Author Archives: vjj5005

Tango for Two!

This past week during Semana Santa I came to realize just how expensive Brazil is with a little trip down to Buenos Aires. There, where my one dollar gets me four pesos, I was in shopping heaven. It is soooo much cheaper than S�o Paulo. For example, a metro ride cost me about 1.20 pesos, which equals about 30 cents in the U.S. Here in S�o Paulo, a metro ride cost me 2.90 reais, equivalent to about US$1.90. It was a large relief of the high cost of living here in S�o Paulo.

                Unfortunately, the four other students that made up our group and I did not get to thoroughly enjoy this financial bliss for long. Even before I went to the Buenos Aires trip, my purse, which contained my credit/debit cards were robbed and I was relying on a friend for cash until my new card arrived. This happened 4 days before I left for Argentina. Once we got to Argentina, my friend was pick pocketed out of her wallet, which had her card. 3 days later, our other friend was pick pocketed out of her belongings as well. 3 girls, no cards to get cash. Needless to say we were not in a good financial state. What saved us in the end was Western Union. Our parents wired us money and by the second time we went there, the staff knew us well as the two Americans and the one French who went there almost every day.

                Apart from that problem, I had a BLAST in Buenos Aires. I loved walking through the city with its European atmosphere and large markets on the weekend such as the one in Recoleta. The nightlife was fantastic as well with the music that deviated from the usual electronic that most clubs have in S�o Paulo. It was awesome!!! One huge downside to the clubs in Buenos Aires, though, was the smoking. No law has been passed yet about smoking inside buildings I’m assuming, therefore you not only smell of sweat, but of smoke as well. I’m pretty sure I’ve never smelled that bad in my life.   

                I also had the experience of going to a tango show, complete with a lesson and dinner. The lesson was pretty weak to tell you the truth and very touristy, but the dinner and show more than made up for it. The tango show was spectacular with very talented dancers and singers giving an intimate yet powerful and entertaining show. It was definitely worth paying the 50 dollars it cost for lesson, show and dinner. The dinner was also amazing, with an appetizer, main entr�e and dessert. I highly recommend it for those who make the trip to Buenos Aires.

                Despite the fun times I had in this city, I still feel like I made the right choice studying in Brazil. I feel like the people of Brazil are nicer. Don’t get me wrong. I met some VERY nice people in Argentina, but I guess I’m more familiar with the embracing Brazilian ways. Plus, in Argentina almost everywhere I went people asked me if I was Brazilian despite speaking the language perfectly well which made me laugh. I also like how S�o Paulo is not a touristy city than Buenos Aires. Hardly any tourists go to S�o Paulo and I like it in that way. Buenos Aires is the perfect place to party, shop and live for some time, but I’m glad I chose Brazil for my study abroad experience. 

 

This first picture is of the group I traveled with to Buenos Aires. 3 of us (including me) are American. 2 are Canadian and the girl in the middle is French. Pretty cool crew.

The second picture is of the tango show we attended. It was pretty awesome. Very intimate show and our minds were blown from the talent those dancers had.

The third picture is of the Recoleta neighborhood on a Saturday when there is an artesian market. This was one of my favorite parts of the trip. I LOVE outdoor markets such as these. It was heaven for me.

The last picture is of Calle Florida. It’s shopping heaven basically (As you can probably notice, I have a thing for shopping).

The group in Buenos AiresTangoRecoleta

calle florida


Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina

Are you REALLY an American?

I have never felt as Hispanic as I feel in Brazil. This might come off as a bit strange, but it is true. Back at home I only speak the Spanish language with my family. Most of my friends are not Hispanic and therefore I almost never embrace my Hispanic side. Here in Brazil, I speak Spanish with a lot of students who come from countries such as Mexico, Spain, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Columbia.

What makes me feel like my Hispanic roots have flourished more is not only speaking the language, but the Brazilian culture itself. Every time I tell people I am an American, I get bombarded by phrases such as “You look Brazilian!”, “Where are you REALLY from?”, “You have Latin American influence right?”,”Do you speak Spanish?”, “I don’t believe you” and so on. At that point I explain my Hispanic roots and people feel more comfortable simply calling me Honduran or Salvadoran (representing the countries where my parents are from), instead of calling me an American. There are many notions and images of what a “typical” American should look like. I can’t complain though. It saves me from being called a gringa. Besides what people perceive me as, the Brazilian culture is a lot closer to my family life than the typical American culture. Latin beats in music, the love to dance, close-knit families and very embracing people is what come to mind when I think of my own family’s culture and it is what I get here so I feel like I finally have thoroughly explored my Hispanic roots. I feel quite happy with this fact. It’s a world that’s different yet similar to me and I’m glad to be experiencing it.

