Playing in Rio!

Rio de Janeiro is an astonishing city, with the beaches, the forest, the clubs, the restaurants, the beautiful women, and many other attributes that make you puzzle over how all of this converged in one place. To really enjoy the view and scout out the territory, I flew over the city like a bird, complete with the jump off the mountain and the safe landing on the beach. From what I saw, it seemed that in the next ten days I would have to check out the surf, the clubs, the food, and the up close and personal views offered by Ipanema and Copacabana beach. I have to say, it was a good analysis and fantastic execution!

Change and Adventure!

I have made the switch! I am now living with a new host, and in a new part of the city. Both of those things have been totally cool! My host is an older woman who works a lot during the week, watches tele novelas at night, and has her children and grandchildren over all weekend. This new house is way more laid back. My host mom is really cool, and so is the fam!

The new part of the city is more toward the center, which is a little tighter and has a ton of character. Plenty of nooks to explore! I am building up a sizeable list of my favorite places in the city, consisting of bars, restaurants, and food stands!

I am totally stoked for this coming week, as I will complete the trifecta! São Paulo, Salvador, and now Rio! I am going for a ten day trip to check out what sounds like one of the coolest cities in the world! Sorry if you dislike the word "stoked," it just seemed apropriate... Anywho, I will let you know the outcome of the trip in a timely manner, unlike the past two which I will write about now.

My past two journeys away from the city have really put the uniqueness of this city and its people into perspective. The first to occur was a sailing trip that materialized out of nowhere! Walter messages me that a friend from Haddonfield (Andrew Purves) is docked in a marina in Salvador. I was near a marina that day, so i walked down the dock calling his name and found him on a 45 ft sailboat that is sailing from Uruguay up to Trinidad and Tobago. A couple shared beers and 16 hours later, I get a call and an invite for a three day sailing trip with him and couple Brits! The trip was awesome! It had the same kind of bad-ass feeling as when you are camping in the mountains. The bad-ass aura continued when we returned, as I felt like I was conquering the city approaching from sea, sailing past the numerous colonial forts, and stepping on land! I also got to learn some sweet knots, so now maybe I can tie my rope to the tree at home without risk of falling to the ground when I am climbing up. Nonetheless, the three days at sea was quite a contrast to life in Salvador.

About a week later, I headed south, surfboard in hand, to the waves and the cocoa plantations! Itacaré used to be just a tiny fishing village until people in other parts found out about the gorgeous beaches and sweet surf break! You can tell how small it used to be by the old church which seats about fifty people. That small village character is now infused with a sweet surfer vibe, wedgie style bikinis, and a hopping night life driven by reggae and electronic music. You can literally smell the awesomeness as you approach via what they call the "Cocoa Coast." During the last twenty minutes of the bus ride, the air was filled with the most fabulous chocolatey smell from the fresh chocolate being made! Twas definitely the best chocolate I have ever had in my life! Itacaré, another check in the awesome category!

Upon return to Salvador, and in reflection, the uniqueness of this city is quite apparent, but the way in which to describe it in words still evades me. Maybe an interpretive dance is the way to do it.

Where I Live

My house is a ten minute walk from this beach

0.1% of Carnaval

Pelourinho, the cultural center of Salvador

Me and other exchange students an hour north of Salvador

The Beat on the Heat

Best quote from the last two months goes to a brasileira named Camila!

“In Brazil, learning Portuguese is nothing! Once you can kiss in public then you know it all.”

I saw some American girls on the beach the other day and was shocked to see how large and granny-like their bikinis were. Covering up is not what people do here in Brazil. This also goes for the public displays of affection as Camila verbalized for me. I had seen enough visuals in the first day I was here to get the point! ... When in Rome!

School has started, but lacks the academic intensity that everyone knows I love… In truth, I am enjoying the laid back atmosphere of the classes and the schedule, and it seems like the classes will help me very much linguistically. I also officially have the hottest teacher I have ever had in my life! That includes Randy Quaid’s daughter from acting school in New York.

View of a Passerby

(I couldn't sleep for an hour last night so I just started writing this stream of thought)

If you are like me and the way in which you do things has a very random rhythm, than this blog is probably working out for you. If you live by a rhythm that makes a little more sense and have been regularly checking up on me, then I probably already lost you. Salvador seems to have a rhythm that is in line with mine. The “harmony” of this city is less Mozart and a little more Picasso.

This city bares its colors on its streets. Both the dark and the bright are visible in half-hour stroll through the city. They say there is a church for every day of the year here, while the majority of them are Catholic, don’t expect to miss many alternative means of worship; from the culturally established Candomblé tradition, born from African deities and Catholic influence, to the Born-Again Christian church. Yet, their tolerance ranges from their worship to their streets where the homeless and abandoned are a very visible part of the painting. This reality is one of suffering, drugs, hunger, and death for adults and children alike.

It seems odd to write about the suffering of the impoverished here and move right on to the next block where the beaches line the city, and offer a view of the Atlantic Ocean or Bay of All Saints, but that is just what life is like here. You just have to remember to hit up those churches to offer thanks, and prayers for the suffering, and unfortunately I have been more forgetful of that aspect of my life as I have been exploring the city. That will have to change because the faith here seems too rich pass by and not want to join.

In the meantime, my exploration has consisted of wave hunting on the beaches of Bahia where I spend my days paddling in the waters that grace our Jersey Shore. As I clumsily wobble around on my board I am not the only one drawing a sense of stability from the vast ocean. Unlike most places I have relaxed on a beautiful beach, this place offers it’s shores to everyone looking for some everyday beauty, again sort of difficult to miss the spiritual aspect of all this. Being out there on the water most days, I have made friends that are starving for some waves as they ride their duct-tape salvaged boards better than I ride a board that is in one piece and floats twice as well.

After surfing, I am always hungry, and my craving can be narrowed down to two things, cold beer or açaí.

Confirmation of my Survival

I survived Carnaval! Yet, not without a nasty sore throat and fever. It is five days past, and I am starting to see what the city looks like all year round without its insane party facade. The whole event was an incredibly elongated short sprint of partying, and definitely earned its renewed distinction of largest street party in the world! It just got bigger and bigger each day until you could barely walk from one point to another. You just had to settle for the man selling beer next to you, the music from the closest band, and the attractive girls within a ten foot radius. The event did not only come with dangers of over-exertion, but also robbery(7 students), pepper spray(3 students), and punches to the face resulting in stitches(1 student). I luckily emerged only with the effects of too much partying! The days I paid to be in the safer madness of the groups, following the bands on huge trucks roped off by hundreds of gaurds, were definitely the most fun, but none of my previous experiences could really top any of the days of Carnaval 2010!

Had to write this fast. Forgive my many errors!

CARNAVAL!! Two Days Down, FOUR to go!

Carnaval is absolutely insane! I don't know how i am going to make it six days! The first two have been so much fun and taken all my energy! I haven't made it past 4:30 yet, but I'm working on it. Bob Sinclair tonight ("Love Generation")! I am so close to the bands and the singers it is crazy, and everyone is jumping and dancing and singing the whole time (Sorry Patrick, I forget the Groundhog Day quote)! It's unbelievable! SO MANY PEOPLE! More energy than I have ever seen in my life! I just need to find some for myself!