Favelas


As the favelas are high up, they often come with very good views!




One thing that makes Rio so beautiful are the mountains the city has. This allows for such famous spots as the where the "Christ the Redeemer" statue is located. From spots such as these the views are spectacular. Unless you go flying, it's not really possible to get the same sort of views of Sydney because it simply doesn't have the mountains for you to get that high.

The hills and mountains are also where the favelas (Brazilian Portuguese for slum) are built. This is illegal housing where a lot of the poorer people live. For many years the Brazilian government didn't acknowledge the favelas and many are ruled by druglords. Although things are apparently better now than they used to be.

In my first week in Rio I went on a favela tour. Some people find these a bit controversial as they seem it as exploiting the poor. But having been on the tour I see it as a good way to bring awareness to how people are living and bring some tourism money into the community. While we were allowed to take photos on the tour we were asked to take pictures focusing on buildings and scenery, not people. In part out of respect for the poor and in part because the druglords (who tend to have guns) don't particularly want their pictures being taken. While poor, I think the favelas I've seen here are better off than the equivalent I've seen in the Philippines. The bigger ones are fully blown communities with shops and banks (I'm told the banks have never been robbed) etc.

Since I've had more free time in Rio (no official Portuguese classes), I looked for somewhere where I might be able to do some volunteer work. I found this http://www.projectbrasil.com - a Christian organisation that is partnered with a church here to help in a relatively small favela called Morro Azul.

I will take a moment to share a sad story that shows how serious things can be. This happened a couple of weeks before I arrived. There was a young man in the favela who (despite the advise of friends) got into selling drugs. After a few arrests by the police he changed his mind and decided he didn't want to sell drugs any more. However he was told that he had to pay back the money he owed the druglords by a certain date or he'd be killed. He didn't have the money, but the church got involved and was able to help him personally and with the finances. The debt was paid and the church was helping him get his life back on track. However shortly afterwards he was shot dead anyway. As it turns out, the guy collecting the money told his superior that he didn't pay up and kept the money for himself, so sadly he was killed despite having paid the debt. The debt collector was also killed once his superior found out what really happened. The only good thing about this story is that the man who was trying to get his life back on track gave his life to the Lord Jesus before he was killed.

The above gives an idea of what things can be like. Although generally the druglords don't want any trouble from police, so as long as you respect them apparently things are pretty safe. In the particular favela I've been getting involved with they're cleaning things up and are actually looking to build a police station there.

Back where it all began

Rio de Janeiro!


Lívia, Aaron and Alessandra


Milla, Aaron and Alessandra

It seems hard to believe, but it's almost a year since I came here to Rio de Janeiro. It was on Satuday 29th August 2009 that I came here with my good friends Max and Monique. That was for a trip just short of three weeks. On now on my second visit to Brazil and have been here five months this time, and yes I'm now back in Rio de Janeiro!

Last time I was here, as much as I enjoyed it, I wasn't really "allowed" to go anywhere by myself because I was told everything was dangerous for a gringo such as myself. This time around, I've made a point of getting familiar with the public transport - particularly the subway system - so that I can have a bit of a look around myself.

I've caught up with some good friends, particularly Livia and Milla - friend's of Monique - who I met here last time. But this time around they're pretty busy during the week so I've been keep myself occupied. During my first week, I caught up with a friend Eirik who I met back in Floripa. He's from Norway and was here for a holiday. So I did some of the touristy things that I did last time but are well worth doing again such as visiting the Sugar Loaf and Christ the Redeemer statue which is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World (although there seem to be a way to many "seven wonders of the world" variations these days).


This is my first extended stay at a place where I'm not doing any official Portuguese study. But apart from talking with people - which is probably the best way to practise - I've found some other ways. I bought some 'classic' books, kids version (probably designed for 8-10 years old), about 70 pages each - all in Portuguese. The kind of stories I liked when I was a kid and still do now. I've nearly finished Robin Hood and plan to read King Arthur next! I don't understand everything, but enough to follow what's going on. Likewise I bought myself a Portuguese "modern language" Bible. I've been reading about Joseph in the book of Genesis. I was happy because I understood more than I thought I would. Being already familiar with what happens does help.

I've also been looking to do some volunteer work while I'm here. I might be able to help in one of the favelas. I intend to write more about this in my next blog.

Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo

left: Priscila's step-dad, sister Deborah and her husband.
Right: Priscila's step-sister Thais, me and another friend (also called Priscila)




I spent a week in Mogi das Cruzes in the house of the family of my friend Priscila Romeiro - not to be confused with the other Priscila's in Brasilia. Priscila lives in Sydney at the moment, but her family were very hospitable. Her brother Bruno met me at the bus station when I arrived from Curitiba and showed me around over the weekend. Her step-sister Thais is really cool and had some time off during the week which she used to show me around São Paulo. Likewise were sister Deborah and step-father were very friendly. I really liked mum who insisted that I return.

Mogi das Cruzes is a city in the state of São Paulo about an hour or three (depending on traffic) outside of the city of São Paulo - the biggest city in Brazil and one of the biggest in the world. In Australia you rarely get more then 3 lanes of traffic going in the same direction. In São Paulo I once counted 11.

So I spend some time getting somewhat cultured and visiting various museums and parks in São Paulo. I was under the impression that Sydney was second only to San Francisco in having the biggest annual gay event of the world. But it turns out that São Paulo has an even bigger one. It commenced in 1997, but now has overtaken even San Francisco in annual attendance. Amongst other events, São Paulo has a big annual "March for Jesus" day, which is also quite famous.

