson when he asked if I was alright so as not to worry him (today my arm is bruised pretty badly and still tender; it's not in a place on my arm that I can see it clearly, but the people in the hostel have told me it looks pretty bad, lol; it doesn't hurt much anymore though).
So we got off the bungey and walked into Fogateiro (a favela adjacent to Prazeres and Falete) to Saulo's house. Unfortunately when we got there, though, his little brother said he had gone with Charles to Sao Paulo and when Jacson called Charles on his cell phone to see if they'd be back before I left, he told him they wouldn't be back til Monday :(. So, alas I guess I wasn't met to meet Saulo after all :(.
In the afternoon, I quickly taught the kids the ABCs in English and then ended the lesson (they were more rowdy than usual so I wasn't going to compete with that). I ended up getting back to Catete around 4 and going back to the Museu da Repubilca to see the rest of the exhibit (since it's free on Wednesdays) and the preserved room where President Vargas committed suicide.
Last night we (basically everyone from both hostels) went to Rio Scenarium in Lapa, which I actually went to the last time I was in Rio! :) It was so cool to go back. The decor is awesome (think: "TGIFriday's" and "Applebee's" with all the random stuff on the walls, but without the clutter, lots more space and with way more vintage and classic-looking stuff) and it's incredibly spacious. It's just a very well put together venue with a very chill vibe. Two live bands played samba and bossanova, and there were people dancing downstairs in front of the stage they performed on. From the upstairs balcony, you have a bird's eye view of the dancefloor and watching everyone's dancesteps was amazing. I was trying to pinpoint/figure out how the women's feet moved when they danced samba (i.e., was there a particular dance pattern they followed), but I couldn't figure it out at all. So, I just basically stood there and watched in awe. Maybe when I get back home I look into some samba lessons? Anyone interested? ;)
Today was a pretty slow and uneventful day. I woke up pretty late (10:30; I guess climbing those hills, the fall, and going out til late last night took a lot out of me), and then set straight to work pretty much (well, I took a shower and then started at around 12) on getting the notebooks for the kids done for tomorrow. I basically sat outside on the patio and listened to my ipod til I finished at around 5:30 (yup, it took that long; I made 13 in all, with the kids' names in caligraphy on the front and a written copy of everything I've taught them in class up til now). I was exhausted, but I'm pretty pleased with how they came out. I also made a thank you card for Paulo and Jacson.
For dinner we went to Estacao Republic at the bottom of the hill and had the pizza buffet (they bring different kinds of pizza to your table for you to choose from). It was awesome. My favorite entree pizza was the tomato and basil and my favorite dessert one was chocolate with strawberries (!!). There was a dessert pizza that kept going past us that I wanted to have also (I had it for the first time on my last trip to Rio in Ipanema; it's ridiculously delicious: it basically tastes like those strawberry shortcake ice cream bars, just without the ice cream), but every time the waitresses would come back around, it would be with an empty tray. So sadly, we didn't get to have any :(. I might just drag Ambar back to the pizza buffet place in Ipanema where I first had it so we can have some ;). It's so worth it.
Well, tomorrow (well, today now I guess, lol) is my last day of work and in Baron Garden :(. I'm going to miss both: my job because I feel like the kids are just warming up to/getting used to me and the hostel because I like it here and I've met some really cool people. I'll let you know how it goes, though. Ambar and I also will be going to our new hostel in Ipanema (The Mango Tree), and I think we'll have internet access there so I'll try to write as much about our days there as possible before we head home on Tuesday. Beijos!
