Crooks, Clowns, and Pornographers: What do they all have in common?

It’s that time again folks. . . Election Time!  Not just in the U.S. but in Brazil too.  Though the presidential election is not for another 2 years here, municipal elections just took place on October 7^th.

In case you are unfamiliar with voting in Brazil let me give you a brief history.  The country was ruled by a military dictatorship from 1964-85.  Following the dictatorship, presidents were elected by congress, not directly by the people. Around this time there was a general outcry for direct elections.  In response the president back then, José Sarney, condescendingly pronounced that the Brazilian population was incapable of electing a president.  Despite his best efforts, direct elections were instated and voting was made mandatory in the late 1980s.

Decades later, it appears that politicians have not shaken this false notion that the people in their constituency are brainless tools.  Candidates try a whole host of gimmicks to get votes.  In the eyes of politicians, everyone is a potential advertisement for sale.  People are paid to stand in high traffic areas and hold signs for an afternoon or bike around town bolstering a politician’s smiling face and reference number.  Cars with pimped out speakers parade through the streets playing popular songs that they transformed into “catchy” campaign slogans.  I guess candidates believe the most effective money and time saving strategy is to play your jingle so loud that it drowns out the sound of any competitors while simultaneously reaching different neighborhoods, or by my estimate different states!

This cartoon roughly translates to, “Someone tell them that we have brains, and we will vote for the best policies for our city, not the car with the loudest, most annoying music.”

So back to the original question: what do crooks, clowns, and pornographers have in common?  In case you haven’t figured it out yet. . . they’re all running for office in Brazil.  You don’t have to know much about Brazilian politics to know that it’s a corrupt system that has its share of crooks.  But I was just recently made aware that there is a clown in congress- an actual clown!  His name is Tiririca, and in his commercials he makes such outlandish statements as “I want to get elected to help the people most in need. . .  and also my family.”

You can checkout Tiririca’s commercial here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myWRb0IWPFY

In Maceió there was even a pornographer in the race.  He goes by the name of Lobão (meaning big wolf) because of his physical likeness to a Brazilian rock star that goes by that same name.  Maceió’s Lobão is famous for filming pornos in common places, such as public buses, parks, you name it.  He’s also known for not informing the public or even the people on the same bus or in the same park that he is filming a porno.  2012 marks Lobão’s second attempt to enter public office.  While he did not win, he came very close. 

Wanna see some more politicians commercials?  Watch this YouTube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIjTtvgZElU it shows the most outrageous political gimmicks from this year.  Trust me, you won’t have to understand a word of Portuguese to understand how crazy politics is in Brazil and how relieved I am that elections are finally over.

Ain’t No Sunshine After Five: A closer look at the 3rd most dangerous city in the world

Up until now this blog has primarily focused on positive, unique, and albeit strange occurrences that I have experienced while living on the coast of the northeastern Brazilian city, Maceió.  However, there is a whole other reality in which the majority of Maceió’s residents face everyday.  This reality does not involve paying patronage to the beachside restaurants or ordering a passion fruit cocktail.  This other reality takes place in the interior of the city where the vice is much stronger and more dangerous than cachaça (sugarcane alcohol). 

I took this photo at one of the beaches in Maceió.  While this may be a lovely image of an incredible vacation spot, there are some things that are left unseen in a simple snapshot.  For example, many do not know that the sun sets early in Maceió compared to the rest the country and the world.  It gets dark by 5 o’clock or 5:30 at the latest.  This is something the guidebooks might not always share.  Something else you might not encounter when you look in Lonely Planet, do a Google Image search of Maceió, or even spend a vacation on the coast, is the outrageous crime rate.  Statistically speaking Maceió is ranked the 3^rd most dangerous city in the world, sandwiched between Mexican cities, Juarez and Acapulco. 

