A House Full of Snakes

Instituto Butantan

                After an amazing lunch fit for kings, our Sunday school teacher dropped us off at the Butantã Institute. From what I heard, it was a place that USP keeps reptiles. It’s not only a reptile museum of sorts but so much more. Our first stop was the Serpentário, which to be honest, wasn’t all that exciting. It’s a whole in the ground divided into three sections to keep different snakes; I saw only one. The rest of the park held more treasures. For a small fee of R$2.50, we were able to visit the microbiology museum, the old artifacts place (I didn’t catch a name so that’s what I’m going to call it), the monkey-ria, and what seemed like a reptile house at any zoo (only this one had every type of snake imaginable). Another very interesting and educational trip for the books. 

My Favorite Snake in the Institute

Lending a Helping Hand with English

Texto da Irmã Jô Ribes e Almoço

                Just a few days ago, I received a call from my Sunday school teacher in the ward. She asked if Adriel and I could review a document that had been translated from Portuguese to English to put on her businesses website. I agreed and started to look over the document for grammatical and spelling errors. Most of it was understandable but I quickly realized that it didn’t possess the American English flow, but was rather translated directly from the Brazilian way of formatting sentences. Adriel and I decided it would be better to meet with her at her office to work on the document, which was a good decision considering how many questions we asked her about what exactly she wanted to say. It took about 3 and a half hours of work and the finally product was exceptionally translated if I do say so myself. It made me appreciate, so much more, the work that translators do for books, movies, and conferences. At the end of our service project we were received an exceptional lunch from a local restaurant.

The Lecture in Spanish

Ricardo Lagos

Palestra com o Ex-Presidente da Chile Ricardo Lagos

                Our purpose to visiting the University of São Paulo was to watch a lecture given by the Ex-President of Chile Ricardo Lagos. It took Adriel and me awhile to finally find the right Auditorium but eventually we got there and even arrived early. A few minutes later we met with Ana and her friend and after some brief chit-chat, we entered the room. All was good during the thorough presentations as they introduced each important person in the room. It wasn’t until President Ricardo Lagos started speaking that we realized that the whole thing was going to be in Spanish. Normally, I’m able to understand roughly 80% of what’s being said due to its similarity to Portuguese, but not when the topic involves complicated economic and political terms. We lasted for about an hour before discreetly exiting the room. From what I understood of the lecture, it discussed the importance of minimizing the income division between the rich and poor class and the effect it has on a country.

São Paulo University

The Big University

                USP is one of the biggest and best colleges in Brazil. Located in a noble neighborhood within the great city of São Paulo, USP commands a prestige in the university world. A public school where the requirement for acceptance is to score above a certain level on a test (Sorry, that’s really vague). Pretty much to sum it all up, you have to be smart and motivated to get in. The benefit of studying at a public school here in Brazil is that you don’t have to pay a dime for tuition. Adeus student loans!

                Adriel and I were invited to visit the Campus by Ana, one of our friends that we met at the YSA Conference a while back. When we first arrived on the campus, I noticed how big it was. I thought that I had it bad walking from the Tanner to the Joseph Smith building but that is nothing compared to immensity of USP. They have buses running through campus that students can use for free just to get to the other side if need be. We were able to visit an international exchange club that Ana had participated in before. We walked in got our celebrity treatment and headed out. One thing I found interesting was that there isn’t really any School rivalries between other schools; instead, the rivalries exist between departments. I haven’t noticed too much of that at BYU but I’m not deep into any program so far, so I have yet to see.

FHE Night

A Trip to Guatemala

            Sunday, there was an FHE organized for the Stake YSA. Aline’s dad gave a presentation about his trip to Guatemala and some of the sights he was able to visit. I’ve seen some similar presentations before but the Brazilian perspective made the whole presentation unique. He showed us the temples and pyramids along with different artifacts made from Jade that were found around the sights. Afterward, a group of us were able to go back to his house to see more pictures and ask other questions. Some pretty crazy stuff, but no alien skulls so I guess the Indiana Jones guys got it wrong.

