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.

Rio Olympic Problems 2016

U.S President BarackObama Visits the El Reno Federal Correctional Institution

Teaching In Brazil 6

                                       

   After  a few months at Focus, I started to develop a really good teacher student relationship with my students. Sometimes we would go out after class to have beer or coffee. This made my job as a teacher so much easier  because I can connect with them outside of the classroom as well as in without being too boring. I had a really special relationship with my Monday and Wednesday classes 7-8 o'clock at night. Of all the groups, they were the most enjoyable to teach. They had a really outgoing and buzzing energy that me want to connect to them more. Over the course of time, we built a re-pour that will eventually built our trust in the classroom. I learn with them the importance of patience and self control. When I first started teaching at the course, I was a bit rushy and a bit nervous, but over the course of time, I realized, I had to be more clam and patient with them. Over the course of the six months I had class with them, I could have seen the difference.

   At the other course,. Things were working out perfectly. I had the right amount of hours I was looking for. The students I had were all of different ages. I had a schedule of teaching students in the morning and afternoon on some days. I had the most fun with them because they made me feel more alive. There is a certain freedom you process when you teach children compared to adults, its the same freedom that allows me to write and find joy in traveling. This is what I live for and this is what I love to do. Paulo and Julio where two of the kids that I taught at INEP. There were enjoyable but at the same time  the most difficult. In the beginning because of our unfamiliarity and the trust we didn't  yet develop they were a little shy and receptive to speak in English. In the course of time, they broke down their shyness barrier and started opening up. I found out Julio has a passion to be a scientist. Paulo loves Mathematics and hopes to be someday an Engineer. They also like American TV shows such as Everybody Hates Chris,  The Simpson, SpoongeBob, etc..

   I had another student in the Afternoons, I had started teaching. His name was Matheus. Unlike the others, he wasn't as easy to reach and I had to have a great deal of patience with him, He was the kind of student who loved attention and will do anything to get out  of doing any work. In the very beginning I had ask myself several times, why did I decide to take up such a difficult task. It was also the first time every as a teacher my patience was tested. Over the span of time, I had gotten to know him and discovered he was just like me when I was is age. Someone whom is a thrill seeker, always looking for the attention wherever he goes. In time, I also found out he spends my time alone on the street alone without any parent supervision. For a eleven year old kid,  I found out it must be difficult, especially in Brazil at night in Rio de Janiero, where mayhem and disorder can sometimes unfold at night. I remembered how I was as a child and the reason why I acted out the way I and did,  I learnt, I had to be patient with him, to built that connection and trust so he can learn the same way my teachers taught me. I also learnt, how important is to never give up on someone, no matter how difficult it is. A teacher represent what the mold of the child should aspire to be, what kind of example would I set if I quit on him, that was the most valuable lesson for me as a teacher.

Rio Profile Natasha Fragas

 

 I have been living in Rio de Janiero for the past two years now, in my time living here, I have came across some interesting  people with really exciting stories. I had the chance to interview  Natasha Gierkens Fragas, a  local Brazilian living in the city of Rio de Janiero.  Natasha is 23 Years old, Manager/Teacher of Focus Idiomas Language School. She is also Married with no Children and a dog.

    Two years ago, Natasha realized her dream of  becoming a teacher, after almost becoming a pilot.  Looking for the perfect opportunity to fulfill her promise, She encountered  Paulo Henrique owner of Focus Idiomas in Copacabana.  They had their first meeting, when the school was not yet completed but the right moment and the right times presented itself and Natasha was working from home in April 2013 . Three months later, She became a teacher and a coordinator of Focus Idiomas.  Organizing the schedules, ordering the materials, hiring the people, and making sure everything was up to date.  Then in June 2013,the school officially opened. The first group officially opened in July 2013. After that,  In the beginning of January 2015 she was promoted to Manger. She says, in her new position, she says they re were some up sides and down sides. The upside are the increase in pay and the added responsibilities, but the downside is that you have to please all the teachers and all the students. and sometimes it can be difficult.  Many times, Natasha added, it can be stressful but she keeps herself calm and relaxed by reading spiritually books and taking massage therapy. She credits many of her success to her parents who has given her the best life possible. They stated, she had gotton  great schooling and guidance from her childhood, she hopes her success will be a way of telling them thanks. She uses the opportunities to improve  herself and learn and evolve as a person. She now studies at ISERJ University in Rio De Janerio, where she hopes to someday branch out into some bigger. 

    When I asked Natasha about her opinion  hosting the 2016 Olympics Games in Rio, she says, Brazil is has too many problems to  host the Olympic Games at this time. She points out the lack of education, schools, and hospitals should be the main focus of Brazil, not the Olympics Games. She shares her disappointment with the lack of interest with the government of the country and the result of lack of investments from last years World Cup Boom in Rio. She added that there hasn't been any returns from world cup and she expects the same for the Olympics. In spite of all the problems,she shares her optimism for the future with hopes of someday affecting change.

