Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Time Flies



Hard to believe it has already been a month.  The project is only 2 weeks from being over....but I am not going to worry too much about that right now.

Last saturday I went to the Mexico vs Japan game at Estadio Mineirao, it was one hell of a time. I must admit, I have gained some respect for the game of soccer while here in Brazil. So long as I don't see anyone taken off the field on a stretcher for a stubbed toe or bruised ego.

The fans are so passionate about the game, and being at the stadium was an experience of it's own. Songs and chants, as well as the wave, kept you entertained if at times the game did not.
After the game, my Irish bud, Conner and I got lost trying to find our bus stop. We ended up walking through the campus of Universade Federal de Minas Gerais, which was completely deserted. We knew there were protests going on somewhere because we could here explosives and loud chants nearby. We walked to the entrance of the campus, where we were greeted by hundreds if not thousands of police and members of the Brazilian military. A little nervous, as it was just two foreign kids lost, looking for a bus, I went up to the officers and asked if we could exit through them. Good thing he understood me, he walked us through the military who looked like they were prepared for war, and unlocked the heavily guarded gate so Connor and I could exit.

As soon as we left the University entrance it was clear what had just happened, broken glass, huge stones, burning objects and remnants of tear gas and rubber bullets litered the area. These military police had just protected the University from the protest, which appeared to be more of a riot this particular evening. Connor and I followed the protest route, where we could see explosions, fires, helicopters, students and police not far in front of us. I asked a few people where we could find the buses, since everything seemed shut down in the area. They warned us not to follow the protest because it had been quite violent, so we found an alternate route...through some neighborhoods. An hour later we found our way to the nearest mall where we located our buses and went home.

The government is starting to realize that they have no choice but to make some changes if they want these protests to stop. More people are joining, and not always the right people. Vandals and young kids looking for social events are now participating, which can be counter productive for everyone.  There will be another protest today after the game, since Brazil is playing Uruguay in Belo Horizonte this afternoon. Hopefully everyone keeps a cool head, and things do not escalate.

Futebol AMERICANO


On a more cheerful note, this week I began teaching the kids a hybrid version of American Football. I have taught them all the basics of the game: catching, throwing, snapping, kicking and running. However, the sport is both too violent and too complicated to actually teach them in one week. Instead, I created a game that is a mix of football, rugby, ultimate frisbee and handball. They love it.

Basic rules:

1) The object of the game is to score in the goal (soccer goal)
2) Only using your hands, throw the ball to your teammates to advance forward
3) You can throw any direction
4) You may only take 3 steps once you catch the ball
5) Defenders can try to strip and intercept the ball
6) After a goal, the goalie of the scoring team must punt (kickoff) the ball to the other team, who catches the ball and advances it.

That is the basic idea. It is easy, fun, and I think you should play it.

I only have to work three days this week with the kids because Brazil is playing a game today (no school throughout the city), and tomorrow is our day off. Furthermore, friday is our principals birthday, so there is a school-wide party....this is fun.

I'm running out of time and money here, which is sad. But I'm looking to fit everything in that I can while the two still exist. And I am already starting to think of a possible return plan to Brazil post grad...but only time will tell.

Live it up my friends.


- Brandis

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Wild Ride



In the past few days, Belo Horizonte has gone from a very calm and tranquil city to a city of frustration and protests. Protests that began in Sao Paulo over an increase in bus fare have developed and multiplied into large scale protests over government spending all over Brazil, and recently, even the world. Places like France and Korea have joined in support of Brazil, whose citizens are asking the government to make responsible decisions with the spending leading up to the world cup. Raising worker wages, decreasing bus fares, repairing broken infrastructure and improving schools are just a few of the demands from the young and vigilant population. While the idea of having big events such as the world cup and the olympics is appealing, the reality of hosting these global events requires the funneling of valuable resources into stadiums and event centers. The Brazilian population is finally fed up with the high cost of living (which is quickly diffusing my funds!) These people are not satisfied with living worse as a trade for a soccer tournament....no matter how much they love futbol!

Saturday will be the biggest protest in Belo Horizonte. Over 200,000 people will join in the streets to voice their concerns to the government. I will be attending the Japan vs Mexico match that day, at Maneiro Stadium....one of the final stops of the protest. We shouldn't run into any problems, but I am excited with what I may witness on saturday.

