Where the Sidewalk Ends

Today is the last day of our trip to Brazil. All the packing is finished (though we still can’t quite figure out why we brought all that stuff) and our apartment has been cleaned. We’re taking the last day for appreciation, maybe some coffee and a walk on the beach, and for reflection.
I recall that I have always wanted to “travel”, as long as I can remember. Thankfully, no one ever really asked me why, because I would only have been able to supply the lame, “Well, new people...new places,” answer. But now, after a very long, and somehow at the same time a very short nine months, I know the answer to that question.

I wanted to travel because I wanted to know myself. And I don’t mean that in a spiritual, esoteric way, and not in a confused, fumbling towards adulthood way. It is only that so many times, who we think we are as people is really a product of our environment, our job, friends, family, even our city. Travel allows you to break free from that, to put yourself in a radically different place. Some aspects of yourself change and some stay the same and what you’re left with, well...I would like to think that it’s one stop closer to your true self. Some things about myself have not changed: I still am a picky eater and I get cranky when awoken from naps. But some things have certainly changed alot...

I’m not nearly as scared about the world as I would like to be. Much of my life has been spent in a haze of paranoia, always imagining where the next kidnapping attempt or natural disaster would come from. I think Brazil just overloaded my system: you cannot possibly be scared of everything there is here to be scared of, so why bother trying? I’m still very safety conscious, and I do still envision kidnapping scenarios in my free time, but most of life just doesn’t terrify me anymore.

I have not an ounce of vanity. I always suspected this was the case, but it turns out to be true. If I’m not going to be inspired to fashion by the stylish Brazilians, then absolutely nothing is going to get me out of my comfy T-shirts. Makeup, hair, plastic surgery, who cares? I think, at heart, I just really don’t care about appearances. Here’s hoping this changes (at least a little bit) back in the States.

I love being American. I’ve never really had a national identity before, but being away from my country has really given me a new perspective on the importance of my own nationality. Despite whether or not my country is currently making me proud or ashamed, I always say I’m American with a smile on my face and simply try to be the best representative of my country that I can be.

I’m a lot friendlier then I suspected. I know, it’s a surprise to me too. I think previous anti-social tendencies of mine really stemmed from a lack of basic ideas about community. But when you are far from home, you’ll grasp at any community that presents itself and I’m so thankful for all the warm-hearted and generous American that I’ve been able to meet while in Rio. Additionally, if one can’t learn to embrace the idea of community from the always-noisy, always-touching, always-present Brazilians, then one is truly hopeless.

I know now that life is unpredictable. This may seem trite, but honestly life has been pretty much predictable up to this point. Now, though, we are unexpectedly coming back to Brazil for another six months, and though I am incredibly excited, I also feel as if I have reached the place where the sidewalk ends and I know not what awaits me on the other side. But, I feel confident that I can face it with the help of friends and family, in a pair of comfy sneakers, and, though with a great deal of nervousness, without any fear.

Thanks again to everyone who has read our blog and provided feedback! We look forward to taking this up again when we return to Brazil in September!

