Volunteer in Brazil: The Blog

Hello!

Ok, I said Tues/Wed and it’s Thurs, but is anyone really counting? I’m just getting into the relaxed Carnival mood. Good to know you’re enjoying the blog though - muito obrigado once again to the commenting community (and all my other readers, of which I’m sure there are thousands). And I know it’s long, but…you’ve got a whole week to read it…

So, what do you need to know about week 2? Well, here’s what I picked out:

-Teaching! As expeected, this got off to a fun, yet challenging start. I have so far only done six lessons on two actual teaching days (slacking I know), because this week there is no project due to carnival…so unfortunately I’ve just had to relax and enjoy the sun and celebrations, but oh well. However, they were two quite memborable days last week (Tuesday and Thursday). Beth was with me for most of the Tuesday, which did make things easier for organising class activities, but on the whole I was able to get a decent amount of control from the front of the class, and tried to make use of the specialist vocabularly Beth had taught me. “Fica quieto” and “Cala a boca” (you can do the googling), were cheif among them! I was impressed with the willingness of the kids though, they genuinely seemed quite keen to learn and to be challenged. A couple of games of ‘bingo’, once I’d managed to get the concept across, got highly competitive - whilst another produced a comical ending reaction as several of the kids wrote down the same numbers and all won at once. It helped a lot with teaching numbers and recognising the sounds of them though, so it’s one I’ll use again. Other subjects so far have included the Alphabet, Colours, basic greetings, as I’m just trying to gauge the standard of the various classes. I’m sure the teaching will develop well, though I’m ready for things to get harder once my ‘new teacher’ factor wears off.

-Football with the kids. I’ve played a fair amount of this when not teaching, hoping that it will perhaps boost my reputation slightly. We had an ‘epic’ game (in a very small space) last Wednesday, which ended up at something like 20-all, and brought back some primary school memories…

-Trips to the beach(es). This week (and largely thanks to Beth and her husband Eduardo driving me around again), I’ve had a chance to both stroll up and down Copacobana for the first time, and swim in the sea at an even more idyllic beach (Beth can perhaps help me with the name?), just outside of Rio. The water was perfect on a hot day, and the mountain skyline from here (looking at Sugar Loaf in reverse, so that you get Christ in the same view) was magnificent. I’ve got a couple of great photos of this, but haven’t had chance to upload them so will include them in the next post.

-Carnaval 2009! So, as the title of this post implies, this week I’ve experienced Carnival/Carnaval, arguably the world’s biggest party (my birthday each year notwithstanding). In the UK, you may be wondering exactly what it is, and with good reason, as the concept still seemed abstract to me before it started as well. It’s basically a big public holiday, running for the few days before Ash Wednesday, where normal business in Rio takes a break (especially on the ‘official day’, the Tuesday), and schools are off for the whole week.  Although celebrated in various ways around the country, the main two ways of partying here are ‘Blocos’ on the one hand, and the parades at the ‘Sambadromo’ on the other. Bloco literally means ‘block’, and refers to the mass of people that gather out in certain streets to drink, dance and sing, often led by a well-known carnaval band that travels around on a bus/float and blasts out samba grooves. The parades in the Sambadromo are put on by the ’Schools’ of Samba (Escolas de Samba), and are the iconic symbol of carnaval known to many in the Western world. Thousands of Cariocas (local Rio residents) and visiting Brazilians walk the long runway between the stadium stands in themed parades, with each ’school’ competing to win top honours from the judges. The costumes are lavish, the floats are ridiculously big, and the whole thing is wonderfully over the top. So far, I’ve only been at the dromo for a rehearsal, and watched the full parades on TV, but this coming Saturday will be there to watch the recently announced winning schools do their champions parade, so expect some serious photos next week! Not wanting to miss out on festivites generally, I’ve also been to a couple of these Bloco things, and have enjoyed the experience too. We managed to get a good spot upstairs in a bar to watch a daytime bloco in an area called ‘Lapa’, see below for some shots of this. Ok, and for anyone who wants to, a research task: anyone know anything about the history of carnaval in Brazil?

