Addison Claire

Three years ago today, I became an uncle.

Happy birthday to you :)

A (Brazilian) Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

This past Wednesday night/Thursday morning, two of my friends/classmates and I sat down to watch "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" on YouTube to help us get in the mood for the coming holiday. Little did I know Charlie Brown and the rest of the Peanuts gang's experience would foreshadow my own.

Even though we were (still are) in Brazil for the holiday, my friends and I were determined to celebrate Thanksgiving in the typical American fashion: eating a massive meal. We had talked about it since we arrived in Rio, and ideas and planning intensified as November rolled around. But over the course of our time here, our group has developed a notorious habit of talking but not walking--that is, we have intentions to do things, but actually carrying them out is an entirely different story: we were planning to go to Salvador but never actually did; we were supposed go hang-gliding but slept in; and we were going to on a boat tour of the Cagarras Islands, but we'll see if that actually happens. As Thanksgiving got closer, plans for a meal did seem to become more clear. But there was still a sense of doubt through it all, a sense that we weren't going to pull it off.

I was not about to let this happen. And neither was my friend, Christa.

So with a week remaining before the big day, we designated ourselves the official meal coordinators. And over the course of the week, we made lists, sent emails and invitations, assigned tasks, went shopping, made sure everyone was on the same page, and did our best eliminate any sense of doubt that Thanksgiving wasn't going to happen. When Thanksgiving morning finally rolled around, our engines really got going: Christa started cooking as soon as she got up (at 6AM), and I, along with my old roommate, Alex, moved tables and chairs from different apartments into the apartment where we were having dinner. We took a break to head to class from 2 to 5, but even then, our minds were still on dinner and on what we still needed to do to prep for it. When we got home at 5:30, I immediately turned on all four burners (increasing the room temp from a cool 95 to 105/110) and began cooking cornbread, mashed potatoes, and four hams--all at once. I didn't stop cooking--or sweating--until 8:30. And even after I was finished, I certainly didn't stop stressing about other preparations that needed to be finished.

The set-up.

It wasn't until 9:30, when all 12 of us finally sat down at the three tables we had squished together in the very small apartment, that I finally relaxed.

And that's when I had my Charlie Brown moment. Much like Charlie Brown and Peppermint Patty experience in the movie, I realized when I sat down at the table and began to listen as we went around saying what we were thankful for that I had gotten caught up in all the preparations. In an effort to ensure that Thanksgiving was celebrated in Brazil, I had missed the essential point of the holiday--the one that we were celebrating. Yes, it was very nice and very comforting to have four small tasty hams (we couldn't find a turkey), a massive dish of baked mac 'n' cheese, a pot of mashed potatoes, a tray of cornbread, a dish of stuffing and casserole, and a box of Brazilian brigadeiros. But it was even nicer and more comforting to sit down, rest, and enjoy the company of people who have been a significant part of your life for a good portion of the past year.

Going to work.

The night turned out to be one of the best spent in Brazil. The food was indeed incredible (and more than enough...we actually celebrated Thanksgiving two more times). But the company was even better. Many people said this throughout the night: we are probably one of the most eclectic groups ever assembled to live together (we would make a great cast for Real World: Rio). But from 9:30PM to 2:30AM, none of our differences mattered. In fact, they made the night all the more rich.

YES.

Letting Pictures Do Their Thing

Globo TV

On the set of the Brazilian telenovela, Caras e Bocas

The Maze...what a night

A view from Instituto Redacao of Rocinha, the largest favela in Latin America

180,000 people live here

Rio's skyline from across the bay

Oscar Niemeyer's Museu da Arte Contemporaria...it was supposed to look like a flower

With our Portuguese profesora, Carolina

Itaipuacu Beach (cue Chariots of Fire music)

SAMBA: Video

My friends in action. Sorry for the poor quality...that's what happens when you compress a video so it will fit on a blog post.

SAMBA

I've always thought myself to be a pretty good dancer. Ask some of my friends/roommates, and they'll agree (not necessarily with my quality skills but with the fact that I think can dance). But when we began a week-long Samba class two weeks ago, I was rudely awakened to the truth.

I suck. Big time.

(Sorry for the language, Nancy).

I had seen Samba dancers numerous times around town (it's hard not to when you're here), and from what I saw, I figured Brazil's national dance wouldn't be too difficult to pick up.

