BRAZIL Half-way

So much has happened since my first weeks in Brazil. I have been robbed twice, had my bank details stolen, traveled to 5 different states, made some amazing friendships, and have become more involved at my school (PUC Rio).

I will start with the negatives- it is pretty unsafe in Rio, I am extremely cautious and do everything to prevent being robbed yet I am a huge target because I have blonde hair and white skin, and I have been a victim of two robberies and another attempt in just 4 months. The ATMs (even inside the banks) are also insecure, as I have only used the bank "Bradesco" to withdraw money, yet had my card copied and used. Unfortunately, the international mail service here is so bad that I never received my new bankcard and have relied on Western Union to receive cash transfers from my parents.

There is also a lot of "machismo" here in Rio. This word is difficult to translate into English, but is basically when guys shout sexist comments to women when they are walking in the streets. It's very strange behaviour that I have never experienced before, and makes me uncomfortable walking alone in the city.

However, there are so many positives to Rio. Some of the people you find here are unlike anywhere else. For example, one day I was cycling to school and my handlebars broke. I was about to have a meltdown knowing I would be late to school, but another cyclist stopped and helped me- he had tools and fixed my bike. There are a lot of kind people here who will go out of their way to help you.

My school is also amazing. My professors are awesome- really interesting, and my classes are in Portuguese which makes it even better- in just 4 months I have become basically fluent. I have participated in a student documentary about veganism, and did an interview in Portuguese about why I became vegan and how difficult it is to be vegan in Brazil (it's so hard because this country relies heavily on animal products). I will send the documentary over to the Study Abroad office once the students have published it. PUC Rio also organizes loads of events and they are really good. Right now we have the Primavera Festival, with many different activities going on everyday. We also have a lot of holidays, which has allowed me to travel.

My first trip was to Curitiba. I went there to visit my Brazilian friend that I met in Hawaii, and we drove down to Florianapolis. Floripa was very different- many American students were there, and it didn't feel like Brazil. It was extremely touristy, but had some great beaches and surf spots. Curitiba also didn't feel like Brazil simply because it was so developed.

My second trip was to Brasilia. I went there to visit another Brazilian friend that I met in Hawaii, and we drove up to Bahia (the North). This trip was amazing because I got to see the true Brazil. Bahia is very underdeveloped, and looks impoverished- it was hard even to find a bank there. The culture is very different- intimate communities, everybody knows each other in the town and helps each other out. I stood out very much there, but it wasn't like Rio- people didn't shout sexist comments at me or just randomly approach me and start asking me where I am from etc- it was more respectful, and I liked this. The coast of Bahia was very similar to Hawaii, extremely beautiful, and coconuts all over the place- my breakfast, lunch and dinner.

My most recent trip (last week) was to Minas Gerais, to visit some Brazilian friends that I met at the beginning of my trip. One of my friends there owns the whole city of Uberaba, and I was treated to a week of luxury- his family had chefs in their houses, swimming pools, tennis courts, you name it. It was a really nice get-away from my student apartment in Copacabana.

Since I have been here, I have fallen in love with Tapioca (Brazilian food), Graviola (a fruit) and salgados (like pastries). I have become thinner, and my skin much healthier, so I think that the food here must be more natural than in the US. I have been surfing here in Rio, but really don't like the conditions compared to Hawaii (the waves here are too short, too strong, and unpredictable). I have been to many different music events since Rio has so many different types of music - Samba, Jazz, Bossa Nova, Samba-Jazz, etc. I also got to go to Rock in Rio for free (one of the biggest Rock festivals ever), because The Who were playing (and I used to work with Roger Daltrey's manager). That day was awesome! Guns n Roses played for 4 hours, and I would have had to pay 500 reais if I didn't have this connection with The Who (that's a lot of money here).

I will be very sad to leave Brazil next month, and I really wish I could have done my Study Abroad for a whole year. Despite all the bad aspects, I have a very strong connection with this place. My friends here are irreplaceable, as are the experiences I have had.