It was good to have some time to check out Brazil's biggest city and be overwhelmed with the crazy amount of traffic. I have a couple of friends in São Paulo who unfortunately were out of town when I was there, so I may return.

A big thanks to Priscila for letting me stay at her family's place. On Friday I took the 6 hour bus ride to the city where it all began for me - Rio de Janeiro.



Priscila's mum and I


Museum

Curitiba

My host Claudio and I



View from the train




Well, I've had a great time in Curitiba. I don't have a room to myself in this house, but my host Claudio and his mum have been extremely friendly. I arrived here on Tuesday night, Claudio met me at the bus station and we went out for dinner with some other folks.

On the Wednesday I woke up at 5:50am in order to get the train to a small historic town called Morretes. Apparently the Brazilian government made a decision to get rid of passenger trains for some reason, so there's not many rides like this. But views on this 3 hour trip are fantastic. I spend a few hours walking around the town and had lunch there where the waiter - an old Dutch guy who decided to move here - told me about the place. The buildings look great and it's very peaceful here. If I ever retire, I think this place will have to be on my Top 5 places to live.

I got back to the train station 20 minutes before the 3pm (only train) was due to leave back for Curitiba and even had time to fit in a quick hair cut. In the evening Claudio's mum prepared dinner for us and Claudo's girlfriend - she spent a year in NZ and speaks English well. Even though Claudio speaks some English, we usually communicate in Portuguese.

On Thursday I got a tour bus around the city of Curitiba to see what it has to offer. The Couchsurfing community has a weekly dinner/get together on Thursday evenings, so I joined them. Seems like a great way to meet new people when you're travelling.

It's now Friday and I have a 2pm bus booked for São Paulo - a six hour trip.



The town of Morretes

Blumenau

I took this picture of Blumenau from a bridge






View from Fernando's house

I arrived here in Blumenau yesterday. My host Fernando, 26 has been very hospitable . I arrived yesterday around 4pm. He picked me up at the bus stop and took me back to this house. He lives with his parents and sister in a big house with a great view of the city.

Last night we went out for dinner. It was a Brazilian style restaurant (surprisingly) where salad is a "buffet style", and the waiters continuously bring around different types of pizza and meats. The meat is really really good! We finished off the meal with "chocolate pizza" and then went to a pub where he introduced me to a couple of friends of his (husband and wife).

Blumenau is a city of about 300 000 people with a particularly strong German heritage. The building have a European look and and feel to them. I'm told that a lot of the street names were German until WWII when they changed them to Portuguese. Although the street signs still have the old German names written underneath.

Anyway, just a short 24 hour stay here. My bus to the next city - Curitiba - leaves at 4:15pm!

Time to move on

Well, it's been a good five weeks in Floripa. I've made some new friends here and got to see some of what this city has to offer. I went on a hike for nearly 3 hours yesterday with some friends. We then had lunch at a restaurant and got a ferry back .

But I'm leaving tomorrow. This also marks my final official Portuguese course. I've studied the language for about four months now - a month more than I had initially intended. I hope to keep learning more through listening, reading and speaking (I still have a long way to go) but this marks my last official course.

The plan is to head back to Rio and spend about a month there. I'm going by bus which would be a good 15+ hour trip if I went directly, but I plan to break it up and spend a few days in some different cities.

First, tomorrow (Monday) a 4 hour trip to Blumenau - a small city with a lot of German heritage. Then on Tuesday I plan to get the bus to Curitiba - a city which I've heard lots of good things about. I plan to stay there until Friday.

For these two cities I plan to do something a bit more adventerous/crazy than I usually would in terms of accomodation. A few people in my travels have told me about http://www.couchsurfing.org
The idea is there's a community of people over the world who offer to let you "sleep on their couch". It sounded a bit crazy at first, but I've met some people that have done it and I kind of like the idea of meeting people who actually live in the city rather than a whole lot of other tourists which you tend to find at a backpackers place. Reminds be a bit of how in Bible times people would go to the town square and wait for some hospitable person to take them in.

So in Blumenau a chap by the name of Fernando has been kind enough to offer to host me on the Monday. He lives with his sister
http://www.couchsurfing.org/profile.html?id=5RSOSR5
Then in Curitiba for the Tuesday-Friday, a guy by the name of Claudio said he would host me. He lives with his mum
http://www.couchsurfing.org/profile.html?id=E3L8LBK

On Friday I plan to get the bus from Curitiba to São Paulo (a 6 hour trip)- Brazil's largest city. My friend Priscila Romeiro (I know lots of Brazilian Priscilas) has been kind enough to organise for me to stay with her family while I'm there!
So I'm looking forward to seeing some new places and meeting some new people!

Minha rotina em Florianópolis

Eu escrevi este em Português. Se você não ler Português pode usar http://translate.google.com/#

Estou em rotina bom aqui em Florianópolis. De manhas eu tomo café da manhã em minha casa. Café da manhã sempre é pâo, cajo, fruitas e suco de laranja. Depois eu vou para um orfanato e ensinar inglês lá. As crianças lá têm ou correm o risco de AIDS. Eu gosto de ajudar lá, mas algumas vezes as crianças estão difícil rsrs
http://www.recantodocarinho.org.br/index.php?cnt=quemsomos

Depois almoço vou para aula de Português. Eu tenho aula de Português por 3 horas por dia.

Eu fiz novos amigos na escola e também através da igreja eu visitei. Eu gosto aqui, mas está frio pouco no inverno.