Random Knowledge For The Commons.

Four and a half months into the game, I am still trying to get a hold of somethings but none the less I am a trooper and have learn lots. I haven't written, not to lack of adventure or really cool stories but due to lack of discipline. WA.WA. I have learned a lot but I have yet to know a lot about this place and that is because I am reminded everyday that I am a foreigner and that I am different.

I have learned that..... (vamos lá)

1. Brazilians are really obsessed with asses, excuse me butts, hence the Brasilian Butt lift.
2. Brazilians are very informal about most things, talking so forth.
3. Portuguese
4. I hate hills especially in Perdizes, barrio where I live.
5. I do miss a lot of people, more often than I thought I would.
6. It does get cold, even in Brasil.
7. When Brazilians raise their voice, it doesn't always mean they are mad.
8. PUC-SP is like a miniature radical CUBoulder.
9. Kids my age are usually rebels without real causes, here and in Brasil.
10. Brasilians do it better. (hahhaha inside joke.)
11. Fresh fruit in the mornings is always a good thing.
12. There is a fundamental cultural and philosophical difference of "ser and ter" between the US of A and Brasil.
13. Being a US citizen can be a good thing or a bad thing here.
14. Being of latin decent is a plus when having a US passaport is a bad thing.
15. Bossa Nova is not Jazz Brasiliero.
16. Rio is really all that beautiful and more.
17. PUC kids don't study, or take adderol like most kids in the US of A.
20. Everyone's got a little gay in them, even if they don't show it or act on it.
21. Paulistas don't like people from Rio or people for Buenos Aires, what am I doing here?
22. Overweight women wear Brazilian bikinis too.

This is just some random knowledge I figured must be posted for the common good.
Till next time.

W.W.W.....

This is probably really rude or mean, whatever, I think this is a great way to see how culture mix.

The Portuguese alphabet consists of 23 letters. It is derived from Latin as is the English alphabet. The letters K, W and Y are missing from Portuguese alphabet. This is because these letters only appear in foreign words. Y used to be used (although rarely) during the Renaissance but in 1911 The Portuguese spelling reform displaced the letter Y for ever - prefering to signify it’s sound by the letter ‘i’.

They call "Y" upsilon. Wierd!
Any who, here is a classic example of "W"
Enjoy.!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aM2afI-fCwc

Thought of the Day

Most of what I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sand pile at Sunday school. These are the things I learned:

Share everything.
Play fair.
Don't hit people.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don't take things that aren't yours.
Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.
Take a nap every afternoon.
When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together.
Be aware of wonder.
Everything you need to know is in there somewhere.
The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation.



Ecology and politics and equality and sane living. Take any one of those items and extrapolate it into sophisticated adult terms and apply it to your family life or your work or your government or your world and it holds true and clear and firm.

Think what a better world it would be if we all - the whole world - had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down with our blankies for a nap. Or if all governments had as a basic policy to always put things back where they found them and to clean up their own mess. And it is true, no matter how old you are - when you go out into the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.


I found this on an old friend's Facebook page and thought that it really applied to a lot of things in life and Brazil.- Thanks Bianca.

A Tourist Life For ME!

Funny, when someone goes abroad people really want to fit in and not be the typical tourist, well I say " Why NOT!?" People out side of the US are actually really receptive to people from the US (at least in BRAZIL). The treatment received is very helpful and if anything, I think that trying to be like them is kind of insulting, if not insulting but just weird.

Any who, lets begin.

1. ASK where everything is and or located, even if you think you´re on the right way chances are you are not, so ask and ask again. Brazilians are tricky, especially "cariocas", people from RIO. While your at it pull out your dictionary and pronounce every word slowly back to them, then enjoy the expression on their face. Wave your map like its the old red, white and blue.



2. Be LOUD!. REALLY LOUD! Americans can be loud and proud, so do it; BE AMERICAN. Large arm and hand movements and boisterous behavior should be amplified. Blasting onto a foreign scene with your vitality and make the right impression.

3. BRAG and BE SHOWY. Pull out your money and things in public. You might as well yell “I have money and I’m ready to spend it, unless you want to take it from me against my will!”

4. DON'T MIND YOUR PERSONAL SPACE. Why have personal space when you can share with all the people you encounter. When you’re at a counter, for example, spread out your arms; when you’re sitting down on the bus or train, stretch out your legs in a way that might get in someone’s way. Best way to make friends!

5. WEAR YOUR CAMERA AROUND YOUR NECK. When traveling to a foreign country, you are bound to take pictures. Having a camera strap and wearing it around your neck for easy access is a sure way to look like a tourist.



6. ALWAYS ASK FOR KETCHUP. It is a sure giveaway that you are an American tourist. Use the typical condiments in your host country of course, and if you don’t like them or can’t bear to eat without your American condiments, bring your own! Take small packets with you to use.

7. DON'T EAT LOCAL FOOD. Find the nearest McDonald's, and if there isn't one near, your in the wrong country.

8. REQUEST DECAF. Enough said.



9. INSIST on drinking “Coke” with every meal.

10. WEAR ODD SOCKS AND BASEBALL CAPS. While your add it, fanny packs are rather stylish.

*these have been done in front of or have been seen in front of the writer*
**these comments do not accurately represent the writer's point of view, rather her horrible sarcastic humor.**

Dignity Does Not Exisit South of the Equator.