The violence is not random.  Much like these infamous cities in Mexico, the violence is directly linked to drugs.  In poor areas where children have far easier access to crack cocaine than a decent education, they get addicted early on.  Their addiction forces them to consume drugs they cannot afford.  When the drug dealers decide to collect and realize that their customers can’t repay their debts they often make an example of them by having them killed.  To get a better idea of the problems you can watch this video report by Brian Andrews that shows police going into shantytowns in Maceió and also interviews locals. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry7j6RJbqnw

In fact the crack problem has gotten so out of hand that in some areas of Brazil drug gangs are actually prohibiting the sell of crack.  An article in the Times Colonist explains how some drug dealers in Rio de Janeiro’s favelas have banned the sale of this addictive substance.  While crack brings in high profits for dealers, they have found that this drug in particular is simply too detrimental to their communities.  Many remain skeptical of this sudden change in drug dealers’ conscience.  Rather than concern for residents, they believe that this is a way to trick police or that crack is simply causing drug gangs more trouble than it’s worth.  But drug gang leaders insist that as community members they also feel the repurcussions of crack in their personal lives; one dealer explained, "The same crack I sell to your son is being sold to mine.  Everyone is saying we have to stop."
You can read the rest of the article at http://www.timescolonist.com/news/Drug+dealers+crack/7112756/story.html

While I fortunately I feel very safe here and have truly been enjoying my time in Maceió, it is important to remember that several, starkly different, realties exist within this city of about a million people.  In a place filled with stunning sandy white beaches and emerald hued waters, it can be hard to pull yourself away from the coast and draw your attention to the interior of the city.  It is hard to think that somewhere in the dark shadows of this city is a child taking his first hit of crack, a father is unable to pay his children’s debts, and a mother find her son’s murdered body.  Though it is hard, it is important to remember that there ain’t no sunshine after 5, and as stated in the Brian Andrews report, statistically speaking two more people will be murdered in Maceió before the sun comes up.

What Hollywood Teaches Non-Americans About America

The growing interconnectedness of our globalized world is helping shape societies in unforeseen ways.  Movies, TV shows, and music from the U.S., are exported all over the world and in Brazil their presence is practically unavoidable.  I hear more Katy Perry songs and see more Simpsons t-shirts here than I do back home.  And if you go to a typical Brazilian movie theater on any given day, it’s guaranteed that at least 80% of the films being shown were produced by Hollywood.

The American media tends to portray some obvious falsehoods.  Some common ones include the idea that all Americans are rich and beautiful or that the U.S. is an extremely dangerous place.  However, there are some not so obvious results as well.  For instance, a Brazilian once asked me if it is common for Americans to wait to have their first kiss and then immediately have sex.  Nope, that’s Hollywood trying to package a love story into an hour and a half time slot, but now that you mention it that is in a lot of movies. 

Another friend thought that in the U.S. one could drink alcohol in the street as long as you keep the bottle covered by a paper bag.  In reality there are less than 7 cities where it is actually legal to consume alcohol in public places and in those places (New Orleans and Las Vegas to name a few) nobody makes any attempts to hide their alcohol.

Although it can be frustrating to have to breakdown stereotypes that the media constantly reinforces, at the same time, American movies, TV shows, and music can be great teaching resources.  For instance, the show Friends is a better teacher than I could ever be.  I cannot begin to tell you how many people have told me that they learned English just by watching Friends.  Plus it’s the reason why so many South Americans can pronounce my name properly; thank you Rachel Green!

What You Need To Know When. . .

If you visit Brazil no matter how long you stay you might find yourself in certain situations that can get rather uncomfortable fast.  This blog entry is about what you need to know to avoid these awkward situations.

What You Need to Know When. . . you host a dinner party

Obviously time is going to be an issue when you have Americans and Brazilians going to the same function.  I’ve reconciled this by giving Brazilians a fake time.  When I tell them 7 o’clock I would actually be shocked if they show up before 8.  Because I lived in South America last year, when I arrived in Brazil I was already accustomed to this.  There were, however, some other issues that took me a little longer to understand.  For instance, when inviting Brazilians over for dinner one must pay special attention to the drink situation. 

Brazilians are super sensitive to the temperature of their beverage.  If you offer a Brazilian a beer that is anything but extremely cold they will go running for the door.  In fact they have a term for the way they like their beer estupidamente gelado or stupidly cold.  Every bar and restaurant you go to will advertise cold beer.  They try so hard to ensure that the beer temperature lives up to expectations that on several occasions I have had beer that was actually frozen.  It doesn’t stop at beer though.  Even red wine must be cold.  I went to a fancy restaurant and was stunned when the red wine they brought us was colder than my bottled water.

