Living in Brazil 8

       At the end of 2014, There were many new challenges and new things that were coming my way that I haven't experienced before. Having to work at night at the hostel two days a week, and a full schedule during the day, it made me more alert and more responsible. I was  enjoying my new place in Copacabana. I was starting to get better with my português thanks to my new Brazilian host family.I made the most of my opportunities while living in the heart of Copacabana. I had a chance to meet up with my best friend more Bernard who worked five minutes away from me at the hostel where he worked. I would past by everyday and I would go over there and we would plan on going out later on during the night. Living closer to the English courses had its advantages. I had the beach which was 5 minutes walking distance from my new apartment. It was the first time, since being in Brazil I had a sense of peace calmness and tranquility. Things were also going very well with my English classes. Living closer to Copacabana gave me the opportunity to build some really good friendships and business relationships with the locals. Having places to shop and eat locally made me think communicate more and be more open to find my place and self in Brazil. for this reason I started to get more private classes, and in the process my Portuguese started to improve. I made the best of my opportunities everywhere I went. I would make small talk with the locals and try to build and friendship and partnership with them. Being around Copacabana I started to get more private English classes and more time to do things like go the museums, malls,restaurants, art galleries, art shows,jazz concerts,and tourist hikes and sightseeing tours. I took the time when free, to explore the beautiful mountains of Rio and get a  real glimpse of the Marvelous City. I would walk on the sidewalk of Copacabana and Ipanema at least twice a day, for a morning and a evening run, followed by a refreshing swim in the ocean. During my time, I would meet Brazilians from other cities and interact with them. It my time interacting, I became more engaged and curious about knowing more about the culture and its people.


     One of my best time for me, was working at Kariok Hostel. For me it was my second domain, which I called my second home. There it was the place with all the access,  where you can encounter different people from different cultures and different walks of life, sharing and leaving their imprints about the countries they came from. This was for me, when the main reason why I choose to work there, it was like being in school without actually attending school. The another good thing about working at the hostel was working  with my friends.  Daniel whom had just started working there starting in the middle of May 2014, was my best friend in Brazil. There I would past by the hostel almost everyday on his work shift or mine and we would enjoy and make the best time at the hostel. He was my best friend in Rio. We sometimes would go out after work and have a drink or two and talk about the things that was going on in our lives. He was the perfect person to talk to, because of this my Portuguese improved dramatically We were really good friends, and we made the most of our time. Daniel was a person, who taught me alot, He taught me over time the importance of being a professional and how to take pride in myself. It was something that was missing from my mental aspect of thinking on a regular basis. Over time, our lives got busier as time went on. It sad, though sometimes how life can give you great friendships, and all of a sudden distance between two friends can make you grow apart.

    

 The best moment for me was in 2014- 2015 when I had the opportunity to travel to    Bahia Salvador. It was my third trip outside of Rio de Janiero. One of the most unforgettable experience I had. Taking a bus 28 hours was well worth it. Before arriving in Bahia Salvador, I knew very little from what I had learn in School.

  The Historical Center known as the Pelourinho, located at the heart of the city's historical center, is a big open-air shopping mall that offers numerous artistic and musical attractions. There is a concentration of bars, restaurants, boutiques, museums, theaters, churches and other monuments of great historical value all located in the Pelourinho area. Now is a revived and colorful Pelourinho, thriving with cultural activities and events, especially the Pelourinho. At night the drums would be heard beating and the voices could be heard ecoing in th streets. People enjoy the specticulaes and shows they have there frequently. During my few days there, i had a chance to see some reggae roots shows, samba shows and also Jazz  shows at some of the post popular spots in Salvador.