Institute

A typical Saturday

                    Saturday was my first experience at institute in Brazil. Since summer vacation ended only a couple of weeks ago, institute had been put on hold. The building is just a short walk from where Adriel and I live that there is no excuse not to go. We even managed to get to the building early. The lesson talked about the New Testament and was great. Afterward, we met up with a bunch of friends and we all decided to go to a dance and convinced a few others to come with us. That may not have been the best idea because when we got there, it was almost completely empty. Our group of five people nearly doubled the attendance. I felt bad for the organizers of the dance but even that couldn’t keep me there. We soon left to visit another dance not too far away. The problem with this other dance was that it was mixed with the young men and young women. I don’t know about the next guy, but I like to dance with people my own age. It was fun to see everyone dancing with such energy but we didn’t stay that long and left to get a quick bite to eat before heading home.

Santos Day 4

Showing off my skills

Surfing!!!

Still not wanting to leave the beach without surfing, I started asking around online for anybody who could help me find a surf board. I got wind of another surfing school that also gave free lessons that was at a different part of the beach. Adriel and I checked out of our hotel and decided to leave our stuff at the chapel in Santos. Unfortunately, the place was empty and we had to keep hauling our stuff with us. 

We stopped to eat lunch and then headed to the see if the school existed.  Sure enough, it did. It was closed till 3 and while we waited for the people to return, we chatted with some life guards. One of the guards was very nice and offered to talk to the manager to get us in and find a place to leave our bags. When the managers came we signed up for the class. We were only in the beginner’s course but they provided everything from a shirt to a board; plus, our instructor was pretty cute. They didn’t let us hit the big waves because we had to get the basics down first, but it was still such a blast and I was able to fulfill my dream.

Waiting to hit up the waves

Santos Day 3

Santos Beach

O CASP

Thursday was our last day to teach and our last night in Santos. We walked around and got to know the city for a while and picked up some material for our class and ate lunch. It was a calmer day and our class went really well that night. Adriel and I held a small little party afterward for the group, and then got a ride home from one of our students. I have to mention that I love the beach at night. The whole beach stays lit up with stadium lighting so no matter when the desire hits to feel the sand in your toes, you don't have to worry about some unfortunate fellow taking away your prized possessions.

Santos

Adriel jumping off The Rock

Santos Day 2

The Rock

              Our second day in Santos was another day to enjoy the beach. I really wanted to try surfing and made it a goal that day. We looked everywhere for places that rent surf boards; there was nothing. We learned about a surfing school that teaches for free, but you had to be a local to Santos. Without any luck, we decided to just enjoy the ocean while it was so close. Adriel and I found a rock out a ways from the beach and climbed it. On our way back to the apartment, we tried fresh coconut water. You can’t get more tropical than that, I say.

Santos Day 1

The Beach

After all this time here in a tropical country, it was finally time for Adriel and I to enjoy the beautiful beaches. It has been a long time coming; I’ve been in contact with the Employment Resource specialist named Airton Tamashiro in a small beach-side city called São Vicente and the career workshop has been planned. Since the city is about an hour and a half away and we would be teaching at night, we were planning to stay for three days. We packed our things and headed to the office to get the necessary supplies for the course. From there, we took the subway to the Jabaquara Bus Station and took the bus to Santos. The trip was uneventful but as we came down out the mountains, there was a breath-taking view.

        Our hotel was right on the beachfront. Soon after unpacking our bags we decided to hit the beach before our class that night. The beach scene was perfect. Beautiful sandy beaches and scenery stretched out before our eyes while surfers took advantage of the waves on the horizon. I was amazed by the warmth of the water which is nothing like the water from the beaches I’ve been to in Washington which could give you hypothermia if stay in for too long.

        The workshop also went well for our first night. We had about nine people who attended from various stages in life. Some were middle-aged men needing work; others were recently returned missionaries, and then teenagers trying to get ahead. 

Lunch with the Ribes Family

A Great Lunch

                   After Conference, our Sunday school teacher invited us over for lunch. I just have to say that her house is huge and has quite the historical significance in the church. It used to be the Area President’s house and James E. Faust lived there when he was serving in Brazil. It was then changed to be the Institute Center before being sold to the Ribes family. They now use it for Single adult activities and get-togethers. Lunch was top-notch with a fish, feijão, rice, salad, French fries and Guaraná. Delicious food and great conversation made for a great lunch. 

Stake Conference

Sunday Conference

                Stake Conference was on Sunday, and it was a great turnout. The lights stayed on the entire time and once again Elder Claudio R. M. Costa delivered a powerful talk about living a balanced life. He talked about Real Growth and how it does not come all at once. I was able to sit next to a new friend of mine from Shanghai, China and translate for him. He speaks pretty good English and absolutely no Portuguese. His company sent him here to work for 6 months with a couple of other guys. It has got to be a tough experience but he’s going strong!

