success

well, the living in brazil adventure has been completed. i am now back in sf, and brrrrr!!!!!
i lasted 7 months and i think i will be ready to live in another country as soon as i work a bit and save enough money to do so.

in summary, brazil is a beautiful land polluted by dishonest people. but not everyone is dishonest and lazy. there are few people who make up for the corruption of the country, and they give brazil the reputation of being a warm and generous country. people who have nothing will divide their food, their house, anything they can give you. the rest will tell you they are your friend and steal from you, do things that no friend would ever do.

brazil is a huge country with different dialects from state to state. the weather is hot and humid in the summer, cold and wet in the winter, it's tropical and rainy, pouring for a few hours then stopping to let the sun shine on.

there is a huge divide between the wealthy and poor, just like in the states. there is racism, just like in the states. the black people are looked down upon, and for this reason, they have been neglected the same opportunity to make a good life. most of the population in the favelas is black. there is also a prejudice against the poor. the rich don't even let them on their property....and unfortunately this is due to the poor being thieves.

rio de janeiro is somewhat of a facade. there is a beautiful quote on a website i have always turned to when i want to get emotional about brazil (www.hillerphoto.com/brazil/). stephen berkoff says, "Rio's biggest symbol is the figure of Christ that holds out his stiff, concrete arms to the world beneath him. Never was a symbol more meaningless. Never did his words mean so little to those below. Never in my life have I seen so little charity or compassion in any city where extreme wealth and unendurable poverty live side by side."

i think this quote sums up brazil perfectly.

if you want more, check out my yelp on brazil.
http://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=G1DM_OyYFb32QylgvQGrGQ