Maracanã!

So today started off slow, but got really good towards the end ;). Ambar and I left the hostel around 11 to go to a few museums and get some grub (namely, her feijoada completa that she's been wanting to try; I love Brasil, but I can't bring myself to try that ;(. We walked towards Lapa to the Museu de Arte Moderna in Parque do Flamengo (which is gorgeous, by the way--but then again, what isn't in Brasil? ;). I was a bit underwhelmed by the museum itself (modern art not being my thing, even at home), but I guess I'm glad we went cuz we at least got to see the park (did I mention it's gorgeous? ;).
Afterwards, we headed towards Lapa on the hunt for some feijoada for Ambar. We saw a few places that actually had it, but were a bit pricey (one for 23 reais, another for 46). So, we ended up just heading back to Bar do Altado, since the owner had told us yesterday they'd definitely have it today. She ordered it and said she really enjoyed it (I give her a lot of credit, cuz there are some things I just won't eat and that's one of them). I, on the other hand, ordered "carne assada" which I assumed was just grilled beef without any sauce (I'm weird, because I enjoy very dry food except, like, sauce from roasted chicken and steak with onions), but it definitely wasn't. Instead, I was served stewed beef (which I really hate, just ask my mom ;). I was really annoyed, especially because the Brasilians have a name for meat served that way and it's called "esopada" (you can order chicken or beef esopada), which I definitely did not order. This is the second time that's happened to me. Next time (as annoying as it might be), I'll specifically ask how the meat is prepared in order to get my point across. I was even contemplating eating it because I felt bad, but then I saw a huge roach on the wall behind the stove and I lost my appetite altogether (roaches and I definitely are not friends, but we can coexist I suppose if we absolutely must as long as I never ever see them). It sucked.
After lunch we headed to Museu da República/Palácio do Catete, which is literally around the corner from our street. It was AMAZING and they had some excellent exhibits (aside from touring the elaborately adorned rooms once occupied by Brasil's royal families, they had an exhibition on the 3rd floor dedicated to revolutions around the world--including the Black Panther Movement, the liberation movement in Cuba under Fidel Castro and che Guevara, etc.--and a specific section dedicated to the liberation movement in Brasil against the military dictatorship). They even have preserved the room that president Getúlio Vargas committed suicide in (we didn't get to see it, though, because we had to meet the group and Felipe to go to the futebol game). There's so much I didn't get to see that I'd really like to, so I think I might just go back later in the week and pay the 5 reais to get in (it's only free on Wednesdays and Sundays).
We met up for the match at 4 and headed to the stadium. There's so much to say and remember, that I hope I remember it all! So, ok we took the train to Estacio RioCidadeNova and then switched to another line to get to Maracanã. The view of the stadium getting off the train was unreal. It was so awesome and the vibe was completely electric. As some background info, the state of Rio de Janeiro has 5 teams or "clubs," as they call them. Today, the match was between 2 of those teams: Botafogo and Flamengo (which happen to be 2 different districts in Rio). As a group, we were rooting for Botafogo becuase that's one of Felipe's "rules" (Rule 1: Felipe is always right, Rule 2: If you ever think Felipe is wrong, remember rule #1, and Rule 3: You must cheer for Botafogo!; his exact words ;). Otherwise, we wouldn't have been allowed to go to the game with him and since none of us are from Rio and are die-hard fans of any team in particular, Botafogo it was ;). As a side note, I'll be referring to "soccer" as "futebol," since that's how the rest of the world refers to it (aside from the U.S., of course, since we have to be "special" with everything :(. So as soon as we set foot out of the train station (and even as people were getting out of the train cars), the cheering started. These are some fans for life. No wonder people refer ot futebol in Brasil as a way of life. We got to the stadium at about 5, and the match didn't start til 6:10, so we chilled outside for a bit and took pictures :). I took lots and lots. I even got to take one with Botafogo's mascot! :)
There were people on the street leading to the stadium selling all sorts of Botafogo memorabilia, like jersies, flags, hats, etc. And the fans were unreal, chanting, singing, and waving some of the hugest flags (oh, each team has its own flag too) I've ever seen up close. At one point, though, one of the police officers (they were all on horseback) took away one of the fan's giant flags for some reason and everyone started booing. Thank God it didn't turn into something more serious. At about half past (5), we headed inside to our seats. I've never been to a professional futebol match before so it was super exciting for me. I absolutely love futebol (even from my days of playing on a team as a little kid :), and it pains me that the U.S. is so against the game. Anyways, the game started shortly after and that's when the singing, chanting and jumping up and down really picked up and never stopped (it even went through half-time and after the match ended). These were some of the most loyal fans I had ever seen. Even football (American football) games in the U.S. don't have fans who sing or cheer the entire game. They showed quite a bit of love, to say the least. It was funny because although there were unanimous and loud "oh"s when Botafogo missed attempted goals, they would still cheer immediately afterward and also when the Botafogo goalie intercepted shots from the opposing team. I expected a little more in terms of the playing style of the players (there weren't any particular "amazing" shots or extremely fancy footwork, surprisingly), but they were still good. Although, I was quite annoyed that neither team seemed to be playing as a unit and some (or should I say most) of the shots taken were outrageous and seemed to not be aimed at anywhere even close to the goal.
I had forgotten, though, how comical futebol players are in terms of exaggerating stumbles and falls. I swear, they must all take drama and acrobatic classes! At one point, one of the Botafogo players rolled three times and laid for about 30 seconds sprawled out on the field. I suppose it's to invoke "sympathy" and outrage (in terms of the Botafogo fans cursing the other team's players for "tripping" him) from his fans. It was hilarious :). Sadly, though, the game was a draw (0-0) so both sets of fans, I guess you could say, went home disappointed. I'm so glad I went though :).
In terms of the food, I really expected much much more. There were vendors walking around selling soft drinks and chips (and at one point ice cream, which I eagerly bought), but not much else. You could go to stands inside the stadium itself and buy hot dogs (although, I'm not really sure why they call them "hot"; Anthonette got one and said it was the "first cold hot dog" she had ever eaten--so I'm guessing it's served cold on purpose for some odd reason) and sodas but that's about it. It sucks that I was so hungry, cuz the only things I ate I were some chips, an ice cream bar and a few sips of Ambar's Guarana.
All in all, the game was awesome. I'm so glad I got to experience Maracanã and a futebol match! :) If you ever come to Rio (which you all definitely should!), I highly recommend it. It's like nothing I've ever experienced.
Well, tomorrow's back to teaching and to the kids at Falete. I'm off to rest up now. Ate logo!