Anyways, yesterday I taught the kids about body parts, months of the year, the alphabet in English and how to say their birthdays. It went a lot smoother than I expected but of course I know when to stop teaching them new things and say we're done for the day because they get visibly antsy. The lesson itself was ok, though. I've found it's better not to plan everything down a T with them, because otherwise I'd be really annoyed that the lesson didn't go exactly as I planned it. As it is, though, leaving things a little open allows things to go more smoothly (if that makes sense). After class while the kids were eating their snack, I played "amarelina" (hop-scotch) with the girls (Paula, Kassie, Taciane and Vanessa) :). It's actually a lot harder than I remember it being, lol, and I was a bit tired after hopping a around for a while ;). It's so nice to see them excited about things, though, so I didn't mind playing with them. I also asked Paulo what time I should come in tomorrow (because Chantelle is going to the Iguazu Falls with some people from the other hostel and leaves today at noon; it's about a 22 hr. busride to get there), because I usually go in the afternoon on Fridays to teach. He agreed that the morning would be better. That way, I can say bye to the kids, take pictures with them, etc. :(.
After Paulo locked the center, Jacson and I walked up the hills (yes, again :( ) to go to Cantina do Gaucho. Partway up the second hill, though, I asked him if we could take a kambi or bus instead, and he said ok. Unfortunately for me, though, they don't stop on the hills so we ended up having to walk up them anyway until we reached the flat stretch of road to catch a bus (which by then we might as well just have walked the final flat stretch, but I was exhausted anyway so I just paid for us to both take the bus). The food at the Cantina was great and the best I've had in Rio in quite a long time, though, so I'm actually glad we went up there to eat (we ordered filet de frango grelhado with rice, beans and fries--for some reason, I've noticed that Brasilians like to serve fries as an option alongside their rice and beans; I also got a Guarana Zero, of course! ;). I also took a picture of Prazeres from the window of the Cantina (because there's an awesome hilltop view of the favelas and of Rio down below). I feel it would be weird and inappropriate to take pictures outside in the actual favela, so that's pretty much the only pictures I'll have of the favelas themselves (I am going to take pictures with and of the kids before I say bye to them).
I told Jacson I wanted to meet Saulo (and possibly take a picture with him, since he's a local celebrity to me for obvious reasons! ;), so after lunch we took the "bonde" (which is pretty much a cable car like that runs through up to Prazeres, I think), because he insisted I had to take it at least once before I left. It was cute, but as I was going to step off of it (and despite the fact that I was holding on to the handrail), I lost my footing and slipped (the step is also really high so I couldn't catch myself). Luckily, the guy who was collecting the money and another man who was getting on caught me by the arm otherwise the fall would've been even worse. As it was, though, I got hurt pretty badly. My left arm hurt like crazy and was bleeding a bit (I saw stars for a while afterwards cuz the pain was so sharp), but I tried to play it off to Jacson when he asked if I was alright so as not to worry him (today my arm is bruised pretty badly and still tender; it's not in a place on my arm that I can see it clearly, but the people in the hostel have told me it looks pretty bad, lol; it doesn't hurt much anymore though).
So we got off the bungey and walked into Fogateiro (a favela adjacent to Prazeres and Falete) to Saulo's house. Unfortunately when we got there, though, his little brother said he had gone with Charles to Sao Paulo and when Jacson called Charles on his cell phone to see if they'd be back before I left, he told him they wouldn't be back til Monday :(. So, alas I guess I wasn't met to meet Saulo after all :(.
In the afternoon, I quickly taught the kids the ABCs in English and then ended the lesson (they were more rowdy than usual so I wasn't going to compete with that). I ended up getting back to Catete around 4 and going back to the Museu da Repubilca to see the rest of the exhibit (since it's free on Wednesdays) and the preserved room where President Vargas committed suicide.
