My final week in Curitiba was great I played some more soccer and also attended a Brazilian soccer league game in Curitiba. Our seats were great they were at the midfield three rows up. The local team Coritiba won 2-1 and the fans were going crazy because that was only their third win of the season. On Thursday I did one more soccer session and then I was off to the airport. It was sad to leave Curitiba and the Lionsraw project, everyone was simply awesome and the local children that I worked with were great as well. When they found out Thursday was my last day they repeatedly wished me safe travels and to enjoy Manaus.
Thursday night I arrived in Manaus, driving past the World Cup arena in Manaus I couldn't believe how large it was for a city that doesn't even have a team playing in the first league of Brazil. Seating around 50,000, my taxi driver said the stadium has essentially been vacant since the World Cup ended. This appears to be yet another effect some nations have when hosting large events such as the Olympics or World Cup... Brazil is doing both within a 2 year span.
Upon arriving at my hostel I went to bed as at 7:00AM on Friday I headed four hours deep into the Amazon Rainforest. Taking a bus three hours west and a boat another hour I arrived at a lodge in the heart of the Amazon. After unpacking I went on a canoe ride around the canal's of the Amazon River. This was thrilling yet terrifying as it was me, the tour guide, and one other guest on a three seat canoe in water that I had no idea what animals could be in it. Traveling throughout the flooded Amazon forest we got to see monkey's and all sorts of fish and birds. After canoeing for about three hours we stopped and fished for Piranha's these things were vicious with small, but extremely sharp teeth. I caught two within about ten minutes and after fishing for about a half an hour we started heading back to the lodge. While heading back we got to see pink dolphins swimming around the river jumping in and out of the water. I didn't no such things it existed, but they were amazing. After getting back to the lodge we ate dinner which consisted of some of the Piranha's we caught, they had too many bones for me to enjoy eating it, but it was nice to eat something I caught. After dinner we went back on a larger boat and went alligator spotting. Searching for about an hour we eventually found a baby one along with it's mother. We didn't get too close to them, but it was interesting to see how their eye's light up during the night. Heading back to the lodge I immediately went to sleep as we were getting up at 5:30 to see the sunrise.
Getting on another canoe we went to a wider part of the river and watched as the sun entered the sky it was beautiful. While watching the sunrise we also were able to see more dolphins. It's hard describing everything without pictures, I hope to upload some when I get back to the states.. I forgot my camera charger so now it's completely dead after the Amazon trip. Once we return from the sunrise view we had breakfast then went out into the jungle again to go hiking. The hike was great as we walked around the less flooded forest and seen plenty of insects, birds, and spiders. The first two I was fine with, but the spiders freaked me out. We seen two Brown Tarantula's that were the size of dinner plates. Their size was shocking and their nests in the ground looked huge, I didn't get to close to look in, but i assume there were quiet a few babies within the nest as well. Upon exploring the jungle for a while we made our way back to the lodge and had lunch. After lunch I made my way back to Manaus. The rest of Saturday I hung out with some people that were staying at the same hostel as me and went to the city center and walked around.
Sunday my flight was scheduled to leave for Rio at 5:00PM; however, it was delayed till 6. Arriving back in Rio I took a Taxi to the Airbnb place I'm staying in the historical Santa Teresa part of Rio. I have my own house with a great view of the city. I'll be staying here until I head back to the U.S. Wednesday night. It's hard to believe my trip is nearing the end, it's been one amazing experience and I've loved every moment of it. From the people I've met to the food and Brazilian culture it has been unforgettable. I'll report back Thursday when I am back in Cincinnati.
Tchau
Monday, August 17, 2015
Monday, August 10, 2015
Final Week in Curitiba
The past week and weekend in Curitiba was great. It's a night and day comparison from staying in Rio. From the people to the cities structure Curitiba seems like the more favorable city to live, while Rio is more of a vacation lovers paradise.
Starting last Monday, I decided to explore Curitiba through the bus system going to the city center where there are plenty of malls and restaurants. Walking around something I noticed much more in Curitiba was the presence of recyclable trash cans separated by what material the trash is. In Rio there are simply dumpsters and they are few and far between, Curitiba's city streets are much cleaner than Rio's and a lot of this has to do with the cities past mayor's and council members. Upon first arriving in Curitiba it reminded me of a Europe city in its design and layout, there is also a strong European heritage in Curitiba, it has the 2nd largest Polish heritage behind Poland and there is a large German and Japanese influence as well. Since a lot of the citizens are from Europe and other parts of the developed world I think their cultures have been carried on to Curitiba with the efficient trash pick up and transportation system. One thing I noticed the past week was the large amount of civilian trash collectors. In the 1970's the Curitiba mayor by the name of Jamie Lerner decided to set up an incentive system to civilians who pick up trash. Depending on the amount collected it can be exchanged for food stamps or bus passes. Such a smart idea to keep the streets clean and give all social classes access to food and transportation. Walking around the city there are multiple people with large carts collecting trash, cardboard and any other garbage around the city and at the end of the day they will exchange it. From a local Curitibano, that I've talked with they have praised how effective this system has been for the city, especially when comparing the city to other Brazilian cities that are often dirty with overfull garbage cans.