Lapa, Cidade do Samba e Catedral Metropolitana de São Sebastião

So last night we (Anthonette, Russell, Ambar and I) ended up going to Lapa to party. Well, lol, we actually didn't start off by going to Lapa. We actually took a cab from the hostel to what used to be Bunker 94 (this club I actually went to when I was in Rio the first time that was a lot of fun; they played hip hop--English and Portuguese--and samba) in Copacabana, because we were going to meet up with other people from our hostel that were supposed to be going there too. What a surprise when we got there and the cabbie motioned over a bouncer in front of the place next door and he told us it had closed down (as you can see, the people we were supposed to meet there didn't do much research before we went and I took it for granted that it was still up and running)! So we ended up paying him, getting out of the cab and catching a bus back up (because Copacabana and Lapa are in two different directions) to Lapa. We got there at about 1ish and the streets were packed: there were literally people in every crevice of the streets in spite of the drizzle and the semi-cold weather (about 65ish) dancing to pulsating samba, hip hop and Brasilian funk (I'll get to that in a minute ;) beats. It was so cool. I haven't seen anything like that since last time I was in DR).

We made our way through the massive crowds and towards this club that looked decent called Carlito's. Before going in, Anthonette bought a beef kebab (which looked awesome) from a row of vendors and I ended up giving in and getting a chicken one too. I was beyond delicious ;). Ambar got a cheese one but said it was too salty. Afterwards we headed inside. It was only 5 reais to get in and it was funny because as we made our way upstairs, they started playing "Fergalicious," lol. They played English music (some Flo Rida and some Diddy) for a while but that eventually gave way to Brasilian funk. How do I go about explaining Brasilian funk...in my opinion, Brasilian funk is Brasil's answer to reggaeton as it exists and permeates the rest of Latin America. There's a lot of booty shaking and getting down low to the floor. Although, I do feel like Brasilian funk requires more rhythm and the beats to me are a lot hotter. I'd actually like to buy a mixed CD of some before I leave Rio.

The place wasn't too packed when we got there, but it started getting tight around 2. There was a group of guys next to us dancing and kind of getting all up on each other. Some of their moves were ill, but some of them were kind of wack (no lookers at all in that group, though). We actually thought they were gay at first (who knows, they still could've been) but then some of us asked us to dance. I obliged for like a song but then I pulled out cuz it was getting kind of raunchy up in there. There were a few non-Cariocas who were visibly having trouble catching the rhythm of the Brasilian funk the DJ was playing, and some of the chicks that were dancing with guys from that group literally reminded me of that scene in "Dirty Dancing" where Baby first meets Johnny (if you haven't seen it, watch it! It's awesome ;), and he pulls her out to dance and she's all awkward and rigid. It was kind of funny ;) lol. We ended up taking a cab and getting home at around 4. I went straight to bed.

Because we got home so late, we ended up getting a late start to the day. I woke up at around 11 and hopped in the shower but we didn't end up leaving the actual hostel til about 2. Russell, Ambar and I ended up taking a cab to Centro to go to Cidade do Samba, which is basically a commerative Carnaval museum that displays some floats, costumes, etc. from past Carnavals. It was amazing and we took some excellent pictures. The detail and brilliant colors that the floats have are definite indications that they involved some long and painstaking work. Some of them were gigantic and looked ridiculously real! I think my favorite one was this one of a native woman with a headpiece holding a small baby. It was done in white and from far away it literally looked like it was made of white marble or stone: the eyes were hallowed out and there were spaces of shadow that looked like they had been down with a chisel. It was absolutely gorgeous. We actually took some pictures standing on top (there were stairs up the middle) of one of the floats. It was so amazing. It made me want to come to Rio even more for Carnaval ;).