      In my time there I had a great time going to the beaches and talking to the local  people on the streets. The people unlike the Cariocas in Rio De Janerio, talked with a different accent, kind of like a high pitched bird singing in fast pitch tune. The people of Salvador Bahia are generally very friendly and hospitable. They are very kind and they take the time to get to know. They are generally laid back and very easy going people. What I enjoyed watching the Bahian people were their playful nature. They were always laughing and cracking jokes with each no matter where they were. I enjoyed eating many of Bahia's food. Acreage is made from shelled fradinho beans (similar to black-eyed peas), which are mashed together with ground shrimp and other ingredients and formed into a ball, then deep-fried in dendê oil.It was my favorite food to eat there by far. I had it when I went to the beach everyday. For the next few days I spent it  getting to know the local churches, local parks, waterfronts, shopping malls, downtown historical buildings and museums. For me, it was an extension of my knowledge from what I knew about Brazil. Each time I was finding out about new amazing stories and artifacts that I had never heard about before. It was a shame because I didnt have all the time to complete all the things I wanted in such a short time, so I promised myself I would go back there a second time to finish the Bahia Tour. The second time, I look forward to finish my  quest to find out what makes Bahia such a vibrant destination for tourrist.

Can Brazil overcome crises before Summer Olympics?

Teaching English In Brazil 8

 

The beautiful thing about heading into a new year, It made me want to do explore and look into doing things differently, especially when  it came to having more freedom. I wanted to do things better as a teacher, and schedule my private classes better, so I can organize myself. In the beginning of 2015, I schedule two private classes a week. I had a private class with a man who was in the field of psychology.Marcos was his name. He loved to talk about philosophy and the human connection. I would  go to his office once a week with reading reading material. We would read short stories and talk about famous psychologist of the past. Darwin was one of the many people we studied. We would talk about his theories and how it related to everyday society. He would also bring in reading material such as the Little Prince. We would read excerpts from the Little Prince... And other fairy tales that dealt with society and the behavior of others and societies ills. It was a very intriguing and in depth conversation. We would share our opinions and discuss the reading and what possible scenarios of what the author or psychologist was trying to imply.  It was a very reverting, and sometimes very in dept, but we both learn a lot from each other. Marcos learn more English and I learn more about psychology. Four three months I  would show up at his office which was in the heart of Copacabana for a hour. It was my first private class since I arriving in Rio de Janerio. It came me more confidence and a better understanding of how to structure and organize my classes more effectively without the help of others. It was the first experience I had as a teacher where I felt I didn't need to depend on the help others to have a success outcome. Because I had organize everything myself.

     The best experience I had teaching privately was from a student named Ana Chistina Bonilha. Unlike many students I had in the past, she was different from many people I known. She lived in Lagoa which was in the very beautiful location in Rio De Janiero, There you can see the view of the Christ Redeemer from her Balcony. The beautiful lake circles around the Lagoon where you can see top notch breathtaking view of  the city. I first started teaching Ana in February of 2015. It was a very good chemistry from the start. She was determined to Learn English as a way to communicated better to her friends who lived outside of Brazil. She took it as a challenge to want to learn English again  because it was something she had once learnt but after time she had forgotten. What I enjoyed about her from the beginning, she had this wonder woman mystic about her. She was a mother of two and a businesswoman with many different interest. She was a caring and involved parent who always took the time to do think for others, but at the same time, she always wanted to better herself. For 7 months she would share her stories with me about her life. She would also fill me in on her aspirations for the future and what hopes she had going forward. She would talk about her love of music and how it gave her joy and comfort. Sometimes during our lessons she would sing a note or two of her favorite singers. In my time getting to know her I found out she wanted to go back to school to be a Lawyer.  She had an ambition about herself that also reflected in her kids,. Her kids who are both  grown with successful careers. I had a chance to have two classes with her daughter,  Ana Bonilha whom  is  a TV Host for various  television shows in Brazil.  I also had a chance to teach the husband of Ana Bonilha,  a few classes of English as well. He was also a very successful businessman who had a very busy and demanding schedule, working with the general public and  having public access and acquaintances with celebrities such as Arnold Schwarzenegger.