Another thing is if you give a Brazilian a can of beer or soda then make sure you also give them a cup.  Brazilians will not drink anything straight out of the can.  They need a cup or at least a straw.

What You Need to Know When. . . you go out to eat with Brazilians

Just remember this basic Care Bear mantra “sharing is caring!”  You’ll find this in every part of the dining experience in Brazil from ordering to the transportation home.  For starters, don’t expect to get your own menu when you go out to eat in Brazil.  Waiters generally bring 1 menu per table (2 if you’re lucky).  They never make enough menus for a full or even partially full restaurant; I guess that it is just not seen as necessary.  If you go to a restaurant and everyone at your table receives their own menu be warned, this could mean one of two things.  First that the restaurant is expensive or second that the restaurant is no good (which would explain why no one else is there and they have enough menus to spare for a whole table).

Now, if you really want to order your own dish at a restaurant you can.  However, this is the much more expensive option.  Usually plates are made for two or more people; they are made for sharing.  Think Chinese food American style.  Often a main dish will be accompanied by a bunch of side dishes so even if it the menu states that a dish is designed for one person it is usually enough to share.  I’ve resigned to relinquishing any preconceived notions of what I might be eating and let those I’m with do the ordering.  I focus on the only individual part of the meal, beverages.  Though to be honest, this can be a shared experience as well, especially if you are drinking beer.  

Beer tends to come in 21.5 ounce beastly bottles.  Again this is cheaper than the individual option of 12 ounce bottles.  There is a dangerous aspect to this approach as well.  Everyone gets a glass to share the big beer bottle and people are constantly refilling one another’s glasses; so unless you are really careful it’s hard to keep track of how much you actually drink.  The beer that is being drunk at the moment is kept in a giant, plastic-type coozie (of course the beer has to remain cold!) while the empty bottles are put on the ground under the table.  Only hours later when people begin to accidentally kick the glass bottles over because there is no more room for feet, does everyone actually realize how much beer had collectively been consumed.

My main modes of transportation here including walking, taking buses or taxis, and getting rides in friends’ cars, however I have observed a lot of bike riding here.  For a region of Brazil known for being more machismo than the rest, I’m always a little surprised to see two men sharing a bicycle.  Bikes here don’t have pegs so it’s not like what we used to do in middle school where one person pedals and the other stands on the back of the bike, with as little physical contact as possible.  Rather in most cases here one man is pedaling and the other is also sitting on the bike seat or on the bar right in front of the seat.  Pictures coming soon!

What You Need to Know When. . . you are chatting, emailing, or texting Brazilians

Text-speak in the U.S. has become so popular that abbreviations such as LOL, OMG, and LMFAO have made their way into movies, tv shows, and even music.  Thus making them common knowledge to Americans and many Brazilians.  However, the same is not true of Americans recognizing Brazilian text-speak.  There are two abbreviations in particular that I would like to draw attention to.  The first of which is the ever so common “kkk.”  You will likely see this as a comment on Facebook or if you are texting a Brazilian.  Try not to be offended.  Brazil is not raising a whole generation of Neo-Nazis.  Rather, this is the equivalent of writing haha or lol.  In Portuguese a laugh sounds like saying the letter ‘k’ over and over again.  So while there could be string of k’s or simply 2, unfortunately sometimes there are exactly 3, which naturally brings about some not so good sentiments.

Another letter combination that might throw you off guard is the ‘bj’ that is often written at the end of emails or letters.  No, this is not referring to the oral sex act.  It is the shorthand for beijo or kiss.  You’ll se a variety of endearing terms accompanying signatures, including but not limited to kisses, hugs, and big kiss.  It’s true that Brazilians are more informal when it comes to signing letters and emails, even so despite what it may look like nobody has gone as far as to intentionally sign anything “blow job.”

So that’s all I got for now but I’m sure I’ll be back with some more warnings and tips for if you ever find yourself in Brazil or surrounded by Brazilians.