Afterwards we stopped at Catedral Metropolitana de São Sebastião and took some pictures. From the outside, the church is definitely an eyesore and not much to look at: it's cone-shaped and made of . Inside, though, it's much nicer. There are huge stained glass windows that stretch from top to bottom and if you stare straight up at the ceiling, there is a skylight in the shape of a cross and surrounded by multi-colored stained glass. It was actually quite nice. I didn't take too many pictures there, though, because it was dark inside and they weren't coming out that clear.

After that we walked home (the church is actually right on the outskirts of of Lapa, which was super convenient for us) and since Russell and Ambar were on the hunt for feijoada completa (it's Brasil's national dish; I won't even bother trying to explain, so here click on this: feijoada), we stopped to look at the menus of a few places to see if they had it (Saturday is supposed to be the "national day" for Brasilians to eat feijoada; since it takes quite a few hours to make and it's so filling, most people make/eat it at home with their families and just chill at home). We ended up stopping at a hole-in-the-wall place in Lapa called "Bar do Adalto," and even though they didn't have feijoada (the guy said they'll have it tomorrow), we ended up eating there anyway. The food was decent (not the best I've had in Rio, but definitely better than Paz e Amor) and cheap (6 reais each).

On the way home I finally got a "churro recheado com chocolate" from a street vendor (a churro filled with chocolate; you can get one filled with chocolate or dulce de leche and they fill it right there for you on the spot). I say finally because I've been eyeing them since we first got to Catete ;). It was ridiculously good. I think I'll add it to my list of Rio addictions right along with Acai smoothies, Guarana Zero and Pao de queijo ;).

Tonight should be a pretty lax night. No going out or anything cuz: a.) it's cold (66 degrees) and b.) we're going to a soccer match tomorrow. So it's time to rest up and get pumped for tomorrow!

Ate logo!

Teatro e Descanso

Today I went to Falete with Chantelle to sit in on her acting class and to let Paulo and Jacson (as well as the kids) know that I couldn't teach this afternoon because I practically have no voice (although, it is getting better and you can actually hear me when I speak now as opposed to yesterday ;). I just wanted to go in in person so that they didn't think I was just skipping out on them and delivering the message through someone else (Chantelle). I just feel that consistency is something the kids really need and don't always get because of where they live. So any way that I can maintain things and make them as stable as possible, I'll do.
I sat in on Chantelle's theater class with the kids, though. They played a lot of different kinds of games, and although Chantelle tried her best she wasn't always able to keep their attention and interest. Kassie in particular today was in a bad mood. A lot of the time she came and sat next to me on the bench and tucked her arm under mine. I asked what was wrong, but she didn't really answer. From what I observed, though, she doesn't like to lose and likes to be right. So the fact that a lot of the games don't allow her to do both of those things visibly upset her. She did participate (begrudgingly) though towards the end. All in all, though, I think Chantelle did a good job and kept her cool in spite of not speaking the language and depending on Jacson to explain/interpret everything for her to the kids (there were times though where Jacson didn't understand some of her explanations and I had to step in and explain--in what little voice I have left--what she meant to the kids in Portuguese, which I didn't mind doing at all). She said she wants to put on a mini play or skit with them for the performance they intend to do on August 4th.
We got home around 12 and I've basically been lounging around since then: I sat out on the patio with the dogs (there are 4: I know Hendrix and Lola but I don't know the names of the other 2; Hendrix is HUGE--he's a black great dane. Literally when I'm standing up he comes up to just above my hips on all fours, so if he could stand on two legs he'd be taller than me; I was kind of afraid of him at first because he's so big, but now I just let him smell me briefly when I go out there and we're chill ;) reading for a while but then it got a bit windy and cold (yes, cold cuz it is their winter here; the sky is completely clouded over now and it looks like it's going to rain very soon) so I came inside to the living room and ended up dozing off for a bit, which is just as well because we're all supposed to go out and party in Lapa tonight. Hopefully (*praying really hard*) there will be no run-ins with Pedro or Christian. I'm actually looking forward to going out because it'll be the first time Ambar and I go out since we've gotten to Rio. Hopefully it won't get postponed or canceled because of the weather. I'll be sure to let you know how it goes. Beijos!
P.S.- I was told my blog was getting a bit boring (Augusto) because of lack of pictures, so I've put some up for your visual enjoyment ;). Although they're not my own pictures (I borrowed Genevieve and Augusto's underwater camera for my trip but they couldn't find the cable so that I could upload my pictures here before I left), they're still really similar to what I would put up anyway. I'll try to keep at it as much as possible. Enjoy! :)

Escadaria Selaron & Carmen Miranda!