My mother told me my face looked like it was glowing today. I told her that that is what happens when you are indescribably happy and content with life.


Location: Fundacao Getulio Vargas, Sao Paulo, Brazil

CARNAVAL

I finally realized why many people unfamiliar with Brazil think of it as a country of nothing but tiny bikinis, sex, alcohol and parties. This past week was the famous Carnaval. Carnaval is a week’s worth of celebrations before Ash Wednesday and the time of fasting for Catholics. During this week there are parties of all types on the streets, in clubs, at beaches, in houses during the day and night. The main event is the samba parade which consists of Samba schools showcasing their talent. These samba schools have hundreds of people dancing for them, all trying to win the coveted winner spot as the best samba school of their city. The largest Carnaval celebrations and samba schools are in Rio de Janeiro and Salvador. The rest of the country have samba parades and celebrations all week long, but not as intricate, costly, and over the top as in these two cities.

I traveled to Florianopolis. It is a beautiful island south of S�o Paulo filled with beaches and lagoons and a lot of sun. To put it simply, I had a blast. My first day and night was spent going to street carnavals in which people drink, eat and dance until hours past midnight as well as enjoying the beautiful beaches the island had to offer. The day street carnaval on the second day had a theme in which all of the guys dressed as girls. I have never seen so many ugly girls in my life as I saw during that particular day. At night there were always parties in clubs (although they were a bit expensive). I went to a club with a live samba rock band, a Mexican bar where the bar tender enjoyed pouring tequila shots down every ones throats, and a very posh looking beach party with multiple pools and Jacuzzis with one of the most famous DJs in Brazil. I also got to FINALLY paraglide. I can now cross that of my bucket list!

Needless to say, it was sad to leave the island. To top of the week, this past Friday I attended the parade of the samba school winners in S�o Paulo. The parades were the schools that won and began at 10pm and ended at about 7:30 in the morning. Yes, I stayed during the ENTIRE procession. It was a one of a kind experience. The floats and music and dancing surpasses any parade in the United States that I have ever seen. Keep in mind that this parade of winners is supposed to be OK, but not as great as the samba schools of Rio and Salvador. This parade was the perfect way to end my Carnaval experience.

Pictures say what a thousand words cannot so enjoy the pictures.paragliding

 

Lagoa

guys as girlsone of the floats 


Location: Florianopolis, Brazil

Nightlife in São Paulo: Neverending

   Just like New York City, S�o Paulo should also be called the city that never sleeps. There are a wide range of establishments that are open all night (although most of them close by midnight), but there is always somewhere you can go. There are dozens of bars and clubs catering to young people, the rich, dancers, music lovers, middle-aged, older crowds, gays and lesbians and everything else in between. I have been (so far) to a karaoke bar, a bar with a samba band, a bar atop a hotel with a stunning view, a club with American classics sung by a very enthusiastic woman, a “silent” bar (We wore headphones to listen to three music channels. Sounds weird, but it was actually a lot of fun), a large electronic club, a Latin club, and a club where there was entertainment for women in the form of the bartenders stripping down (only their shirts) as well as women dancing upon a pole. I would like to think that I have had a variety of experiences.

   Now, as I am not 21 yet, I cannot compare them to other bars in the U.S, so I’ll just go over a few observations. The prices here range. For women it is usually cheaper. For example, last night I went to a club called ShowBar. It cost 20 reais (the Brazilian currency) for women to get in, but it was consumable. This meant that I could buy drinks up to 20 reais and still only pay 20. It was 30 reais for the option of open bar. Most places I frequent are usually between 15-25 reais to get in, some consumable and others not. For guys it is usually 10-20 reais more to get in.

   What I have noticed in clubs and bars is that girls have to be REALLY assertive in saying no to guys. Many, not most, guys are very forward to girls, simply grabbing them and trying to kiss them while telling them pretty phrases in their ear the entire time. Another observation is that not as many girls “grind” with guys like in the U.S. They either simply dance, or make-out the entire time. Probably one of the largest differences between nightlife in S�o Paulo is the time the party gets started. Clubs will not open their doors until at least 11 at night. That being said, most people will not even step into a club until 1 in the morning. Most clubs close at around 6-8 in the morning. Sometimes even 10 in the morning. 

   I have only seen a handful of places; there are PLENTY of many other places to see. This weekend though I will not be focuses on clubbing in S�o Paulo because it is Carnaval!!!!! The craziest time in all of Brazil. I will be spending it on the beautiful island of Florianopolis for a full week with three other girls. We’ll see how it goes, but I know I will have a blast.