On Tuesday I went to an after school program called Futebol da Rua. There I along with other volunteers worked with elementary school kids on some English and also played some soccer with them. It was a great place as the kids were really engaged and the teacher's were really supportive and glad we were there with the children. Also, on Tuesday was a volunteers birthday and we went to a Pastel buffet restaurant. A pastel is like a calzone only it is a little smaller and different things are filled inside it. At the restaurant I feasted on cheese, Mexican, pizza, beef, chicken, white chocolate, dark chocolate, and shrimp pastels. They are rather small which is nice so that you can try different types and the waiter's continuously bring pastels around until everyone is finished. So far I think this has been one of my favorite dishes within Brazil.
Wednesday was another great day, we went to a Favela about a half an hour from Curitiba and ran two soccer practices in the morning and then in the afternoon. I'd say this Favela reminded me the most of my time in Rio, there are plenty of stray dogs roaming around in the streets and the roads are not in the best shape. However, this was probably my favorite experience so far in Rio as the kids were engaged and worked hard throughout the entire time the were on the pitch. There were a full kids with hot tempers that needed to be calmed down, but that happens everywhere and something else that I found humbling was that a lot of the kids were playing on the hot turf with no shoes, just simply playing with their feet. I tried it once and I thought my feet were going to catch on fire. However, one thing I have appreciated with soccer is that literally anyone call play it. Rich or poor all you really need is a ball, some space and markers for goals which makes the sport great. Playing with the neighborhood children around the Favela was a great time and it was surprising at how much this Favela on the outskirts of the developed Curitiba resembles the Rio favela's so much. Overall, Wednesday was probably my favorite day in Curitiba so far, aside from having a great time in the Favela I also got to try another Brazilian dish called Feijoada, it was another amazing dish that consisted of beef, pork, beans, and rice.
Thursday and Friday were great day's as well I played some more soccer and also went to a fruit market where I bought the biggest and best apples I've ever had in my life. Another great thing about the bus system here is that it's set up a like a subway in that each stop tells you all the stops on each line and where to transfer at. I'm not too sure the buses in the U.S. do this and I know for a fact Rio didn't do it either making travel by bus difficult at times. Also, on Thursday I practiced some Portuguese with some Brazilian friends of the volunteer coordinator. It's a tough language in terms of remembering all the different verbs and how to conjugate them, but I'm learning new words everyday making me feel comfortable when speaking to Brazilians.. whether they understand me or not! Friday I went to the cities most popular attraction the Botanical Gardens. Built in 1970's the Gardens were built, like much of the parks in Curitiba in a swampy area that had irrigation systems installed to prevent flooding in the city. The Gardens were huge and it was a nice place to walk around and hang out on a hammock. Friday night was a good time as well I along with a couple other volunteers went to a friend of the organization I work for's house for dinner. An economics major in college I hit it off with the husband of the family. He really knew a lot about the economy of Brazil and also it's comparisons to the United States. When mentioning my project on economic inequality and sustainability he thought I chose two of the best cities in Brazil to stay in, due to the large presence of inequality in Rio and Curitiba's notable sustainability methods. His name was Eduardo and he currently works for the government as some sort of economic planner involving land, it sounded sort of complicated, but it was great hearing his opinion on the current status of Brazil's government.
Brazil is currently in a crisis right now as their president Dilma Rouseff has an extremely low approval rating of below 20% and there has been talks of impeachment. Thursday night she gave a speech on the TV similar to a State of the Union Address and people in Curitiba were banging pots and pans on the streets in disapproval of the president. The president has lost support as the economy has contracted the last few quarters and the country is entering a recession with a weakening currency. A major contributor to this is the largest company in Brazil, Petrobras is in a large bribery scandal with billions of $ believed to be corrupt. To put this in comparison it would be like Wal Mart or Apple getting caught up in a scandal, but the thing about Petrobras is that it is partially owned (64%) by the Brazilian Government and the current Brazilian president Dilma use to be a board member for the company before becoming president in 2010. Therefore a lot of government officials are getting involved in the scandal. Too put it simply it is going to be an absolute mess and lots of people should and probably will get put in jail as the scandal unfolds.
On Saturday I helped out with some more English classes and played more soccer. Then later on in the day we went to the Circus on a field trip with some students we help teach and play soccer with. The place was small, but the performers we great doing magic tricks and trapeze. Sunday we went to a small city called Morretes, situated in the middle of the Atlantic Rainforest the city has great seafood and was nice to walk around and try a couple new Brazilian food and drinks. I tried a pulled pork dish called barreado that also included some sort of flour as well as rice. The waiter showed us how to make it and it tasted like some sort of Chili that was delicious. Then there was a fruit from the amazon I tried call Acai. It's everywhere in Brazil and typically it is blended with banana's and granola to make a smoothie. The drink I had was called Caldo de Cana and its pretty much grounded up sugarcane. It tasted like a sweater version of lemonade. After exploring the city of Morretes we trained back to Curitiba through the Rainforest. The views were amazing seeing waterfall's, bridges, and large landscapes of the Rainforest it was breathtaking.
That about concludes my week in Curitiba. Thursday I am heading to Manaus in the Amazon Rainforest where I will be going on a Jungle tour for 2 days. The weather will be hot and humid with an average high of 98 degrees before humidity kicks in. It's hard to believe I have just a little over a week in Brazil.
