In Brazil I pound the pavement...no really I do

When I think of cultural differences between Brazil and the US there are so many that come to me - all the typical things you notice when you travel. I don't want to write about those things. I want to write about the mundane, the boring, the lowest of the low. The sidewalk.

First let me start by saying I don't walk much in the US. I have lived in many cities and outside of University walking has never been a part of my daily life - I never thought about sidewalks in the US. So you would think my experience with sidewalks would not be blog worthy. Actually I think one good characteristic of a good sidewalk is that you don't have to think about it. You can walk with peace of mind that the ground below your feet will be predictable, consistent, and safe. In 95% of the cases in the U.S. where there are sidewalks this is the case so I never spent much time thinking about them.

In Brazil (at least in Porto Alegre where I live) the sidewalk situation is an daily pain both literally and figuratively. Honestly I wonder to myself if American sidewalk builders are working with an unfair advantage b/c the Brazilian sidewalks do not fit any of the characteristics of a sidewalk. Lets look at each issue separately:

1) Flatness - In this aspect the sidewalks in Porto Alegre, and I suspect all of Brazil, are an utter failure. The sidewalks are made of ceramic tiles (as apposed to concrete slabs in the U.S.). Each tile is subject to changes of elevation, angle, composition, texture, and various other factors. The end result is the the sidewalk varies as a result of the ground as apposed to the remaining constant.

2) Straightness - In this regard the sidewalks are acceptable however often there are so many obstacles (trash, cars, chairs from restaurants, dog poo, people) that you are not able to walk in a straight line.

3) Consistency - Once again the sidewalks fail in this regard. On my block for example there are at least 5 different building materials for the side walk. It appears that each individual has been left to decide how to maintain their sidewalk (this is not the case) and that everyone has choose a side walk material that suits their own individual needs. There are rocks, many types of tile, bricks, concrete, and sand in a one block distance.

4) Cleanliness - I mentioned this above but it bears repeating. The side walks are so dirty it is ridiculous when compared to American sidewalks. Basically everyone in the city puts their trash on the sidewalk for collection and then there are various people (city workers, people who collect trash to sell, homeless) that rummage through the trash. Naturally much of the trash ends up in the street and sidewalk. Also there are people who live at particular sidewalk "hotpots." Needless to say not clean.

5) Traffic - Wow. Americans don't walk and it is a problem however if you are an American and you want to walk you are in heaven b/c you have full access to amazing sidewalks. I remember walking in downtown Fort Worth a few months ago and I only passed someone every few blocks and didn't have to change my path b/c the sidewalk was so wide. In Brazil there are 10X the number of people walking on sidewalks that are smaller and of lower quality.

The end result for me has been to live in a constant state of minor foot/leg pain. I trip and fall more than necessary and now something new has developed. I often have the uncontrollable (I do manage to control myself, how I do not know) urge shove people out of my way. I don't want to hurt them or even bother them I just want to shove them just so I will not be impeded/slowed while walking. I just want to push them and pass and they continue on with there cell conversation and not even notice what happened.

"American pushes future President Dilma" I can see the headline now. Blame it on the sidewalk. I have been spoiled by American neatness, lines, and industrial perfectionism.

Eat Love Pray

Last night I watched "Eat Love Pray" with Mariana and a coworker. I have to say I was a bit skeptipal b/c it is 1) A chick flick, 2) Based on a book, 3) Has Julia Roberts in a staring role. None of these factors make a movie bad necessarily but the combination of the three tend to = over hyped and doesn't live up to anyone expectations. I mean when has a Julia Roberts role not named Pretty Woman been better than expected, when has a chick flick pleasantly surprised, and when has a movie ever been better than the book. Needless to say I had my doubts.

It was good. I don't think it will be for everyone but I liked it.
The main themes of the movie were, Travel, Love, Food, Culture and Self discovery. All of these things speak to me. I have made many journeys like the one in the movie.

The main thing I took away from the movie was the interesting connection between Love and Travel. I do believe (with only my own personal experience as evidence) that there is a major connection between love and travel.

Maybe our minds are more open to the world when we travel and then love arrives. Or maybe others can see our vaurnablity and seek to help and guide us during travels. Or maybe it could be that in need of love people naturally seek it out much like an animal will roam for food. I don't really know why the connection exists but I most certainly believe that to travel is to promote love.

