I don't know what title to give this post since I haven't written in such along time. I was just inspired by one of my new students who, compared to many others, has showed a hunger to learn english. Sometimes when you can tell whether as students really wants to learn english or really really wants to learn english, you as a teacher become more awake and attentive to their hunger. You become more motivated to show them new things about the language and even you yourself learns a new fact.
(All in all I enjoy every since one of my students here in Bahia. They all have unique personalities and I love the questions they ask about the US)
People are often scared of Brazil because of the violence that they see on the television, for example, the film called City of Gods. That movie shows what really happens in the favelas of Rio De Janeiro. There is a T.V. program that shows dead bodies of people involved in drugs and crime. For me violence is violence. Same in Brazil as it is in Nigeria as it is in the US. However, in the US, things are better censored and covered up, because remember Fear is the best weapon of terrorism.
Do I feel scared in Brazil? Only when I am crossing the streets because stop signs and traffic signs are optional, it's like things are painted and signs are put up just to decorate. I have in fact walked by some prostitutes. It is a shame. They don't fit my stereotype of the traditional prostitute, in that they are beautiful girls, that look like they are just going to a party. They have all their teeth and their hairs are kept. But they are prostitutes, selling their bodies for something. Do I judge them. Shamefully I say yes. What they are doing is not good morally and physically. The disease and potential violence on these women. But I am not here to preach. It is just a meer observation that I see on days when there is not rain. They are part of my life here. Ornaments as if ordained to be at their posts. The law allows this, even though they ostentatiously denounce it to everyone. But when the city sleeps, it is like bedbugs. I don't blame the prostitutes, I blame the law that watches, the bastards that pick and pay, and the residences, who don't ban together to get rid of these busness transtions taking place by their homes. Oh, well, one leg at a time.
Ah, moving to better things, BOB MARLEY, sometimes when you hear his name, you often think that he is not the Late Bob Marley, a man who's name is as fresh as the waters of Bahia. Bob Marley, the Jesus of Reggae (always a difficult word to spell), the Einstein of melodey, the King of the Islands. Bob Marley, enough said. Since coming to Brazil, Reggae has inspired me to relax. I will go buy a shirt!
Brazil is treating me really nice. I am the definition of a Hustler because I hustled to get where I am at. I am forever blessed and grateful. I live with two women who are so fresh. I am in love with a telenovela, which is the Brazilian version of Soap Operas, called Poder Paralel. Let me spit something out about soaps here, they are better. Why? Because they have a beginning, middle, and end. They don't flirt with your intelligence. They flow. I love it! Also, every morning I go for a walk by the beach and it is very beautiful. I love the morning sun, the infinity of the ocean. But what is better. The full moon that glazes the dark black sea at night, it is so romantic!
Speaking of Romantic, I am in Love!!! Yes in love with Açai. It is the best type of dessert. It is usually purple in color and very cold. You put granola on top. I recommend when you come to Bahia, because that is the only place I have yet to enjoy it. Acaraje. What is acaraje? If you are Nigerian, particularly Yoruba, it is Akara. It is so good. It is made with grounded beans and then fried. HUM!!!!