Today was a sightseeing day for Ambar and I. We headed out at around 11:30 (we slept in til about 10; I'm still not feeling well and have pretty much lost my voice at this point :(; so I needed all the extra rest I could get) and headed for the Escadaria Selaron in Lapa, which was about a 20 min. walk from our hostel. We got a bit lost along the way, but not so much so to the point where I felt we looked like obvious foreigners. The steps actually ended up being situated on a very bizarre street. It almost looked like a back alleyway that you never would've guessed they would've been on, but they were there. They were absolutely gorgeous. As some brief background info., Selaron is a Chilean artist who created the steps (which are decorated with tiles of every color and design imaginable) as a tribute to the people of Rio and to Brasil as a whole. It is literally a living work of art because on the information plaque in front of the steps, he mentions that he's constantly changing the tiles out for new ones (there's tiles there of every color and design and from so many different countries--they're are some written in other languages like French and even Arabic!; he also said he collected/bought some of the tiles from vendors all around Rio). It was truly amazing. I've never seen anything like them. And, of course, I took tons of pictures! ;)
It was really bizarre too because Ambar and I ended up meeting this old Chilean man named Pedro at the base of the steps (he looked at least in his late 60s; I noticed him talking Spanish to another person and asked when he was done--in Portuguese, of course ;)--if he spoke Spanish) who said he was a salsero (salsa singer). He asked where we were from/how we knew Spanish and we told him we were Dominican. He then said that he had travelled all around the Caribbean singing and loved our country (DR). He proceeded to sing us some salsa songs acapella (which it seemed like he had penned himself), which was cute and told us that he had been living in Lapa for the past 7 years. He told us about some place in Lapa that plays salsa on Friday nights and said we should go cuz he's always there and that it's really fun. He pulled out his camera and asked if he could take a picture with each of us (which I was going to ask him if I could take a picture with him anyway for memory's sake). We did (I took one of him and Ambar with his and her camera and vice versa), but then he asked her to take another picture of him and I and kissed me on the cheek in the picture which was cute...at first. As we kept talking to him, though, he kept giving me kisses on the cheek and saying how he loved darker women which made me feel a bit uncomfortable. He even asked Ambar and I if we'd like to smoke (a blunt) with him in his apartment! It was weird. So we kind of said bye and climbed the steps and were taking pictures. As we were coming back down he said he'd take pictures of she and I together on the steps, which was nice of him. But then he kept doing the kissing me on the cheek thing and saying he loved dark women! It was creepy and annoying (especially because he was old enough to be my grandfather). Then he called down his Chilean friend, Christian (they live in the building just next door to the steps), and told him to come meet us. We chatted with him for a bit (he didn't seem too creepy--he was a lot younger, but not well kept or anything; they told us to come back tomorrow and they'd take us out to eat and to the club--we're definitely not doing that by the way), and then jetted asap. Aside from that weird encounter, I loved the steps. It's a shame, though, that my experience there was a bit overshadowed by the chance encounter.
After the steps, Ambar and I walked to the Carmen Miranda Museum. It took us quite a while to get to (on the map it looked within walking distance, but in reality it was mad far; it was literally in the next town over--Botafogo--and took us about 40 min. to get there), but when we finally did it was fantastic. It's in such a non-descript building, though, which really shocked me. You would have no idea it's even there unless you were specifically looking for it (there's not even a sign on the actual museum on the outside that says "Carmen Miranda Museum" or anything). It's literally in the middle of a park. The museum opened in 1976, though, so it's been there for a while. It's just sad because it's really great and I feel like it gets all the attention it deserves (I don't think many tourists think to go there or even know it exists when they visit Rio). I was really impressed by it. There were so many beautiful pictures of her inside and there were even disaplys with the jewelry, costumes, shoes (which were RIDICULOUSLY high!!) and headpieces she wore. There was also a tv in the back with chairs where you could watch some of her musical performances from movies she was in. She was a really beautiful woman. She reminded me a lot of Josephine Baker in her heyday. Needless to say, I took plenty of pictures there too ;).
After that, we walked back to Catete and went to the art museum next to the ex-presedential palace (which is literally around the corner from our street) and then walked around the palatial garden. All in all we did quite a lot of walking today so I'm genuinely tired. We also took some really cool pictures of graffiti along the way to each of our destinations (Rio's supposed to be known for its intricate and beautiful graffiti). Maybe I can even have one blown up and hang it up in my room ;).
We ate dinner at (you guessed it) Big Nectar and Ambar got the "X-Tudo," which was basically a hamburger with an egg, ham, cheese, and bacon on top of it. It looked ridiculous and monstrous but she said it was good. I also tried something new and got a "pastel de frango," which is basically a huge pastelito (a turnover) with chicken in it (although I didn't like how they prepared the chicken; it tasted almost like tuna fish but with other spices and pieces of corn in it--not good; I'll definitely be trying another kind when I get one again) and got a mango juice to go with it. We also got a slice of cake called "pavi," which tasted like it was made with whipped cream and had softened cookies in it and chocolate shavings on top. It was surprisingly good.
Well, it's off to bed now. I'm hoping my voice comes back so I can possibly teach tomorrow, but if not I'll go to Falete with Chantelle in the morning anyway just to show that I made the effort and to prove that I truly won't be able to teach. Hopefully no one will be mad. Anyways, boa noite! Beijos!