There was one scene in the movie (I won't spoil it for everyone) where Julia Roberts love interest ask her to get on a boat with him for a weekend trip, just the two of them. This scene really demonstrates the connection between love and travel. He was not just asking her to go he was asking for a confirmation of love and a strengthening of their relationship.

I hope when everyone watches this movie they don't walk away thinking that Americans are rich, or that when life gets bad you should seek out a Guru in Bali or India. I really hope people don't leave this movie wanting to take extravagant trips to faraway places to be closer to God. I hope when people watch this movie they walk away with the idea that when you love someone you travel with them, or you travel for them, or you travel to them.

If you still don’t believe in the link between love and travel then why are foreign accents so hot? And why are vacations with loved ones the best part of any year?

Brazil is Calling

Recently I have been reading blogs about Brazil and I thought I would pay the good deed that they have done forward.I get so much enjoyment from reading others experiences and I'm glad they take time to share. So I decided to start writing in my blog again and I hope it will last longer than a few days.

My life has taken a few interesting turns since I started this blog in Argentina. I got married. Mariana has become the best part of my life and that has spread to every other part of my life. I don't think I have ever been happier.

Professionally I have not advanced with the success that I had anticipated. I have been planning to be a teacher for the past two years. Despite my best efforts to gain certification and a teaching job I have not been able to do it. Rather than dwell on the on a failure I have decided to put this plan on pause and allow myself to realize success does not have to have a time line in this case.

Currently I am making preparations to go back to South America again. I spent about 3 months last year in Porto Alegre with Mariana. I left looking for a teaching job in Dallas and that didn't work. This time I planing on following Suze Orman's advice: People first, then money, then things.

Being in Brazil makes good since personally and professionally. First off I get to be with Mariana and happy in Brazil and I will get the chance to gain some much needed work experience.



So with all that in mind with a open heart to the things that will happen. I don't think I have been so excited about to knowing what would happen. I also think the reason why I can be excited is b/c I know I have Mariana with me and that is about all I really need to know.

Tango List Final

So the trip is over. There are some things I did not manage to do. I never sent the post cards that I wrote, I did not get to visit every city in Argentina, I missed going to Uruguay, I still have not skydived (do to financial reasons). With everything I missed I learned a lot along the way. Setting goals is good. Writing about the things you do makes them that much better. The most important lesson I have gained from everything is that you must keep the sense of adventure alive in yourself. No one is going to take you out there you have to get out there and do it yourself. That is what makes a place yours. For now on I have a new perspective that I am going to take with me to New York. I'm going to approach every place like I did Argentina - with an adventure's spirit. After all what makes an adventure is not what you do - it is the attitude you approach it with. Happy Trails!

Ok...back to the real world

So I'm back in the United States. The past couple of days I have been hanging out with my cousin in Houston, TX. I have been awaiting word on how I'm going to get money and where I go from here. Everything is working out well. Today I found out that I will start a job in New York about 40 minutes north of the city. I'm really excited about this new possibility. I think it comes at a perfect time for me, a perfect time of my life and right after a really great experience. I will be working with a life long friend and mentor and I'm sure we will do great things together. I can only imagine the places I will go. Speaking with him today he already has lectures planned in Chicago, West point, and New York City. I would love to go camping in the spring in upstate New York, Canada, on the Coast. If anyone is in or around New York consider this an invitation to visit for a couple of day. Just let me know a couple of days in advance so I can clean the place up ;)

Packing (15 days)

I started packing today. I have about two weeks before I have to go to the airport but I wanted to get a jump on the packing. I got a new duffel bag in the mail for my birthday so I tryed some pre packing to get some kind of idea what I could bring along. Looks like I will be pushing the limit of my baggage allowance. I'm afraid I will be forced to do something that everyone advises aginist: packing too much

I have given some thought to this and here is the issue I can never get over. I have to weigh (no pun intended) the inconvience of carrying extra items around with the price it would cost to replace the same items in the place I am going. Now this noramlly shouldn't be a very big issue except I have two things two things to consider: I am traveling internationally and I have a very limited budget. So replacing things is more expensive or impossible and the price of everything is subject to exchange rates and transaction fees. If I were going to California for example I could pretty much guess the price of a warm blanket. You cannot do this internationally. Some things are not avaliable, high quality items could be exponintally more expensive, and american products sometimes bring double the price. So that super warm fleace blanket that is perfect for some many things is forced to take up room in your bag (or attached to it).

