Shani (Elise)'s Travels

Foz de Iguaçu

Sydney arrived on Monday morning…a little bit later than expected. Her flight into São Paulo was late, making her miss her flight into Curitiba. Thankfully, she was traveling with my friend Jen, so it was that big of a deal.

This was our last week of class. As everyone left, I got very emotional. Spending six weeks with each other made us very close. There were a few conflicts along the way, but for the most part everyone got along very well. It was kinda like being at summer camp…except it was cold…and we had to do work.

On Friday, Syd and I headed out to Foz de Iguaçu, right on the border of Brazil and Agentina to go see the waterfalls. We stayed at this really cool hostel called Hostel Bambu, where we of course met lots of other travelers who were, of course, not American. It was a 12-hour bus ride from Curitiba, so we took the red-eye. When we arrived on Saturday, we immediately headed out to the Brazilian side of the falls. It was a very cold, dreary day, but the falls were beautiful. On Sunday (with much better weather), we took a tour of the Argentina side. I don’t know which was better. It was spectacular and well worth the trip. Again, I can’t say what the pictures tell. One funny side story to this adventure…they had these funny little animals called ? that looked like a cross between a raccoon and an opposum. They were tearing up the trashcans looking for food and if you had a plastic bag, they would jump on you and start digging through it. One even jumped on a girl’s back and was digging in her backpack looking for food! It was so funny. We saw a man pet one too. It seemed to enjoy it and I really wanted to pet one, but peer pressure kept me from doing it. They kept talking about something called rabies. Anyway, that’s why I posted a picture of them.

Currently, we are on a 24-hour, that’s right 24-hour bus ride to our final destination…Rio! Yay!!! I can’t wait to be warm again…I had Sydney bring my Brazilian bikini (which she’s appalled about) so hopefully I will be able to take advantage of the warmer weather…stay tuned.

Ilha do Mel: Island of Honey

We didn’t have class Friday, June 6th so most of the group decided to go to Foz de Iguaçu (where some of the largest waterfalls in the world are located) for the weekend. I decided to forgo the trip because I wanted to take Sydney there when she comes. Plus, I really needed to take advantage of the weekend to get some work done. Two others from the group, Elly and Eric, also decided to stay in Curitiba for the weekend. So on Friday, the three of us decided to take a day trip over to this coastal city we had learned about in a lecture, Paranaguá, which was about 1.5 hours away by bus. We had also heard about an island near there, that was a natural preserve where you could take a boat to and go exploring. By the time we got to Paranaguá, there was only one more ferry going across to the island. Since we weren’t sure what was there we decided not to risk getting stuck on the island, but all agreed we should stay the night in Paranaguá and catch the morning ferry over and check it out the next day. Then, we could still have all of Sunday for working. Plus, Paranaguá was a cute colonial port town that would be fun hanging out in for the day.

So we bought one toothbrush to share between us, as well as shampoo that doubled as soap and found a hostel to stay in for the night. Then we went out for dinner and dancing. Only, nobody was dancing. It was 11:00 and everyone was just standing around, so Elly and I took over the floor and danced until we couldn’t dance anymore. And nobody ever joined us. It was really weird. They all just stood around and watched like we were some freak show or something. I always thought that Brazilians were supposed to be carefree and fun and the Americans were stiff and boring in those types of situations. Well…we had FUN.

The next morning we rushed down to catch the boat for the 1-hour boat ride to Ilha do Mel, the island. Immediately, we became friends with these cute little Brazilian boys who were headed over to go surfing for the weekend. We made small talk until we finally arrived. I asked if we could follow them since we didn’t really know where we were going and of course they obliged. We stepped out onto the island and discovered a paradise. It was soooo cool! No cars are allowed on the island, so there are only these little sand trails all throughout that led to several pousadas or hut-like hotels and hostels, definitely catering to the surfer crowd. There were only a few restaurants and shops, again, all fashioned to the natural island theme. I felt like I was on Gilligan’s Island! And the beach was beautiful…a nice wide beach area surrounded by rocks perfect for exploring. Soooo, we decided to stay another night. I mean, we already had our toothbrush and soap, so why not? Although, by day three our clothes were pretty nasty. And, all I brought for the trip was $50 reais, equivalent to about U.S. $35 and an American Express card, which nobody accepted, of course. So, I was mooching off my friends for the weekend. It was well worth it though. We had a fabulous time. It was only after we returned and I was eating breakfast Monday morning when I noticed a little packet labeled mel that it dawned on me what the name of the island meant: Ilha do Mel = Island of Honey. Indeed. See for yourself…the pictures say it all. Oh yeah…and what about our work you ask? C’mon…we’re in Brazil!