Profesora!

Today was intense. It started off with me waking up late (I set my alarm for 7 because there's so many females here and all of them like to take their sweet time in the bathroom). I only woke up because Chantelle tapped me on the shoulder and I realized it was 7:30. I was so mad, because I could've sworn I had set my alarm before I went to bed. Chantelle says she thinks she heard it go off and that I turned it off, but I don't remember a thing (I think I was so knocked out because I've been feeling sick and fighting cold-like symptoms since Sunday; yesterday was really bad because I had a runny nose and was sneezing like crazy, but today when I woke up my body just felt leaden and my throat really hurt--all I wanted was to lay back down and go to sleep). All I know is I hate waking up late. It just sets the wrong kind of vibe for me for the day because I like to wake up early and leisurely take my time in the morning before I have to be somewhere. Obviously that was not the case today.
I got ready in a half hour and Chantelle and I headed out at 8:20ish. What was funny was that we caught the bus from the Flamengo beachfront at around 8:50 and as we were passing through Lapa (which is about a 10 min. drive from where we're staying in Calete), Chantelle spotted Charles walking (he actually lives in Lapa) and called out to him from the window. The bus driver actually stopped so that he could catch the bus, which was nice :).
When we got to the community center in Falete and were waiting for Paulo so he could open the gate, I took a deep breath and talked to Charles about my dilemma with taking the bus four times in one day and having the English classes so spread out. I asked if we could possibly push the second class up to an earlier time (the first class wouldn't technically start til about 9:30 anyway--because we have to wait for the kids to come and for Paulo to come down from Falete and open the gate--and last til 11; so I proposed we push the second class up to 12 instead of 2). He basically told me that that wouldn't really be realistic because of how life in the favelas (unstructured) is and that the kids wouldn't show up that early in the afternoon to the center. I felt really bad and didn't want him to think that I didn't want to help, so I just said nevermind and that I could do the 2 classes as scheduled. I wasn't too happy about it because it is taxing on me, but I do want to help as much as possible. While we were waiting Charles also introduced Chantelle and I to Jacson (yes, that's how he spells it; he's 17), who is one of Charles's old students and will be helping Chantelle and I linguistically when we work if there's something we don't understand that the kids say in Portuguese and vice versa.
When Paulo came, the kids pretty much were in tow. I saw many of the faces from yesterday--Kassie, Paul, Matheus, Nathan, and Livia--but a few new ones as well. There were 12 kids in all. Charles led them into the classroom (which is about half the size of an average room and can only fit 4 thin rectangular tables with three chairs each) and explained to them once more what Chantelle and I would be doing. Afterwards, he handed the class over to me (Chantelle and Jacson sat in) and I started my lesson. It was so nerve-racking and I was super nervous, but I just took a deep breath, said a quick prayer in my head and dove right in. I basically had to (which I knew ahead of time) conduct the class and explain everything in Portuguese and then translate whatever I was trying to teach them (by writing on the chalkboard) into English. In the TEFL course I took before coming to Brasil, they say to conduct the entire class in English when teaching English to those who don't speak the language, but that's almost impossible to do with kids especially when they are so young and have such short attention spans. So, I started off by teaching them how to count from 1 to 20 in English (I wrote each number and how to say it in Portuguese, and then wrote the English equivalent underneath). Ambar even lent me her UNO cards, which was a big help. I quizzed them on the numbers we had just said aloud by holding up a number and having them tell it to me in English (her idea, not mine; I give you props, Ambar ;). Afterwards, I taught them (because this goes along with the whole numbers bit) how to say how old they were in English. There was some disruption and lots of movement, but I feel for the most part I got the point across. They kept calling me "profesora," but I told them they can simply call me Amanda. Some of them continued to call me profesora, though ;). I was actually pretty proud of myself by the end of the lesson, because I have never taught before and I feel like I pulled it off with very few hitches ;). It was a good feeling.