60 Things You Never Knew About Brazil (And Probably Never Wanted To)

It is a traditional for Brazilians to wear white on New Year’s Day  Brazil leads to world in plastic surgery Brazilians refuse to wash their underwear in the laundry machine; it is considered unsanitaryInstead, underwear in Brazil is washed by hand, in the sink or the shower, with special underwear soap McDonald’s can be ordered online and delivered to your home There are several ad campaigns in Brazil encouraging people to pee in the shower According to Brazilians, peeing in the shower saves the rain forest  It is a common conspiracy in Brazil that America has purchased the Amazon in secret and plans to annex it to the United States  Brazil is approximately the same size as the continental United States  All bills – electricity, internet, rent – can only be paid by a direct deposit into a specific bank account  One cent coins exist here, but I’ve never seen one in 9 months  All prices here are always rounded to the nearest 5 cents for convenience  There are currently two different sets of currency in existence  Sour cream does not exist here – anywhere  The best onion rings in the world can be found in Sao Paulo, Brazil at a restaurant called “The Fifties” (yes, in English)  There are more state holidays in Brazil than any other country on earth  Those holidays are in addition to the 30 day mandatory vacation that every employee in Brazil receives  They do celebrate Valentine’s Day here, along with the Day of the Lovers, Day of the Woman, Day of the Man, and Day of the Friends  It is possible to consume shrimp, watermelon, ice cream, fried cheese and beer all while sitting on the sand in your bikini (but not advisable)  Most kiosks along the beach in Rio are open 24 hours a day  Megan’s favorite Brazilian institution is the “chaveiros”: stand-alone, 24-hour key huts on the sidewalk for all your copying needs  Matt’s favorite Brazilian institution is the popcorn salesman who sets sup shop outside the movie theater to undercut the prices inside  For Easter, instead of baskets, it is traditional to give children (and adults) large, plastic eggs that are filled with toys and candy  Brazil is the best, and friendliest, place to be lost in the world  Brazil is the worst, and unfriendliest, place to get anything accomplished in the world  Personal dryers for clothes in the home do not exist here, but washers are very popular  It is possible to tell if a city’s soccer team is winning or not simply by opening the window and listening for the cheers or the cursing  Dogs in Brazil play with coconuts the way dogs in the US play with balls  Frozen yogurt is a very recent and incredibly popular phenomenon here, very similar to Starbucks in the United States  There are two Starbucks in Rio de Janeiro, and they have cinnamon rolls Brazilian wine is atrociously scary; thank god they know how to make a good caipirinha  Most Brazilians do not have a front door key; doormen are the only ones who can let people in or out of the building  It is important in Brazil to remain on good terms with your doorman  There is a sign in every elevator in Rio that says “STOP: check and make sure the elevator has actually halted on the right floor before you step down the elevator shaft”  Rio de Janeiro operates under a no tolerance law for drinking and driving; you are not allowed to drive if you have consumed absolutely any alcohol  Taxis here proudly display bumpers stickers advertising the no tolerance law  Taxi drivers here are really great sports, overall  Many taxis nowadays have mini televisions hooked up in their cars; they are always set to Brazilian soap operas  Brazilian soap operas, or “telenovellas” are incredibly popular here with all genders and age groups  Arabic food is one of the best ethnic foods in Rio de Janeiro  Megan’s favorite word in Portuguese is “parallelippiddo” which means cobblestone  The term for giving birth here is “dar de luz” or literally giving the light  Brazilians have adopted many English words into their own vocabulary, like “voucher” “status” take-out” ”delivery” and “sale” The worst English translation that we’ve ever seen in Brazil was “Melissa Love Pirate” which was proudly emblazoned as the name of a popular shoe store  Construction is so popular in Brazil that it is impossible to live anywhere without omnipresent sound of banging hammers  Most heavy construction is performed by men in a pair of swim trunks and a size-too-small pair of flip-flops  All utilities, including light and internet, are run underneath the city via manholes  You must never, never, never turn the air conditioning and the microwave in your apartment at the same time  Brazilians think that vegetarianism means that you eat no beef, but chicken and fish and pork are still fine  There is no pasteurized milk here  Rental prices in Rio de Janeiro have risen 76% in the last year because of the upcoming Olympics and World Cup  Most Brazilians have a hammock in their apartment  Illegal vans that fit 8-10 people follow along popular bus routes and pick up people, for a price, that have been left behind  On most side walk corners, illegal lotteries are run by innocuous looking old men sitting at a desk all day  Ping-pong (pronounced pingee-pongee) is very popular in Brazil  Not content with mere Frisbee, Brazilians have invented a multitude of their own beach games involving frescobol (like paddle ball) and futevolei (volleyball played with no hands)  There is an American style football league that is run every weekend on Copacabana beach  Brazil has the highest rate of publishing houses to literate people in the world  The most commonly used word in the Portuguese language is “opa”, which translates into “whoops!”  Brazilians shower more often than any other nationality; an average of about 3 times a day  If you ask any Brazilian where in the world they would most like to visit, they will respond with Disney World

Brasilia

Recently, I had the opportunity to travel to Brasilia, the capital city of Brazil to attend a conference. Despite being the seat of government and possessing some of the best examples of modernist architecture in the world, the city is seldom visited due to its incredibly remote location. Pictured to the left is the presidential palace. Under the direction of President Juscelino Kubitschek, Brasilia was constructed out of nothing in just four years. The location was so remote that there was not a paved road within 200 kilometers of the site when work began. The city is also known for having perhaps the most rigid zoning laws in the world, with the initial city plan dictating the most minute details down to the presence of lamp posts and newsstands.

Pictured to the left are the congressional offices, with the Senate Chambers in the domed building and the House in the bowl. The two towers between serve as the offices of the congresspeople. To the left is the view from inside the Metropolitan Cathedral. Each of these buildings were designed by Oscar Neimeyer, who was given nearly full control over the architecture of the city.