     

Living in Brazil 5

     


     

When January 2014 came around, I had noticed the sudden change in my appearance. I had lost about 10 pounds. I was slowly but surely adjusting to the life in Brazil. I had decided to explore more the city of Rio de Janiero. I started going on hikes, walks, explore the beaches, and local hot spots in Copacabana.  I made a consciousness effort to go to the beach every morning, play basketball or soccer every morning in a local park nearby me every weekend, within the coming months all the fat I started disappearing. I also started changing my eating habits, instead of McDonald or KFC which I was used to while living in the states, I started buying and eating fruits and vegetables. For lunch, I would have rice and beans, meats natural juice and vegetables. Also my routine which I changed a bit made a big difference. I would head to Copacabana beach every morning just at the crack of dawn. Take the metro which was 15 minutes away from me. I would spend 2 hours on the beach in Copacabana running and swimming. For me, early morning exercise was the best, you had few people at the beach, the sun was at its lowest point during the day, and also you have time to meditate and be alone and collect your thoughts. There was no big crowds before 8 o'clock, the sea was a quit and still place for me. Sometimes I could literally count the amount of people on my hand.In Copacabana near pier, there is a breath taking view of the sunset by the rocks. For me, It was my time of peace and relaxation and finally adsorb the fact I was living my dream.

     
   Things were starting to come together around the end of January. I had started exercising and working out more. I explored the sites around Copacabana. From the hikes, to the restaurants museums, beaches, and parties I was started to feel at home. The best part was yet to come as Carnival was just right around the corner. From the beginning of January until middle of February the anticipation begins to build as everyone begins to get into the festive mood.  Samba music is played on the street corners, where you have small crowds of people gathering around dancing and singing old and new classic classic. For me, I spend my first carnival mainly in the main central spot where many people gather at night called Lapa. There you have the famous Lapa steps where some of the worlds most famous artist have done videos, such as Snoop Dogg and John Legend. There at night, people gather on the steps,  talk and sing music and drink beer. That is one of the hot spots but to discover the true madness and craziness that transpires at night in Lapa you  have to go to the orcolos do Lapa where you have a people gathered around in crowds dancing and having a festive time. Along the way, there are bars and trendy restaurants where you can eat some enjoy yourself.

    Carnival was an amazing, exceptionally great experience for me.  It was something I dreamed about and wanted to experience my entire life, and here I was in the most beautiful city in the world about to have my chance. It was a so real experience Around mid February Carnival officially get off. It was everything and more that I had hope for, Large crowds  of people behaving like children for seven days without any rules or restrictions.  You can basically say, anything goes. Many people I spoke to told me, that Carnival was the heart and soul of Brazil.Carnival is apart of the culture that goes deeper than having loads of beers or vodkas or locking lips with total strangers but the idea that for one week, the people are enjoying the music and the company of others and the joy and being free and alive. I had the great chance to spend carnival with a friend of mine Jorge Andres whom was working at the Bellas Artes Hostel, where I was staying at the time. He and I would get up everyday, during the start of carnival and buy liquors and beers and hit all the local blocos, which were block parties in Brazil, on the street depending on  the time and place you were in Rio. There were different block parties throughout the day and each location. There would be blocos on the beach during the day and during the night, most of the blocos were situated downtown or in the main areas of the city. Everyday children, adults, young people, old people, locals, foreigners, and so on come together to show off their customs. Many of the men,would wear women dresses as a way to celebrate  the festivities and poke fun of the idea. Also many of the woman would come dress as men. The atmosphere is nothing like you would believe and the people and the magnitude was on a scale like no other places I have ever been. The school of Samba was the best part for me, a room full of musicians playing every instrument you can name dancing to old classic Samba music. The woman and men would dance and the whole room would be clap and cheer enjoying themselves.


     After a week, the streets slowly began to sweep away, the crowds were slowly disappearing and everything was getting back to normal. The kids return to school and adults returned to work. Just before the carnival had arrived I had met someone at the hostel named Wana Oliveira. She was from the Northwest of Brazil Belem next to the Amazons. She and I had become friends, and she told me a lot about her home down and how she grew up. She like me ha big inspirations to travel the world and find herself and so something meaningful with her life. She and I spent a week getting to know each other. In the time we spend together I found out she loved reggae music, she loved to travel, and she has a special love for animals. We talked would talk a lot about the possibility of meeting in New York one day which she was heading at the time, but for me I didn't want to go back, I needed more time to find myself, finish my book and look for the answers I was searching for. Its sad, because we were both the same  kind of people but at the time we were both headed in different directions in our lives.  I wanted to head out of the US and she wanted to head in. We made the most of our times together. In the week she stated at the hostel, we talked about hopefully meeting up in New York, because there is were she wanted to study and gain her English certificate. I knew for some reason in the back of  my mind it wasn't going to happen, but I was still optimistic, but for me we were just two spirits passing by in each others lives. To this day we sill keep in touch and she lives in New York.