Tchau!
Starting last Monday, I decided to explore Curitiba through the bus system going to the city center where there are plenty of malls and restaurants. Walking around something I noticed much more in Curitiba was the presence of recyclable trash cans separated by what material the trash is. In Rio there are simply dumpsters and they are few and far between, Curitiba's city streets are much cleaner than Rio's and a lot of this has to do with the cities past mayor's and council members. Upon first arriving in Curitiba it reminded me of a Europe city in its design and layout, there is also a strong European heritage in Curitiba, it has the 2nd largest Polish heritage behind Poland and there is a large German and Japanese influence as well. Since a lot of the citizens are from Europe and other parts of the developed world I think their cultures have been carried on to Curitiba with the efficient trash pick up and transportation system. One thing I noticed the past week was the large amount of civilian trash collectors. In the 1970's the Curitiba mayor by the name of Jamie Lerner decided to set up an incentive system to civilians who pick up trash. Depending on the amount collected it can be exchanged for food stamps or bus passes. Such a smart idea to keep the streets clean and give all social classes access to food and transportation. Walking around the city there are multiple people with large carts collecting trash, cardboard and any other garbage around the city and at the end of the day they will exchange it. From a local Curitibano, that I've talked with they have praised how effective this system has been for the city, especially when comparing the city to other Brazilian cities that are often dirty with overfull garbage cans.
On Tuesday I went to an after school program called Futebol da Rua. There I along with other volunteers worked with elementary school kids on some English and also played some soccer with them. It was a great place as the kids were really engaged and the teacher's were really supportive and glad we were there with the children. Also, on Tuesday was a volunteers birthday and we went to a Pastel buffet restaurant. A pastel is like a calzone only it is a little smaller and different things are filled inside it. At the restaurant I feasted on cheese, Mexican, pizza, beef, chicken, white chocolate, dark chocolate, and shrimp pastels. They are rather small which is nice so that you can try different types and the waiter's continuously bring pastels around until everyone is finished. So far I think this has been one of my favorite dishes within Brazil.
Wednesday was another great day, we went to a Favela about a half an hour from Curitiba and ran two soccer practices in the morning and then in the afternoon. I'd say this Favela reminded me the most of my time in Rio, there are plenty of stray dogs roaming around in the streets and the roads are not in the best shape. However, this was probably my favorite experience so far in Rio as the kids were engaged and worked hard throughout the entire time the were on the pitch. There were a full kids with hot tempers that needed to be calmed down, but that happens everywhere and something else that I found humbling was that a lot of the kids were playing on the hot turf with no shoes, just simply playing with their feet. I tried it once and I thought my feet were going to catch on fire. However, one thing I have appreciated with soccer is that literally anyone call play it. Rich or poor all you really need is a ball, some space and markers for goals which makes the sport great. Playing with the neighborhood children around the Favela was a great time and it was surprising at how much this Favela on the outskirts of the developed Curitiba resembles the Rio favela's so much. Overall, Wednesday was probably my favorite day in Curitiba so far, aside from having a great time in the Favela I also got to try another Brazilian dish called Feijoada, it was another amazing dish that consisted of beef, pork, beans, and rice.
Thursday and Friday were great day's as well I played some more soccer and also went to a fruit market where I bought the biggest and best apples I've ever had in my life. Another great thing about the bus system here is that it's set up a like a subway in that each stop tells you all the stops on each line and where to transfer at. I'm not too sure the buses in the U.S. do this and I know for a fact Rio didn't do it either making travel by bus difficult at times. Also, on Thursday I practiced some Portuguese with some Brazilian friends of the volunteer coordinator. It's a tough language in terms of remembering all the different verbs and how to conjugate them, but I'm learning new words everyday making me feel comfortable when speaking to Brazilians.. whether they understand me or not! Friday I went to the cities most popular attraction the Botanical Gardens. Built in 1970's the Gardens were built, like much of the parks in Curitiba in a swampy area that had irrigation systems installed to prevent flooding in the city. The Gardens were huge and it was a nice place to walk around and hang out on a hammock. Friday night was a good time as well I along with a couple other volunteers went to a friend of the organization I work for's house for dinner. An economics major in college I hit it off with the husband of the family. He really knew a lot about the economy of Brazil and also it's comparisons to the United States. When mentioning my project on economic inequality and sustainability he thought I chose two of the best cities in Brazil to stay in, due to the large presence of inequality in Rio and Curitiba's notable sustainability methods. His name was Eduardo and he currently works for the government as some sort of economic planner involving land, it sounded sort of complicated, but it was great hearing his opinion on the current status of Brazil's government.
Brazil is currently in a crisis right now as their president Dilma Rouseff has an extremely low approval rating of below 20% and there has been talks of impeachment. Thursday night she gave a speech on the TV similar to a State of the Union Address and people in Curitiba were banging pots and pans on the streets in disapproval of the president. The president has lost support as the economy has contracted the last few quarters and the country is entering a recession with a weakening currency. A major contributor to this is the largest company in Brazil, Petrobras is in a large bribery scandal with billions of $ believed to be corrupt. To put this in comparison it would be like Wal Mart or Apple getting caught up in a scandal, but the thing about Petrobras is that it is partially owned (64%) by the Brazilian Government and the current Brazilian president Dilma use to be a board member for the company before becoming president in 2010. Therefore a lot of government officials are getting involved in the scandal. Too put it simply it is going to be an absolute mess and lots of people should and probably will get put in jail as the scandal unfolds.