   In my time getting to teach Ana,  we had some really good discussions and conversations about her aspirations and her body of work she had accomplished during her lifetime. She would tell me stories about  her childhood and how different parts of her life effected her personally . For months sevens months  2 hours a week, every Wednesday, We had a connection and a bond that cemented our time together as teacher and student. Through our conversations, and sometimes silly but fun classes I found out she was a real life Superwoman, who cared deeply about others, especially her family. 

Living in Brazil 7

     

   Things were starting to turn around May of 2014. I was finally getting a little breathing space after  months of trying dig myself out of a hole. In the months following, things would swing on the upside, but with this new opportunities came harsh lessons I had never experienced.Things were falling into place just at the right time. Two months later, the second biggest sport event in the world was underway. Things couldn't have been better than it was starting to become.

   At the end of May 2014. Things were going just the way I had planned, until a girl walked into my life. Her name was Sabrina Amanda, and she was the perfect mix of brains and beauty. While staying in Bellas Artes Hostel,  I had a two day conversation with her and her friend Alice,which was really engaging and fun. They were both from from Belo Horizonte, which was the capital of Minas Gerais.  In my time spending with her at the hostel during the weekend. I had a chance to really got to discover her adventurous nature for travel and her curiosity of wanting to know other culture. This made me so more drawn to her than anything. her openness her and  down to earth spirit. We hit it off well from the get go.I shared my personal stories of myself growing up in Jamaica and the states, and why I decided to go to Brazil.  The whole weekend we had deep and really profound conversation about life, art, travel and nature. I was really drawn to her personality, but in did help she was beautiful as well. After that particular weekend, she had to go back to her city in Belo Horizonte. We decided to keep in touch via facebook and via telephone. After she left we kept in communication  a few times during the week, basically addressing when the next time we would see each other again. The following  weekends she decided to come down to Rio de Janiero one more to see me, but during this time, I had managed to miss the opportunity. Little did I know, this opportunity missed would be pivotal because it made the chase more complicated. During this time I focused on trying to please her instead of trying to be myself.  We communicate for a while a few days a week. I took a bus to see her in her city Belo Horizonte.  We talked for the next few months, even in the moment of being so deep in love I did crazy things like driving to her city to surprise her, even when she wasn't even there. Looking back, I was deeply in love, it was something i wish I had never experienced, so reality taught me a harsh lesson but She was mindful of that and used it against me. As time went on, the more attention I gave her, the more she used it to her advantage. On the last trip I went to see her. She told me it would be OK, if I could spend the night at her place. Once I arrived there, she had other plans in mind. She had decided to drop me off at a friends house which I knew very well. In the weekend I spent in her city,we spent  eating lunch at a local restaurant, At the night  we had a time to share  some laughs at a local hangout spot where all the locals liked to gather  to catch up on weekend football and events happening in the city.


    During the last night, I had a chance to discover her true intention as she used the opportunities to chat with her friends about our whereabouts. Trying to get her attention she slowly and surely ignored me. It was the first time in my life I felt so low, because after, only then I realized I was being used my someone all along had no interest in me.  I was hard but, I was more upset with myself for making it go that far and not seeing where I was going.It was the harsh reality of life and something I had never faced, even though it was difficult for me for the next couple of weekends. I had a conversation with myself, to love self first before thinking of going after someone else. That was my lesson, also sometimes love is blind and it can takeover your mind so take things slow when things are new, It was a difficult experience to swallow because i wasted 4 months on something that wasn't there, but at the same time it was an experience that I never had, but It would be an experience I would never forget.

    In the months ahead,  I would spend the next months working on myself and getting to know the rest of Brazil.. In August 2014. I decided to leave the Bellas Artes hostel after 1 year. I moved into the heart of Copacabana, just 10 minutes walking distance from the beach, From the point on, my moment of reflection and  and transformation started. I  slowly began the process of adjusting as well as forgiving out myself as well as understanding the world around me. This time, I would come to grips with past as well as the future which has not yet arrived.

