In August 1999, I took a trip to Brazil w/ some members of the EcoExchange project, a project geared towards water monitoring and analysis in the Toronto area and Rio de Janeiro. I will have more info on this project at a later date, but for now, I will include some pictures and an essay I was asked to write after returning from my trip.
Rio de Janeiro, a beautiful city in a faraway land. A few months ago, that is pretty much all I knew about the city that I would be spending an entire week in. Now that the week is over however, I learned so much more, yet the experiences I have had are almost impossible to put into words.
Even before we stepped on Rio soil, the beauty of the city was evident as we were flying above it. The contrast between the numerous mountains and the ocean was magnificent. At the airport, the power outage was not enough to dim my spirits. I couldn’t wait to meet everyone and learn everything I could about Rio de Janeiro.
On the drive to the ranch, or "sitio" as I later learned it was called, I tried to absorb everything I could and although I was tired, I would not dare close my eyes. What I found really neat was the people that would come right up to the car and try to sell you things, which reminded me of the squeegee kids in Toronto, except that I didn’t find it annoying. A few hours later we got to the ranch, which, just like everything else I have seen so far, I found beautiful. After a late dinner of rice and "feijoada", a local dish of black beans (minus the meat), we were ready to call it a night.
On our first full day in Rio we finally got to meet the Brazilian kids. Although it was hard to communicate at first without the translators, I really enjoyed spending time with them. The generosity I heard so much about already started to show as they were distributing Roda Viva hats and t-shirts to us excitedly. After everyone had a hat and a t-shirt and all the introductions were taken care of, we started our climb up to the first few testing sites. The climb itself was amazing: we had a terrific view into the valley below and we were surrounded by exotic vegetation such as banana trees.
The tests themselves went well, and they gave us the opportunity to get acquainted with an area of Pedra Branca State Park, which the Brazilian kids are trying to save. I noticed that not only were they testing the water, but also picked up garbage along the hike, just like we sometimes do at our testing sites here in Canada. After the tests were over, the Brazilian kids had to go to school (they go to school in shifts and the afternoon shift was just starting). We went to eat lunch at one of the schools, where we also finished up the tests. The most memorable part of that first day, besides the hike, was playing soccer (or futebol) with the kids on top of the school. We were not quite as good as they, but they were good sports about it.
The rest of the week went by in a blur. Another long hike up the mountain, more tests, more people to meet, more friendships to form. I couldn’t get enough of the views: whether it was Pedra Branca State Park, the beaches, the city or the favelas, or especially the view from the top of Corcovado Mountain, where the statue of Christ the Redeemer embraces the city. The dark blue waters of the South Atlantic contrasts with the green of the Tijuca Urban Forrest, and the gray of the city's skyscrapers. I felt like I was walking around in a dream and at any given moment I would wake up.
What I remember most about this trip, aside from the scenery, is the spirit of the "cariocas". I have never experienced so many people in one place that were so free-spirited, so loving and accepting and so much fun to be around. At one school we visited we were treated like celebrities and were told that it was an honour for them to meet us. In reality, it was an honour for us to be welcomed so openly into a small part of their world and be able to spend even a short time with them.
As the week drew to a close and the drive to the airport was only a few short hours away, we had a final chance to spend some time with everyone. Although we were supposed to be celebrating, there was a feeling of sadness lingering in the air. It wasn’t until it was time to board the vans that the tears started flowing and we knew the trip came to an end. Although we only spent one short week in Rio de Janeiro, the memories, so hard to put into words, will last forever and the names and faces of the people I met will be engraved in my heart for years to come.
Largest "favela" (ghetto) in S. America...(on the mountain)
© 1999 sweetz32@hotmail.com
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