On Saturday I helped out with some more English classes and played more soccer. Then later on in the day we went to the Circus on a field trip with some students we help teach and play soccer with. The place was small, but the performers we great doing magic tricks and trapeze. Sunday we went to a small city called Morretes, situated in the middle of the Atlantic Rainforest the city has great seafood and was nice to walk around and try a couple new Brazilian food and drinks. I tried a pulled pork dish called barreado that also included some sort of flour as well as rice. The waiter showed us how to make it and it tasted like some sort of Chili that was delicious. Then there was a fruit from the amazon I tried call Acai. It's everywhere in Brazil and typically it is blended with banana's and granola to make a smoothie. The drink I had was called Caldo de Cana and its pretty much grounded up sugarcane. It tasted like a sweater version of lemonade. After exploring the city of Morretes we trained back to Curitiba through the Rainforest. The views were amazing seeing waterfall's, bridges, and large landscapes of the Rainforest it was breathtaking.
That about concludes my week in Curitiba. Thursday I am heading to Manaus in the Amazon Rainforest where I will be going on a Jungle tour for 2 days. The weather will be hot and humid with an average high of 98 degrees before humidity kicks in. It's hard to believe I have just a little over a week in Brazil.
Tchau!
Monday, August 3, 2015
First Week in Curitiba
Hello All,
So I've left Rio and made it to my next city Curitiba. I left Rio last Wednesday morning and arrived in Curitiba Wednesday afternoon. Getting to the Rio Airport is quiet the journey. When trying to figure out the best way to get their I thought taking the bus would be the cheapest. From where I was staying a cab ride cost between 100-150 Brazilian Real's. Not much in USD, but I still wanted to try the bus. After the first two buses I was hoping to get on didn't show up, I picked another bus that was going the same way. Ironically this bus ended up taking me to the airport gates. Call it luck or destiny I'm not really sure, but hey I made to the airport at 7 in the morning.
Arriving in Curitiba I was greeted by the coordinator of Lionsraw, the organization that I will be volunteering with while in Curitiba. Leaving the airport I could already feel the different vibe Curitiba has from Rio. The streets appear much more clean and the roads themselves are in better conditions. Throughout my research this past school year, I've found that Curitiba itself is not only on of the most sustainable cities in the world, but it also has one of the best bus transits in the world as well. The flat that I am staying in is quiet nice and is right near the downtown part of the city. There are about 1.5 million people living in the city of Curitiba, the size of the city reminds me of a Cincinnati or Columbus. While in Curitiba, I am staying with six other volunteers. Three are from the United States, two from Wales, and one is from Thailand. The flat is very nice with a view of the city and close to a bus station. Arriving at the flat in the middle of Wednesday there wasn't much work for me to do with the organization so I walked around the city for a bit. An interesting fact about Curitiba is that it over 600 square feet of green space per resident, making it one of the greenest cities in the world. While exploring the city I found it interesting that a lot of parks are named in honor of different countries and cultures. From walking around I passed a Japanese park as well as a Spanish Park. The heritage within Curitiba is very European and quiet a lot of the residents look like "gringos" as people in Rio typically call white people. Just in my few days within Curitiba two people have asked me if I was from Alemanha (Germany in Portuguese). The structure of the city with its small, but numerous parks and rapid transportation system remind me of a European city. Walking around a few hours I also learned that the Curitibanos love their malls. Everywhere I go there seems to be some sort of mall on a street corner with food and loads of clothing shops. Walking around a few hours I was able to gain some baring on the size of Curitiba and how to get around it. Luckily there are also not as much hills in Curitiba as there are on Rio, making it easier to walk.
On Thursday I began my first day working with the Lionsraw Project. Lionsraw is a soccer project that goes around to impoverished parts of the city and puts on soccer clinics for kids in the neighborhood. Most of the kids are teenagers on holiday wanting to learn some soccer techniques and learn some English while me and the other volunteers try to learn some Portuguese. On Thursday we went to an area about a half an hour from the flat that had a large open pitch with plenty of kids eager to train and play. The first hour on the pitch consists of doing drills and technique exercises and the other half consists of play an actual match. While my soccer skills are little I gave it a try as well and had a blast playing with kids. Most of them are good with the ball and fast making my job defending challenging, but a lot of fun. Once the morning session ended we went to a restaurant nearby and feasted on a hot dog buffet with freshly baked bread and the hot dogs seasoned with onion, pepper, and some other spices that I didn't no what they were, but it was delicious. After lunch we had an afternoon session and did the same drills and match as before ending around 4:30. That night I along with the other volunteers visited a mall that had the equivalent of a Brazilian Chipotle in it so that was my first choice for dinner. After dinner we were all exhausted from the soccer project and went to bed fairly early in order to go to the beach the next day. The beach was about a 2 hour drive east of Curitiba and it was on a beautiful island called Ilha Do Mel. The area isn't very touristy and the beaches are crystal clear with lots of hills for hiking as well. I went their with the two Welsh volunteers and we managed to not get lost the way there or the way back; which was surprising since our GPS liked to change it's route every so often. Getting back late from the beach we relaxed the rest of the day as the soccer project has a full day on Saturday.
