Protests in Brazil

In the city of Sao Paulo is where all this commotion began. They raised the prices for a bus ticket 20Cents and Brazilian began to revolt against the system.

It started because 20 cents is ridiculous, now it gave way to a movement demanding that the government take care of their people by investing in education, health care and infrastructure. They are asking that instead of spending billions on stadiums for the Fifa World Cup and the Olympics, that they spend it on the people and their well being.

This isn't a crazy idea, is it?

I was personally surprised that it's taking place right now, when it could've taken place months or years ago!

It's very nice to see Brazilians standing up for something they want and can have.

As a Brazilian who grew up in Canada, nothing frustrates me more than seeing the potential that Brazil has to be better, yet not gathering motion collectively in order to move forward.

I am proud to see Brazilians demanding a better quality of life. I wish I were there protesting with the crowd. I want to walk with them too and be a part of the voice that isn't choosing to sit around anymore.

Yesterday on TV,  in between the soap operas, images of different places in Brazil were being shown of massive amounts of people demonstrating. The crowd INVADED the roof of the National Congress in Brasilia!!!
People came out in every capital of every state.

My Brazilian friends on facebook were constantly updating/liking/sharing stories in order to motivate and encourage the support of the movement.

So as I sat here, I wondered, what was Canada shown from this? Was Brazil portrayed as a crazy country out of control?
What could be worse, that it's not being shown at all, or that it's being portrayed as a hate crime rather than a protest?

You see, the inevitable about protests is that yes there is violence. In Canada there's violence in protests too.
And what I always get tired of stressing is that violence is necessary. Not violence to the extreme of mass-murders, but the standard of some vandalism is downright inevitable. It's ONLY the violence that is shown to the outsiders. It's also what makes it irritating, because it blurs reality.
The protest (given the magnitudes) were pretty peaceful... it was merely a few people arrested... not a nation! Is it making Brazil dangerous? Hah... how? Because the citizens are demanding for a better Brazil with better education, healthcare and infrastructure? Lol... please! Yeah, that's definitely crazy dangerous... 

I'm in Brazil and not afraid to be here.

A Typical Weekend - Another Option

Friday came fast. Leandro got home and we packed to go to Florianopolis. 12$ and 100-something kilometres later we reach the awesome island. I had gone there in 2010. In the winter the location is merely  mediocre, but it’s not a bad option.

We arrived at Leandro’s mom’s place around  11pm. We had some pasta and just sat around relaxing. The best feature about Tia Laurinha’s place is that it’s small. We have to constantly be with eachother, so we all sit in the same room or kitchen. We went to bed early that night.

Saturday morning at 10am, I hear a voice in the kitchen retelling events from merely a few hours ago. His voice and excitement kept me from sleeping, so I got up and went to brush my teeth.

As I opened the door, I saw Marcelo. He's Thiago's cousin. A handsome 27 y.o. dentist with a very outgoing and friendly personality. 

We hung around till they asked me if I want to go with them shopping, I accepted. I quickly took a shower and got into his truck. We cruised the streets of Florianopolis hearing Marcelo's certanejo. Certanejo is Brazilian country music. It's so romantic it gives me heartburn.

We shop, come home and then go see the Fifa game at his apartment. 

This is where I go nuts. 

He pull up into a building that's beachfront at Praia dos Ingleses.

Despite the day not being marvelous, I could imagine the place on a sunny day, wow, what a location. 

The wheels begin to turn. Is Florianopolis an option? Is it a simple beach life that I'm after? What was I in search of when I decided to come to Brazil? There's so much beach in country.... so many options.

Before going to pick up his girlfriend, Marcelo showed me around Florianopolis. Without intent he was selling me the place, it has an airport, has beaches, is safe, has tourism, has fun, has great weather, has great job opportunities - so why not?

Sunday - We had a family BBQ, we weren't many, and we certainly weren't all blood related, but we ate copious amounts of meat and drank many beers together infront of the ocean at Marcelo's apartment. I hovered near the water and even caught glimpse of 2 penguins. How crazy is that? Real wildlife, not in a box...

This is a possibility. 

Another Milestone.

A few weeks ago, my very wise friend Leandro B invited me to his place and offered help. It took a while to figure out if the right thing was to get help.

When I decided to move here I gave it a lot of thought, but the inevitable is that one will NEVER be able to think of everything. So what didn't I think of?

I hadn't thought that Rio de Janeiro would be busy. I mean, I know alot of things happen there, but I wasn't able to forecast that #1: the Pope is going to there for the "Youth Day" in July 2013 and that #2: Rio is hosting the Confederations Cup in June. Prices everywhere will be on the rise!

When I went out looking for places to live, everything was expensive and people are looking for people during those periods that want to pay. That's no me!

So I took a chance and put my trust in Leandro. I got on a plane and few to Florianopolis. It's bitchin' cold!! How do I (AGAIN) find myself frozen in Brazil? In the humidity? Urghhhhh...