Last night we (basically everyone from both hostels) went to Rio Scenarium in Lapa, which I actually went to the last time I was in Rio! :) It was so cool to go back. The decor is awesome (think: "TGIFriday's" and "Applebee's" with all the random stuff on the walls, but without the clutter, lots more space and with way more vintage and classic-looking stuff) and it's incredibly spacious. It's just a very well put together venue with a very chill vibe. Two live bands played samba and bossanova, and there were people dancing downstairs in front of the stage they performed on. From the upstairs balcony, you have a bird's eye view of the dancefloor and watching everyone's dancesteps was amazing. I was trying to pinpoint/figure out how the women's feet moved when they danced samba (i.e., was there a particular dance pattern they followed), but I couldn't figure it out at all. So, I just basically stood there and watched in awe. Maybe when I get back home I look into some samba lessons? Anyone interested? ;)
Today was a pretty slow and uneventful day. I woke up pretty late (10:30; I guess climbing those hills, the fall, and going out til late last night took a lot out of me), and then set straight to work pretty much (well, I took a shower and then started at around 12) on getting the notebooks for the kids done for tomorrow. I basically sat outside on the patio and listened to my ipod til I finished at around 5:30 (yup, it took that long; I made 13 in all, with the kids' names in caligraphy on the front and a written copy of everything I've taught them in class up til now). I was exhausted, but I'm pretty pleased with how they came out. I also made a thank you card for Paulo and Jacson.
For dinner we went to Estacao Republic at the bottom of the hill and had the pizza buffet (they bring different kinds of pizza to your table for you to choose from). It was awesome. My favorite entree pizza was the tomato and basil and my favorite dessert one was chocolate with strawberries (!!). There was a dessert pizza that kept going past us that I wanted to have also (I had it for the first time on my last trip to Rio in Ipanema; it's ridiculously delicious: it basically tastes like those strawberry shortcake ice cream bars, just without the ice cream), but every time the waitresses would come back around, it would be with an empty tray. So sadly, we didn't get to have any :(. I might just drag Ambar back to the pizza buffet place in Ipanema where I first had it so we can have some ;). It's so worth it.
Well, tomorrow (well, today now I guess, lol) is my last day of work and in Baron Garden :(. I'm going to miss both: my job because I feel like the kids are just warming up to/getting used to me and the hostel because I like it here and I've met some really cool people. I'll let you know how it goes, though. Ambar and I also will be going to our new hostel in Ipanema (The Mango Tree), and I think we'll have internet access there so I'll try to write as much about our days there as possible before we head home on Tuesday. Beijos!
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Comunidade em Ação e Mulheres de Chico
Today was an adventure and a half! I went to Ambar and Penny's (Penny is from the UK and is staying in the other hostel further up the hill from us; she's mad chill) project/favela with them today (since I have Tuesdays off). We took 2 buses and it took about an hour and and 20 minutes to get there. The favela itself is unreal and unlike any one that I've visited so far on this trip. There are twelve favelas all pretty much adjacent to each other that encompass Complexo do Alemão, and this "complex" is known as one of the roughest and most dangerous favelas in Rio. Last June there was civil unrest and a "war" broke out between the favela gangs and the police. Documented (as in newspaper articles, etc.) the government claims there were only 19 casualties but the favelados (people who live in the favelas) say that at least 70 were killed. This is typical of the government: to downplay how many casualties there actually were in order to keep the public (who don't live in the favelas) in the dark. As a result of this "massacre" (as the Cariocas call it), there is now military presence (soldiers replete with military uniforms, rifles and protected by waist-high sandbags) at the entrance of each favela in order to "maintain the peace."
So the three of us got to the center, Comunidade em Ação, at 10. When we arrived, Reza was sitting with 2 other guys writing down the project's creed basically into Portuguese. One of the men, he said, was a member of the community who had lived in the favela for 28 years and was attempting to go on and get his masters. It was proof that (contrary to popular belief) not just down-trodden, uneducated and uninspired people live in the favelas. He appeared to be someone who really wanted to help his community and see it prosper and grow. It was nice to meet someone who goes against all of those negative stereotypes that so many people believe are based in truth.