Finishing up Saturday School

CASP on Saturday

                We just finished another Career workshop this last Saturday. Each one keeps getting more interesting than the last. We taught this course with one other teacher and it turned out to be a good experience. Adriel and I took care of the group activities and Jozzi (the other teacher) used her experience in the market place to drive the theory home. After 6 hours of teaching the workshop, we got home just in time for the adult session or stake conference. We had Elder Claudio R. M. Costa speak to us, along with Rachel’s Mission President. About have halfway through the conference, a tropical storm passed right above the chapel and took out the power for about 45 minutes. Instead of stopping, the speakers just kept right on going in the dark. It was a long day but well worth it.

A Short Trip to St. Andre

Dance Class Church Style

            After a long and enjoyable trip to the Buddhist Temple, Adriel and I learned of a dance class that an institute was putting on for free. I planned on heading home to eat beforehand, but with traffic as heavy as ever in São Paulo there wasn't enough time. It took about 2 hours and 30 minutes to finally arrive at the right chapel. There I was excited to see a mission buddy and enjoy some Brazilian dancing. I was able to learn a few new moves and teach a girl how to dance the swing or sort of, I wasn't exactly the best teacher.

A Little Sweat with a side of Jiu Jitsu

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Adriel, Peter and I

              Another class that Adriel and I were able to take as a test was a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class. We went with our friend Peter who speaks crazy good English and is a new convert to the church. He has a gym membership and had talked to the owners to see if we could come with him to check out the class. He got permission and we got the invite.  The class was about an hour and a half but I still was wiped out by the end of it. Our teacher had won fights all around Brazil and was like a rock. When I tried to fight him, it was like trying to fight a brick wall. Sometimes he would let you almost get a move on him before he turns it around and taps you out. Luckily, no injuries were acquired and after fighting for a good 30 min straight I felt like tossing my cookies. The whole experience reminded me a lot of wrestling back in High School. 

Me getting schooled by our Teacher (Black Belt)

Who's Your Buddha

Buddhist Temple

                Traveling is all about getting to know new things and enjoying diversity. Adriel and I had heard about a Buddhist Temple here in São Paulo and planned to go. We invited a group of our friends to come with us. Unfortunately, due to miscommunication, everyone thought the trip was cancelled. I tried to rescue it and straighten out the misunderstanding, but it was too late. So Adriel and I made the trip by ourselves.

                We left around early-afternoon and took a bus to a nearby town. To give you the details, a nearby town to São Paulo is still about an hour away by bus because the city’s huge. After a little over an hour, we made it too our stop and hopped off the bus. Our bus only took us near to the entrance of the temple and so our next task was to find out where the temple was. We asked a number of people and after a 30 minute walk, we were at the temple.

                It was a serene place with beautiful statues and buildings. I walked past my favorite statues on my way up to the temple. They were a line of old men each with different gestures and expressions ranging from freaky to pensive. Approaching the temple, there is a giant urn that you burn incenses in that symbolize prayer. I burned one and grabbed a scripture from the Dharma. Adriel and I then visited the small lake and starting taking random pictures. All in all, it was a good trip and interesting way to reflect on different religions.

Dance Class

Sertanejo

                After having a taste of what major dance skills Adriel and I could have by taking the dance class, and with the desire to improve our talents, we decided to go in for a trial test to see what the dance was like for Sertanejo. We went over the two basic steps and then started adding in some twirls and improvisations. For about an hour we were becoming one with the Brazilian culture. I enjoyed it and was looking forward to see if we could do sign on for the weekly class. Unfortunately, the classes were a little out of our price range and wouldn’t be worth it for the small amount of time we have left in the country. The stake dances will have to do for me!

Brazilian Culinary Culture

My thoughts on the Subject

I may have mentioned some key aspects about Brazil’s culinary culture before, but I want to put it down in one place.

                Drinks

                Unlike the United States, serving only water to your guests isn’t very polite. Water is considered the low of the low on the drinks list. Normally, you’ll receive juice or soda to compliment your meal. It comes from the cultural etiquette to give your guest the best you have to offer, which is probably why restaurants don’t give out free water, a true tragedy for the thirsty man. It’s good to know when guest’s come over. I also figured out what sets apart a first-world country from a third world, it’s free refills. Case solved. You can all sleep well tonight.