Let’s Talk About Sex, Brazil

Even the kids animated movie Rio portrays women lying on the beach with itsy bitsy bikinis and Barbie like proportions.  Aside from soccer, internationally Brazilian culture is often chalked up to Carnaval, beauty pageants, and flawless models.  One only has to compare Google Image searches of “women in Brazil” and “women in the U.S.”  The Brazilian search, results in half of the images of women in bikinis, while results for American women primarily show female athletes.  But besides Google Image results and international perceptions are Brazil and the U.S. all that different?

There is a stereotype (one could call it a myth or even hope) in the U.S. that Brazilians are the most beautiful people in the world.  Talking about stereotypes with students I discovered that there are similar ideas about Americans.  Many Brazilians believe that Americans are the sexiest people; this of course contrasts the competing stereotype that Americans always eat McDonalds and everyone in the U.S. is majorly obese.  I’d like to take a closer look at the first theory.  Perhaps this is the whole “the grass is greener on the other side” concept at play.  Or perhaps Americans have Hollywood to thank for formalizing and perpetuating stereotypes.  Wealth, drugs, violence, and sex are common (if not exclusive) themes in American film.  Television is not much better.  Think reality shows, think WB shows in which impeccable 27 year olds represent high school seniors, think MTV.  These movies, television shows, and music videos are exported all over the world and are especially popular in Brazil. 

Now turning to Brazilian media, which is not as well known in the U.S. but just as sexual.  I was recently watching a Brazilian game show in which 3 high school classes competed to win a trip to Mexico (comparable to a senior year Spring Break trip).  The students had to complete a number of challenges.  The first of which was trivia.  Each team representative would answer a question and if he/she got it correct a model would take off a piece of clothing.  The idea was that the model was a lifeguard and the first team to answer enough questions so that their model stripped down to just a bikini would move onto the next challenge.

In the late 90’s two television competitions took Brazil by storm.  These challenges were known as na boqhiña da garrafa (the bottle dance) and banheira do Gugu (Gugu’s bathtub).  The first of which was exactly what it sounds like, mostly naked women competed each week to see who could shake their ass best over a bottle.  The bathtub contest was held on show hosted by Gugu.  It involved a man and a woman both in revealing swimsuits in a Jacuzzi.  The man’s objective was to find the soap that was in the tub, while the woman’s objective was to stop him.  One can only imagine what that would lead to.  Actually you don’t have to leave it up to your imagination, you can check out some examples of a bottle dance performance and a bathtub contest on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCAWMreasJI and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wzk9BOkIYiE respectively.     

Let’s be honest, sex sells; it always has and will.  Sure the amount of skin shown varies by time, place, and what the media can get away with, but it’s always present.  Overall, I think the U.S. and Brazil are a lot more similar than people would like to believe.  Despite the overly sexualized media, Brazilians aren’t the sex-crazed people that the international community may dream up.  And no, universities in the U.S. are not like American Pie.  The only major divergence I’ve noticed in Brazilian and American thought is that Brazilians are convinced that the majority of foods in the pyramid are aphrodisiacs.  According to Brazilians, everything from birds’ eggs, to peanuts, certain fruits, and every type of shellfish will pump up your sex drive. 

As for whether Brazilians or Americans are more beautiful, I guess “a beleza está nos olhos de quem vê.” The Portuguese equivalent to the proverb “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

June Parties

However you want to call it, São João, Festas Juninas, or June Parties are predominantly celebrated in the Northeast of Brazil.  These originally were celebrated to honor 3 saints, Saint Anthony, Saint John (São João literally means St. John), and Saint Peter. The Saint days are June 13^th, 24^th, and 29^th, respectively.  So as Brazilians love to point out, these days are just far enough apart from each other that it is justifiable to celebrate the entire month.

St. John is the biggest party day; which is probably why all the festivals are often referred to as São João.  However, by and large St. Anthony is the one I’ve heard the most about.  St. Anthony is the matchmaker, and his holy day is the day after Brazilian Valentine’s Day.  Girls will often get little statues of St. Anthony to perform certain rituals.  Generally in their teenage years girls will torture the saint so that he will bring them a husband.  There are several methods to torture, including but not limited to leaving St. Anthony outside all night in the cold, turning him on his head, or even dunking him in water while threatening to drown him if they do not get their desired results.  I guess most holidays don’t involve waterboarding a saint, but then again the Northeast of Brazil isn’t like most places.