False.

Receiving instruction.

While the step is indeed pretty basic, performing it in a manner that does its genius justice is not. And for a person/athlete who possesses no real, quality footwork and is used to the slow, steady movements of long-distance running, it can be (and was, at times) the most frustrating and tiring experience (I honestly doubt even some of the world's best athletes, save for Brazilian soccer players, could do it).

Move those feet.

But learning (or attempting to) Samba, which is second nature to everyone here, was also one of the most fun times/experiences I've had in Brazil. It is incredible to think about how good the really good Samba dancers are and the amount of physical effort and aptitude one must have to perform the Samba well and for a long period of time (especially during something like Carnival). After one week of class, Samba-ing Brazilians have earned all my respect for their incredible creativity and physical capability. It just makes me really wish I some real dancing skills :)

Me trying to Samba while taking a picture. Not happening...even without the attempt to take a picture.

BLACKOUT

No, Britney Spears didn't re-release her 2007 comeback album in Brazil.

No, last night at 10:19PM, everything went dark. At first, I thought it was a problem with just our hotel. But then I looked out my window to the street and realized the entire block was out. I called my friend on the other side of the hotel, and she then told me that Copacabana-as far as she could see-had no power. My roommate then got a call from his girlfriend in Botafogo (the neighborhood just north of us). No power there either. Realizing our phones had radio connection, we then tuned in to learn that power was out in not only all of Rio de Janeiro, but also in the states São Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Espiritu Santo and the country of Paraguay.

Yes, that's right. The most populated region in Brazil and an entire, separate South American country had no power.

The problem? The Itaipu dam situated on the Parana River at the border of Brazil and Paraguay, from which Brazil gets 20% of its hydroelectric power, stopped producing power.

The cause? Still to be determined. Storms had been moving through the region all of yesterday, and many speculate that it could have knocked down trees, which could have disrupted power lines and the dam's operations.

But the lack of power only happened for roughly 2.5 hours, as I woke up at 12:45AM to an apartment filled with light. Still though, one of the most populated regions on the continent/in the hemisphere out of power for that long? CRAZY.

My Favorite Portuguese Verb

Good grief, I am terrible Portuguese teacher. In an effort to make up for lost time, we'll just skip 'good morning' (bom dia), 'good afternoon' (boa tarde), 'good evening' (boa noite), 'hello' (Oi!), 'how are you?' (tudo bem?), and 'where is the bathroom' (onde esta o banheiro?) and cut right to the most important thing you need to know:

LANCHAR (lanh-shah) v: (1) to snack (2) to eat a meal between/before/after the regular meals of breakfast, lunch, and dinner (3) the Portuguese verb for Benjamin's favorite activity; OTHER FORMS: lanchar a snack; lanchonete a snack stand; Ex. Benjamin lancha muito (Benjamin snacks a lot).

But what exactly do I snack on? Great question.

ANSWER:

1. Açaí: Meet South America's most potent berry. Seriously, it's like a blueberry, cranberry, and pomegranate all rolled into one...and better. Typically, the juice purple-black berry is used to make a very thick shake/smoothie known as 'Açaí Copo (or) Tigela.' These shakes (the berries in general) pack quite a dietary punch: a serving of 100g has around 500 calories, 45g of carbs, 30g of fat, and 8g of protein. And I would guesstimate that there are 2-3 servings per shake. This may be the Brazilian thing I miss the most. Each shake costs around US$1.70, so it's hard not to say no to having a shake of the best fruit juice you'll ever taste...at least 3x a week :)

Once it touches your lips...

2. Salsichao: These small, snack-able sandwiches have Brazilian sausage links (cut in quarters), grilled pineapple slices, and a slice of white cheese served on a warm, grilled piece of bread. I had my first 5 weeks after my initial arrival. Why it took that long for me to follow my nose, listen to my roomates' advice, and come to my senses? That would the million-dollar question.

3. X-Tudo: I discovered these in Ouro Preto, and two weeks ago my roommates told me that they exist in Rio de Janeiro (and all God's people said, 'Hallelujah!'). These sandwiches put anything the BK Lounge, McDonald's, or anywhere is America offers to shame: hamburger patty, soft-boiled egg, ham, cheese, (sometimes) a chicken patty, potato crisps, onions, peppers, and the works of condiments. OMGetinmystomach.