-The 81st Annual Academy Awards! Whilst watching the schools peform on TV on Sunday night, Beth and co. were kind enough to let me go to their place and flick between that and the (only on cable…) Oscars! This was a real treat, being such a movie fan and never getting the chance to see them live at home. I’m not sure which was more over the top - the Samba costumes or the Oscar award speeches, but I enjoyed them immensely. Well done Slumdog Millionaire, it got what it deserved, and director Danny Boyle’s tigger dance was indeed very cool. And how excited was I that the Indian superstar composer AR Rahman got his oscar for the slumdog soundtrack presented by…Zac Efron!? Extremely excited. 

-Finally, by popular demand, a note about food. The food here at the centre (all meals are provided, and luckily not left to my cooking skills) is absolutely fine, but not the best for blogging purposes, as it’s virtually the same every day. Breakfast generally consists of a sandwich and a banana, as well as a medium sized cup of coffee. It’s quite pleasant too, especially as the (local-ish) bananas taste so much fresher than in the UK, and at breakfast there is the option to have coffee with milk, though it’s a minority choice to actually select this. For Lunch and Tea/Dinner the staple of the diet is black beans (another brazilian speciality) with rice and salad, accompanied by a meat which, admittedly, does alternate between beef, chicken and some other varieties. It’s nutritous, and keeps you going through the day, but now I’ve described it once is that ok? I have eaten out a few times though, enjoying such delicacies as hot dogs on freshly baked bread at Beth’s, pizza with palm-tree cuttings when out with Bia, and a couple of multi-cuisine platters at pay-by-weight (the plate, not the person) restaurants. From now on, I’ll note down the exact components for the blog.

Some photos! (click to view or right click the link and ’save..as’ to download)…

1. In the midst of my first ‘Bloco’

2. This is why it’s called a block.

3. The Lapa Bloco in the other direction.

4. Bloco percussion!

5. Christ from the Centre

6. Beach-side in Copacabana

7. An image from the front of my Rio guide book…very topical…

8. A shot (from Beth’s mobile) of my first teaching day.

And to the commenters…

Well done on the orelhões research, I’m most impressed, that was quite a comprehensive analysis, and even Beth and her family were surprised at the range of novelty designs. Entries on the dancing front were also all brilliant, and all brought a chuckle to my eye, I mean, a tear to my mouth, er well…you know what I mean. Probably competition honours have to go to Jake for being the first to mention the most popular dance suggestion - the quad speed macarana (doing the macarana dance four times faster than usual). This is definitely thoroughly English, as I like to think I was a pioneer in this field. Annie and anyone else who isn’t keen, sorry about HSM, hoping you will take me up on the offer of forgiveness if I mention Twilight next time. Most importantly, thanks everyone, and keep writing!

Much love,

Joe

x

Note: I’ve been here for closer to two weeks now, so it feels like I’m delving into my distant Brazil past for some of this stuff! However, I plan to post my week two highlights on Tue/Wed, my actual two-week mark, and then everything will be back in order on the space-time continuum.

Oi (Hi) everyone!  Welcome to another blog. First off, a huge thanks! You didn’t let me down on the commenting front, and I’m genuinely quite touched by all the support. I’ve attempted to answer some of your, erm, ’queries’ at the end of this post. Without further ado though, and spurred on by that wave of British/Brazilian encourgement, I shall write about Week 1.

Here’s some notable events/highlights:

 - A smooth and comfortable plane journey into Brazil (Tuesday 10/02/09). It was eleven hours, which was ahead of schedule and slightly shorter than I’d thought, but this was long enough. Obviously, the best part was watching High School Musical 3 on the in-flight entertainment (it was just on, OK?). The meals were nice too, but there’s nothing like a generous double helping of Troy and Gabriella to leave you feeling warm and fuzzy when you’re on your way to a strange new continent.