I ended the class a little before 11 and the kids had their snack. When they were done, Paulo scooted the kids out and locked the gate and Charles suggested Chantelle, Jacson, he and I walk to Prazeres to eat at Cantina de Gaucho (where we ate lunch on Monday), which I assumed wasn't too far away. Boy, was I wrong. I have never before in my life climbed hills like those. I know they say the roads in San Francisco are steep (I've never been), but those roads ain't got nothing on the cobblestone virtually vertical hills that lead up to this favela. The walk was ridiculously steep and just when you thought you had gotten through the worst of it, you would round a corner and there'd be another steep hill waiting for you at the bend. It was quite ridiculous, and it made you wonder how people do that multiple times a day (like Jacson did today). Plus it was extremely hot today, so I felt a bit faint and like I was about to cough up an organ. We stopped to catch our breaths one time, but it got to the point where Chantelle said she couldn't go on and so she and Charles took a taxi the rest of the way up. Jacson and I walked the rest of the way. I definitely can't do those hills every time I have to work, so I don't exactly know what I'm going to do about lunch.
When we finally got to Cantina de Gaucho, I was exhausted and even felt a bit nauseous (it was about a 30 min. walk to the top). Although I had had somewhat of an appetite when we left the community center, by the time we arrived I had none at all. I just wanted lots and lots of cold water (a bottle of which I pretty much ordered right away). I managed to force myself to eat a bit of steak and rice and beans, but I couldn't stomach most of it so I stopped after a while. After lunch, Charles told Chantelle he wanted her to help Carolyn (another girl from the UK staying in our hostel) in Prazeres in the nursery on Wednesday afternoons, so they headed there. Since I had more time to kill before 2, Jacson took me up the hill a little further to this beautiful community center they have just in front of Prazeres. It's gorgeous and such a contrast to the houses that lie in the favela just behind it. It's literally a big house made of cherry-colored wood with a wrap-around porch. Inside there are 3 floors and Jacson explained to me that different classes (like ballet, capoeira, crafts, etc.) are held there for children in the community. He told me that he himself is taking Kung Fu classes there now. At the time we went, the kids were preparing to put on a performance (which I'm guessing they do annually; especially because they have off at this time every year for two weeks until August 4th) and many of them were dressed in costumes and tuning various instruments outside on the porch. The stone ledge on the outside of the house has a breathtaking view of all of Rio. Since it is one of the highest peaks, you can see the entire city from there.
Unfortunately we couldn't stay for the kids' performance because we had to head back down to the community center in Falete. Unfortunately for me, the walk back down was almost just as brutal as the walk up, if not a little scarier because you felt like you were going to trip on the cobblestones and just go flying down the hills. At one point Jacson skid a bit and I asked him it's even more dangerous when it rained. He said yes, that many people fall when it rains but that unfortunately people still fall even when it doesn't. We finally made it back, though, in one piece and waited for Paulo. The kids met us there, but 3 of them (Kassie, Paula, and Tacione) had already come to the first class I did that morning. Gabriela was the only know face. So, it was a bit hard because I couldn't just do a repetition of what I had done in the morning (which is what I had originally planned to do) but I tried to improvise as much as possible. I taught them the days of the week in English and how to say "Today is ___ ." It seemed to go well for a time, but they were a bit more talkative (with each other; specifically Kassie and Gabriela) and then just started asking me how to say random words in English. So there wasn't much structure. Paula (she's 11) was attentive the whole time, though, and asked a lot of questions. She seemed genuinely interested in what I was saying and repeating the words. I think she's definitely my favorite for now ;).
It was a shorter class because I didn't want to dip in to other lessons I had planned (I was really expecting there to be a different set of kids, which is what Charles had said there would be; since there wasn't, though, I don't really get why I need to teach 2 classes to pretty much the same group in one day). At about 3:30 I ended the class, the girls had their snack, I said goodbye (to them and thanked Jacson for all of his help) and took the bus back to Catete (by myself! :). On the busride home, it felt good to feel like I had accomplished something significant for the day.
For dinner, Ambar and went to our usual spot (Big Nectar) and brought Russell along. Ambar got a "bauru," which is basically a sandwich with ham, melted cheese, a piece of steak and an egg in it (she said it was awesome). Russell and I both got burgers, which I don't feel guilty or like a spoiled American about because Brasil is supposed to be known for it's excellent beef (and it was damn good! ;). It was nice to just chill there for a few hours with good conversation :). I love being in Rio and just taking in the night air here. It's awesome.
Friday will be my next day of work, but tomorrow is a day of rest and sightseeing. Ambar and I are going to the Escadaria Selaron in Lapa (which are the steps featured in the Snoop and Pharell video for "Beautiful"), the Carmen Miranda Museum, and possibly the Palace here in Catete which used to be residence to the president until the middle of last century (it also has a big, beautiful park you can walk around in). So it should be a fun time :). Lots of pictures! Boa noite!

