My Newest Brazilian Friend...

Some Interesting Facts About Brazil...

We all know that Brazil is beautiful.  If you didn't before, you should after seeing the pictures on my blog.  Everything you hear about Brazil is true - the beaches are amazing, the mountains are majestic, and the people are as warm and welcoming as you can imagine.  

But there are some things that you would not know about this beautiful country - or, specifically Rio de Janeiro - unless you've lived here.  As part of my  "semester abroad," I have been teaching English to Cariocas.  My favorite part of the class is "free conversation," where I can talk to them about anything I want to.  And this is where I learn the most about life in Rio de Janeiro.  So here are some interesting facts about Rio that you may not know...

1.  Voting is mandatory here for residents between 18 and 70 years of age.  If you do not vote, you can be fined and/or arrested.  While there is no law that applies to persons over the age of 70, many elderly Cariocas choose to vote anyway. People LOVE to talk about politics and are surprisingly informed about the upcoming presidential election in the US.   And so, while 100% of eligible voters cast a ballot in Brazil, in the US 2004 presidential election, only 56.7% of those eligible actually voted.  Many people are conflicted here on the law of mandatory voting...what do you think??

2.  Brazil is a very energy efficient country (I think) and continues to improve on its conservation.  In almost every building I have visited, hallway lighting is motion sensitive and only turns on when a person is approaching.  In the subway stations, the escalators going from the train platform to the entrance level only become activated when a person steps on the first step.  Otherwise, they remain motionless, which saves a lot of energy when nobody is using them.  Toilets are only half full of water.  There are separate trash bins for all types of materials.  Unfortunately, Fernando Gabeira, who was the mayorial candidate from the "Green Party" lost yesterday to Eduardo Paes.  Gabeira had plans to make Rio even "greener" than it already is, but he was defeated in the closest election in Brazilian history:  49.3% for Gabeira to 50.7% for Paes.  Now if that doesn't emphasize the importance of voting, I don't know what does...

3.  Brazilians never worry about terrorism.  The thought of an attack on this country is far from a Carioca's mind  It's amazing to live in a place where the news rarely discusses the middle east, and only briefly touches on the war in Iraq during the international news segment.  Brazil has no enemies [unless you count Argentina, but that's really only during the World Cup :) ]; however, their greatest problem is a threat from within.  Violence is a big problem here - of course, in America, we see films like Cidade de Deus and Tropa de Elite and we think we need bullet-proof vests just to walk out of the hotel.  This is not the case, but people do need to constantly be aware of what's going on around them.  Favelas (slums) CAN be dangerous, but they can also be very peaceful, like the one I am looking at right now outside of our living room window.  Random robberies are certainly more common here than in the United States, and there are many areas that look benign but are actually quite dangerous.  But like anywhere else, you just need to look over your shoulder and know your surroundings.  It certainly helps to have a big, strong, Brazilian boyfriend who was a Jiu Jitsu student for many years by my side...  

But despite the difference in the dangers that plague Cariocas and Americans, there is a common thread:  how we all choose to face our fears.  In America - and particularly in NYC -most people have committed to going on with their lives in a normal fashion and not living in fear everyday.  We know that if we stop flying in airplanes, stop driving through tunnels, and stop using our public transportation, we are letting the terrrorists win.  The same holds true here in Rio - I spoke with a woman last week who told me, "I work hard for my money and hard for this beautiful jewelry on my hands and wrists.  So what am I going to do?  Leave it all at home?  Not wear it because I am afraid?  No - I must go on with my life as normal and not live in fear or else the violence wins."  I couldn't have put it better myself! 

Here is a picture I am borrowing from Hayley and Ryan, who are visiting me this week in Rio! It was taken in Copacabana right along the beachfront...Can you guess who is the political favorite here in Rio??

Becoming a running beach bum...

Since I got to Rio, there are 2 things that have changed ... 1) I am now running 4-5 miles, 3-4 times per week, and sometimes on the sand, and 2) I love the beach. Let's address the first change: I never thought I could become a "runner." I have tons of respect for people who do it and complete admiration for those who do marathons (GINZ!!). But I never thought I could do it. I didn't have the endurance, I hated every second of my 3 mile treadmill runs, and I could not ever comprehend what the hell a "runners' high" was...until I came here and moved 1 block from the beach. It's almost sacreligious to be living in Rio de Janeiro and not run on the beach, and being that Fred is a runner, it was even more motivating. So, I started with a simple 3 miles on the asphalt bike path next to the beach. It was exhausting - I would have to stop and walk frequently, then run until I got massive abdominal cramping in my sides. But I stuck with it. Then, once I got more comfortable with that, I transitioned to running in the sand - sometimes close to the water, other times in the soft, hot sand closer to the street. It was brutal at first (and some days, it still is), but I'm actually LIKING it! I look forward to my runs. And then, on Saturday, I finished my first 5 mile bike-path run - the entire distance of the beach from Leme to the end of Copacabana. It was pouring rain, there was nobody else on the path, and I was PSYCHED!