The first part of Saturday we went to a school and helped teach English to kids from the nearby neighborhood. A lot of the kids there in their early teens, but spoke English relatively well. The English teaching lasted about and hour and a half, next we had lunch and went to an indoor field for the rest of the soccer project. Playing indoor was challenging as it was extremely hot and the turf makes it somewhat slippery to play on. The kids playing indoor were in their late teens to early twenties and were very good. Whenever I had the ball a swarm of the opposite team were around me in seconds. Winning two of the four matches the matches were a lot of fun and tiring.
Sunday and Monday are our day's off from the soccer project, so on Sunday morning I went to a Baptist mass that was followed by a community lunch. The lunch was really cool because the Church organizes the lunch the first Sunday of each month and all the proceeds go to a local orphanage that houses orphans as well as children and adults with cognitive disabilities. It was really nice seeing such a large gathering for a good cause, there were just about two thousand people at the cookout on Sunday. After getting back to the flat later on in the day I went to one of Curitiba's multiple malls and examined the large streets that have separate bus lanes in the middle of the roads to reduce traffic. This simple method reduced traffic significantly and I assume it also makes bus times accurate as well.
Thats about all I have to report so far in my few days within Curitiba. I hope to explore more of the city over the week and learn more about the cities sustainability methods, while also improving my form on the pitch.
Tchau.
So I've left Rio and made it to my next city Curitiba. I left Rio last Wednesday morning and arrived in Curitiba Wednesday afternoon. Getting to the Rio Airport is quiet the journey. When trying to figure out the best way to get their I thought taking the bus would be the cheapest. From where I was staying a cab ride cost between 100-150 Brazilian Real's. Not much in USD, but I still wanted to try the bus. After the first two buses I was hoping to get on didn't show up, I picked another bus that was going the same way. Ironically this bus ended up taking me to the airport gates. Call it luck or destiny I'm not really sure, but hey I made to the airport at 7 in the morning.
Arriving in Curitiba I was greeted by the coordinator of Lionsraw, the organization that I will be volunteering with while in Curitiba. Leaving the airport I could already feel the different vibe Curitiba has from Rio. The streets appear much more clean and the roads themselves are in better conditions. Throughout my research this past school year, I've found that Curitiba itself is not only on of the most sustainable cities in the world, but it also has one of the best bus transits in the world as well. The flat that I am staying in is quiet nice and is right near the downtown part of the city. There are about 1.5 million people living in the city of Curitiba, the size of the city reminds me of a Cincinnati or Columbus. While in Curitiba, I am staying with six other volunteers. Three are from the United States, two from Wales, and one is from Thailand. The flat is very nice with a view of the city and close to a bus station. Arriving at the flat in the middle of Wednesday there wasn't much work for me to do with the organization so I walked around the city for a bit. An interesting fact about Curitiba is that it over 600 square feet of green space per resident, making it one of the greenest cities in the world. While exploring the city I found it interesting that a lot of parks are named in honor of different countries and cultures. From walking around I passed a Japanese park as well as a Spanish Park. The heritage within Curitiba is very European and quiet a lot of the residents look like "gringos" as people in Rio typically call white people. Just in my few days within Curitiba two people have asked me if I was from Alemanha (Germany in Portuguese). The structure of the city with its small, but numerous parks and rapid transportation system remind me of a European city. Walking around a few hours I also learned that the Curitibanos love their malls. Everywhere I go there seems to be some sort of mall on a street corner with food and loads of clothing shops. Walking around a few hours I was able to gain some baring on the size of Curitiba and how to get around it. Luckily there are also not as much hills in Curitiba as there are on Rio, making it easier to walk.
On Thursday I began my first day working with the Lionsraw Project. Lionsraw is a soccer project that goes around to impoverished parts of the city and puts on soccer clinics for kids in the neighborhood. Most of the kids are teenagers on holiday wanting to learn some soccer techniques and learn some English while me and the other volunteers try to learn some Portuguese. On Thursday we went to an area about a half an hour from the flat that had a large open pitch with plenty of kids eager to train and play. The first hour on the pitch consists of doing drills and technique exercises and the other half consists of play an actual match. While my soccer skills are little I gave it a try as well and had a blast playing with kids. Most of them are good with the ball and fast making my job defending challenging, but a lot of fun. Once the morning session ended we went to a restaurant nearby and feasted on a hot dog buffet with freshly baked bread and the hot dogs seasoned with onion, pepper, and some other spices that I didn't no what they were, but it was delicious. After lunch we had an afternoon session and did the same drills and match as before ending around 4:30. That night I along with the other volunteers visited a mall that had the equivalent of a Brazilian Chipotle in it so that was my first choice for dinner. After dinner we were all exhausted from the soccer project and went to bed fairly early in order to go to the beach the next day. The beach was about a 2 hour drive east of Curitiba and it was on a beautiful island called Ilha Do Mel. The area isn't very touristy and the beaches are crystal clear with lots of hills for hiking as well. I went their with the two Welsh volunteers and we managed to not get lost the way there or the way back; which was surprising since our GPS liked to change it's route every so often. Getting back late from the beach we relaxed the rest of the day as the soccer project has a full day on Saturday.