Carnaval is the crazy time before the lent that gives the excuse for people to party like its 1999 (will2k). My favorite memories are told through pictures.



Memories are endless and regrets are almost equal to zero. People from all over the world come to Brazil to experience not only the best MardiGras on earth but the most (non)memorable. For me I was part of the action in a different way, I "desfile" (marched in a parade)which includes but not limited to dancing, parading around in a costume, sweating your butt off, and having an intense tons of fun. This happened in the official Sambodromo with "fantasias" and the whole shebang.



After my ridiculously tiring night dancing in a huge parade, that doesn't have a real way to described it occured to me that Brasil has really commercialized Carnaval in a absurd way.

All in all the experience is one that I will never forget. The sound of the drums will forever be engraved in my musical memory..."el batuque faz la vila magdalenda..." Yes.



After dancing in my fat costume I preceded to hitch a ride to a little town called
São Luís do Paraitinga. The logo says "Destino Aventura," but the truth is the main adventure lies within the streets during Carnaval. Which is aided by different types of drinks. Need I say more?


Sao Luis has the traditional street Carnaval, not like in a Sambodoromo so all kinds of people mix. But a person can only take so much of a Carnaval.

Soon after, my bus (GOSTOSO & DELICIA de bus) headed to Rio. Yes Rio de Janeiro. Relaxation was in need after a mind/Carnaval whirlwind had raped my mind. There are no regrets just mainly new interesting ideas on what life is or could be in Brasil.

Funny cultural differences ...

Well in Brazil they love pop culture. I'm not trying to generalize but most people listen to the top forty type of music.

1. Not all people love soccer, as a matter of fact some loath it. (wierd)

2. Hot Dog is pronounced: "hotch dooggy"



3. Rock, like rock n' roll is: hockey, yes hockey.

4. Mac Donalds: "Macky Donal"

5. Pizza is completely different here. They put whole olives on it and sometimes they don't even put tomato sauce. WHAT?

6. They pretty much put and "ee" sound at the end of everything.

7. At school, PUC (pooky) they have in initiation about the same as a faternaty. The difference is that they bathe you in paint and make you begging for money for more beer.



8. Buses and metro are about the most annoying/only way to get around. Taxi drivers know that you are a foreigner and they take the long way home. (they hussle)



9. Feijoadas are on Saturdays, drinks a must. Massa on Sundays, drinks required. (pasta)




10. Brazilians are generally friendly but even more friendly if you have a cute skirt on. (sarcasm.) Due to the machista nature of the culture, guys think that they can "man-handle" you, if your a girl that is. If there is a man by that woman then they have the utmost respect for you.

11. People are not afraid to tell you their political view.



12. Brazilians are sensual not sexual!

13. As a whole (generalizing, not true for all) they will take advantage of any situation.

14. (Generalizing) They apply the law to strangers, yet they forget about the law when it comes to people that can benifit them or thier friends.

15. People are happy and they love the beach.



There are a lot of people who fit into the generalization numbers, yet pessoas são pessoas. (people are people)Brazilian culture is liberal and willing to try anything once, yet this is the case in what I have seen.

SAMBODROMO!!!

So how can i describe a samboromo?
It is hot just because it is Brazil.



Sweat (yours and other peoples) on your body. Which is alright until you really think about it, but by that time you don't care cus you just took a shower in your own sweat.




Joyful, doesn't matter who you are the people who work there are just there to have fun. Dancers, gays, tranis, old people, young people, kids not joke. If you wanna see all different types of people and dance from 8-10 straight this is the place for you.



Incessantly repetitive is two words that define an experience there. Basically Carnaval is huge competition and there are I think 6 main schools that compete. So before carnaval the schools need to practice. They open up their school to the public for a small fee in order to pay for the expenses of creative costumes.In the Sambodromo you dance until you can't dance anymore and then you dance some more.



FUN!Contrary to what Anthony Bordain might say, Samboromo is a key essence in the Brazilian culture.




MUITO LEGAL!

for more pictures: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=60627&id=669193302

HURRAY for comunity projects!

So most of Brazil is really poor, and many Paulistas (people from Sao Paulo)commute to the center of the city because most work there. So due to they daily migration into the city many kids go to school on either their way to work or from. Oh, people here start working at the age of 12ish. Due to schools being funded by the government they are really run down. So in one school people started a project with what they knew best! SAMBA!!!




This Project is a sort of therapy for the community. People of all classes attend this magic. It doesn't matter if you live in the favela or in Vila Magdalena it is for all types of people.




If you are visiting Sao Paulo and really wanna know how Paulistas get down, go there.
The name of the project is MARACATU. The mixture of African dance with a twist of Brazilianess and the beating of every drum is something that moves your soul or perhaps something deeper.




Every Saturday there is a must. The energy and joy that is felt is not justified by my horrible camera.
ENJOY.




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The others wont load. So check it on my facebook page.
Word

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=669193302&ref=name#/video/?id=669193302