While I was packing my things I started to think of all the moves I have made in the past 5 to 7 years and it is really amazing. Here are a list of some of the places I have moved to and from...not to mention all the packing it took.

Warner Robins to Athens
Athens to Dorm 1, 2, 3, 4,
Valencia, Barcalona, Madrid Back to Athens
Athens to Valdosta
Valdosta to Alabama
Alabama to Fort Worh
Fort Worth to Houston
Houston to Argentina
Argentina: Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Rosario, Usuhuia, Califate
Argentina to New York
New York to Tennessee
Tennessee to Brazil

I am so tired of moving. I don't mean going to other place, I love that. I am tired of going from one place to the next with all the things I own stuffed in little boxes or in my backpack.

So....I have some settling news, A few days ago I got an e mail from the Dallas city schools about a teacher certification program I applyed for a few months ago. They have processed my application and my transcripts have been approved. So I guess this would kinda but like the pre approval phase of the process. I still have a ways to go but this is a good first step. The job, if it get it, is teaching bilingual elementry children PreK - 4 the grade. The pay is very good, full benfits, retirement the whole nine yards. Even better is if you are approved for the program and complete the training you are garenteed a job in the Dallas ISD. The down side would be that I am obligated to teach for one full school year in Dallas and I am not allowed to select my school assignment.

I'm gonna go of it if I am offered the opportunity. If only to save me from moving for one full year.

Brazil - The United States of South America

Well I wanted to write a post about the place I'm going. Not really for me, more for the people following along my little vourney so they will have an idea of the culatural backdrop.So here is a hodgepodge, a smattering, a pulpurii of facts about Brazil.Brazil is not unlike the United States in many ways. Geographically Brazil is the size of the United States (minus Alaska). Brazil is rich in natural resourses (natual gas, oil, dimods, timber, cattel, coffee). One thing to keep in mind in much the same way the US varries greatly from one region so too does Brazil. The majority of Brazil's populations is concentrated along the cost and in major cities centers. The typical imagie of people living among the tropical rainforest as subsistance farmer is simply not the case. Brazil is among the world leaders in develop economies as evidenced by the fact that Brazil was the only country that did not slip into recession during the recent economic downturn. By and large Brazil operated more independly than any other country in South America. Brazil does not depend of forgin oil. Not only is Brazil one of the world leading produces of oil - 90% of the cars in Brazil operate on biofuel. Think about that. Imagine not only an oil independent U.S. imagine producing a surplus - this is the reality in Brazil and this is a large reason Brazil has one of the most stable and productive economies in the world. Socially Brazil is a very diverse coutry. The mega city of Sao Paulo (approaching 20 million) is the economic center. Rio de Janiero the cultural/turistic center and Brazillia the administrative center. Rio recently won the 2016 olympic bid but I will save that for another post.


Rio 2016

Portal Rio 2016 | MySpace Video

Brazil is unique in its social/racial composition. Brazil truly does have influcences for all over the world. Through out its history Brazil has been influced by Europeans, Africans, Asians, and Indigious populations. All these peoples have mixed both socially and racailly to creation a population that is both tolerante and diverse. Equality remains a prolbem.

Brazilians speak Portugese. On a very basic level Spanish and Portugese are similar. However on a mico level Portugese is quite different in pornunciation, structure, vocabulary - everything. Suprisingly Portugese do not frequently learn Spanish dispite the shared Latin base. English is the most commonly studied second lanuage. Here is where I come in. There is a desperate need for English teachers in Brazil. In order to keep pace with the economic growth business frequently hire native English speakers to teach Brazilian busness people to both lanuage and culture. As Brazil becomes a growing econominc power, regionally and globally, the demad of English teachers has outpaced supply. I hope to land a job working for a company teaching exectuives on the verge of business trips. If not there are many oppertunities to teach english to students both privetly and in lanuage schools.

The amazing thing about Brazil is its uniqueness unites the country. Brazil's unique culture and lanuage and huge geographic resources serve as a base for solidarity. Brazil is distincte from the neighboring Spanish speaking countries both economically and culturally. In this way Brazil reminds me much of the idealic United States. Brazil is doing it own thing much is the same way the United States did its own thing. The results look promising. Brazil is defently on the rise and has ambitions to become what the U.S. once was - a political and economic powerhouse.