Though these Saint-day celebrations may not be as internationally well-known as Brazilian Carnaval, in the Northeast they are nearly as popular.  While both Carnaval and São João share the main idea (partying), the customs are quite different.  My intention is to give an overview of the basics: clothes, food, music, and dance so that if you ever find yourself lucky enough to be in attendance at one of these shindigs you’ll be prepared.

What’s the dress code?  The answer may surprise you; it’s flannel.  This whole month people everywhere I go, everyone I see, is wearing flannel.  From my apartment building receptionist, to university students, to children on the beach, flannel is in.  For the complete ensemble one should technically wear jeans, boots, and a cowboy hat.   Some girls will even put their hair in two braids or simply buy a hat with those already in place.

Of course with any celebration, food is of the up-most importance.  The menu for São João is like an Iron Chef competition in which the secret ingredient is corn.  People make everything from corn bread, to corn cake and pudding, and naturally they eat old-fashioned corn on the cob.  It is very common for people to make bonfires.  They make in front of their house right in the street.  Many will even roast corn in their street bonfire.  Like any party alcohol is also on the menu.  Most likely beer or cachaça (liquor from sugarcane) will be served, though I don’t think anyone is too picky when it comes to this.   

Usually at parties there is at least one live band playing Farol, music typical of the Northeast.  The type of Farol played during June parties is a bit more country bumpkin style.  In any other circumstances Northeasterners do a sexy dance in pairs to Farol (in other parts of the country the dance involves some spins and twirls, here its is more bumping and grinding).  Of course a special occasion means a special type of dance.  Though at parties people still dance in pairs to Farol throughout the month of June there are intense square-dancing competitions.
 

Besides hearing Farol music all the time, the month of June sounds like a battlefield thanks to the overwhelming supply of fireworks.  Impromptu stands appear out of thin air to sell fireworks (similar to U.S. around the 4^th of July).  Everyone from little kids to grandparents get their kicks setting off Roman candles and playing with sparklers.  Don’t get me wrong; I love seeing fireworks.  But I don’t have a great appreciation for hearing fireworks at all hours of the day.  I’m not sure why but Brazilians love to set off fireworks in the morning and early afternoon.  I guess some things this year will remain a mystery, regardless I hope I gave you a idea as to what you may be in for if you come to Northeast Brazil in June.  I do recommend that you come check it out for yourself.  

Maceió, a tour through the senses

Obviously over the course of my 9 months in Brazil I would love for all my family and friends to visit.  Unfortunately, that is a little unrealistic so for all of you who won’t get a chance to experience Maceió in all its glory (and misery) this if for you.  This is a sensory tour of my host city.  Although this is still a very limited view from my perspective focusing on the coast (which is the “nice” part of the city as opposed to the interior) I hope it helps you get a better idea of what life is like on the Brazilian coast.

This is what Maceió looks like:

Beaches, I had heard about the beautiful beaches in Maceió and I have to say that I was not disappointed.  Perhaps this is best explained with pictures.

Pollution, The only complaint I have concerning the beaches is the pollution.  “Going Green” hasn’t quite made it to Maceió yet.  I’m usually the only one with a reusable shopping bag at the grocery store, and my apartment building that is home to hundreds of people does not offer a recycling service.  The main river in the city that feeds into the ocean is littered with trash.  Also Maceió is on a slight slant, so especially after it rains the beaches are riddled with plastic bags and candy wrappers.

A sea of bland colored cars, I swear the mayor of Pleasantville himself must have mandated the color scheme allowed for cars. Cars here are almost exclusively black, white, or shades of gray.  Even the taxis are white (yes this makes it harder to discern a taxi, I often wave down white cars).  I actually get excited when I see a car that is painted an actual color, not just a value. 

This is what Maceió smells like:

Fish, you know that pungent and slightly nauseating smell of fresh raw fish.  But it’s oh so delicious once it is prepared!

Too much aftershave, the smell wafts from men walking or even jogging on the beach.  I never thought I would smell someone before I’d see them; I was wrong.  Maybe they’re trying to overpower the smell of fish, one aftershave bottle at a time.

This is what Maceió sounds like:

Maca-shhhheeeeeraaaaaa, men walk through town pushing carts filled with cassava and belt out in a tone-deaf opera voice “macaxeira” the Portuguese word for cassava.   