                Food

                Every meal must have a staple food, something that will stick to your ribs (that’s what my mom always used to say) like beans. These foods will hold you hunger till your next meal. If you have the means, meat is also a great staple food. Unless you come from the Northeast, spicy food is not common. Hot sauce here is usually mild at best and rarely used. Salad is almost religious at every meal. It ranges from lettuce to tomatoes and is usually covered in vinegar and oil with a little bit of salt. It sounds surprising but that is about all you need for dressing and your salad is delicious. And you must use a fork and a knife to eat your food. It's actually quite handy, so try it.

                Dessert

                Dessert is something that Brazilians know how to do well. From milkshakes to cakes, Brazilians love to show off there sweet skills. One ingredient that is prominent in most desserts is Sweet and Condensed Milk. Just by walking into the super market you can see just how important this ingredient is. There is a whole section dedicated to the different brands. Some of the most popular desserts are flan (pudim), mousse, and brigadeiro. All sent directly from heaven. I would definitely suggest taking a look online for some of the recipes.  

One Long Night: Part Three

The Next Day

"Think in the morning. Act in the noon. Eat in the evening. Sleep in the night." - William Blake 

                Fate was working against us from the beginning. Following the directions we were given, we found out that the transfer station to the subway we wanted was just a station away from where we started, after having traveled to the middle of the city. After returning and finally getting on the right subway, we still had enough time to arrive by the appointed hour. Unfortunately (and this was my fault), I turned one street early. After continuing for a ways and seeing no signs of a chapel, we decided to ask the public where the Mormon Church was. For some reason, nobody seemed to know, and those that thought that they knew, each gave totally different directions. So I did what anybody in my situation would do without the ability to call for help (nobody was answering their phone), I guessed followed the advice that seemed to feel right. When I would feel lost again, I would then ask around and receive another string of different directions. It really seemed like we were on a wild goose chase but with a stationary building that did not want to be found. After about an hour of walking up and down hills, this way and that way, we finally reached a chapel. After entering, we quickly realized that we were in the wrong place because only one person was there. This member was able to give us the right directions and told us that we were pretty far away. Discouraged and tired, we hit the road again, this time to grab cab and arrive at the right chapel without an hour walk. After arriving the teaching went well, but it wasn’t easy. To say the least, I learned my lesson and will be avoiding such outings in the future.

One Long Night: Part Two

Coming Home

            Having practically danced all night, my legs were wobbling and my eyelids heavy. Everyone else seemed to be suffering the same symptoms but there still wasn’t enough rides home. Four of us ended up with the only option of waiting for the bus system to start up. I suggested we leave the pounding bass and shrieking accordion behind us and wait outside at the bust stop. Even though we had some time to wait, we filled it with stories and future plans. Eventually, we noticed that no buses were coming our way. Asking another guy at the stop, we learned that our bus didn’t even stop where we were but the subway station was only about a 20 to 30 minute walk away.

After voting, it was decided to take the risk. It was about 5am at this point and asking for directions was not exactly on easy thing to do. We eventually did run into a guy who spoke no English and no Portuguese. Through hand gestures, broken Port-english, and about as much comprehension one can have after a sleepless night, we managed to get the idea and head in the right direction. After taking the subway and a bus, we made it home just in time to take a shower, switch clothes and head off to teach our class. To sum up the experiences, let’s just say I won’t be doing it again.

One Long Night: Part One

The Birthday Party

                Last Friday, a surprise birthday party was held for one of our friends here. I was excited because it was going to be held at a Sertanejo club and there would be plenty of time to try out some new dance moves. We got on the bus and headed to town with some friends. It was fun, and there was some great dancing but the atmosphere wasn’t exactly to my liking. It was also getting late and I was getting tired. I later learned that the buses had already stopped coming and we would need a ride home unless we waited another five hours. I asked around but to no avail, everyone either wasn’t ready to go or heading in different direction; finding two extra seats in a car isn’t the easiest thing in Brazil. It seemed like I wasn’t going anywhere for a while so I decided to try and enjoy were I was at.  The live bands were good and many managed to sing American music well. No matter how good the bands are there comes a time when all you want to do is put your head down and sleep.