The first part of Saturday we went to a school and helped teach English to kids from the nearby neighborhood. A lot of the kids there in their early teens, but spoke English relatively well. The English teaching lasted about and hour and a half, next we had lunch and went to an indoor field for the rest of the soccer project. Playing indoor was challenging as it was extremely hot and the turf makes it somewhat slippery to play on. The kids playing indoor were in their late teens to early twenties and were very good. Whenever I had the ball a swarm of the opposite team were around me in seconds. Winning two of the four matches the matches were a lot of fun and tiring.
Sunday and Monday are our day's off from the soccer project, so on Sunday morning I went to a Baptist mass that was followed by a community lunch. The lunch was really cool because the Church organizes the lunch the first Sunday of each month and all the proceeds go to a local orphanage that houses orphans as well as children and adults with cognitive disabilities. It was really nice seeing such a large gathering for a good cause, there were just about two thousand people at the cookout on Sunday. After getting back to the flat later on in the day I went to one of Curitiba's multiple malls and examined the large streets that have separate bus lanes in the middle of the roads to reduce traffic. This simple method reduced traffic significantly and I assume it also makes bus times accurate as well.
Thats about all I have to report so far in my few days within Curitiba. I hope to explore more of the city over the week and learn more about the cities sustainability methods, while also improving my form on the pitch.
Tchau.
Monday, July 27, 2015
Final Week in Rio
I've just about finished up my time in Rio and all in all it has been amazing! Although my Portuguese isn't very strong I've managed to get by relatively easy throughout the city. Although most people in the Rocinha Favela don't speak much English, quiet a few people seem to when you get to the touristy center part of the city.
Last week was my final week of teaching and I think it went pretty good, with a few volunteers leaving; me and a few others had to take over a few more classes, but they all went well and the English teaching book that is used for the curriculum is solid. My shift from 3-8:30 goes by pretty quick as I do some English/ Math teaching early on and then help out with an after school club for a few hours and then around 7 I begin teaching the adults.
Something that I found interesting and didn't realize much until this past weekend was the general lack of math knowledge within the Favela especially with the older generation. When going to the grocery store I always wondered why there would be so many groceries just sitting in aisles and on the ground right before checking out. In the U.S. these areas are typically filled up with pop and candy right as we leave, however in Rocinha it consists of a wide arrangements of food, cleaning supplies, and just about anything you can think of. It wasn't until yesterday I realized from the volunteer coordinator that this happens so regularly because of the adults lack of education. Although education seems to be somewhat improving throughout the Favela the older generation has had hardly any formal education, so bad that some are illiterate in Portuguese, their own language. While it's difficult to think of someone being illiterate in English in the U.S. it does happen, it ultimately can depend on the environment growing up. Relating back to the grocery store topic a lot of locals at times will simply fill up their carts with foods and everything else they want or need and then without realizing or being able to read the cost of their goods will wait until everything is checked out and then figure out what they need and what they will just set back behind the scanners. This was a rather interesting scenario for me as I had not really seen anything like it before; however, as I've gone to the grocery store more in prime hours it is rather noticeable.
Another thing that I've noticed within my part of Rocinha is the large police presence. These aren't cops like you seen on the streets in America a lot of these cops are carrying full out assault rifles and are traveling in groups of typically four or more. Something interesting I've heard from locals is that quiet a few preferred the Favela before it became pacified by the police. The police pacifying within Brazil's Favela's has become something fairly new and recent as Brazil is on International Watch with the Olympics and the World Cup from last year. Either way it is very interesting hearing the differences between the Favela five years ago versus today.
As I've mentioned before my topic focused on income inequality and sustainability. The inequality part I've been able to see everyday as I travel throughout Rio. Only a few blocks away from Rocinha is the Sao Corvado Mall and by mall I mean it's a luxury mall. Most malls in America I've been to don't have Hublot and Rolex stores where watches cost over $2,000 USD and then there are multiple custom fit shops for shits and just about everything else. The mall's location is rather surprising as it is located right next to a Favela, but then again only a few bus stops away is Leblon one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Brazil.
The sustainability aspect of Rio has been rather poor so far, I haven't seen any sort of recycling system step up in the Favela's and there is quiet a lot of trash on the streets. I read that only about five years ago did Rio begin to initiate a fine for littering policy and I guess its only really enforced in Ipanema and Copacabana parts of Rio.
I'm sure I'll think of more things to blog about the next time I write. And in a few days I'll get to travel south to Curitiba I'm interested to see the similarities and differences of the two cities.
Tchau!
Last week was my final week of teaching and I think it went pretty good, with a few volunteers leaving; me and a few others had to take over a few more classes, but they all went well and the English teaching book that is used for the curriculum is solid. My shift from 3-8:30 goes by pretty quick as I do some English/ Math teaching early on and then help out with an after school club for a few hours and then around 7 I begin teaching the adults.
