Things You Need to Get Used Too (2)

• Moskitos.
  IF you see them (because they are sometimes invisible!), they are fast and hungry. With time you do get better at swatting the motion though...
• Hearing about people getting mugged.
• Majority of the time, regardless of how the day starts, it'll be sunny and really hot at some point.
• The universal smell of garlic and onions. everywhere.
• Homeless people sleeping on the streets during the day. 
• Buses taking routes they want, rather than the bus route they are suppose to do.
• People yelling: at their kids, their significant others, from car to car, from across the street, anywhere really...
• Sometimes there's water shortages.
• 8-10 policemen standing at the same corner, drinking beers.

No Visits

I can't ever seem to find enough words to express how awesome I think this city is... The only thing missing is someone experiencing it with me. When I left, there were people that clearly told me that they couldn't come. They've bought houses, got married or had children. I understand all of those. 

Then there are others who choose things, rather than the experience of coming to see me... and that not only makes me angry, it makes me really sad!! Especially because I have a place where I can freely receive visits...

Thing You Need to Get Used To

When you live in Rio de Janeiro, there are some things you need to get used to:

• Lifting your feet when walking.
  This is to avoid tripping due to the floor being uneven. 
• Looking at where you're going to be stepping.
  It might be a puddle of urine.
• The noise of helicopters.
  They are everywhere.
• Getting mugged.
  When I lived at the hostel I'd hear about this all the time. People get robbed anywhere at anytime. 
• Not having easy access to healthy snacks.
  They have "juelhos" : ham and cheese pastries everywhere.
• Banks go on strike.
• There are line-ups for everything.
• The police are useless.
• Per/Kilo places aren't high in quality, but essential for a budget.

Samba School Practice - Choosing Music

Yesterday it was the first time in my life that I`ve ever gotten close to a SAMBA EXPERIENCE.


A friend of a friend gave us free tickets to Mangueira Samba School.

Incase you don`t know much about Carnaval Schools...


It was just insanely amazing. I stared around for the first hour. There`s colors of the school: pink, green and white.
The sounds of samba... amazing... seeing people knowing the brand new lyrics... singing and dancing with such intense passion.. wow!!


Mind blowing experience. 

Did it. Another Milestone.

Yesterday I got the call. I got the room at the apartment. This is the first time I actually get a room I truly want.
It has a phenomenal location, it`s clean, it`s relatively safe and I have a window.

I have a room. I have a fan. I have 3 drawers.
There`s a kitchen, a washing machine, a decent bathroom, WIFI and cool living room.
I have ONE roommate. Sheila.

Things I've Done.

A brief list.

• Went to ArtRio Exposition 2013 for FREE.
• Worked in my PJs, watching movies and doing my nails.
• Respected my bitch of a boss... Kept calm, in situations where I would've flipped my switch.
• Went to a VIP Forro party so close to the Christo Redentor statue, I was basically high-fiving him.
• HAVEN'T been robbed yet.
• Made phenomenal friends.
  - Hostel staff.
  - Hostel guests:
      - Richard: British. Early 50s? Who looked brazilian, but wore Brazil tourist shirts, hats and bracelets. He was always with a drink in hand, played the music and loved to dance and videotaped almost every night.
      - Markus: Sweedish. 28. Deeply inlove with his awesome girlfriend. Had a phenomenal sense of humor. Always up to try new things. Vegetarian. Showed us how he was taught to swim by lying on top of two chairs.
       - Zach: American. 33. Loyal. Wants to learn Portuguese.

What's your plan?

I've made plans... I left Canada with a plan. Most of them haven't worked.

The one plan I really had was: I WANT TO LIVE IN RIO.

Every day when I wake up and realize I'm in Rio, I'm happy.

Someone I know came up to me on facebook and asked:
"How long do you plan on staying there?"

"I dunno." I replied.  

"What do you mean you don't know? You can't stay there forever..." The person says.

It's rather funny how people seem to think they have the right to think about what you can or cannot do.

I love being here, right now. I can be here right now. I don't think of it as having an expiring date.

This is what I chose and I'm continuously choosing. 

Back to Square One.

Jobless and Homeless again.

