Brazil

It has been five days since I have returned to Brazil and I can without question say that I miss it a lot more than I thought it would, partly because it is an incredible country and partly because I now have to return back to the real world.  None the less, I learned way more from the trip than I anticipated.  Here are some of my observations:

1. Advertising- As strange as this may seems, the political ads were really fascinating for me because they are so different from the political posters and signs we see in the U.S.  In the U.S., you never see the actual candidate's face, always just the their last name in bold print, what office they are running for, and sometimes a creative slogan or graphic.  In Brazil, you always see the person's face along side their name and number.  I think this speaks to how important being personal and having a face to face connection with someone is in Brazil.  Also, there is a larger percentage of people in Brazil who do not watch/own a television, so they rely more on street ads rather than TV ads to decide who to vote for.

2. Culture- Music and art seem to be a lot more prevalent in Brazilian culture.  Music was everywhere: Going to capoeira lessons, the Pracatum School, the concert, the school in the rural community.  They choose instruments that reflect the ones their ancestors used and play music that originated in various places.  I admire how open they are towards incorporating various ethnicities and religions into their culture.

3. Food- Food says more about a country than most people give it credit for.  Many of the foods that are native to the country like coconut were a part of every meal.  I still find it strange that a country that finds so much pride in  their traditional dishes has taken such a strong liking for an American fast-food chain like McDonalds.  Every time we went, there was a line, and the food was not cheap either.

4. Art- I think every facet of Salvador has art incorporated into it in some way; even the side walks have patterns on them.  Businesses use art to advertise their products, buildings are painted bright colors, the architecture is a mix of Portugese and African designs.  The art serves as an excellent example as to how the cultures all blend together in Brazil.

Homelessness

This week has gone pretty well, and no surprise, has been very busy.  I had the opportunity to volunteer at the Atlanta Children's Shelter, which is a shelter that provides free daycare for single mothers who are currently homeless.  After a few hours of working or looking for a job, the women pick up their kids and go to whatever homeless shelter they are staying at for the night.  The statistics that shocked me were that 20% of the women and children there were fleeing spousal abuse, and 60% had a history with domestic violence.  Unfortunately, this organization is the only one of its kind in Atlanta, so hundreds of other families are waiting for this kind of care.  As someone who is interested in non-profits, I was really impressed with how things were run.  The staff worked tirelessly to make sure that these families would not stay homeless for long.   I also slept out on the quad both nights for Homelessness Awareness Week.  It proved to be a really good experience.  After just two nights, I was ready to go back and return to my normal life.  I could not imagine doing that week after week, never having a place to call your own.  The most important thing I took away from this experience is that being homeless, even if it is just for a temporary amount of time, can leave you with emotional scars that impact you for the rest of your life.  I could not stop thinking about the children I saw at the shelter days before, and wonder if they had slept out on the street.

On a lighter note, I definitely enjoyed myself at the Etiquette Luncheon.  It taught me that good etiquette is something that is learned and takes practice.  I am glad I had this experience early in my college career, rather than later.  I will remember that meetings or interviews while eating are about building relationships, not the food.  I thought the war documentary we watched in class did an excellent job of demonstrating how the government has always had the same attitude toward war: when our freedoms are being threatened, action is necessary.

Carlinhos Brown

I think I will spend most of this blog talking about Carlinhos Brown because I finished my Executive Summary about him a couple of hours ago, and I am overwhelmingly impressed with him.  First, his music is really enjoyable and I completely understand why he is so popular.  Second, Brown's percussive skills are incredible.  The fact that he is mainly self-taught seems crazy to me.  His talent is purely natural, and he is so good that he landed a job a a radio station and began producing when he was still a teenager.  Third, what is more awesome than any of this is the fact that he has created numerous activities for people in Salvador, the same city he grew up in.  He understands on a personal level what the people of the favelas are experiencing and works to solve their problems.  He recognizes the need for jobs, so one of his schools teaches children percussion, sewing, and fashion.  Most people with his status just donate money to a cause without actually getting involved.  I find this very irresponsible considering their voice can influence thousands of people.  Brown, on the other hand, has been a huge advocate for getting people out of the slums and creating a bigger middle class.  He genuinely loves his city and wants it to be known for the productive people, not the poverty.  I love this quote of his because I think he describes himself perfectly:

"People ask me if I smile when I rise in the morning.  My mouth hurts with smiling so much because I have got music.  It is a good way of living, making music.  It's a gift from God.  I've got it on loan."

For me, this quote sums up the impact he has had on the community of Salvador.  He takes his musical talents and makes the world a better place; what more could he do?

Last week, I did not do much outside of school except homework and go to another hockey game (which we lost...badly). I have big plans for this week, however I will save that for the next blog.