The center is so different than mine. Much more high-tech and put together. They even have a computer room (with about 5 computers in it) and a secretary! I mean, it doesn't look like a typical office space or anything like that, but it's a lot more organized and has a lot more resources than the community center in Falete. They owe a lot of that to Reza, though, who basically heads the center. He's Iranian and from D.C. He's really chill and really dedicated to this cause and getting it well established and well-received in the community. It's really admirable what he's doing (especially considering he doesn't get paid, isn't Brasilian and is basically funding the center and a lot of its resources with his own funds). His Portuguese is pretty much impeccable too (he's been here for a year and a half). I'm a bit jealous, lol ;). I also met Leandro, who also works at the center (he has 2 jobs, I think outside of that too, so he left at about midday). He was really nice and welcoming, and his English was great! I would've liked to have gotten the chance to chat with him a bit more, though.
They actually ended up making lunch for us (they have a kitchen; the secretary--whose name I can't remember :(--and another guy prepared the food; Ambar and Penny said that they actually hadn't prepared lunch for them before, but when we were eating we noticed there were a lot of people there eating too, so it's not like it was made specifically for us which is nice :), but Ambar, Penny and I were a bit hungry so went across the street to the bakery (which was emitting the most delicious smells) and bought some pastries. I was sooo happy with what I got! I got about 10 small (it's about 10 for 1 real) cookies called "biscoitos amanteigados," which basically translates as "butter cookies," but they were awesome and had this amazing jam in the center (*sigh of sheer ecstasy*). I also got 7 (that's how many it is for 1 real, so I figured I'd get that many and just share) small donuts coated in sugar and cinnamon (sounds simple but it was exquisite), called "rosquinha" (I may be spelling it wrong, but that's how the woman at the counter pronounced it). It was such a satisfying experience :).
When we got back to the center, I sat in on Ambar's class (she had 4 students, and was teaching them about how to tell time in English for an exam they have next week). Their English was much better than I'm sure any of them realized. Afterwards, we ate lunch and the rest of the afternoon I attempted to help Ambar shave a few pages off a "how-to" manual of how to utilize Microsoft Word, which Raza requested she do. We headed home at about 3:45.
When we got back, Ambar was speaking to Ashley (another American girl who is 25 and has been working with the center for a few years now) online and she invited us to a live show in Centro (which is a little past Lapa). We had a quick bite at Big Nectar with Russell, and then took the train to the Carioca stop (about a 5 minute ride). We were supposed to meet Ashley outside, but ironically just as we were stepping off, Ashley and Reza were too. We walked from there to the Teatro Nelson Rodrigues where we met Chris (whom Ambar and I met at orientation, and whom Ambar has seen a lot of since then because she seems to be tight with Raza and Ashley) and some of her friends in front of the theater. It was a free show, but the tickets went fast and just as we were getting to the window (there were about 2 people in front of us) the person behind it closed the shutters :(. Thankfully, though, we were able to sit on the steps in front of the stage (because there were no more seats). The show was absolutely fantastic. It was this band called "Mulheres de Chico," who do covers of songs by a famous Brasilian singer named Chico Burque. They were awesome and super energetic. It was a group of 20 women and each one played and instrument (there were lots of different types of drums, guitars, cymbals, 2 singers and some other instruments I can't name). Even though there were 2 singers, though, all of them sang along and seemed to have a genuinely good time on stage: dancing in place, bumping hips with the woman next to them and smiling up a storm :). It was so refreshing and their renditions were awesome. They also all wore different outfits, but the common thread, I noticed, was that they had to contain some red, pink and or white. I thought that was a cute touch ;). The show itself was about a little over an hour (at the end they did an encore--which the crowd demanded--and the audience was on their feet dancing samba in the aisles :). I wanted to buy a CD after the show, but they were only selling t-shirts. I wonder if they have any. I'm going to be on the hunt now, so if anyone knows anything about them, please let me know! ;)
Afterwards we went to a bar in Lapa with Reza, Ashley, Chris and her friends and had some drinks (I had a vodka tonic for the first time; it might be the last...). It was super chill and nice to get to know them. It was such a cool vibe :). Ambar and I took a cab home around 10:30 and here am I writing to you when I should be sleeping (because I have to teach tomorrow)! But I absolutely had to get all of my thoughts down about the day because it was so packed and I didn't want to forget a single thing. I think that's everything, though. Anything I've forgotten I'll just tell most of you in person ;). Well, boa noite!