Caico, Caico is a brand of popsicle here.  I personally have a love-hate relationship with the tasty treats.  On the one hand they are refreshing and cheap (usually 50 cents or $1 on the beach), on the other hand you can never escape the monotony of the recording “Picolé Sorvete Caico.”  Similar to the way they sell macaxeira, people walk around town pushing a Caico cart.  The problem is all of these carts are equipped with speakers that play “Picolé Sorvete Caico” (a slogan advertising the popsicles).  As they push the cart the recording repeats itself every five feet.  I for one find this outrageous I don’t know if Caico sellers have a workers union but they should.  There must be some law against torturing employees in such a cruel way.  I wouldn’t be able to last one day selling Caico, even hearing the recording on the beach, in my apartment, and walking around town drives me crazy. 

Construction, the reason for the sound of construction is twofold.  First off, they are always building new hotels and high-rise apartment buildings.  Sometimes I feel like I live in the computer game SimCity.

The other reason for the construction sound is the influx of a comeback “toy” so to speak.  Now every generation has fads that everyone eventually grows to regret (one example from my generation is the Furby).  The latest trend sweeping Northeast Brazil is a toy with two balls connected by a string.  There really is no way to play or win a game with this, children (and even some adults) simply wave the thing around until the balls collide or hit the pavement creating a loud sound.  As a result, every child sounds like they have their own personal jackhammer.   

            This is what Maceió tastes like:

Fresh fruits and juices, there are so many “exotic” fruits here it’s like Juicy Fruit was doing another ad campaign with freak fruit combinations.   Many of the fruits here don’t exist in the English language.  There is graviola, mangaba, and caja, just to name a few.  But if you type “Brazilian fruit” in Wikipedia you’ll find a list so long it will make your head spin.

All you can eat ice cream, which is a little kid’s dream come true (OK a big kid’s dream as well). Serve-your-own frozen yogurt has recently become all the rage in the U.S.  These shops are very similar to the ice cream parlors here.  Except as opposed to the 10-15 flavors you can choose from in the U.S., Brazilian shops generally have over 90 flavors (Baskin Robbins got nothing on Brazil).  You choose a cup or cone and then fill it up with as many flavors and toppings as you desire.  After you’ve finished your masterpiece you weigh it, pay, and eat your fabulous creation.

This is what Maceió feels like:

Hot, as you may have guessed.  Primarily it feels really freaking hot.  Though there is an invigorating breeze from the sea.

Light drizzle, though this may change now that rainy season is upon us, but up until now rain here has felt more like mist.  Like when you are looking at Niagra Falls from a distance or you’re walking under one of those “mist machines” at Six Flags.

This is what Maceió feels like when you have to go to the grocery store during peak hours. 
                                                     

This is what the grocery store looks like on a Thursday at 11:00 am (the closest you can get to “slow” time)

This is what it feels like on a Friday afternoon and it’s a 4 day weekend (not all that uncommon here).

Humor & Betrayal, the funny side of infidelity

It’s interesting to consider how humor translates across borders with varying cultures and languages.  Many find it reassuring to know that they can deliver a punch line in another country or a language other than their mother tongue. Telling jokes goes beyond simply ordering at a restaurant or finally figuring out the unwritten rules of the bus schedule.  These small victories make you feel a bit less like a tourist, but they do not make you feel like you’ve really assimilated.  However making people laugh (with you and not at you) is truly rewarding.

In the 2.5 months I have spent in Brazil thus far I have come to realize that there are some categories of jokes that are the same here and in the U.S.  For example, wisecracks about dumb blondes, terrifying mother-in-laws, and of course sex, are quite common.  However, there is a whole group of jokes that essentially don’t exist in American humor, cheating.  In Brazil there is a large emphasis on cheating in relationships.  Generally speaking it is very common, especially in the Northeast, for men to cheat on their girlfriends or wives; some even say it is expected.  Women also cheat on their boyfriends or husbands but not as frequently.  When it does happen the poor guy gets hell for it.  They are called cornos and as one Brazilian explained to me “once you’re a corno, you’re always a corno.”