Well until next time :)
(Yep, the title is pretty lame)
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
Tudo e beleza
Hello everyone. I am so very sorry that I have not spoken to you beautiful people in the longest of time. There has been so much that has happened since I last spoke to you all and now! This will be a very long post so I want everyone to be prepared. First of all I am no longer residing in Aruja, Sao Paulo! A moment of silence-well I feel better. I am living in Bahia Brazil!!!! I am so happy! Seriously, today is the most "content" day of my life. So, it all started..(sound of harps)
The school I was working for was taking advantage of us Americans. First we were having our rooms clean, even though that might not sound bad, we didn't like our stuff moved around, and found out from the help that other people were in our room that were not supposed to be there. My roommates money was stolen, my laptop was stolen (but I'm over it). There were three rapes in our neighborhood, mind you, this is a middle class neighborhood. Our next door neigbhor was snooping around our rooms (which is another story!) Two places were robbed in our neighborhood. All in all, I was becoming very paranoid. I was hating the teaching method, because basically it wasn't mind stimulating. Students weren't learning much and I felt that I was expendible because as long as you spoke English, you could teach. Finally, I expressed to the coordinator that I wanted to move. I realized I wasn't the only person nor was I the first. However, towards the end, an error was done by the coordinator in that we found that everything that we had emailed in confidence of annonymosity (if that is a word) was relayed back to the boss. So, there was a crunch time for me to find a place before the 11th of April. (By the way, Carnival was Amazing!!! but that was back in February) So, they wanted to move me south, the German speaking part, and although I have no problem with the Germans, some former Nazi's. I want to go to Germany, but I didnt come to Brazil to learn German, I came to learn Portuguese. So, the salary was robbed from me from the school from about 800 reis to 111 reis. I called my dad up to donate me money for a bus to go to Bahia. So I had about R$60 on me. My bagages were excessive in weight so I had to pay R$40, I was down to R$20 (for those who are bad a math); finally, I relied a little on a person to help me out with the taxi, however, after circumstances have arised he has been excommunicated in my life (talk to my friends about it later) I used that money to pay the cab. I never knew what hunger felt like, but the last two weeks, I felt the epitomy of it. All in all through my various adventures I met a babalao from out of nowhere where he offered me a place to stay, however, it was in the most dangerous parts of Salvador. That was after I was looking for a job. I walked...lets use the map of Columbia to better illustrate where I had to walk in the scorting heat. I walked from Rock Bridge High school, to Hickman High school, to the Mall and back. I almost died of a heat stroke. In about 80 degree weather. The sun had painted two dark brown sleves on me.
I prayed guys. I prayed very hard and very long. Luckily, I had this book on hope. All in all, my emotions and struck of luck went on a rollercoaster. Today, I have a job, with people I like, with a methodology I love, and the view is breath taking. The ocean is about a few meters from the glass windows. I will post a picture of it. All in all, I found an apartment today with one of the teachers. I am a person that is always determined. Failure. I hate failure, and I don't ever want to know what if feels like. There were times people were telling me that I should just go home. Or I put this all on myself. I love to wave at those discuragements as they pass me by. If I listened to those people, I still would have been in a pharmacy, studying to be a nurse.
So, to pass the time, I was so glad I brought movies. Mummy movies. I have watched the mummy movies about 10 times. They are my favorite movies thats why I can watch them again 10 times. They never get old. I also brought a movie on Nefertiti. Hum, maybe I should write a story about it. (Note to myself).
All in all, I love hearing about the world events. I'm glad I am not in the states at the moment. But, ah well. Life goes on. Life will be better there. I hope I have inspired someone today.
The school I was working for was taking advantage of us Americans. First we were having our rooms clean, even though that might not sound bad, we didn't like our stuff moved around, and found out from the help that other people were in our room that were not supposed to be there. My roommates money was stolen, my laptop was stolen (but I'm over it). There were three rapes in our neighborhood, mind you, this is a middle class neighborhood. Our next door neigbhor was snooping around our rooms (which is another story!) Two places were robbed in our neighborhood. All in all, I was becoming very paranoid. I was hating the teaching method, because basically it wasn't mind stimulating. Students weren't learning much and I felt that I was expendible because as long as you spoke English, you could teach. Finally, I expressed to the coordinator that I wanted to move. I realized I wasn't the only person nor was I the first. However, towards the end, an error was done by the coordinator in that we found that everything that we had emailed in confidence of annonymosity (if that is a word) was relayed back to the boss. So, there was a crunch time for me to find a place before the 11th of April. (By the way, Carnival was Amazing!!! but that was back in February) So, they wanted to move me south, the German speaking part, and although I have no problem with the Germans, some former Nazi's. I want to go to Germany, but I didnt come to Brazil to learn German, I came to learn Portuguese. So, the salary was robbed from me from the school from about 800 reis to 111 reis. I called my dad up to donate me money for a bus to go to Bahia. So I had about R$60 on me. My bagages were excessive in weight so I had to pay R$40, I was down to R$20 (for those who are bad a math); finally, I relied a little on a person to help me out with the taxi, however, after circumstances have arised he has been excommunicated in my life (talk to my friends about it later) I used that money to pay the cab. I never knew what hunger felt like, but the last two weeks, I felt the epitomy of it. All in all through my various adventures I met a babalao from out of nowhere where he offered me a place to stay, however, it was in the most dangerous parts of Salvador. That was after I was looking for a job. I walked...lets use the map of Columbia to better illustrate where I had to walk in the scorting heat. I walked from Rock Bridge High school, to Hickman High school, to the Mall and back. I almost died of a heat stroke. In about 80 degree weather. The sun had painted two dark brown sleves on me.