Monday, July 28, 2008
Descanso
Didn't do much today, but it was a nice, easy-going day. I went to work and taught the kids (a lot of them were missing, but Paula, Vanessa, Adilson, Caio, Matheus and a boy I've never seen before, named Marcos were there) colors and different types of clothing. I think they did well, and I tried my best to make it as interactive as possible (in spite of the fact that I've already taught them before, it's still a bit nerveracking getting up and front of them and leading things). For example, I started off the lesson by asking them to name the colors of the rainbow (in Portuguese) for me. Then I wrote down all the colors they named in English and said them aloud. To test they were paying attention, I pulled out Ambar's handy-dandy UNO cards that I've been toting around and asked them to say not only the color of the card, but the number that appeared on it as well (since I taught them 1 through 20 last week). They did really well I was proud of them. Digging around in my bag, I also found 3 Starbursts I had left and I said whoever could name the color of the ones I should to the class got to have it. That went over well, as you can imagine, lol. I only wish I had more than three for them to have.
Clothing started off ok, but they got a bit restless. We got through naming and saying the clothing I wrote down (just basics like pants, shirt, socks, skirt, etc.), but when I told them to pair up and write down the clothing and the colors of the clothing their partners were wearing to present to the class, they didn't really take to that. It started off ok (with everyone writing diligently on their sheets of paper), but then they seemed to get distracted and started to get up and walk around. So in order not to delay the inevitable, I said that we were finished for the day and would continue on Wednesday. I can pretty much tell by now when they can't retain any more information. After class, Paulo told me most of the kids wouldn't be there in the afternoon (since they're on break from school, aparently their schools do activities which must them usually go to), so instead of having me teach 2 kids, he said I could just go home. It was a nice surprise.
So the rest of the afternoon was pretty much mine for the taking. I came home, and immediately hopped on the computer and called my sister on Skype. We talked for like an hour and 15 min., which was nice cuz I never would've been able to do that if everyone else was home. I was considering heading to the beach because it was so nice out, but the thought of getting into my bathing suit, putting suntan lotion on and walking there just seemed overwhelming (plus, the sun starts to cool and head out at around 3ish here since it's their winter). So after that I decided to go exchange some money and try Bob's (think Brasil's version of McDonald's). I ordered what was their equivalent of the Big Mac (which I haven't even had since I was a little girl). It was quite disappointing. Not the meat patties themselves, but their "special sauce" which was cold and basically plopped on top of the burger in big clumps (I ended up wiping most of it off with a napkin and didn't even finish the whole burger). The fries were nice, hot and salty, though, so that's a plus ;).
After that I went back to Lojas Americanas to potentially price some souvenirs. They had a whole array of Havaianas there (included my black ones in the exact size I need, which have been virtually impossible to find; I'm guessing because a 7/8 is a common/popular women's size). I was tempted to buy the ones I wanted, but they were 20 reais ($12 U.S.), which is still cheaper than what you can get them for in the states, but more expensive than a few places I've seen that have had them here. I decided to wait, though, and if I absolutely cannot find them somewhere else before we check out of the hostel on Friday and head to Ipanema, then I'll bite the bullet and buy them.
On the way home I also priced some notebooks for the kids (and I got another churro, but this time with dulce de leche because he didn't have chocolate; it was really good but I think I prefer the chocolate). I was thinking that I do want to give them something, and since I don't want it to be as superficial (or potentially meaningless) as presents (and also because a.) I don't know what they like and b.) that can get pricey), I figured I would by them each a plain, mini notebook and write their first names in caligraphy on the front. I also figured I could include the things I've been teaching them (for example, the numbers from 1 to 20 in English, the colors and clothing we learned today, etc.) since it won't be too much I've taught them before I leave. They can use the rest of the notebook for whatever they like, but I figured it would be nice for them to have something that's just theirs (since I'm sure not many of them get many things they can say that about). I'm excited. It's my own little project/surprise for them before Friday ;). I'm going to buy the notebooks sometime tomorrow and get started.