Brazilian Line Dancing

Our Spontaneous Free Lesson 

Our Dance Class

                Adriel and I were able to go to a dance class. We were looking for something to do one day and Flavio mentioned the Dance lesson we could go to. It was one of those "Why not" moments and we were off getting a bus. I was hoping it would be a practice for some of the dances we have been learning at the church dances but it was another type of dance. This one is called Roxa or something like that. It’s all line dancing with different moves for each of the popular songs of the day. Much of what we did was new and nothing like the "Cotton-Eyed-Joe" I was used to at my stake dances. Some of the moves consisted of driving Camaros and swiveling your hips all latin-like. Most were actually pretty cool but I have to admit that I wasn’t the biggest fan of the style. The teacher was also going through a run through which means it was a little fast for us beginners. By the end of the night, we did sign up for a free trial to come to one of the Sertanejo classes which is a dance for couples. We’ll see how that one goes!

Our Favorite Restaurant

Brazilian Chinese Food

"When it comes to Chinese food I have always operated under the policy that the less known about the preparation the better. A wise diner who is invited to visit the kitchen replies by saying, as politely as possible, that he has a pressing engagement elsewhere." - Calvin Trillin  

                Adriel and I seem to have become regulars at a local restaurant by the ERS office. We don’t eat there too often but when hunger hits and we don’t want to head home and make anything, it’s our usually place to stop. The restaurant is a nice little Chinese place that only takes about three minutes to arrive from the office. I wish I could say I go there because of the great Chinese but I’ll admit it’s because of the cheap price. While other place range from R$15.00 to R$20.00, I can fill my belly for R$11.00. Drinks are extra but that only adds about R$3.00 if I’m feeling it. The Chinese is actually pretty good even though it’s been Brazilian-ized beyond recognition. I don’t know too much about the Chinese culture but I’m sure Brazilian Feijão isn’t too popular there.

Park Observation

Vinicius Park

             I want to get out of the apartment today. I just can’t seem to concentrate on a computer screen any longer. I realized today that I can’t concentrate on the computer screen any longer; I need to get out of this apartment for change of scenery. With no time limit on my excursion, I leave the man cave and buy a notebook from across the street and find my way to a park. Our manager has shown Adriel and me the park before but what I didn’t realize was the size of the park till I arrived. The park is maintained but not well. The ruggedness seems to add to the exotic feel of the experience. I sit down on some stops and start writing. I start writing different blog entries, but can’t help noticing the activity in the park. All around me, people are engaging in different activities. Behind me on the sidewalk surrounding the park, runners, walkers, joggers, hobblers and skippers all pass frequently. In front of me and up the hill, others are using the parks exercising equipment trying to relieve stress after work. On a path at the bottom of the hill, people pass while walking their dogs. There are mostly little small and medium small dogs, perfect for the living in the apartment complexes of São Paulo. All are off their leash. One particular man grabs my attention. He comes down the steps behind me with a small pink bicycle in his hand. His daughter follows right behind, too occupied by the melting ice cream bar in hear hand to finish making it down the steps. The father stops at the bottom, puts the bike down and turns to look at his daughter. I can’t help but smile as I see this little girl notice her father and quickly catch up; upon arrival, her attention quickly returns to the dripping ice cream. 

              After writing for a time, I decide it’s time to explore more of the park. Adriel finds me and after a quick chat, he joins the army of runners circling the park. I get up off the steps and follow the path oat the bottom of the hill. More dogs are running through the short grass and chasing each other around palm trees. The trees in the park are different than the ones I am used to back home. Many of the trunks are thin in comparison to Douglas firs that surrounded the house I grew up in. These trees remind me of a tropical version of those you find on an African safari with Palm trees in between. Walking through the park, I find and old skating area that’s been flooded by the current record amount of rain São Paulo has experienced over the last few months. I start to write again when I hear splashing coming from the huge puddle. A dog has found the water and is taking full advantage of the water. It immediately reminds me of my dog back home who seems to never pass up an opportunity to get wet. Another daddy-daughter duo passes by me. This time the Dad’s about 55 years old with a daughter in her late teens. They must be training for something because as they pass, I hear the daughter ask if they could slow down and walk. Without a change of rhythm, I hear the dad saying words of encouragement to the daughter as the two jog away. Truly there is beauty everywhere if you take the time to notice.