In English we don’t even have a word for this; instead we are required to twist are tongues around and say, “Oh John, his girlfriend cheated on him” or “Susan was cheated on.”  In Brazil they not only have a word for this; they have a gesture too.  It involves raising one’s pinky and pointer finger.  Often Brazilians do this symbol behind someone’s head when they are taking a picture, like Americans do with “bunny ears.”  Beyond the gesture there is also a whole genre of music, Brega, which is dedicated to the subject of betrayal.

When I asked why this is such a common joke, one Brazilian suggested that cheating occurs so regularly that they need to make light of the situation.  Some people have even told me that certain cities and towns are well known for their cheating population; supposedly Arapiraca (the city I wrote about in my last post) is one of these cities.  In some places men who are cornos get together to form a makeshift support group; they listen to Brega, drink a lot, and try to mend their broken hearts (and overcome the humiliation that inevitably comes with their corno status).

Arapiraca (Ah-Rah-Pee-Raka)

This past weekend two fellow students from my graduate class invited me to visit their hometown, Arapiraca.  Arapiraca is the second biggest city in the state of Alagoas with about 250,000 inhabitants.  Not yet enough of a tourist attraction to make it in Lonely Planet; if they did have anything to say about the city I imagine it would sound something like this: Arapiraca possesses that unexplainable small-town charm.  Known for its plazas, many people choose relax on the romantic park benches shaded by vine-covered awnings.  While it is by no means has the draw of a big city, there are some attractions that visitors might want to check out while in town.  For example the Women’s Museum (Memorial Da Mulher), which was largely built in honor of Ceci Cunha, a politician who fought for social justice until she was murdered 14 years ago.  There is also a water park open on weekends with several pools, snack bars, and even some decent waterslides.  At night there are often free concerts in the various town squares.

The students in my graduate class aka my tour guides for the weekend, Rodolfo and Rosangela, are English teachers in Arapiraca.  They thought it would be a good opportunity for their students to meet a native speaker and for me to see a little bit more of Alagoas.  They live in Arapiraca and just drive the two-hour commute (each way) to Maceio 1-2 days a week to pursue their master’s degree.  After our class on Thursday Rodolfo drove me to Arapiraca.  That night I went with him to the institute where he works.  There he acts as a teaching assistant offering extra assistance to students who need it.   The students are all English teachers in the area though most of them rarely speak English.  In their classes they primarily teach grammar.  This is in part due to their fairly basic level of English and in part due to the large unruly class (classes usually average 40-50 students).  In the past English teachers were not required to actually know English.  Thankfully, though this is now starting to change. 

Though to change takes time and this problem is even more evident in Igaci, one of the small towns a mere 15-minute drive from Arapiraca.  Rodolfo’s family lives on a farm there and he is involved in a project to get the English teachers in the area to use more interactive strategies in the classroom.  So they focus on speaking and listening, rather than solely reading and writing.  I met with the English teachers there and many of them spoke limited English and explained that they struggled with speaking and listening as well.  I suggested some resources to help them improve their English and some English teaching strategies that I found successful when I taught in Colombia with my students who primarily had very basic levels of English.  Mainly I encouraged them to speak as much English as they could in and out of the classroom.  I definitely understand the challenges of learning a foreign language (as anyone who has heard me speak Portuguese can attest to), but practice makes perfect, right?

                             My Tour Guides for the Weekend
I also visited the university UNEAL where Rosangela works.   Students from all the different English classes and levels gathered to ask me questions.  Shy at first, after a few minutes, students opened up and asked me a slew of questions.  After almost 2 hours I felt as though I covered every topic imaginable.  I talked about everything from American food, to text message abbreviations, to education in the U.S.  I think I was the first American most of them have met.  It’s quite a daunting task to represent an entire country and culture (which is made of many other cultures) in the span of a few hours.  I tried to emphasize that I am no expert and my knowledge is of course limited to my experiences and my education.  I definitely don’t know everything, even something as seemingly simple as text message abbreviations.  Actually especially text message abbreviations; I think I was one of the last people of my generation to know what ROTFL (rolling on the floor laughing, in case you were wondering).  So this year I have found myself learning about U.S. culture and the English language alongside students. 

 At UNEAL- after the Q&A session the cameras were busted out and after the group shot many students requested individual pictures with me