Day one: Where am I? I find a tourist booth and obtain the worst scaled map ever created. I wander and go to the market. I see shrimp as big as my feet for sale! I need to learn to cook shrimp!! I get home and start looking for where everything is to make my documents; turns out all the places are about 2-3 streets away from where I'm located. I go collect information. Here I need to get my CPF before I get my Carteira de Identidade, ok, so I go to the bank, and they don't need an address... It's funny how everything got so simple.

Day two: I try to sleep in but there's construction going on. I toss and turn and I give in, I get up. I eat some pao de queijo for breakfast. I eat a yogurt and a banana. I answer emails and finally decide to shower. I'm ready by 1:30pm. I go take pictures. Everything goes well.

Then I decided to casually go into the bank and see what documents they need for me to make my CPF. Turn out they don't need an address. Phenom. I come home (3 streets away!), gather my documents and rush back. I pay the 5,70$R fee. I go get another number and the woman taps her keyboard a few time and goes to the printer and gives me my CPF. I couldn't stop smiling. I did it. I did it.

It was only 2:30 pm, I figured I can go try to do my carteira de identidade, the place closes at 6pm anyway. I arrive and there's no one there. What? How lucky am I? The woman taps another few keys on her computer and before I know it, there's someone putting ink all over my fingers. I did it. I am a recognized Brazilian and I can do anything! I can buy ANYTHING here. I can function. I did this.

This was a huge hurdle.
When I woke up, I hadn't even imagined I'd be able to get so much done.
Now all I have to do is wait 10 business days till I got pick up my card.
I did it. What a good feeling.

That's what made me happy.

Anyone who has traveled understands the beauty in finding a shirt to wear that's "not too stinky"!

Rainy Monday Night

I'm still alone in my 9 person dorm. I sit here on my bunk bed, in my pink plaid pajamas, drinking bottled water, shamelessly listening to the Backstreet Boys whilst crafting my CV. Life is good. :)

First Milestone.

It's pouring rain today.

I went to Botafogo Shopping to buy a local "CHIP" for my cellphone and the didn't have any left at Lojas Americans. The lady told me to go to Casa & Videos about two blocks away... and that's where I bought my CHIP with my RIO phone number.
It's kind of funny, you literally walk up to a sign that has the different operators (phone companies): Claro, Vivo, TIM, OI and under them there are slots with different phone numbers displayed. You litteraly pick your number.

Phone numbers in Brasil are 8 numbers. I tried to find one that had some sort of logic, or numbers that I've had in the past, or that my friends have, but there was no pattern. So I tried to pick one with as many of the same number as possible, strategic, huh? hehe...

Then I went back to the Claro Shop and they told me that I have to go to another store if I don't have CPF. I started getting anxiety because I wasn't thinking it would be possible or that I wouldn't have enough money (I left with about 25$R in my pocket).

After walking a few blocks and getting splashed by cars driving, by I arrived. The registration was free and took about 10 minutes. The guy just asked for my passport, and TA-DA ladies and gentlemen.... I HAVE A ZERO-21 phone number!! Yehhhhhhhh!!!
Then I put lots of credit on it. Now I can call all kinds!

On the priority list: appointment for my carteira de identidade. Then apartments... yehhhhh!!!

Getting it done!

Sunday classifieds.

New Flow of Things

Since I've been in this marvelous city I now get to call home, I've been staying at Hostels. They environment and vibe is still the same: people coming to visit and making the best of their days. Waking up early and squeezing in as many touristy activities as they can, taking naps and going to P-A-R-T-Y until 6AM.

My attitude now is different. I spend the majority of my days trying to schedule a possibility to go see an apartment. Any apartment. I'm not being picky, I just want be in action.
I don't go out either. It's weird staying at an empty hostel on a Friday and Saturday night. I'm choosing this.

I have plenty of time to go out once I'm settled and I have a steady income.
I'll have plenty of sunny days ahead to go to the beach too.
I just hope I'll have friends.
The easy thing about staying at a hostels is that the people you meet are open to invite you to go with them to places. Once I'm living alone, I don't know if I'll have this ability to make friends that I can go out with.

A Typical Saturday

I woke up late because the curtains in the room are really thick, so no light went through. I didn't miss breakfast though.
It's the usual: bread, ham, cheese, milk, banana, melon, pear.

I split the taxi with the two boys that were in my dorm last night and I made it to Ipanema spending only 3$R.

I had to walk a block towards the beach and there isn't a better feeling than seeing it appear slowly with every step.
I don't have the right words to express how awesome seeing it all is. Three years ago I dreamt of calling this place home and here I am. Continuously hearing myself think "I moved here, I live here. OMG. I live here. This is where I live. This is what I chose."

There's people, all kinds. BEAUTIFUL, beach cultured people. Yes, beach cultured. They are toned, fit, defined, healthy, kissed by the sun and just being there. They take up the chairs and create a vibe.

I love it. I love being in this city.