- My first proper day with the kids (Thursday 12th). After a sunny, hot Wednesday, we had some torrential sub-tropical rain on the Thursday, which was actually quite refreshing, in the literal sense. I spent the afternoon at the project, looking around, chatting to Beth about the work, and talking to the kids. They were all stuck inside because of the rain (and the apparently ‘freezing’ weather; still hot by my standards), but luckily there was some alternative indoor entertainment…me. Mostly with Beth acting as translator, I stood infront of all the kids and answered various personal questions about my life, ranging from ‘can you fly a kite?’, to ‘do you have a girlfriend?’, to ’can you please list all the countries you’ve ever been to?’. After the exclusive ‘audience with a volunteer’, we had a bit of a dancing display, with some of the kids showcasing their cconsiderable aptitude for rhythm and movement. Then came the biggest question of all: ‘could I show them a dance from England?!’. My reply was obvious: ‘I’ll go and get my Frisbee…’ Hence, I then gave the first frisbee freestyle demo of the trip, which, of course, went down a storm (rather like the one outside). I think the kids naturally understand and appreciate freestyle quite well and, happily, there have been many requests for spontaneous coaching sessions from this point on. Comment Competition: I’m looking for the best suggestion for an alternative answer when requested to show a dance from England. “You should have said…….”    

-Learning some Portuguese! With a combination of help from my excellent Lonely Planet phrasebook, tips and lessons from Beth, and generally trying to absorb as many phrases as possible in conversation (particularly with the kids at the project), my Portuguese now, at least, is not non-existant (that’d be existant, then…). Though it’s still broken, basic phrases, I’m enjoying it - and am even starting to get a feel for the ‘Carioca’ (Rio) accent on my d’s, t’s and s’s.

-The trip to the Museum. On Friday 13th, we went with the children on a Project coach trip, to a ‘Popular Art’ museum. It was a stop-start coach journey with a driver complaining about the tricky route, the kids were riotus fun (think ‘Our Day Out’ in Portuguese), and the museum, once we finally got there, was very interesting. It was full of small, modelled figures displaying features and cycles of life and tradition in Brasil, and we were taken around by an all singing, all acting, guitar playing guide duo. Beth has written a PAGE on the blog about it.

-Meeting Bia and Gabriel, two of Beth’s kids. Well, when I say kids, they’re 21 and 22 respectively, but they’re great fun to be around, and it’s welcome to have two young people with whom I can speak English (their level’s impressive). Gabriel sure knows his sport, whilst Bia’s the literature (and, she tells me, Disney) expert. And I will definitely take you up on that offer with the Portuguese help, obrigado!

-Watching a Carnival parade Rehearsal. I went to this on the night of Sunday 15th, with Monica and Wellington; two of the young Brazilian ’staff’ members (they are ‘monitors’, helping the kids generally) at the Project. It was a full, stadium-set, school of samba parade - just without the costumes, as the actual carnival was not until a week later (the week I’m writing this!). The scale and scope was still spectacular, but more on Carnival (I should be saying Carnaval, really) in my next entry.

Looking forward to writing about that, as well as my teaching, in week 2.

Some photos! (click the link to view or right click and ’save as’ to download):

1. View from my (sitting room) window.

2. The (lack of) view from the window in the rain.

3. Relaxing in the sitting room.

4. Sunset from the centre (1)

5. Sunset from the centre (2) 

6. The elevator/bridge for Project-Centre transport.

7.  Plenty of slums, few millionaires.

8. Sunset from the centre (3) - From the elavator bridge.

9. Some of the kids at The Museum

10. Museum Puppet Theatre (see Beth’s PAGE for more Museum photos!)  

Ok, very quickly…commenters…

I am looking after my ears (responding to popular pressure), but they are always clean anyway, and I have not one but two small bottles of hand wash gel that never leave my sight for long. Anyone going to take Beth on and research Brazilian phoneboxes!? Frisbee is a brand name so doesn’t need to be translated, although they do say ‘Disco’ alternatively. No parrots here nicer than a certain panto star, hope you’re enjoying John’s panto DVDs. Speaking of JC, missing your input on the blogs here, but loving the comments. Thanks everyone for the info about what’s going on at home - keep it up! And to general relief…the confusing ‘Please Add’ feature on comments is now gone! And, I am eating…more on this later…

Tchau!