   Below is a picture of the electronic club called Clash Club and a picture of a bar with a live band playing in the background. The girl in the picture is Rachel, a fellow Penn Stater. At� logo!!

clash club.jpgLive music


Location: Home, Sao Paulo, Brazil

School = One big melting pot

Monday was the official first day of classes at Fundaςão Getulio Vargas. In Brazil, this school is considered to be the best in the country. All of my classes are in English and the classes are about 60-70 percent international students with the rest as Brazilian students. In São Paulo they divide the semester into 2 parts. I will be taking three classes this module as they call it and three the next module. This module I am taking BRIC’s, Brazilian Economy and Politics and Culture. The best part of my schedule? No Friday classes!

                They amount of diversity in each class is really unique and creates a very different atmosphere. Students come from France, Germany, Switzerland, Mexico, Columbia, Nicaragua, Netherlands, Italy, Costa Rica, Australia and others as well. Each class is a melting pot, including the professor as well since they all do not speak English as their first or even second language sometimes. The classes consist of mostly reading and group projects. In all of my classes the final exam counts for 40% of the final grade. The rest of my grade depends on one other group project, a midterm exam and class participation. That’s it.

Just yesterday we had our orientation for international students. After all of the speakers and whatnot, FGV (the shortened name for my school), the school had “Brazilian surprises” for all of us. We were entertained by a band that played loud, samba music and to every guy’s delight, 2 samba dancers accompanied them as well. I had a blast watching them play and dance. They interacted with the audience and had everyone dancing at the end (including myself). After that, they had a capoeira school perform for us. Capoeira is part dance, part martial arts. It consists of kicking and ducking to the beat of drums and music. They also had the audience participate which was quite amusing considering most people had no idea what to do. A cocktail soon followed. It may sound strange for a school to provide alcoholic beverages and whatnot, but that’s exactly what they did. The cocktail consisted of an open bar serving endless caipirinhas, rum and coke, some coconut drink with vodka, beer and other drinks which I do not know the names of as well as appetizers. Brazilians are not as politically correct as Americans are when it comes to alcohol, but then again I think every country is less strict with the alcohol than the States.

Below is a picture of the samba dancers along with the band. Also pictured is a scene of the capoeira school perform. Enjoy!

CapoeiraSamba


Location: Home, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Brazilian Ways

As soon as I arrived here in S�o Paulo, I started noticing the cultural differences between Brazil and the United States. For instance, people here are very touchy. They LOVE giving hugs and kisses, even if you’re a complete stranger. A kiss on the cheek is customary when meeting someone and you get strange looks if you do the American way which is usually just a handshake. Brazilians are a lot more affectionate and open than Americans. They have no problem making out better than the French do, no matter what the age. Just a few days ago a couple of at least 55 were going at it harder than most young people do. What I find interesting here though is that Paulistas (people from S�o Paulo) are considered to be the coldest, most serious people from all of Brazil according to people who were not born in this city, yet the city still doesn’t feel as cold as most cities in the U.S. They say here that people from other parts of Brazil are even more welcoming, loud, affectionate and festive. 

When it comes to food, there is A LOT it. The amount of food in this city is astounding. Not only is the quantity of food that is amazing to me, it is the quality and variety of food here that is unique. Specialty pizzas, seafood, feijoada (a special Brazilian dish), acai, all types of meat, specialty sandwiches, cheese bread, chicken bread, all the pastries, vitamin drinks and  fruit juices are beyond anything I’ve ever tasted before. I honestly have never enjoyed eating food as much as I have here. In restaurants customs vary as well. Tips are rare to nonexistent. No one ever tips and if you leave money on the table you are likely to be told that you forgot your money. One of the first things we were told here as well was that unlike the states where many young people work while going to school, almost all of the Brazilians who work as waiters, waitresses, taxi drivers, store helpers or any other low paying job all have little to no education. In Brazil, if you are waiter, you will most likely be one for life they told me unless you have the opportunity for school which was a very sad thing to be told. However the country has been booming economically, but change is always slow.

Another difference between Brazilians and Americans is how blunt most Brazilians are. My intensive Portuguese professor, for instance, had no problem in calling people fat or ugly in pictures of people we knew. When I mean we knew I mean people we saw everyday on a daily basis. Many Brazilians just tell it the way it is and don’t sugarcoat things much.

This is just a start to the many differences between countries. I only have two weeks in this amazing country. I have yet to even start real school yet! Tomorrow is my first day at FGV, the school which I will be attending. I am excited to see what the school where the most rich people go to is like. I have been told some students are so rich they come to school with body guards.