Something that I found interesting and didn't realize much until this past weekend was the general lack of math knowledge within the Favela especially with the older generation. When going to the grocery store I always wondered why there would be so many groceries just sitting in aisles and on the ground right before checking out. In the U.S. these areas are typically filled up with pop and candy right as we leave, however in Rocinha it consists of a wide arrangements of food, cleaning supplies, and just about anything you can think of. It wasn't until yesterday I realized from the volunteer coordinator that this happens so regularly because of the adults lack of education. Although education seems to be somewhat improving throughout the Favela the older generation has had hardly any formal education, so bad that some are illiterate in Portuguese, their own language. While it's difficult to think of someone being illiterate in English in the U.S. it does happen, it ultimately can depend on the environment growing up. Relating back to the grocery store topic a lot of locals at times will simply fill up their carts with foods and everything else they want or need and then without realizing or being able to read the cost of their goods will wait until everything is checked out and then figure out what they need and what they will just set back behind the scanners. This was a rather interesting scenario for me as I had not really seen anything like it before; however, as I've gone to the grocery store more in prime hours it is rather noticeable.
Another thing that I've noticed within my part of Rocinha is the large police presence. These aren't cops like you seen on the streets in America a lot of these cops are carrying full out assault rifles and are traveling in groups of typically four or more. Something interesting I've heard from locals is that quiet a few preferred the Favela before it became pacified by the police. The police pacifying within Brazil's Favela's has become something fairly new and recent as Brazil is on International Watch with the Olympics and the World Cup from last year. Either way it is very interesting hearing the differences between the Favela five years ago versus today.
As I've mentioned before my topic focused on income inequality and sustainability. The inequality part I've been able to see everyday as I travel throughout Rio. Only a few blocks away from Rocinha is the Sao Corvado Mall and by mall I mean it's a luxury mall. Most malls in America I've been to don't have Hublot and Rolex stores where watches cost over $2,000 USD and then there are multiple custom fit shops for shits and just about everything else. The mall's location is rather surprising as it is located right next to a Favela, but then again only a few bus stops away is Leblon one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Brazil.
The sustainability aspect of Rio has been rather poor so far, I haven't seen any sort of recycling system step up in the Favela's and there is quiet a lot of trash on the streets. I read that only about five years ago did Rio begin to initiate a fine for littering policy and I guess its only really enforced in Ipanema and Copacabana parts of Rio.
I'm sure I'll think of more things to blog about the next time I write. And in a few days I'll get to travel south to Curitiba I'm interested to see the similarities and differences of the two cities.
Tchau!
Friday, July 24, 2015
Monday, July 20, 2015
Second Week in Rio
Hello everyone everything has been going great within Rio. The children as well as the adults that I have been teaching has been great! Starting on Wednesday I will begin teaching a classroom of surfers with another volunteer. I've sat in on the class to get an understanding of where their English speaking is so that I will be able to expand their knowledge in English. As for working with the children it has been going good as well, they are all pretty young around 8-12, but they are really eager to learn whatever it is that we are teaching on a certain day. This week I along with a few other volunteers are taking a few of the students on a field trip to a park in the nearby neighborhood of Gavea. Finding the park was quiet the adventure as well because the taxi driver didn't even know where or what park we were talking about, but luckily we were able to find the park after exploring the neighborhood and Tuesday should be a fun day for the kids.
My teaching schedule usually goes from about 3-8:30 leaving the morning and early afternoon for exploring the city of Rio as well as the Favela I am staying in. Exploring the Favela it is really interesting seeing the comparison of those living in what is considered the middle class versus the lower class. Just within the Favela you can tell the difference, where I'm staying the Favela is considered the middle class neighborhood their is underground sewage and plenty of restaurants and shops to explore. However, the higher up the hill you go in the Favela the more easy it is to see the large amount of poverty. Making my way up the hill, I can see above ground sewage everywhere. Walking around you here what appears to be a waterfall, but in reality all it really is, is the sewage flowing down stream in rat and disease infected waters. A lot of children and adults walk around these streets in no shoes and with very little clothing. However, the sense of community among these people is remarkable. Walking past people, nearly everyone is happy to say Boa Noite (Good Evening) when people pass by. Although a Favela is considered a slum, simply seeing the difference in the Rocinha Favela was quiet interesting especially since such a larger population of Rio lives in Favela's. Although Rocinha is the largest Favela in Rio, I am eager to see the living standards throughout the other Favela's in Rio that are home to over 1 million people within the city of Rio alone. Something also interesting to see is that only a few minutes from the Favela is the Rio district of Leblon, which is considered on the nicest places to live in Brazil, the homes and condo's are huge with sky-rising apartment buildings that look over the Rocinha Favela.
Also, this past week I started playing Soccer daily within the Favela. The field is somewhat small so it is typically 7 Vs. 7 when we play, but it has been a lot of fun. This has been the first time I've played soccer in a few years so my first time back on the pitch was a little disturbing to say the least. However, soon enough I began to gain back my form. The kids playing soccer typically are students that have just graduated high school or are getting ready to graduate. A lot of them speak relatively good English and organization that runs everything helps provide the kids cleats as well as food and drinks when playing. I've been playing each morning Monday- Friday getting my cardio up as well as picking up some Portuguese words and slang.
