A note on photos: my cell phone is having trouble picking up wireless networks, so I probably won't be uploading any of my own pictures on this blog, or anywhere, until I get back. If you want to see some more photos, other people on the trip have been taking them in abundance and they are available on the facebook.
Ok, so this weekend was awesome, first of all. I will most certainly have to make a two-part post about it, because so many cool things happened. A few small observations first:
Teachers here also have technology problems: My professors can't seem to work youtube, powerpoint, and can't deal with waiting more than 0 seconds for a link/video to load without refreshing it to death. This could have something to do with the faulty wi-fi, but I think it has more to do with impatience.
The written abbreviation for beijos (kisses) is bjs: This one is for my former (and future) roommates. Kisses, anyone?
Almost every new and old popular pop/rock song that people sing along to in American bars gets sung along to here as well: People LOVE "Best of You" by the Foo Fighters. Also, I met a woman who said that she was friends with Zac Brown (of country stardom) and had taken him into her house multiple times when he was alone in Brazil. I'll take her at her word.
Re-iteration -- CRAZY DRIVERS: I can't say this enough. There are lanes dividing the roads, but no one seems to follow them. When people stop at lights, they stop midway through turning, and motorcycles seem to not stop for anything. I can't understand why I haven't seen an accident yet, but just know that anyone used to U.S. driving would not last two seconds on these streets.
Current musical pursuits: I have been toying with the African instrument I brought (called an mbira or kalimba, depending on who you ask; you may know it as a thumb piano) to practice a piece for my senior recital. I consider it one of my few connections to Madison while I'm here, the other big one being the internet. Also, my best friend Tyler showed me the album MCII by Mikal Cronin, which I have been loving. Good places and adventures are always heightened by music to accompany them.
Strange cravings: Yesterday, I had an uncontrollable urge for white chocolate croissants and watching every James Bond movie back-to-back. I might just do the latter today, as it is a rest day. The food craving reminded me of my friend Zou Zou who often craves a very particular food.
That's enough of that. So, on Friday, we celebrated the Festa Junina, a folk festival that takes place in various forms over the months of June and July. Essentially, our group had some good corn-based food, something that reminded me of horchatas, and hot dogs on a stick. We then danced some quadriles, which is kind of like a circular square dance with a caller telling us things that we couldn't understand. For those that know me well, I'm a stellar dancer even when I do know what I'm doing, so obviously this was no problem, and I'll probably go pro next week.
My reward for that traumatizing experience was a trip to Corcovado (giant mountain with stone Jesus statue!)! This trip began with a visit to the chic neighborhood of Lapa (more on this area later) and the steps of Selarón. You have probably seen these really awesome mosaic steps before on the internet or in tourist books. Every step of the giant staircase is covered in colorful tiles and unique pictures. One man (who, sadly, was found dead on his own steps earlier this year) designed the whole thing in the 1990s. I was amazed at the detail and how seamlessly the art was embedded into the city. I may go back at some point, because I was unable to appreciate it fully, given our group's time constraints. While there, a man and a little girl were juggling a soccer ball and making it look like the easiest thing in the world. The girl couldn't have been more than seven or eight, but she was killing it! The man was less surprising, but he was also fantastic with his futebol prowess. I have a great video of this, but alas, my phone isn't cooperating currently. My friends and I gladly purchased some water for these two after watching them for a while.
Following this juncture, we arrived at the waiting area of the big mountain. Our guide left (presumably to go get money) but didn't tell any of the students, leaving us standing around confused. Thankfully, she returned after ten minutes. We boarded a little tour bus and ascended the steep slopes of Corcovado. The road was windy, and I had to chew gum to deal with the pressure drop, but I was able to take in some amazing views of the Lapa and Santa Teresa skyline. The hairpin turns didn't accomodate the giant buses going down either side, and I thought we were going to crash many times. There was even a film crew shooting a skateboard film at one point, and I'm not sure they made it out, because they were in the middle of the road. I guess such things are commonplace, but it certainly jarred me.
Corcovado reminds me of those quintessential American landmarks, in that a picture simply doesn't cut it. The views are tremendous; you can practically see the entire city. A side note here: Rio de Janeiro may be the most geographically unique big city in the entire world. Demarcated by mountains, oceans, lakes, and giant forest areas, the city holds a variety of beautiful natural wonders, entire neighborhoods constructed on mountainsides, an isthmus (the neighborhood of Copacabana is actually on this isthmus, so at least one thing about my living situation has remained consistent), and breathtaking skylines. Oh yeah, and there's also a giant stone statue of Christ the Redeemer on top of the mountain. Apparently, a common misconception exists that like the Statue of Liberty, this guy was also constructed by the French. It is false. Brazilians made this statue, and it is a point of pride, so make sure not to make that mistake. This trip was also the first time I heard other Americans talking who weren't part of my program, and it was a little funny to hear them. I tried to glare at them incredulously so they'd think I was a local, but given that I look like I do, I doubt it worked. Watching the sun set from this lovely vista will certainly remain a highlight of my trip and an everlasting image in my life.
Upon returning home, my housemate Kegan and I went to a churrasco at the home of another student's host family. For those of you that don't know, churrasco means barbecue, and in Brazil, you're not just getting a hot dog or hamburger at a churrasco. Plate after plate of deliciously-seasoned, smoking hot meats arrive at your table at perfect intervals for maximum meat intake. My friends and I were served steak, chicken, and a delicious sausage called linguiça (my personal favorite). This was easily the best meal I've had in Brazil, not to mention the best in recent memory. In general, the food here is so much more natural and filling. Our country would do well to take a cue from Brazil and quit over-processing the food and chocking it full of chemicals and preservatives. Of course, I understand that it's all about money, but the sentiment remains the same.
Ok, enough ranting. After dinner, my friends and I took a taxi back to Lapa. This trendy neighborhood is home to a club so chic and hip that it made the top 10 nightclubs in the London Guardian. Although nightclubs aren't entirely my scene, I had to admit that this club, Rio Scenarium, had it all. On the ground floor, a live samba band delighted the crowd with upbeat, tightly interlocked rhythms and a fantastic singing duo and horn section. I tried my best to dance, and no one seemed to stare at me with abject horror, so I'll take it as a successful attempt. On the second floor, many small rooms housed tables and bars, and a giant dancehall held a forró (popular genre of Brazilian music) floor, where DJs played a fun mix of popular Brazilian tunes. When my group came up here to dance, I was a little tired, so I didn't get as into this music, but I still had fun. In general, I love how friendly all the students in the program are, and we all made sure to stay together as a group so no one felt inhibited. Most of the locals in the club were amazing dancers, and sometimes it was fun just to watch them exhibit their moves. One last observation: not having been to a huge amount of clubs in the states, I don't know if this is a thing unique to Brazil, but I noticed that upon arriving in the club, patrons are given a ticket with a list of drinks and food. When food or drink is ordered, it gets noted on this ticket by the waiter, and you pay for everything (including admission) when you leave. I found this interesting, but also a little scary, because if the ticket gets lost, you have to pay 300 reais (150 dollars)! I suppose if you have a crazy night, it might be better to lose the ticket, but who knows.
Whew. So that was Friday, and Saturday has many more experiences which I will save for a separate post. Let me know if certain things in this blog are funny, exciting, or boring, and I will take it into consideration, because while I'm trying to document my trip, I am also trying to make the blog worthwhile for readers. Até mais, amigos!
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