Falete

This morning, Chantelle and I met Charles at the school on the bottom of our hill at 8:30. From there, we walked to the Flamengo beachfront (and stopped at this awesome sandwhich/juice bar called "Panque de Flamengo," which I will be frequenting often when I hit up Flamengo beach within the next few weeks ;), and took the 410 bus to the Falete favela. It was a lot like the other favelas we went to yesterday, but of course each favela is unique in its own way. Unlike Julio Otoni and Prazeres, the community center we went to was right at the entrance of the favela on the bottom of a hill. Outside of the center we met Bibi, who is one of Charles's old students (he's 21). He was toting a boombox and waited with us while we were waiting for Paulo (who has keys to the gate in front of the center) to open the gate. While we were waiting, we were joined by Jose (a friend of Bibi's who is 17) and then by a group of kids came and began talking to Charles and Bebe. We soon discovered that they would be some of the kids that would be taking part in my class and the drama class Chantelle will be doing. They were super talkative and friendly. If I can remember all of their names, there was: Kassie, Paula, Matheus, Nathan, Livia, and Vanessa. They all ranged in age from 6 to 14. Livia (she's 6) actually asked me: "Voce tem filhos?" ("Do you have kids?"), which was a question another little girl asked me yesterday in Julio Otoni. It was bizarre at first, but I guess they're just used to girls my age already having kids by now.
After Paulo came and opened the gate, we went inside and Charles talked to and explained to the kids who Chantelle and I were and what we would be doing with them. They seemed really receptive of us and genuinely excited, so that was really nice :). After that, we scooted some of the benches out of the center of the cement floor and they showed us a dance they had been putting together (led by Bibi, who is quite a good dancer) to Chris Brown's "With You" (which is really hilarious, actually, because the day Anouska left she told us that she got the impression that Brasilians really love Chris Brown, and that "With You" would always remind her of Rio because she always heard it being blasted in cars and stores; so I thought of her the whole time ;). They were actually pretty in sync and very into it. It was so cute :). Charles said they're actually planning to do a presentation of the dance they put together and what they learn in drama with Chantelle on August 4th. Unfortunately I won't be here for that :(.
After that, Charles talked to us about which days Chantelle and I would be working with the kids. He decided that Chantelle would do two hours of drama with them on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and that I would do English with them Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays (Fridays will be divided into half a day of English and half a day of drama). I was ok with the plan but then thought about a glitch: Charles wants me to teach 2 hours of English to one group of kids in the morning (9 to 11) and then 2 hours to another group of kids in the afternoon (from 2 to 4). So, I would have 3 hours in between, and he said I could just take the bus back to Catete (which is the part of Rio where our hostel is; it's a 20 min. busride, and then about a 15 min. walk up the hill to our hostel) and then back to Falete in the afternoon. But unfortunately I'm not ballin like that (the bus is 2 reais each way, which doesn't seem like much, but adds up if you have to take it 4 times in one day). I feel bad being an inconvenience and I definitely want to help the kids all I can but I just feel like it'll be too much for one day. I'm going to talk to him tomorrow and ask if I can teach one hr. of English to one group of kids and then another hr. to the second (especially because it's ridiculously difficult to try and make kids that young sit still for 2 whole hours). We'll see how that goes.
Chantelle and I got home early (around 12ish), so I basically lounged around the hostel the rest of the day, which was nice and relaxing :). Ambar got home at 4 and around 7ish we went down the hill to "Big Nectar" (our new spot in Rio ;); we've decided we'll probably do dinner there every night we're here cuz it's cheap, yum and healthy--they have awesome fresh-squeezed fruit juices and great sanwhiches), where we shared an Acai smoothie (acai is a berry that grows in the Amazon and is big here in Brasil). It was delish ;).
It's off to bed now. I'll let you know how my first day of (official) teaching goes tomorrow. Tchau! :)