In the meantime I post here a photo of me and my Portuguese professor as well as a picture of the girls of my group with a Brazilian girl we became friends with while at a beach at Santos (She loved practicing her English with us). She is the girl to the far right.Portuguese Prof.Santos Beach 


Location: Home, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Arrived and I see no stop in sight

   Over one week and I am FINALLY able to write. Yes it’s been that busy. From the first moment I arrived in Brazil at 3:30 in the morning, all I have done is go from one place to another. The American group studying at the Fundac�o Getulio Vargas consists of six people including three Penn Staters. The other three are from Suffolk, George Washington and Harvard University. We all met later on that day after me and Rachel (a fellow Penn Stater who I met this past semester) took a four hour nap. For two nights we stayed at a hotel until we met our host families on Saturday.

   In regards to my host mom, let me start off by saying that I think that I have the best one. She is a 58 year old divorcee named Girlane who lived in the Philadelphia area for eight years while married. So yes she speaks English, but we talk almost 100% in Portuguese which makes me so happy because I have learned so much of the language in just a week. Plus I can ask her what words mean because she knows English and of course Portuguese so well. On top of that she is so full of life and energetic that it’s sometimes hard to keep up. We set rules from the beginning so we have full communication everything and the area in which I live in is quiet, secure and the building also has a pool. I have already had friends over (with her permission of course) and she’s always the life of the party.

   In the time I have been here, I have had hours of the mandatory Portuguese class, been to numerous restaurants, went to karaoke, visited the largest Japanese community outside Japan, been to food markets that mostly contain foods I have never even heard of, visited an AWESOME interactive football museum, seen movies, navigated through the metro system as well as the bus system and spoken to many Brazilians. Just being here is hard to process on some days.

   Right now I am currently planning my Carnival vacation plans. Our group is planning on going to the island of Florianopolis and I cannot wait. I promise to write more often and in detail as all of this info is a summary instead of a detailed description. For now, all I know is that I cannot wait for the next five months to arrive if I already feel like I’ve seen so much in just one week.

   Below is a picture of me, Girlane, and another fellow Penn Stater who had to stay with us for five days because of issues involving his original host family. There is also a picture of my entire group on Avenida Paulista (the largest avenue in S�o Paulo) as well.Brasil! 052.JPGBrasil! 035.JPG


Location: Home, Sao Paulo, Brasil

One more hurdle to go

Snow. A word I WILL NOT hear in S�o Paulo, the city where I am supposed to be flying to in about 15 hours or so. Unfortunately for me I am still in the United States, praying for mother nature to cut be some slack and let me arrive safely in a country where winter translates to about 50 degrees everyday. Since the last time I wrote, I have found out who my host mom is, what she is like and have even google-earthed my address.

My first surprise about my host mom was that she not only speaks fluent English, but that she used to live an hour away from me when she was married here in the States for eight years. We have communicated back and forth since before Christmas and she seems eager to have me at her home which I am VERY grateful for.

What I know so far of my living quarters is that I will be in an apartment in the city with my own bathroom and view of Ibirapuera Park. As an added bonus, my apartment building also has what my host mom says is a “piscina ensolarada” or sunny swimming pool. No words can describe my excitement at the moment. All I need now is for mother nature to cooperate…

Below is a picture of the street I will be living on. It seems quiet and safe, which is all I ask for

 


Location: Home

So the Countdown Begins…

My name is Veronica Jimenez and I am currently a sophomore here at Penn State. I am an Agribusiness Management major with plans to minor in Economics and International Business and Studies. If there is one thing to know about me above anything else is that I LOVE to travel and wish I could do more of it each and every year.

I have chosen to study in Sao Paulo, Brazil because I wanted a non-traditional location to do my studies in rather than Europe. Not that there is anything wrong with Europe. On the contrary, I have been there twice as a tourist and absolutely loved it, but for studying abroad, I felt it neccessary to to go outside my comfort zone and explore a country that I would have never thought of before. Besides this, I wanted to travel to a contry in which I had to learn a new language. Portuguese, as I have come to realize, is a very romantic language, but it is also familiar to Spanish, a language I speak fluently, therefore I tend to have a bias towards the language since all it is is Spanish with added French and Italian sounds. I am sure most Brazilians will argue the opposite of my thoughts on their language and tell me that no, Spanish is the language that is a messed up version of Portuguese. Either way, I am glad to learn and know both.

As I sit here in Cedar Building, I cannot help but daydream of my future and upcoming days in Sao Paulo. Especially today, when the temperature is below freezing and I have no motivation to get out of the four walls of my dorm. It’s hard to believe that I am less than 2 months away. I will finally see all of the paperwork, essays for scholarships and money spent on visas, postage, and more paperwork be paid off by my time in Sao Paulo (hopefully). Until then, I keep on daydreaming.

 


Location: Cedar Building, University Park