I prayed guys. I prayed very hard and very long. Luckily, I had this book on hope. All in all, my emotions and struck of luck went on a rollercoaster. Today, I have a job, with people I like, with a methodology I love, and the view is breath taking. The ocean is about a few meters from the glass windows. I will post a picture of it. All in all, I found an apartment today with one of the teachers. I am a person that is always determined. Failure. I hate failure, and I don't ever want to know what if feels like. There were times people were telling me that I should just go home. Or I put this all on myself. I love to wave at those discuragements as they pass me by. If I listened to those people, I still would have been in a pharmacy, studying to be a nurse.
So, to pass the time, I was so glad I brought movies. Mummy movies. I have watched the mummy movies about 10 times. They are my favorite movies thats why I can watch them again 10 times. They never get old. I also brought a movie on Nefertiti. Hum, maybe I should write a story about it. (Note to myself).
All in all, I love hearing about the world events. I'm glad I am not in the states at the moment. But, ah well. Life goes on. Life will be better there. I hope I have inspired someone today.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Nao faz mal (not bad)
So yesterday I went to the very city of Sao Paulo. Now on our way there my roommate Kris and I went with some of the teachers, all who are no older than 20 to Sao Paulo. Let me interject one thing, the teenagers of Brasil are very mature for there age, that~s why I was taken aback when I found out how old they were. Teenagers in the US are very immature compared to other teenagers around the world. It's just an observation. However, we took the bus and the bus drivers have no regards to the people inside the bus, which is quite funny at times. Your body will go one way as the bus goes the other, and the driver will slam on the brake, so you slam into the seat in front of you while he finally releases the breaks and you slam back into your seats. The bus rides were always adventures. It rains a lot here. When I say it rains, it will sprinkle and then a few minutes later it will stop and the scorching sun will erradicate all evidence that it rained.
Right now I've been calling friends and family at home. Also I've been trying to meditate a lot here. I find a lot of purity in nature. I love the trees and the birds. I'm now into a lot of reggae, in particular, Bob Marley's Stir it up. My roommate and I started to analyze the whole genre of reggae and concluded that its so relaxing and you don't have to do a lot of dancing. Okay, I'm stirring off topic (no pun intended.)
SO in Sao Paulo we went to the central park Ibirapuera, it's like central park but bigger. I've never seen such an amazing place in my life. There are lakes (ponds) with swans and ducks. People running, jogging, biking, playing around, walking. There are little resturants there. I had and Acai there. I felt like I had died and marinated in a cloud. Those things are soooo good. They are like sherbert of the Acai berry grown in the Amazone, blended with bananas, served in a bowl, with cut bananas around with granola sprinkled on top. I had to the the X-large. It doesn't look like much (taste) however, after eating it, when you see it, you become greedy. It is sooooo good.
Later that day we went to the World Mall. They weren't kidding when they called it the world mall. It's big. Very very, big. So we decided to see Benjamin Button. I cried, but the movie seemed predicatable. The two Brazilian teachers I was with Paula and Luis, all less than the age of twenty I might add, would talk to me in English, and we did it just to get looks from people around us. Luis says he gets a
kick out of people watching and staring. In the movie theatre, that had subtitles, I felt for moments that I was in the US, it was when I left the theatre, I realize I was in Brasil, and I felt I had to adjust my mind because I was confused for the moment. Brasilians love American movies, do they love American movies. My gosh. And American Music, they love all music, I heard some guy in an expensive car listening to T.I. feat Rhianna Live Your Life. At times if feels like home. Yet, I don't want to leave here. Nao Faz mal, it's not bad here. I don't want to wait until I'm old to live here. I see myself in a house somewhere in Bahia. Even if I was there alone, I really won't be alone because unlike Columbia, you see people, every single day of every single hour.