P.S. I can't take credit for the photos...my friends took most of them. Aren't they amazing?

Final Pics of Curitiba

Pedestrian and Historical District of Curitiba

More about Curitiba

So why am I studying in Curitiba?Curitiba is world-renowned for being a “model sustainable city.” Urban

planners all around the

world have been studying Curitiba since the 1970s. It is most known for its innovative bus system, including the famous bus tubes. With its population booming, the

need was

apparent for efficient mass transportation needed to be developed. But, the city could not afford to create an

expensive subway system. Therefore, the rapid bus system came about, the key feature being the designated bus lanes…ie. Lanes for buses only. Also, the bus tubes serve the same purpose as a subway station where people pay as they enter the tubes, then wait, protected from the elements, for the next bus. When the bus appears the doors of the tube slide open and a mass of people rush in and out before the doors close again and the bus takes off. This system makes it much more efficient than a typical bus system.

Another famous program is the Food for Trash program that gives poor people in the favelas food in exchange for trash. As mentioned before, many times the city cannot get into the informal settlements to pick up trash. When the city found out about local farmers throwing away cabbage one season due to overproduction, the city hatched a plan. They signed an agreement with local farmers that they would buy a certain portion of their crops in order to exchange it for trash delivered by residents in the favelas. Nowadays the program still exists and I went to see it in action. The residents lined up with their carts and received bananas, citrus fruit and potatoes in exchange for their trash.

Most of Curitiba’s programs were launched by its long-time former mayor, Jaime Lerner. My favorite story about Lerner is one in which he single-handedly turned a section of downtown Curitiba into a pedestrian-only strip. Knowing there would be widespread opposition to the change, he called his street workers in and asked how long it would take to transform the four-block section. They estimated several weeks…Lerner gave them 24 hours. They took a little longer than that…within 48 hours the 4 blocks were made into a pedestrian mall, with cars unable to enter ever again. Lerner had heard about a plan by local merchants along the strip who were opposed to the change…they planned to storm the new mall with their vehicles in protest on the day of its opening. But, Lerner was wise to the plan; he arranged for large reams of paper and paint to be delivered and then invited hundreds of children to come inaugurate the pedestrian mall’s first day. That move stymied the protests and children painting in the mall has since become a tradition each Saturday throughout the year. The pictures I am posting show several scenes from these programs that I have described. Enjoy.

Curitiba Pics

View from my hotel room in Curitiba

Another view at a different time...

My Brazilian Soccer Girl...she's gonna be the coolest chick

on the field with her new soccer cleats

Park in Curitiba

Favelas

We had the opportunity to visit a couple of favelas here in Curitiba. For those of you who do not know, a favela is the term for the shantytowns, slums or "informal settlements" formed illegally by squatters in the outskirts of the city. They are prevalent in all major cities in developing countries. Although some of the houses are made out of material as flimsy as cardboard, many have developed a vibrant, supportive, community network. A lot of cities, including Curitiba, are moving to "regularize" these communities by providing infrastructure such as roads and sewage treatment to the settlements, thus improving their quality of life. It is very difficult and expensive, however. Also, a lot of times these settlements are located in environmentally sensitive areas so the governments have to relocate families and then put something else in place, such as a park, so as to prevent "an invasion" again.

A common profession of those living in the favelas is one of being a catadore, or waste-picker. These people go through the city picking up recycled material and then take it to a processor for payment. This topic is what I am doing my research on while in Brazil. It has been a constant struggle for the catadores to gain recognition for the work they do. Curitiba has been relatively good at supporting their 3000 or so waste-pickers by implementing specific social programs to assist them, but there is still so much more to be done.

