Starting with a 10 day crash course in everything Brazilian and planning the community service project we will be doing in Victoria, Macon in going to be my new home away from home until May 30th. Then it is "Tchau" (chow) to Maconga and Bom Dia to the southern hemisphere! With a 9.5 hour flight between America and one of the coolest up and coming countries in the global market. (Also I am terrified of flying..... so hopefully between NightQuil and my iPod the flight will just fly by - see what I did there? )
Now in these 10 days, 4 being dedicated to Brazilian culture and the language, and 4 for the service project, we are already well on our way into our lessons. Using Brazil on the Rise by Larry Rohter as our guide into the life and culture of Brazilians, we have broken up the chapters to have a classroom based discussion about our ideas and thoughts while still in America. So far this novel has proved to reveal a valuable insight into the Brazilian political, cultural and social problems that exist not only within the countries but especially within the favelas that surround many of the large cities in Brazil. A favela can be described as a collection of make shift houses that reside on government land and due to the housing crisis that once existed as well as the rampant poverty that plagues the people.
Two of the most exciting parts about our pre Brazil lessons are the movies that we get to watch and the Portuguese I get to learn. Today, we watched a film called Wasteland (which is on Netflix if you are interested) that chronicles the lives and experiences of native Brazilians who work in the city dump, "pickers", collecting recycled goods for $20 US Dollars a day. Through the help of a famous Brazilian artist, Vik Muniz - he depicts the scene of the emotional struggle faced by this subculture through the medium of the things they collect - recycled goods. Vik takes pictures of the strife and strength that these amazing people show and creates amazing works of art that change the lives of the "pickers"as well as his own. There are so many tragic stories told throughout this documentary however is shows the determination of the people and their ability to persist to survive, while dreaming of more for themselves and their children.
Now..... about learning Portuguese. So basically I thought that Portuguese was just fancy spanish..... I was wrong. It is 1/3 Spanish and 2/3 confusing, if you took Spanish ever in your life. When Dr. Spears, my professors who speaks Portuguese fluently, begins class he uses common phrases and words that we are going to need to know to function in another country for 3 weeks.
For example:
Bom Dia: Good Day ---> this one is pretty simple
Tudo Bem?: Are you well ----> harder, as a reply you say the same thing back but your tone indicates how you actually are feeling..... yeah tricksy.
Last one.....
Eu Sou _________: My name is _______ ----> however Eu is pronounced (A-ooh) and Sou is (So), not so difficult but enough to confuse you while reading it off the board, lol
So basically I have the introduction part of Portuguese down.... sort of... but I cannot wait to see what is in store for tomorrow. I am presenting my chapter in the book that concerns racial relations and the black versus "level of whiteness" controversy that exists unofficially in Brazil tomorrow.
So tchau (chow) and wish me luck on my Portuguese!