Tonight I'm going to have dinner with some of the other teachers. Then prepare for my lessons tomorrow. I can't wait. People laugh at me and say Liz, you're excited now but wait until week four when you dread it, and the repetition of it is homocidal. I say, yeah, it's like driving a car as a teenager, and yet the first couple months it's fun, but then you dread it after a while, well for me I know it's going to be like that but driving is an adventure, although I might see the same things everyday, you never know what my cross the road. But hey, nao faz mal.
Later :0)
For one week in Brazil, life has not been bad.
Right now I've been calling friends and family at home. Also I've been trying to meditate a lot here. I find a lot of purity in nature. I love the trees and the birds. I'm now into a lot of reggae, in particular, Bob Marley's Stir it up. My roommate and I started to analyze the whole genre of reggae and concluded that its so relaxing and you don't have to do a lot of dancing. Okay, I'm stirring off topic (no pun intended.)
SO in Sao Paulo we went to the central park Ibirapuera, it's like central park but bigger. I've never seen such an amazing place in my life. There are lakes (ponds) with swans and ducks. People running, jogging, biking, playing around, walking. There are little resturants there. I had and Acai there. I felt like I had died and marinated in a cloud. Those things are soooo good. They are like sherbert of the Acai berry grown in the Amazone, blended with bananas, served in a bowl, with cut bananas around with granola sprinkled on top. I had to the the X-large. It doesn't look like much (taste) however, after eating it, when you see it, you become greedy. It is sooooo good.
Later that day we went to the World Mall. They weren't kidding when they called it the world mall. It's big. Very very, big. So we decided to see Benjamin Button. I cried, but the movie seemed predicatable. The two Brazilian teachers I was with Paula and Luis, all less than the age of twenty I might add, would talk to me in English, and we did it just to get looks from people around us. Luis says he gets a
kick out of people watching and staring. In the movie theatre, that had subtitles, I felt for moments that I was in the US, it was when I left the theatre, I realize I was in Brasil, and I felt I had to adjust my mind because I was confused for the moment. Brasilians love American movies, do they love American movies. My gosh. And American Music, they love all music, I heard some guy in an expensive car listening to T.I. feat Rhianna Live Your Life. At times if feels like home. Yet, I don't want to leave here. Nao Faz mal, it's not bad here. I don't want to wait until I'm old to live here. I see myself in a house somewhere in Bahia. Even if I was there alone, I really won't be alone because unlike Columbia, you see people, every single day of every single hour.
Tonight I'm going to have dinner with some of the other teachers. Then prepare for my lessons tomorrow. I can't wait. People laugh at me and say Liz, you're excited now but wait until week four when you dread it, and the repetition of it is homocidal. I say, yeah, it's like driving a car as a teenager, and yet the first couple months it's fun, but then you dread it after a while, well for me I know it's going to be like that but driving is an adventure, although I might see the same things everyday, you never know what my cross the road. But hey, nao faz mal.
Later :0)
For one week in Brazil, life has not been bad.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Eu posso falar...I can speak
Now that´s out of the way...
So I´m so excited that I will be teaching English tomorrow! I`ll be teaching the Callen method, which is the British method of English. It consists of repeating a sentence or phrase twice and having the student reply while you talk over them so that they know the rhythm of how English is spoken. At first I was apprehensive about the method however, having the tables turned for Portugues, it is a great method. NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART!