The pictures show the stream that serves as the sewage dump as well as images of trash collection activity within the favela. Notice the one house is almost inside the creek. There are also pics of how children entertain themselves... although the boy on the one-wheeled bike (double-click on image to expand it) was entertaining to us. The field in the background is located adjacent to a creek where former homesites once were. It is an example of a new use created to prevent people from settling along the creek again. Also, after telling someone about the boy flying the kite, I was informed that he was not just having fun but was alerting drug dealers that strangers were in the area. I hope that's not true.

Brazilians for Obama

So, it again hit home how much more knowledgeable the rest of the world is when it comes to world politics. After Barack won the Democratic primaries, the local newscast devoted 10 minutes to covering the event. Most of us don't even know who the ELECTED presidents/prime ministers are in other countries, much less who is running for office. Everywhere I go Brazilians are asking me who I am for: Barack, Hillary, or McCain. Even if they can't speak English, they still manage to ask who we like. And, I've bonded with many a Brazilian over the mutual support of Obama. I had a guy high-five me and give me a kiss after I told him I like Barack. It was so funny...and ohhh so gratifying.

To me, international relations is a major reason to support Barack. Having less of the world hating us is the best thing we can do to promote our homeland security. The excitement of Obama-fever has spread throughout the world. Now, we have to make sure we can deliver. Please, please, please, listen to Barack's speech on race that I have posted a link to. Sorry, I couldn't resist putting in a plug for him...

http://my.barackobama.com/ObamasOwnWords

A typical Shani Elise adventure

By the third day of the trip I needed to get out on my own, separate from the group. I had seen this little sand trail in side of the hill that was part of a protected parkland area. So on this particular day I packed a picnic (piqueniqui in Portuguese pronounced picky-nicky...isn't that cute?) and ventured off to see where the trail led. I had heard that there was a nude beach close by Praia Mole, but I was not exactly sure where. The man openly relieving himself along the trail--so close that I almost brushed up against him--should have clued me in. Of course that's where the trail led. No I did not go nude. But, I walked along the beach as if I had walked through a nude beach everyday of my life. It was mainly a bunch of older men. I went hiking on the rocks, ate my lunch and then went for a swim. I was the only one swimming, but it was nice because I didn't have surfers to contend with like at Praia Mole. Having trouble finding the path again to return, a man sensed my confusion and walked over to help me. So here I stood attempting to communicate with a naked, albeit very tan, Brazilian man, trying to explain where I wanted to go. Now, my Portuguese is pretty bad in normal situations...But, I was REALLY struggling now...it was totally ridiculous.

It's not Rio yet, but...

I had to post this photo...you know you wanted to see it. EVERY

bathing suit was either this or the slightly less revealing

Brazilian cut. I felt out of place in my boy shorts...

Not a bad view, huh?

People having fun.

Cool tat on cool surfer dude.

COOL Dreads...I was in awe.

Ahhh...finally: The Brazil I envisioned...

When we got to the hotel, I fell into my bed, and slept for 7 hours...wasting an entire day of exploring this beautiful island. We spent 2 days in lectures at the Federal University of Santa Catarina and then we went on a day-long tour of the entire Ilha de Santa Catarina, an island collectively known as Florianópolis, or Florípa to the locals. We went to an old Portuguese fort in the more popular, touristy Northern part of the island, and then we went to the less-visited Southern part which included an old colonial village. It is about 43 miles long from north to south.

Finally, the fun was about to begin...the upcoming weekend was "the last holiday of the year" meaning most folks had off Thursday and Friday, making for a long holiday weekend. More importantly, this also meant we didn't have class the last half of the week. Everyone in our group agreed to take advantage of the time off by renting a beach house located on Lagoa da Conceição, near the town of Barra da Lagoa, and a short walk to Praia Mole (Praia=Beach). This is pretty much in the middle of the island. Needless to say we had a great 4 days. I was a little apprehensive spending that much time with 11 other people, but it truly was awesome. And, beautiful people were everywhere. It was the first time in my life that I felt like the ugliest person on the beach. I have so many stories from this vacation...but I will let the pictures speak for themselves. It by far has been the highlight of the trip...