I also think it is important to note the incredible organization that exists within this movement. The power of social networking is in display here. The Occupy Protests seem like a joke compared to these; with their demands clear, their protests precise and swift, and the government is actually taking some small measures to respond. (Rolling back the bus fare hike) It is yet to be seen how long this will last, but something tells me that the bus fares were just the beginning of the problem.

O SITIO!

This past weekend I went to my host family's farm, 2 hours away from Belo Horizonte. It was a great escape, the nature and tranquility actually reminded me of home in a way. The farm was amazing. When we first arrived, Lucas and Gabriel immediately showed me all the animals, fruits, ponds and other cool things they had. It is actually pretty incredible how self-sufficient this family is....they grow their own fruits, vegetables, eggs, cheese and milk. And I am fortunate enough to consume it all! Hah.

My host mom, Marta, cooked dinner on the fogão de lenha, an old school stove that uses wood fire to create heat. I don't think I will ever get tired of eating rice and beans, it is by far the best combination of food I've had consistently.


After dinner I went up on one of the hills behind the house and just looked at the stars for a while. Corny as it sounds, it was one of the most beautiful things I have seen. Away from the city, in South America, the stars are so much bigger and clearer. I took it all in, thought about how fortunate I was to be here and then hit the bed.

In the morning, Lucas, Marta and I went on a hike through their property as Gabriel did his homework. It was quite the walk, through the woods, up steep hills, through fences, cows, horses...everything. Afterwards, we had lunch and Lucas, Gabriel and I hung out before watching the Mexico vs Italy futbol match.


SEGUNDA-FEIRA

Monday we had the day off of work because Brazil had a futbol match....isn't that awesome? So myself and the other trainees headed to the mall to buy some tickets to the Mexico vs Japan match this sunday. There are a few things about Brazil, or Belo Horizonte that I am having trouble getting used to....service is often slow and casual...and being late is more than normal. We waited in line to buy the tickets for 2 hours....and there was maybe only 20 people in line in front of us. For some unknown reason they had one ticket booth open, and the ticket worker insisted on having in depth conversations with everyone. Ha, we all got pretty mad waiting so long but it was all worth it once we got the tickets in our hands. 

Afterwards we went to see the Hangover 3....and during the movie I forgot I was in Brazil because it was in English and I was in a movie theatre, a very familiar sight. 

WORK

Work is going very well, we are doing our best! Sometimes it is difficult to keep the attention of such young kids but they always enjoy our company and keep a smile on our faces. It can be frustrating at times because I cannot always communicate what I need to the kids, and I have to rely on people like Cheko to translate for me. But they are learning to understand my horrible portuguese. Some kids understand me better, and speak more clearly than the others; I lean on them to help me communicate with the other kids.

We taught them kickball yesterday, they liked it, but don't really understand much other than kicking and running...sometimes to the wrong base. I am not sure if I will end up teaching them American Football or not, it may just be too difficult for them to grasp. I will talk with the project managers tonight to see what they think. It is possible that I will teach a very simple version, more like rugby...

That's all for now.

Some cool pictures from the farm:








- Brandis


Brandis in Belo Horizonte, Brazil



A lot has happened in a week; Last friday my friend Cheko and I went on a bus tour around some of the most important tourist locations in BH: Praca de Liberdade, Palacio de Liberdade, Parque das Mangaberias and Praca do Papa. The views were amazing, the bright blue sky and shining sun made everything that much better. We also stumbled across Coatis and these tiny little monkeys that loved the camera. Unfortunately my camera (phone) died before I had a chance to take any pictures at Mangeberias, so I have to use other peoples photos to give you an idea of what I experienced.

 The best part of this tour, arguably, wasn't even the views. Cheko and I were being followed by bunch of camera crews because it was the first day of "Tour Week" in BH. They loved us particularly because we were foreigners, an American and A mexican. It felt like we were acting in a movie, as they had us pretend to do things, eat Pao de Queijo and interview multiple times. All in good fun though, we enjoyed our 15 seconds of fame. We were featured in a news broadcast later that evening.