Joe   

x

Hello Everyone!

So, finally, I’ve got round to doing some blogging. Since touring the US last year (see http://tri-statetour.blogspot.com), I’ve had a fondness for this particular medium, and so it’s nice to be writing from Brazil. As long as I’ve got computer access, I’ll be posting weekly updates from now on (so check back in the next few days for my highlights from Week 1…hopefully with a few photos thrown in).

But I thought I better start, by a bit (Ok, a lot) of introductory scene-setting. So, enough general rambling. Let’s talk specifics. Where am I, and what am I doing?

To explain to everyone in the UK: I’m staying in the heart of Rio, in a district called Santa Teresa, at ‘CENAM’ - an international centre/convent. I have my own little ‘apartment’, with a kitchen, shower, and sitting room, as well as two bedrooms (the one that is currently free will be occupied in a week-or-two by another Volunteer from England, Laura). My apartment is connected to the main centre buildings, which include the reception, church, and canteen, as well as a picturesque white-stone courtyard, and a tarmac football/basketball(/frisbee) pitch. The latter appears to hang over the edge of the steep hill that the centre is situated on, but provides stunning views of the city (as does my sitting room). From the pitch, both of Rio’s most recognisable landmarks - Sugar Loaf Mountain (Pão de Açucar) and The Statue of Christ (Cristo Redentor) are clearly visible, as well as several beaches, harbours, and slums. The views from the centre are awe-inspiring, and I don’t expect to get used to them. At least, I hope I don’t.

On a lower level of the hill, connected by a outdoor lift (or, for the more enegertically-inclined, lots of stairs) is the classroom complex that consititues ‘The Project’ (O Projeto). This is where I’m volunteering, i.e. teaching English and helping out with whatever else I can. There is about 30 kids, ranging between ages 8-16, that currently attend the project. They come in the afternoon, every weekday, from about 2-5.30. The deal? They can come to the project, to receive more lessons (e.g. in English), smaller class sizes, homework support, access to the swimming pool and aforementioned pitch, and a generally beneficial level of social interaction as long as they attend state school in the morning (which runs until about midday).  School, I’m told, is a much less desirable prospect, as well as a less effective form of education, although the students that stick at it/through it and work hard do benefit; hence the reason for motivating them to attend. For learning English with me, they’re split into three age groups, and I teach each age group for two one hour lessons each week. I’m also going to start teaching the project staff for three hours a week in the next week or two.

The kids all live in Rio’s Favelas (slums), and so the project provides a secure, safe, happy environment for them to spend their time in now, as well as fulfilling educational needs for the future, and, vitally, keeping them away from the Favelas’ dominant industry - the drugs trade. The kids themselves? I’ve found them simply awesome so far, warm, friendly, and learning frisbee (my specialism, for those who don’t know!) fast. There’s little outward signs of the often-tragic backstories, and I think that’s credit to the work that’s going on here.

Personally, I’m in Rio for about two months, then I’m heading up to the North East of the country, to the state of Piaui, to Volunteer there. Looking after me here, and deserving a mention on my first blog, is the co-ordinator of the project out here - Beth. Thanks for the welcome message (below!) Beth, and thanks for the welcome generally. She’s been the perfect translator, tour guide, taxi driver, friend and Portugese teacher: Muito Obrigado. 

So, all is well, and I look forward to recounting how I’ve actually spent Week 1.

Miss you all back in the UK,

Thanks for reading (and let’s have a decent show of comments - click below on the number of comments to post - to get started),

Joe

x 

On the 10th of this month we received our first volunteer of the year 2009. Welcome Joe, I hope you spend a good time with us.