Julio Otoni

So today was our first day of work (!). It was such an experience that I don't even know where to start, so I guess I'll just start from the beginning...
So Priscilla (one of Felipe's "employees" I guess you could say), picked Chantelle and I up (on foot) at the hostel at about 9:10 this morning. She walked us down Rua Catete to the square (about a 15 min. walk from the hostel) where all three of us took a camioneta (which they call a "kombi"; I only call it a "camioneta" because that's what we call it in DR; for all of you who don't know, it's basically a VW bus that the driver squeezes as many passengers into as humanly possible even when there's no room for them--it's usually a cheaper alternative to a regular bus and most of the time goes places a regular bus wouldn't) to the Julio Otoni favela. It wasn't far at all (about a 20 min. ride) and when we got there, we walked to the Centro Comunitario which wasn't to far from the entrance of the favela. There we met Charles and met all the little kids that were in the center. They were so adorable. It sounds cheesy and I never thought this was a real, genuine emotion that people had, but I did want to take a number of them home with me. They literally look at you and you're done--they touch a part of your heart that no one's penetrated before. After dropping us off, Priscilla left and we stayed with Charles and the kids. We sat in a circle and they all introduced themselves in English ("My name is...") and Chantelle and I did the same. Then we helped them paint their t-shirts (they all got bright yellow t-shirts with "Julio Otoni" printed on them in black, and they got to make a design--on the "o" in "Otoni" only because there wasn't enough paint for more than that--like a sun, flower, or any other round object they could think of) and put them to dry.
I really thought this was a ridiculous thing that people just made up, but some of the kids actually randomly gave me hugs out of nowhere and even sat in my lap. They were so thirsty for my attention. It was both heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time. They have so much potential and so much drive. The sad reality is, though, that most of them will get swept away by the violence and destitution that pulse in every crevice of their communities. You want so much to give them all you have and be all that they can. The sad reality, though, is that it's just not possible. I loved being able to talk to them in Portuguese, though, and having them talk to me (in spite of how basic and trivial our conversations may have seemed, I still think it had some kind of effect).
At around 11ish, Charles took Chantelle and I up a hill to eat at a locally run "restaurant" called Cantina de Gaucho (I only put it in quotes because although you sit down and have food served to you, it's not like a restaurant the average person goes out to eat in; it's run by local people in the community, and although it's not as "glamorous" or run-of-the-mill with the usual amenities, you can find some of the best food you've ever had in these kinds of places). The view from the window was breathtaking (it's perched atop a hill, so it's literally a hilltop view of Rio and the adjacent favela, Prazeres). There, Charles talked more to us about his life (he's 39 and used to be a dancer and even lived in Paris at one time) and why he decided to come back to Rio and work with the local communities here (he actually works with more than one favela and he said he decided to try and help because he used to teach a dance class in a favela and saw that there was such a need for more help in all areas within the favelas). He seems like a really nice and genuine person who truly cares about what he does and the people he comes in contact with on a day-to-day basis. He definitely doesn't get paid for the work he does, so it truly is out of the goodness of his heart that he does it. At one point (I know this has nothing to do with what I was just talking about, but I have to mention it ;), he answered his cell phone and said, "Oi, Saulo!" I couldn't believe it! There are actually other people in this world with my brother's name! And right here in Rio! If that wasn't a personal shout-out and an incentive to come back over and over again, I don't know what is ;).
There was one part of lunch, though, that made me cringe. I know she only asked out of genuine curiosity, but at one point Chantelle asked if the favelas truly are like what she saw in "City of God." I literally cringed internally. I was so embarassed and sad that she asked that. I know that that is most people's first (and only) impression of Rio and Brasil in general, but it definitely isn't what it's like at all. Charles handled it with grace, though, and said that Cidade de Deus (the favela/community that the movie is based on) is actually quite far and that it's different than most. Let me clarify for all the skeptics and those who just have no idea what to think of Rio, the favelas, Brasil, etc: the favelas are not like what's depicted in City of God. Yes there's violence, yes there are shootings between local gangs and the polics, and raids and drug dealers (all of which exist in many other places in this world), but in spite all of that the people and tight-knit communities you encounter in the favelas are some of the nicest and most genuine you'll ever meet. Even the drug dealers (surprisingly), should you ever encounter one, (not that they're wearing signs around their necks that read "Hey! I'm a drug dealer!"; sometimes you can tell because they're carrying guns in plain view on their waistbands, etc.), know well enough that you're trying to do right by their communities and help the people who live there and will greet you warmly as you walk by (not that I advise you to stop and have a long chat or anything).
After lunch, Chantelle and I walked up the hill with Brian (a guy staying in our hostel) to Prazeres (another favela), where he works. We didn't stay long because we were just waiting around for Charles, but it was a lot like Julio Otoni. He eventually came and we walked back to Julio Otoni, where there was a fresh batch of kids (ranging in age from 6 to 14) waiting for us. We helped some more with painting t-shirts and got to know some more of the kids. It was a similar experience to the first time: we sat in a circle and introduced ourselves one by one in English. The kids had so much energy: running around every which way, playing tag and screaming at the top of their lungs. It was cute for a while, but you can only imagine how tired Charles must get and how exhausted he must be by the end of the day. Yet, he continues to do all of this with a smile on his face and an upbeat disposition.
I also met Ilhana (an older women whom I'm guessing helps Charles out and comes out of the kitchen every now and then; she and another girl named Carina helped prepare the kids' snack--which is probably the only thing most of them will eat for the day), who was so sweet. She asked me in Portugues, "Voce e brasileira?" ("Are you Brazilian?") and I was of course flattered but said no that I was from NY. Carina even also said how good my Portuguese was, which I doubted (especially because when talking to the kids they speak super fast and sometimes if you miss a beat, you completely cannot understand even the gist of what they're saying) but really encourages me to continue to practice and speak Portuguese to whatever new people I meet :).
Chantelle and I talked a lot particularly to Felipe (who's 14) and his two sisters, Gabriela (12) and Debora (6). Felipe spoke a bit of English and Gabriela and Debora were very sweet and talkative. It's just amazing how much most of the kids seemed to open up to us.
We left Julio Otoni at around 5, and took a kambi back to Rua Catete (the cross street that leads to our hostel on Rua de Guaratiba). Inside of the kambi, though, there was an awesome bumper sticker the driver had placed above the rearview mirror for passengers to read. I've decided to adopt it as my quote of the day: "Ta pressa, sai mas cedo." Which means, "If you're in a hurry, leave earlier." Ahh, I love this country :).
Tomorrow, Chantelle and I have to meet Charles in front of the school on the bottom of our hill at 8:30 to go to another favela (we're guessing another community he works for/with). I'm guessing perhaps this is where I'll be teaching English (Charles said they'd be adolescents but also said he might like me to participate in some other things aside from teaching, which I don't mind at all). I'm still not too clear on everything (how many days a week we're working, how many hours, etc.), but hopefully tomorrow will clarify some things. Anyways, that's it for now. E tempo de dormir! Boa noite!