After the tour, I got on the wrong bus, this time on purpose. I wanted to see other parts of the city. Unfortunately, this bus took me about an hour and a half away from the center, and I really had no idea where I was. But the good news is, I was able to communicate decently with the bus driver, who helped me locate the subway. I stayed on the bus until we got near the subway, and from there, I just ended up taking a cab to the city center before finding the correct bus home. 

Segunda


Monday was the first day of WORK! Finally. Cheko, Mable and I had to create presentations about our countries to the students. When we first arrived, the kids went wild! So excited to meet us, especially since we were different from them. All the kids came up to me asking my name a million times because it is not a name here in Brazil (but really, where is Brandis a name?) They all look at me with puppy eyes and tilt their head when I say my name. They pronounce it more like Brenz...but hey i'll be Brenz for a while. They all also insisted on me saying English words, they didn't care what they were or what they meant, they just wanted to hear english!

The presentations were in the dance room, with a projector on the large white wall. I went last, and it was a pretty funny experience. Obviously, I do not speak much portuguese at all. So, I wrote down all the things I needed to say in portuguese on a notepad, with the help of google (my homie here.) I tried my best, and with the help of Livia our project manager, I presented some interesting facts about America. After I finished they gave me a huge round of applause, apparently trying to support my Portuguese haha. 

Afterwards, our school Principal, Issa, took us to Mercado Central. A huge market in the center of the city full of foods, clothes, animals, bars and anything else you could want! It was a great place to see, and Issa was nice enough to buy us Empadas and Lemonade to drink.

Terca


Tuesday was a great day at work. When we arrived, the boys immediately came to Cheko and I and asked us to play soccer. How could I turn down such an offer. My team was clearly more athletic, older, and overall better suited for the match. I scored the first goal, and the students all went wild as I did my make-shift soccer celebration. It was fun to play with the kids for the first time, they are so cheerful and happy when playing soccer.

After the quick match, we headed off to Museu Força Expedicionária Brasileira. This museum commemorates the military partnership between the United States and the special Brazilian forces in Italy during WW2. Before tuesday, I had no idea that Brazil played a part in the victory in the war, but it was an amazing history lesson which helped explain the current relationship between the US and Brazilian governments.
 

QUARTO


Yesterday, I woke up feeling a little sick. The weather here fluctuates a bit by day and night, so my body is trying to get used to it. I didn't eat much for breakfast, and I also didn't eat much of the lunch they give us when we arrive at Hugo Werneck (the school name.) Mabel was already sick, and not attending, so I figured I needed to go. We arrived, and spent most of the day with the schools dance team as they prepare for a performance on friday. They are pretty talented for the age. In the middle of their practice, Cheko and I presented some more on our countries. Cheko brought some spicy peppers from Mexcio, they all took bites and all 20 of them immediately ran to the drinking fountain, one after another. It was a hilarious site. I presented on American celebrities, music, movies and sports. They know so many American celebrities because they listen to American music and watch American movies all the time. Sports, on the other hand, were mostly foreign to them. Hockey and American Football are not played here, so they were intrigued to see that. And were impressed when I showed them a picture of myself playing football ha.
 
Afterwards, Ana, the dance instructor at the school, took us to get some Acai ice cream. This stuff is delicious!

The journey home after work is the worst. The bus is always way over capacity, and by the time I get on it, there is barely even room to stand. For nearly an hour and a half, I stand in a sticky, crowded bus. But it is nice to know that a good meal and a cold shower is waiting for me on the other side.

HOJE

Today is our day off from work. Each thursday we have a day to relax, travel around the city, and at night we have a meeting to discuss the project with our project managers. Cheko, his friend Samara, and I went to the zoo today to see what kinda animals Brazil had to offer! It was cool, but I can't say they had anything that we do not have in the states.

We had our weekly meeting tonight, and I met another American named Rosa. She is from Cali and is very cool; looking forward to getting to know her more throughout my time here. I will show her some cool places I have been to, tomorrow. Hopefully the adjustment will be just as quick and easy for her as it was for me. Afterwards we went to the bar to have a short celebration of her arrival, with Brahma, of course.

Tomorrow for "work", I get to go watch some capoeira. Let's go!

On monday I start teaching the kids American Football, I am really excited for that!

Obrigado, e bom dia!


To keep up with Brandis's blog: http://driblandobrandis.blogspot.com/