Now, you may now be thinking, 'I'm hungry, and I'm going to Rio de Janeiro. Where will I find these wonderful things?' Another great question.

ANSWER:

1. Big Bi: One of the largest lanchonete chains, this place offers the best and cheapest açaí drinks. The people are always friendly. With bar stools and outdoor seating, you can chat it up, enjoy the ocean breeze, and catch up on your favorite Brazilian telenovela as you wait for your order. And you won't have trouble finding it/one since there is at least one on every block (lanchonetes are to Brazil what Starbucks are to the US-that is, at least one exists at every corner of every block...and there are many more in between).

Walk a block and you'll find another one. For real.

2. Cervantes: This place is a 2 minute walk from my home. My roommates raved about it for weeks, and I was like, 'Yeah, yeah. WHATEVER.' Then the fateful day occurred when I was out of food but luckily in possession of some extra cash. A two-minute walk later, and thus began my addiction to this place and its food. Seriously, there is no better cheap place to eat in Copacabana or Rio de Janeiro.

It's got a great atmosphere, too.

3. Lapa: You may be initially weary of the small stands that exist in Rio de Janeiro's nightlife center and the food they produce, but once you have one bite of a X Tudo at one of them, you'll forget about any apprehensions. These people know what they are doing, and their food is evidence to that fact. X Tudos may now be my primary reasons for going out on Saturday nights.

A Cidade das Paulistas

A little over two and a half weeks ago, all 11 of us (plus, our awesome tour guide/crazy cool Brazilian aunt, Neyla) flew down to Rio de Janeiro's rival city, São Paulo, to spend a week at FGV's sister campus learning about Brazil's financial and energy sectors.

Prior to leaving, I had heard mixed reviews of the city. Cariocas don't think too highly of Paulistas and their city, and thus, whenever I talked with people about São Paulo, they didn't have a whole lot of good things to say. According to Cariocas, Paulistas, living in the Brazilian equivalent of NYC, work far too much and have no clue how to enjoy life and party. Plus, the mere idea of living in a city that has no beach is simply an absurd one to Cariocas. But São Paulo also received some good reviews as well (primarily from foreigners and more objective Cariocas). While it does indeed have more of a workaholic lifestyle and possesses no beach, the city also boasts quality and world-famous museums (art and history), incredible architecture, incredibly good food, and a night life all its own.

With all this in mind, I was excited to spend a week in a different part of Brazil and to decide for myself what I thought of Sampa (the affectionate name of São Paulo). But, I also must admit, I was still a little nervous and hesitant to re-enter the go-go-go atmosphere of a fast-pace city.

The Sprawl

The Concrete Jungle

It probably didn't help alleviate my reservations when the first image I saw from the airplane was of a HUGE, SPRAWLING CONCRETE JUNGLE. Seriously, it was impossible for me to tell where the sprawl ended much less began. There were so many high rises scattered everywhere that I had no clue as to where the true downtown actually was. And as soon as we got off the plane, we could just tell we were in vastly different city with a vastly different take of life: everything seemed faster; everything more compact; everything concrete.

The MASP

At, At, At Night

But as the week progressed, the good parts of Sampa started to emerge from the concrete. It is indeed the Brazil's financial capital, where the life balance is clearing tipped toward work and "productivity." We got to experience plenty of that during our seminars about Brazil's economy and energy sector (I'm practically an expert on sugar cane and ethanol production, by the way). But the city still possesses things that contrast and offer a break to the busyness of daily life. The historic downtown, including the cathedral, the various museums, including the Portuguese Language and the MASP, and the fine restaurants bars situated atop buildings and overlooking the city's skyline were indeed some great spots of respite during the week. And not to mention, the Paulistas we met were equally as friendly as their Carioca rivals. Overall, I really enjoyed seeing and spending time in São Paulo (if only for a week).

But I am not going to lie, as we flew over the bay and descended into Santos Dumont Airport in Rio de Janeiro, I couldn't help but feel like I was coming home, like I could finally breathe and relax again. One of my friends says that São Paulo is the city of the future. Unfortunately that is probably true. But let's just hope that the future has a couple of Rio de Janeiros :)

Coming Home :)