Serra do Cipo

The Serra do Cipo (SAY-ha do see-PO) is in the middle of nowhere. Really. Look it up on Google Maps - there is not a road or city or anything within miles. Just lots of mountains, waterfalls, wild horses, overgrown "hiking" trails, and one ex-military Brazilian with a rather large machete who used to live in Boca Raton but now makes his living as a park ranger named Tony.

We stayed at a small pousada that was nestled in the foothill of the mountains. The picture above was the view out our window. It was pretty rustic - goats and all manner of poultry had free run of the place - but still beautiful and very quiet.

This waterfall was called the Veu da Noiva, or the Bride's Veil. It's actually located in a YMCA campground, and is popular with swimmers and cliff divers. No, I didn't go in, but Matt was brave enough and he had a great time.

Click here to see all our pics

Live Blogging from Carnaval

So, despite that fact that Matt and I are holed up in Belo Horizonte during Carnaval, as far away from the craziness of Rio as we could get, we were still really excited being in Brazil during this time. No, we weren't planning on going out and doing anything crazy, we're still total nerds. But we were really excited about getting to watch the parades on TV.

If you've never seen footage of the Carnaval parades in Rio before, I suggest you check out the clip below immediately. It honestly makes the Macy Day's Parade look like it was produced by a 2nd grader. Here's how it works: There are 12 samba schools in the main parade, each with between 3600-4100 people in them. They have 82 minutes to traverse the 1/4 mile length of the Sambadome, during which all of those 4000 people dance and sing while carrying what looks like 50 extra pounds in costume weight. Every school has a theme which their costumes and floats revolve around loosely. First comes the commisao da frente, which are a small group of dancers who have a very precise, choreographed dance they perform. Then the flag carriers, a man and a woman, and trust me you haven't seen a hoop skirt like the one she's got on since Gone with the Wind. Eventually, the bateria appears, which is the huge collection of percussionists that keep the beat for the entire parade.

I wondered why Carnaval is never really broadcast on television in the United States. And trust me it's not because of lewdness, because I've seen worse on cable. I think it might have something to with the enormous liberty that these schools take with history, nations, and people. For instance, the following is a list of all the characters that I saw samba last night: Wizards, Dick Tracy, Pancho Villa, Aliens, Jack Sparrow, Buddha, Batman, Moses, Flappers, Pharoahs, Michael Jackson, Marines (I think my favorite), Druids, Conquistadors, and the Flames of the Inquisition (I kid you not). They seem to be equal opportunity offenders at least.
Still, I don't think I've ever seen that many happy people, even at Disney World.

Sometimes, while in Latin America, you often find yourself critquing the organization, bureaucracy, and just the general togetherness of the people here. But no more. Perhaps they don't believe in informational dissemination quite the way we do, but one thing's for sure: they can sure as hell put on a parade.

Congonhas

About an hour outside of BH, in the middle of an otherwise ugly, industrial town lies the magnum opus of one of Brazil’s most famous artists, Aleijadinho. The artist, whose name literally translates to “little cripple,” suffered from leprosy and eventually had his hands and feet amputated. While the traditional biography of Aleijadinho has been recently disputed, it is believed that the sculptures of the 12 prophets surrounding the church were carved by Aleijadinho after having lost the use of his hands. True or not, the story of Aleijadinho and his sculptures at the Church of Bom Jesus de Matozinhos remains inspirational for many mineiros and is the most important site for Christian pilgrimage in Brazil.

Inhotim

About a two hour bus ride outside of Belo Horizonte, across the mountains, past an industrial wasteland, and through too many tiny villages to count lies a jewel of the modern art world: Inhotim. Imagine a place landscaped within an inch of its life, dotted with seating straight out of a Crate and Barrel catalogue, and then scattered with oversized art installations. Like all wonderful things in the world, it is the result of more money than someone knew what to do with. And even though you constantly have the painfully guilty feeling that this wealth could have been better spent alleviating other, more pressing problems in Brazil, it is still truly an amazing place to behold.
My favorite ‘work’ was called the Sonic Pavillion (pictured above) by an American artist. This was a large, circular building that crouched upon a hill overlooking a beautiful landscape below. Microphones had been dropped 200 meters into the earth, and then the vague sounds of the shifting earth were broadcast into the building. The glass walls were glazed so that the viewer could only see directly in front of themselves, unless they were standing in the center of the room; then they could see the full 360 degrees. It was an amazing experience: You are rooted to the earth, inescapably so, but your vision of the path ahead is clear and far, though hampered by tunnel vision. Unless you center yourself, and then...then everything becomes possible.