Now, the second change: becoming a beach bum. Until I got here, I think it was safe to say that I really did not like the beach. I hated getting sand in my bathing suit. I hated how dry my feet feel after I left the beach. But the biggest problem was this: my fear of the ocean! How, you ask, can someone who jumps out of planes, hangs off of rocks, and climbs mountains be afraid of the ocean? I wish I knew the answer, but the best one I can come up with is this: fear of what looms beneath me! I once had a patient who was a SCUBA instructor, and he told me that it was very common for type A personalities to hate the ocean. He said that it was the loss of control that made a person freak out, and Type A's are, well, control freaks. Either way, I never felt comfortable in the water. Enter Fred, beach-loving boyfriend o' mine. There was no way I could carry on like this any longer and be in a successful relationship with a Carioca. So, slowly he (and, embarassingly enough, his 11-year-old nephew) have been coaxing me into the water. Patiently, they waited until I finally felt comfortable enough to dive into waves...and now I'm hooked. When it's sunny, I want to go to the beach. When it's cloudy, I'm pissed because it's not sunny and I can't go to the beach.

Beach culture is very interesting here. I personally think it's fantastic, and I'll tell you why: women of all shapes and sizes wear tiny bikinis, and feel comfortable walking around the beach in them! Unlike in the US, curves are embraced here and women love to show them off. I have seen 70 year old grandmas in bathing suits that rival dental floss, and nobody gives them a second look. Plus, it is culturally discouraged to hit on people at the beach - so a girl can feel comfortable wearing anything she wants, and no guy is going to stare or come onto her. I think we could learn a few things from the Brazilians...

So what's the highlight of my day here in Rio? A good run on the beach followed by a jump into the ocean to cool myself off :)

Sao Paulo is sao ugly...

Sorry for the delay in postings, kids. I wish I had a good excuse, but really it's just a matter of being lazy...So, let's pick up again, shall we? I went to Sao Paulo last weekend in an effort to get to know more parts of Brazil. Now, I should have thought twice about this when EVERY Carioca (ie, Rio inhabitant) responded to "I'm going to Sao Paulo this weekend" with "why the HELL would you do that"?? But, I figured hey, I'm a city girl and I'm sure I'll appreciate something about Sao Paulo.

So, I planned to go from Friday afternoon until Sunday evening. Fred was working out of town, so it was the perfect opportunity for me to do some solo exploring and test my Portuguese. Things got off to a great start as I got FREE food on the plane AND a newspaper! HELLO! Do we EVER get this anymore in the US?

The quick 1-hour flight put me in my hotel at around 1230, and I was ready to begin my discovery of the city so hated by all Cariocas. Using my Lonely Planet book, I did a 3 hour walking tour, which was painfully boring, and I discovered this: Sao Paulo is a crumbling, ugly city with haphazard parks throw in just so people can say, "oh yes, we have greenery here, too!" I don't think my pictures do it justice (which I don't mean in a good way). Finding nothing appealing about the idea of spending another 2 days in Sao Paulo, I changed my flight to the following afternoon. On Friday night, I went to dinner at a fabulous restaurant (if you're there, you must try it: www.gostodebrasil.com.br/inicio.php) and was tempted to go for a brew at the bar up the street. But, alas I decided that meandering around Sao Paulo solo was not the safest option, so I retired back to the Blue Tree Paulista for the night.

I woke up the next morning early, with the intention of hitting the famous MASP (Museu de Arte de Sao Paulo), but then heard there were great Brazilian designer jeans at the mall near my hotel. FYI, ladies, Brazilian jeans are specially designed (via proper shading, beaded patterns on the pockets, etc) to make your ass look like a million bucks - where America is obsessed with breasts, Brazil is butt-country. I figured that this was WAY more important than Picasso, and I headed to the Iguatemi mall. Plus, the dollar was at 2.30, so how could I NOT go shopping??
2 pairs of fabulous jeans later, I left Sao Paulo and headed for the airport.

It was an...interesting 2 days. I think Sao Paulo is great if you 1) are gay and want a really great gay scene or 2) are REALLY into eating and shopping, and that's pretty much it. If you happen to hit Brazil, I'd skip Sao Paulo...your time is much better spent on the beaches of Rio :)

Arno's Place...

Tonight we went to Arno's Place.  We go to Arno's Place every Monday and Wednesday.  I arrive full of energy and anticipation and leave roughly 2 hours later barely able to walk out of there.  

What is Arno's Place?  Well, you may think it's a bar...but it's certainly not.  Arno is Fred's friend - he's a biologist who works with Fred and lives nearby in Rio.  And in his apartment, he has a climbing wall.  Yes, in his apartment.  It's not a fancy place at all, mind you, but Arno has successfully built an 8-foot by 12-foot climbing wall contraption that KICKS MY ASS EVERY TIME.

The wall is angled so that you are always hanging off - 100% negative all the time.  For you climbers, the easiest route (the "warm-up" for everyone but me) is a 5.10b.  The goal at Arno's Place is to do as many climbing moves as you can - because the wall is short, you move up, then to the left, then to the right, then down, then back up, etc.  Arno has developed about 20 routes that range in difficulty from said "warm-up" to 5.14's.   

So, as I said, we go to Arno's Place on Mondays and Wednesdays.  So far, I'm very much enjoying it (though my hands are becoming quite calloused and I need to keep in mind that I use them for my JOB).  But, I have to confess, there is a part of it that I REALLY love!  You see, I'm the only girl there.  They've tried to recruit women, but apparently nobody is comfortable enough to climb with the boys, and the few that have tried have given up.  Sad, sad, sad, ladies!  Do you know what you are missing???  7 rock climber men with AMAZING backs all climbing with no shirts on while I sit behind them and watch for 2 hours!!    I'm serious - this is what I get to do 2x per week and my boyfriend encourages it!  

I'm going to bring my camera next week so I can post some pics of the back -er, the wall.  It's really cool...ok, off to ice my fingers.  You think I'm kidding?