BBQ in Santa Teresa

I got up for breakfast as per usual. I'm still wearing my best sunburn.
I spent hours on the phone with RBC, because even thought I told them I'd be away, they still decided to block my card.
By 5pm, I got an invite to go to Santa Teresa for a BBQ. I left at 6pm... I managed to take a wrong bus and end up in Villa Isabel. Then I took a taxi there.
Saw my awesome Lapa friends. Then made it back home in time to go the Funk Party. I came home, I slept 2 hours and I'm working in my PJs. Only about 4 hours of work to go... Then I'll take a shower, head down to Lapa again... today there's Samba at Pedra do Sal!

Goodbye Alex & Charlie

At the place I am working & staying I met two really cool roomies.

Alex - From Australia. He's into yoga. He teaches English. He is talk and looks Swedish. He's very peaceful and funny. He was awesome to meet.
Charlie - From England. Worked at the bar. Looks like Elijah Wood. Is fun and funny.

Today they both leave. I'll miss them. They were like short term brothers.

Day OFF.

Today was my first day off since I`ve began working at the hostel.

A guest (Zach) and I had breakfast and went to Copacabana beach. We sat there for about 45 minutes, then walked to Ipanema... then we had some fish n' chips at post nine.

I am so happy to be livin' in Brazil. :D

We walked around some more. I got a MEAN sunburn. Then I came home to shower.

Now I'm taking a shower, having some beers and going out. Yessss!!!

Negative Job Aspects

As I eat ANOTHER plate of rice and beans for lunch, I figured I should probably write some of the downsides of working at this hostel.

Yup, so breakfast is the same thing everyday.
Lunch, if there is any, it's rice and beans (without any flavour) and meat that's full of nerves.

Because I live at work, it's hard to leave work. I'm not able to finish my shift and not see any stupid guests. They seem to think that once you're done working, they can continue to ask you for things. They constantly ask you for favors. 

The maid's constant complaining about the boss is annoying.
But the absolute worse... is the maid's religious music that she plays realllly loud out of her smartphone!!!

Another Opportunity

I returned to an address in Ipanema that I had been to 3 years ago. I had written asking for a job as a receptionist. Haha. The coolest part about applying for jobs in Brazil is that I get call backs because the majority of people actually find my CV interesting.. hahaha...

It's a small hostel, but it's clean!
Also this guy's verbal contract is that I should only work 4 days a week!
This new place doesn't have a 'varal' to dry my clothes, nor does he promise me breakfast.
However, it's EXACTLY where I want to live: Ipanema!
To me, it's the world's coolest beach... and I might be going to live there.
I'm just waiting for the guy's approval (he said he would interview other people...)

I also went for an interview to greet people that come from cruise-ships... Except that job will only start in December... The interview went great though! :)

The Past Few Days...

I sit here listening to certanejo (Brazilian Country Music). Marcelinho from Santa Catarina would be so proud!! haha..

It's my fourth (rough) morning where I work from 8-4. 

The past few days have been so ridiculously fun, sometimes I almost feel guilty. 

Except this was what I chose. Haha. And I'm lovingggg it!

Friday to Saturday I didn't sleep, just got home, showered and put on some different clothes.

It's hard NOT to have a crazy schedule living in Brazil. There's ALWAYS something to do. Either with guests or with the friends I've made from different hostels.
Yesterday I went to the Favela Funk Party. It's a huge party in a warehouse far from here. It's an "organized tour" where hostels basically put tourists in a van and take them there to party.

This whole event was free for me... but the best part is the networking because I get to know various different tour guides.

Working at this Hostel

Working at the reception of a Hostel is awesome. 

1. It's an easy job.
   I check people in, answer the phone, surf the internet, socialize and push a buzzer so people can open the door.
2. I'm beginning to learn what activities in Rio are on what day.
   I know when and where the markets and good parties are.
3. The job has perks.
   If I sell a certain tour, I can go with them for free. (I can't wait to hang glide!)

At this particular hostel, I am four blocks away from Copacabana Beach. It's located on a quiet corner. The owner used to be in the army and carries himself with alot of pride. He has friends over almost every night. They watch the game and drink. His wife and son are always around. His other kids always call.

Then there's Camilla. She's an interesting character...
This is a lady from across the street, in her late forties who comes visit the hostel with her dog Malin (a boxer that always wears a bow around her neck).
She speaks French. She used to travel by boat with her father. She has many many stories.
She came over to read me about 1000 pages of poetry she wrote.
Most of her poetry revolves around the fact that she feels like she wasn't truly loved by a man, and never had children. She uses metaphors of the ocean and of storms in order to depict what she feels. Awesome, but repetitive.