Click here to see all our pics from Inhotim.

Pampulha

Pampulha is a ritzy suburb of Belo Horizonte about 20 minutes outside the city center. Normally planned developments aren't really our thing, but this particular one was built by one of Brazil's foremost architects, Oscar Niemayer, in collaboration with one of Brazil's most well-known visionaries, Juscelino Kubitschek (yes, that's a Brazilian name). The result was a man-made lake with a 12 mile circumference dotted by little gems of modernist architecture. The building to the left is actually a church, believe it or not, and one of the most distinctive buildings in Brazil. Visiting it was actually a little shocking, even for the non-religious. Realizing that it was built almost 60 years ago makes it impressive. All in all, it was a nice break from the overly ornate churches of baroque Portugal and colonial Brazil.

Another Niemeyer building on the lake was the Casa do Baile. Now used as an architectual museum of Belo Horizonte, it was originally created to host dances and parties. Overall, Pampulha provided a refreshing, if strange, contrast to the omnipresent skyscrapers of Brazil and serves to remind you that this country can be about so much more then beaches and soccer.

Ouro Preto

Yesterday we decided to take a trip outside the city of Belo Horizonte to the village of Ouro Preto, a small colonial mining town from the 17th century nestled in the mountains. Once the epicenter of the gold and diamond boom in Brazil, it now plays host to tourists attracted by its many churches and gorgeous vistas.
Not only does it have breathtaking views, but somehow the town has managed to achieve that perfect state of charming ruin. The churches are crumbling and mildewed, grass grows out of every crevice, and the interiors are thick with dust and shadows, and yet somehow they are the better for it.

My favorite part was the old opera house. It has the distincion of being the oldest running opera house in the Americas, still in use today after its creation in 1740. Click here to see the rest of our pics.

The Top 10 Reasons to Travel with a Historian

10) It could be worse: they could be an –ologist. You know, anthropologist, biologist, etc.
9) Historians sometimes answer the question “And how was your day honey?” with a “Oh, pretty normal, just reading some letters written by a king from the 17th century.”
8) They get to go on awesome trips like this one.
7) It’s really funny when they don’t know some really simple historical fact, and it can be used to embarrass them for years.
6) Even though historians lie and say that they know more languages than they really do, they still know more than the average person, and it can be pretty useful.
5) They all like to drink...a lot.
4) What other profession can be symbolized by pocket protectors and elbow patches?
3) Usually historians can actually answer those pesky, rhetorical questions that you ask yourself in a new place, like “When was this city founded?” and “Why do they like to eat that funky stuff?”*
2) Watching their attempts at assimilation can be pretty amusing. One word: Speedo.
1) Historians are important!
Okay, once you’re done laughing, keep reading.
Let me explain. To plagiarize heavily from a common economics lecture, take a Taco Bell meal. No one person on the earth knows everything there is to know about how to make that meal. No one knows at what time the tomatoes ripen best, at what temperature to cook the tortilla shells, and the marketing ploys behind the color of the wrapper. It takes a lot of different people.

History is like that. The next time you say to someone, “Yeah Brazil, don’t they speak Portuguese?” you should go out and hug a historian. Because hundreds of people have worked for centuries on thousands of different issues so that the very big and complex issue of world history can filter down into a textbook and then into our little pea brains. Just like a meal from Taco Bell, except not quite as tasty and much more educational.

So go on, hug your nearest historian. Oh, not too closely...remember that pocket protector...

Monkeys, Quatis, and Mountains, Oh My!

Today we went out to the Parque das Mangabeiras, which is a beautiful nature park only about a 15 minture drive from our apartment. Though this place was rife with views of the verdant mountains and the urban sprawl below, the best thing of all was the wildlife.

About 10 minutes after we were there, Matt and I were walking down a trail, when all the sudden we were surrounded by a pack of wild monkeys that were playing in the trees. These small little creatures are very common in Brazil (think squirrels) but I was fascinated with their cute litte faces and obvious intelligence. And, of course, monkeys are very photogenic.

This litte guy is called a quati (kwa-chee) and is also apparently pretty common in Brazil. He was very curious, mostly about the food that people were trying to feed him with, but he seemed comfortable in front of the camera.