Not all who wonder are lost

Well I guess I'm just not one to stay in the same place for very long. The road is calling me, and I must have free nights and weekends b/c I have to anwser. The whole reason I started this blog over a year ago was to force me to think about the places I go and to "stop and smell the roses." Well I can say, I have learned to do that - maybe too good. I was thinking the other day about travel and I started to wonder if travel is a natural thing? Is moving from place to place something natural to humans? Is it possible that the hunter and gather's of history passed on a travel gene? I think it is possible. Travel is part of life and I think it will be forever - like food and water for the mind and soul. Let me tell a story to make the point:A couple of weeks ago I quit my job at Crackel Brarrel b/c I had earned enough to go to Brazil and I was tired of waiting tables. It is hard to be motivated after you know your only goal for a job is complete. Well I went to talk to the mamager, Janice, to tell her I wasn't coming back. We had a long conversation about travel, working in a resturant, and Brazil. Well in the middle of the conversation she said to me "I have never been anywhere." She said it like a confession. Like she was telling me she wasn't really complete - well that is how I heard it. I felt so sad at that moment. Not b/c she hasn't traveled but b/c she could never know what she was missing until she traveled. Somehow at that moment in the resturant, with all the sounds of food cooking and plates moving around the kitchen, all I heard was slience realizing how empty my life without travel would be.Travel must be innate to humans. If not the poor little cavemen would have just stayed in the same spot when all the animals, berries, and nuts dryed up.

Passed my test & Lost dog

Well I passed my test! The results are finally in. It took an excruciating 4 weeks but it is official. I scored high enough to qualify for a teaching job in all of the states that this test is recognized except Hawaii. Hawaii qualifications are a little higher but I doubt I will be teaching there. Other than the big island I am able to accept a teaching position basically anywhere in the country and I am one step closer to full certification. The only major steps I lack now to becoming a full fledged bonded and certified teacher is the job and one years experience. I have been applying for positions as I come across them on the internet with no luck. Hopefully with the passed test out of the way I will be extended a job offer. I will keep everyone posted. As much as I would hate it, if I'm not offered a job this year then I will for sure be in good position for the 2010-2011 school year. Well today the dog got away while daddy and I were in the store. Of course we didn't realize this until we got home. By the time we went back out it was dark the stores were close and there was no sign of the dog. After much searching and being questioned by a police officer we found the dog. Everyone was so happy to have the dog back. I really took the whole situation to stop and appreciate what I have. I have been pushing pretty hard to do better for my self and I'm proud of the things I have done. But today at the end of the day I'm just glad for all the things I already had.

Tales from the road

Well I have been out on the road the past few weeks. My biggest trip was to Chattanooga to take my Spanish Content Knowledge exam. I took the exam and I feel pretty good about the result. I'm not sure if I passed or not but I can say for sure that I was the strongest Spanish speaker in the room. Some of the other people already had teaching jobs and were taking the test for the third time. So if I can just be a little better than them I should be ok. On the other hand the test was difficult and I'm not entirety sure how it will be scored so there is a chance that I will be taking it again. One way or the other I will pass it. I have also been working my but off selling signs to make an extra buck. Let me tell you that has not been easy. The heat is a killer. But I have sold about 8 - 10 Spanish speaking places over the last couple of months and they almost all complement my Spanish. So I'm happy about that. When we are out on the road we have been camping out at state parks. That has been the highlight of the trip. The Tim's Ford State Park on the Duck River is amazing. All the campgrounds back up to a fantastic river. In the morning with the sun is coming up the mist off the river makes for an amazing view. If you ever are in Tennessee and want to camp I can't think of a better camp ground. A couple of days ago I got a e mail about a teaching job but the same day I got another saying the job was filled. There were multiple positions so I'm going to call later this week and inquire. The job is going to Spanish speaking homes and helping the parents transition their children into the English speaking school environment. I think the job is perfect for me so maybe I will get lucky and they will have a spot for me. The best part of the job is I work for the board of education and only have to work 200 days out of the year plus it is in Knoxville. We will see if anything comes of that in the next few days.