Anyways, that was the extent of my day. I came home and read for a bit. I bought a Brasilian women's fashion magazine, so it was cool to just sit down with it and see what I could understand ;). Tomorrow I'm going to work with Ambar, so that'll be another adventure. I'm sure she'll put me to work and make me help her with her classes, etc. Should be chill. I'll let you know how it goes! Ate logo!
Clothing started off ok, but they got a bit restless. We got through naming and saying the clothing I wrote down (just basics like pants, shirt, socks, skirt, etc.), but when I told them to pair up and write down the clothing and the colors of the clothing their partners were wearing to present to the class, they didn't really take to that. It started off ok (with everyone writing diligently on their sheets of paper), but then they seemed to get distracted and started to get up and walk around. So in order not to delay the inevitable, I said that we were finished for the day and would continue on Wednesday. I can pretty much tell by now when they can't retain any more information. After class, Paulo told me most of the kids wouldn't be there in the afternoon (since they're on break from school, aparently their schools do activities which must them usually go to), so instead of having me teach 2 kids, he said I could just go home. It was a nice surprise.
So the rest of the afternoon was pretty much mine for the taking. I came home, and immediately hopped on the computer and called my sister on Skype. We talked for like an hour and 15 min., which was nice cuz I never would've been able to do that if everyone else was home. I was considering heading to the beach because it was so nice out, but the thought of getting into my bathing suit, putting suntan lotion on and walking there just seemed overwhelming (plus, the sun starts to cool and head out at around 3ish here since it's their winter). So after that I decided to go exchange some money and try Bob's (think Brasil's version of McDonald's). I ordered what was their equivalent of the Big Mac (which I haven't even had since I was a little girl). It was quite disappointing. Not the meat patties themselves, but their "special sauce" which was cold and basically plopped on top of the burger in big clumps (I ended up wiping most of it off with a napkin and didn't even finish the whole burger). The fries were nice, hot and salty, though, so that's a plus ;).
After that I went back to Lojas Americanas to potentially price some souvenirs. They had a whole array of Havaianas there (included my black ones in the exact size I need, which have been virtually impossible to find; I'm guessing because a 7/8 is a common/popular women's size). I was tempted to buy the ones I wanted, but they were 20 reais ($12 U.S.), which is still cheaper than what you can get them for in the states, but more expensive than a few places I've seen that have had them here. I decided to wait, though, and if I absolutely cannot find them somewhere else before we check out of the hostel on Friday and head to Ipanema, then I'll bite the bullet and buy them.
On the way home I also priced some notebooks for the kids (and I got another churro, but this time with dulce de leche because he didn't have chocolate; it was really good but I think I prefer the chocolate). I was thinking that I do want to give them something, and since I don't want it to be as superficial (or potentially meaningless) as presents (and also because a.) I don't know what they like and b.) that can get pricey), I figured I would by them each a plain, mini notebook and write their first names in caligraphy on the front. I also figured I could include the things I've been teaching them (for example, the numbers from 1 to 20 in English, the colors and clothing we learned today, etc.) since it won't be too much I've taught them before I leave. They can use the rest of the notebook for whatever they like, but I figured it would be nice for them to have something that's just theirs (since I'm sure not many of them get many things they can say that about). I'm excited. It's my own little project/surprise for them before Friday ;). I'm going to buy the notebooks sometime tomorrow and get started.
Anyways, that was the extent of my day. I came home and read for a bit. I bought a Brasilian women's fashion magazine, so it was cool to just sit down with it and see what I could understand ;). Tomorrow I'm going to work with Ambar, so that'll be another adventure. I'm sure she'll put me to work and make me help her with her classes, etc. Should be chill. I'll let you know how it goes! Ate logo!
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