The past weekend was a good time as well. Saturday I went to see a match in Maracana where the Olympic opening ceremony will take place next year and it was home to the world cup final last year. This stadium is one of the world's most popular and largest, today it seats about 80,000; however, in 1950 when it was built for the 1950 World Cup it once hosted a game that drew a crowd of over 199,000 people. The stadium had been much bigger until the World Cup renovations were added, taking out seats to put in large suites (Thanks Fifa)! However, the place was amazing we seen a match between Flamengo and Gremis. Flamengo is the home team and is the most popular team within Brazil. Since the Brazilian league is right in the middle of the season this game was quiet full, I'd estimate about 55,000 people were their which is quiet a lot considering the city of Rio has four professional soccer teams. The atmosphere was electric as the home supporters stood up most of the game and screamed and chanted the whole ninety minutes. It brought me back to my roots when I get to go to Ohio State football games. Flamengo ended up winning and overall it was definitely worth the experience. The neighborhood the stadium is in, was rather interesting because it is right in the middle of a residential neighborhood, similar to that of Wrigley Field in Chicago. Walking to and from the stadium their are food stands as well as people selling all sorts of Soccer gear and jersey's for the fans. To put it simply, I loved it.
Sunday was another exciting day as well. Coming home from the soccer game I went straight to sleep as I woke up a 5:00AM to go to Angra. Angra is about a 2 hour drive south of Rio and consists of over 350 small islands in the Atlantic Ocean. Upon arriving we hoped on the boat and were off into the see. After about an hour we stopped and could snorkel around the water. I took the plunge into the water and it was amazing there were fish everywhere and all different types, the water was pretty clear and the waves were tame. The next stop was a beach island where we got to swim as well and the same goes for the third stop. These islands were beautiful with each one appearing as a tropical paradise with vast amounts of trees and private docks for those living on the islands. The larger islands are also car less so that provides for a few great hiking trails. The trip to Angra took up most of the day and by the time we got back it was dark and time to go to bed. It's hard to believe I only have a little over a week left in Rio with still so much to do. I'm planning on visiting the site of where most of the Olympic's will be next year in a neighborhood far west called Barra Da Tujica. Also, this next weekend I'm planning on going hiking in the Tujica forest and visiting the Santa Teresa neighborhood of Rio. Also, visiting the beach is a must as well.
This week should be a good one as my classes with the children and adults will continue to progress and I hope to gain a better understanding of the Brazilian education system and how that is affecting the larger inequality gap especially within Rio.
Monday, July 13, 2015
First Week at Project Favela
The first week and weekend has been excellent so far in Rio. Visiting Christ the Redeemer and the Sugar Loaf Mountains were a lot of fun. I'm really starting to get my bearings around the Favela as I travel around the place. The last few days I have begin taking the Rio bus line and let me tell you these bus drivers scare the crap out of me. They drive on the wrong side of the roads at times and break the speed limit, it is quiet the thrill ride for the equivalent of $1.00. Now that I have google translated a lot of the food around here I'm getting used to the supermarket and I'm not eating just fruit and frozen chicken and pizza anymore. My cooking skills are somewhat of a toss up, but it is working itself out. Anyway working with the children has been going well. Quiet a few of the Brazilian school children speak pretty decent English and I've been truly impressed by one student who is excellent in math. At only 12 years old he has managed to master long form multiplication, division, and finding the area, perimeter, and volume. It is quiet impressive and especially since he knows all the terms in English as well.
Monday and Wednesday nights I am shadowing someone teaching surfers English lessons. In about a week myself and my Italian room mate will be leading the class once the teacher leaves. The surfers also speak English well and are eager to learn since they know it will help them when getting customers for surfing lessons.
Thats about all I have to update as of now the tour to Christ the Redeemer was excellent it was extremely windy and very crowded, but was awesome! So many people would literally drop on the floor and steps to take a picture with the statue, rather annoying, but it was an excellent view. The sugar loaf mountain was fun as well it was dark when we got there, we got to see an excellent view of Rio. The tour itself provided transportation to and from each location and entrance to each place for a total of only about 60$. Then came the beach on Sunday, Ipanema beach was amazing the sun was shining all day as I sat on the beach and enjoyed a coconut water then I went to the Ipanema hippie market where they have ton of smaller shops. It's been a great experience.
Monday and Wednesday nights I am shadowing someone teaching surfers English lessons. In about a week myself and my Italian room mate will be leading the class once the teacher leaves. The surfers also speak English well and are eager to learn since they know it will help them when getting customers for surfing lessons.
Thats about all I have to update as of now the tour to Christ the Redeemer was excellent it was extremely windy and very crowded, but was awesome! So many people would literally drop on the floor and steps to take a picture with the statue, rather annoying, but it was an excellent view. The sugar loaf mountain was fun as well it was dark when we got there, we got to see an excellent view of Rio. The tour itself provided transportation to and from each location and entrance to each place for a total of only about 60$. Then came the beach on Sunday, Ipanema beach was amazing the sun was shining all day as I sat on the beach and enjoyed a coconut water then I went to the Ipanema hippie market where they have ton of smaller shops. It's been a great experience.
Sunday, July 12, 2015
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