SO..WORK

Yes. I am working in São Paulo since May. I have been giving a couple of classes here and there, have to earn that extra cash. Who knew it would give some sort of a purpose here. When being a study abroad student, honestly you get a lot of free time. And I'm not used to some much free time, so the next thing I knew I was offering my English services to Directors of Groupo Pão de Azucar, Umbro and others. Yes name dropping only because this is sooo sureal to me, who gives english lessons to the the 3rd largest company in Brasil. WORD.



Anywho. Got that out of my system.
I am really enjoying giving lesons, even though the truth is I got bad grades in English class al through high school. SO... maybe its a little harder for me to explain why there needs to be a "to be" verb in front of a past participle to make the sentence correct. Blah.

I have learned a lot about the city too. Going on different bus routes and different places I wouldn't have othewise known if it was for these classes. Also time mangament. OMGoodness.! Traffic here is about the worst thing ever, some times I have to leave my house 2hr before to get there on time, needless to say I love hte city.




English is a must in the life of any business man or woman living in Brasil. Its very interesting how people learn as well because most of these people aren't young they are about 10-15 yrs. older than me and that makes it more the intesting. They often tell me in thier awesome accent, " TEACHER! I need to learn English quickley!" Then it makes me think, English has really dominate the last century just like French did in the last. Its funny because in the US people are so confortable with their language, and the world conforms.

In the US I rembember people would get mad or even tell me not to speak spanish when I was in school or in a public place. WTF? Yet the rest of the world comforms to the language norms.



But I really am happy with most of my students. Some are way older and some not so much older than I am, but wierdly enough they give a little bit of a purpose here in Brasil. My favorite part about giving classes is when they ask me, "why do you say like this." And I give two good anwsers.
1. "What do YOU think?"
2. "Because that is how it is and God let it be that way."

The Gay Parade.

Watching the gay parade last weekend for a least an hour in Sao Paulo, made me realize what hipocracy really is and isn't. Don't get this wrong, I strongly believe in sexual equality for all and the freedom of expression of that sexuality without prejudice. (remember we are all children of god, therefore i am no one to jugde right or wrong in these issues)


LGBT Pride association started in 1999, officially as an institution, the parade stared around the same time. There was a parade also called, the "March for Jesus" considering that it is Corpus Christi holiday in Brasil. A long time ago there was a debate on who should be the "official" parade leader/ owner for the day of AVE. Paulista (the biggest main avenue.) The Queers won, it brought in more money.

So getting back to hipocracy, people did warn me about the touching, the drinking, the madness and so forth. But me being the person I am, I decided to go on my own.
UM.....................
Bad idea, this definitely goes on one the tops of my lists.

Within say less than 20 min into wandering to the parade, I 'won' 6 kisses on both of my cheeks, 2 butt grabs and a nipple pinch. Talk about invasion of privacy, these were not by women mind you readers, these were by men, straight men there to get some ASS!

What more can I really say. Pride stared as a big political protest for equality in society, but it has really turned into a big gross orgy of people willing to do anything and everything. Needless to say, it was a gross flash back to carnival, Christ save us!

Gay Pride also attracts a different type of danger not seen in the US, Skinheads.
Skinheads, are like a modern version of neo-nazi mixed with the klu klux klan, very active and violent in Brasil.
A queer person was killed during the after festivities, after being beat up for several hours.

As my good friend Kalla posted on a friend's website said

"No, skinheads beating up anyone at any time is completely wrong and undeserved. However, that event does not promote openess, acceptance, gay rights, or equal treatment, and definitely gives plenty of fuel to homophobic arguments. And it's upsetting that the biggest gay event in the world has that level of triviality and that it's literally ... Read Moreprohibited to bring politics in. At least for me, one of the most powerful parts of our activism is the way we infuse politics into every public act or performance, and the way that we can have a party and keep a funny but biting line of political commentary going throughout. Yesterday was anything but."

So where does society really draw the line?
In a country that has the biggest pride parade in the world, that doesn't allow the political movement, who gave birth to the parade in the first place, participate in the "struggle towards equality", where does that leave reason?

Hipocracy?