Inside Rio Carnaval

Teaching in Brazil 7

                                             

   When August 2014 arrived, I couldn't have been happier. I now worked at two Language Schools. Both of them were different from the other.  The first school were I worked, INEP was a school that catered to the needs of older clients or anyone who wanted to learn English. The second school Focus Idiomas however was a school with a  bit  more  of a vision. Focus was more geared to travelers or anyone looking to improve their professions. They both presented the same idea, but INEP did things the old fashion way; whiteboard, markers, books, desk, chairs and erasers. However; Focus Idiomas was new and innovative school in coming. It had Sofas, TVs, Music, new updated textbooks, and games. Both were a bit different for my taste.  At,INEP, I had more freedom, whilst at Focus Idiomas,I had to follow to  a structure and method of teaching. Both for me presented different way of reaching their students. Focus was a school more focused on reaching  the students visually, through visual and conversation, whilst INEP was more focused on the written  and the  oral. For me, both presented a bit of a challenge, but it would be a challenge that would eventually help me become a better and more effective teacher.

 

    The staff at INEP were very friendly and pleasurable to work with. All the teachers and staff would have conversation with me about current events happening in Brazil. The problems and corruption in Brazil, But none more important, than the soccer games and rivalries that were going on over the weekend. Botafogo or Flamengo. People would buy their shirts and choose their sides. In the morning,I always found it interesting to speak with one teachers about the current events. There was a teacher by the name of Sir Paulo. He was a language teacher at the course. He taught German, French, English, Portuguese and Italian. He was well traveled and educated. He graduated from Oxford in London with a Degree. He was not your typical Brazilian. He would tell me all- the time he was mistakenly born in the wrong country.He would defend his comments by saying,  Brazilian people don't like to work. He would explain that Cariocas only thought about carnival, sex, football, and beer. He would further explain, Cariocas lived only for today and thought nothing about the future, His appearance and mannerism were of a man who lived in the UK,  so I understand why his resentment  was so strong. That was his biggest regret to this day, not making the best of the opportunity to live abroad when he had the chance. For this, he reminds me not to blow my chances and enjoy every experience I have.

 

     At Focus, the staff was bit more professional. Natasha Fragras a teacher and now manager, was the first person I got to know at Focus. When I first spoke with her, I really thought she was around the same age as me, but after some time, I found out she was only 22 years of age, Surprising for me, because she presented herself as of person whom was wise beyond her years. We have a mutual respect for one another and I  have learned a great deal from her, especially when it comes to becoming a better professional.

  From the moment I started working at Inep. I had a special connection with my students. There were two students that I have to this day, I continue to teach and mentor.  Roseli Sobral, and Diddo Oliviera. Both  musicians, They live in Copacabana and enjoy learning English in their spare time. Roseli  likes to learn English because of her fascination and admiration for the city of New York. She has been singing in a choir group for quit sometime now. She uses the opportunity to learn English to grow as a signer and understand other forms of music from other musical artist. When I first, started teaching her, she was very nervous and hesitate to speak, but over the course of time, she has developed a confidence that has helped her overcome her fears. Now that she likes and enjoys to speak English, she hopes one day to travel more to the United States to understand the culture. Ditto also enjoys to speak English. A native from the state of Bahia, he enjoys playing music at parties around Rio. He takes the opportunity to learn English as a way to expand his audience base, but to also learn about other cultures and other musicians. In my time getting to know him, I even found out he has recorded several album over the years.

    At Focus, there was a group that I started teaching in the middle of 2014. I like to refer to then as The Dream Team. They were like no group that I ever had. They loved to make jokes and make light of all situations. All coming together to learn English, everyone brought excitement, joy, and fun to the classroom. Over the course of time, we became a tight group, almost like a family. Every Monday and Wednesday at 7pm, It was an hour of non- stop conversation, entertainment and joy. Bete Roza, was one of my students I enjoyed teaching. She brought an energy and excitement that made it fun to be around. Her soul and spirit was of a child, which makes everyone gravitate towards her. She is also a teacher, and teaches children with special needs.Being in her presence made the class more enjoyable and comfortable to teach.She likes to travel and enjoys spending with her friends at the beach or watching soccer on television at the bar. She is learning English in the hopes of traveling abroad to the United Sates, to communicate with her daughter and now son-in law who now lives in San Francisco California. 