All yesterday and the day before I had Feijoada (rice and beans), I love it. However, here in Aruja, they use a lighter brown shade of beans. I'm used to black beans but, tanto faz (which ever). Feijoada is the equivalent of spigetti, or macaronni, or rice. The staple meal of a home. I love the fruits here. I went to the supermarket called Takahashi (Japanese owned, Brazil, mainly Sao Paulo has the highest population of Japanese people in the world, second to Japan of course). Takahashi is like a New York martet, in regards to the meat. Everything is open. Literally. It is really nice.
Teaching
So I've been going to classes and meeting my new students. It's bad to say this but I've already have picked out favorites. Usually the ones that speak and make lasting impressions. Teaching is going to be fun. I start tomorrow. I'm excited.
Well, I must sign off. Ate logo (until next time).
Tchao!
So I´m so excited that I will be teaching English tomorrow! I`ll be teaching the Callen method, which is the British method of English. It consists of repeating a sentence or phrase twice and having the student reply while you talk over them so that they know the rhythm of how English is spoken. At first I was apprehensive about the method however, having the tables turned for Portugues, it is a great method. NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART!
All yesterday and the day before I had Feijoada (rice and beans), I love it. However, here in Aruja, they use a lighter brown shade of beans. I'm used to black beans but, tanto faz (which ever). Feijoada is the equivalent of spigetti, or macaronni, or rice. The staple meal of a home. I love the fruits here. I went to the supermarket called Takahashi (Japanese owned, Brazil, mainly Sao Paulo has the highest population of Japanese people in the world, second to Japan of course). Takahashi is like a New York martet, in regards to the meat. Everything is open. Literally. It is really nice.
Teaching
So I've been going to classes and meeting my new students. It's bad to say this but I've already have picked out favorites. Usually the ones that speak and make lasting impressions. Teaching is going to be fun. I start tomorrow. I'm excited.
Well, I must sign off. Ate logo (until next time).
Tchao!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Here we go again (aqui de novo)
Ola,
Hey everyone. I'm pleased to say that I've just arrived in Brasil. Well actually, yesterday. I'm in the city of Aruja (Ah-roo-jah). It is about 20 minutes or less away from Sao Paulo, the biggest city in the southern hermisphere. Moreover, this is the third time I've been to Brasil. O primero ves was in 2006 in Rio de Janeiro, and o segunda foi Salvador, Bahia. Both times, I've gone through the Sao Paulo airport, but this time, I got to see parts of Sao Paulo, it is beautiful. Green hills with colorful houses poking out, beautiful shades of brown people, colorful food, and beautiful weather. I don't think the fact that I'll be staying here for six months has really kicked in. Yesterday we went to the supermarket. Today we went to the movie rental store. What I love about Brasil is that you walk. And with that you meet (new) people. Brasil eu gosto demais. (I really like Brazil).
Right now, I'm looking forward to exploring this city, writing in my notebook, and reading the Audacity of Hope by President Obama, listing/dancing to samba, singing to Ivete and Harmonia do Samba, watching the telenovelas, and eating some feijoada.
Ata Logo (until next time),
Elizabeth "liz" Oyelola
Hey everyone. I'm pleased to say that I've just arrived in Brasil. Well actually, yesterday. I'm in the city of Aruja (Ah-roo-jah). It is about 20 minutes or less away from Sao Paulo, the biggest city in the southern hermisphere. Moreover, this is the third time I've been to Brasil. O primero ves was in 2006 in Rio de Janeiro, and o segunda foi Salvador, Bahia. Both times, I've gone through the Sao Paulo airport, but this time, I got to see parts of Sao Paulo, it is beautiful. Green hills with colorful houses poking out, beautiful shades of brown people, colorful food, and beautiful weather. I don't think the fact that I'll be staying here for six months has really kicked in. Yesterday we went to the supermarket. Today we went to the movie rental store. What I love about Brasil is that you walk. And with that you meet (new) people. Brasil eu gosto demais. (I really like Brazil).
Right now, I'm looking forward to exploring this city, writing in my notebook, and reading the Audacity of Hope by President Obama, listing/dancing to samba, singing to Ivete and Harmonia do Samba, watching the telenovelas, and eating some feijoada.
Ata Logo (until next time),
Elizabeth "liz" Oyelola
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