    Margarete Pereira da Silva, was another student of mine, she was not in the term for a long, but her impact was felt. She was one of my inquisitive students, when in doubt ,she would ask a question,to make sure she would be correct with her pronunciation. She was studying English  to help her with her job. She works with customer service.  In which she sold colthes and merchadise as a way to make a living. Frequently she would have foreign customers in ther botique. Sometimes she uses English to communicate with her customers. She stayed in our  class for three months, but she liked and enjoy speaking English with our group. Hallana Andrande Waldhelm was one of a kind. she was someone who you couldn't take seriously, especially when it comes to trying to speak or study English.. But she was a pleasure and joy to have around, She likes to spend time with her friends and family. What I miss about her was entertaining her before the classes. Before the classes, I would dance to a video she recorded before the English class to  make her feel happy. That would be our weekly routine, until the course ended, if it made her open up and talk more in class. I had no problems doing it for her. Because in my mind, learning a language is a fun experience and should be enjoyable to Teach. Vera Maria Taranto, was another student in which I enjoyed teaching. She was the kind of student, who liked to make the best of the opportunity. She enjoys traveling and culture. She  uses the opportunity to learn English as a way to  move up in her professional career and also to travel abroad. Renata Romero was my most dedicated student.  She loved to study English. Her hopes of Learning English was to hopefully one day win a job or career in the United States, where she will move to have a better life. Lastly. Paulo. I called him the president. A very relaxed and calm guy, he is the kind of man that likes to just  go with the flow. He was the kind of person, you can never anger, because he was always in control of his emotions, for this reason, I called him the President. I will never forget the Dream Team. They were the first group that I connected to, teaching English in Brazil. 

Living in Brazil 6

         

    After Carnival, I wanted to explore more outside of Rio. The first place that grabbed my attention was Sao Paulo. Regarded as Metropolitan of South America. It draws smilier  comparison to New York, because of its work and never sleep mentality. Sao Paulo is a modern city located just South of Rio de  Janeiro. In the May of 2014, I  took a Greyhound bus 6.5 hours to the Center of Sao Paulo. In the Center, all all the business transitions takes place and all the tourist and locals come to see the sights. Sao Paulo is regarding as one of the biggest Metropolitan cities in the world. There you can find all cultures and ethnic groups from all over the world, looking for a better life and a better economic opportunities. I will always remember the moment traveling to Sao Paulo. I met a young lady on the bus that was traveling to the same region. When she found out I was a foreigner,  she couldn't stop but ask me a million questions. From where I was from, Why I was in Brazil, What do I do for a living, what other places I have traveled. etc. When I arrived in Sao Paulo, It was like being on 5th Avenue in New York. The crowd was massive, there were restaurants and bars everywhere you went.  The center of the city is where you see the famous landmarks, parks, museums, churches, and historical neighborhoods. When I arrived in Sao Paulo for the first time, I decided to explore the city and meet up and talk with the locals and  try to figure out and get a better understanding of what Sao Paulo was like. Unlike Rio, the trends and style of clothing were different.  The neighborhoods were modern in the central regions. You have in Sao Paulo, the neighborhoods that were influence by the immigration of immigrants to Brazil. The Italians, The Germans, The Japanese, The French, The Hollanders, other Latin and Caribbean Countries. There were also interesting places to go, historical buildings, restaurants, sites, and park to visit. My first night in Sao Paulo, I decided to walk up and down alone in the  center trying to find people to talk with. While exploring the city, I discovered some really cool and really interesting places to explore. The streets were packed with people on both sides. Bars, local pool halls, and disco clubs were the trendy thing to do when you were in the center of town. I had talks with local vendors, while strolling on the avenue I even met some locals and spoke to them in Portuguese and English. For me, this was the defying moment of my trip. I went with them to to some local bars. We had some fun, laughs and open conversation about each other and  about life.We really enjoyed getting to know each other, and shared some personal stories with one another. We had a chance to go to a local disco club for a while. For me, it was the best part of my adventure in Sao Paulo. Just having the chance to meet some really random people on the street, not even from your country, but yet making that connection, and making the best of the moment. There were really open and honest with me about their views. We hung out all night, until the darkness gave away to the morning sun.

     The next day, I decided to go downtown to see what else laid in front in this huge, enormous Metropolitan city. I brought a day pass metro ticket. Riding in the metro was the most fun for me, It was a chance for me to observe  and see how the people interacted with each other on the train. When I arrived in downtown. It was a gigantic multi-cultural mixing pot, of people doing and selling merchandises on local streets and  local stores and department stores, |Unlike the center, the buildings were not maintained or up kept as well. The prices were a bit cheaper compared to the center. In the downtown area, the life was impoverished. The economic opportunity and education was not as good, and in some neighborhoods, crime and drug trafficking was a major problem. In the downtown area, there were many immigrants from other South American countries and also in the Caribbean. The best part of  walking in the Downtown, it gave me more of a New York atmosphere, because you can hear the other languages such as Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, French, Italian and English. For me, it was more comforting being in Sao Paulo than in Rio, in many ways, because the difference of Identify united but united for a common goal. Wish is wanting a better life and opportunity, but when I decided to move to Brazil. I decided to be in Rio, but I wanted to know the real culture of Brazil and Rio De Janeiro is the mother place for it. Everyone identifies to one culture there, Samba, Funk, Carnival, Football, This is where the reputation starts, for the rest of the world to get to the scoop and the heart of what gives Brazil its Identify. Picking Sao Paulo wasn't the better choice, because coming to Brazil wasn't about wanting more money. it was about embracing a culture and learning about the people. It was fun and really exciting having a chance to leave Rio for the first time, since arriving in Brazil in August 2013. I spend the few days in Sao Paulo, eating at local restaurants  checking out the tours and sites and walking down some famous well known Italian and Japanese neighborhoods. My favorite moments of Sao Paulo were checking out the graffiti art in the local districts and neighborhoods.. I was in aww, at some of partings that I saw. It was really different and something different from what I have seen, before because each graffiti-artist took their heritage from their parents who happened to have immigrated from other countries to settle in Brazil. It was like being at school for be, except on the outside. The process of understanding and learning as you try to grasp the concepts and ideas, while understanding the art, customs and music of  the people people. There is where you find the identity.

   After my trip to Sao Paulo I returned to Rio. From there, I decided to go to other places, such as Belo Horizonte, It was another city that was different unlike others I have seen. Belo Horizonte, unlike Rio and Sao Paulo, it was known for its beautiful horizons. When the World Cup was being played there in June, I had a chance to travel  to Belo Horizonte for a few days to watch the World Cup Games with my friends. Belo Horizonte was a very small town, very laid back and reserved, Many people in Brazil had said, It was the place that made the best cheese bread in Brazil. Brahma also a Brazilian Beer was made there. Belo Horizonte has been praised for having one of the best and purest drinking waters in all of Brazil. When I was there, I found out there was a lot of  waterfalls and streams were it was good for touring or camping. The people in Belo Horizonte unlike Rio de Janeiro seemed to  take a more laid back approach to life, they seem to me to be more observant and laid back during the day, while at night, like many major cities, locals flooded the  local bars and restaurants, especially if there weren't any beaches to go during the day. There was a saying in Belo Horizonte. We don't have Mar, so we go to the Bar. It was an ideal place if you just wanted to raise a family or content a normal and simple life. Everyone that I met and came across there were very friendly. I had a good time touring the city and checking out the parks, which were very beautiful to sit and relax in. The parks were well maintained and up kept.  Many people took advantage of the time, by going out running, bike running, or walking with their families and friends. All in all it was a change for me, because I was now starting to understand more about Brazil.