Problemas em Belem

Walking the Streets of Belem

Socio-economic problems of Brazil:

Brazil is the world's fifth largest country, and within Brazil there are twenty-six states. In the state of Para, particularly the city Belem (population almost 1.5 million) there are a few socio-economic problems to talk about. According to a Canadian World Urban Forum 70 percent of the population in Belem, Brazil “live in conditions of poverty with 10 percent living on an income less than US$ 50 per month.

The city is faced with the problem of urban growth, and land occupation in unplanned settlements. Most of the immigrants live in shacks, and 50 percent of the population is without sewage systems, basic infrastructure, and hygiene. From a crime point of view, they live in a constant state of insecurity.” (www.unhabitat.org/documents/media_centre/wuf2006/WUF%208.pdf)

As far as Sewage systems: “Manaus and Belem to Receive R$400mn Sanitation Investment.."

Brazilian northern state capitals Manaus (Amapa state) and Belem (Parana state) will receive over R$400mn (US$205mn) investment through 2003, Gazeta Mercantil (Brazil) reported.” http://www.bnamericas.com/news/waterandwaste/Manaus,_Belem_to_Receive_R*400mn_Sanitation_Investment

The Belém municipality in northern Brazil will obtain US$68.7 million from the Inter-American Development Bank for a sanitation and urban environmental program in Estrada Nova watershed, which is home to about 220,000 people.

The loan will help finance the construction of 77 kilometers of drainage systems for rainwater to prevent flooding and the relocation of about 1,100 low-income families now living in hazardous areas. It will also support the construction of roads and parks along drainage channels in the second most populated of the city’s 13 urban watersheds.

“Residents will have access to cleaner water and that will reduce disease among children and adults,’’ said IDB project team leader Fernando Bretas. “Quality of life will improve significantly for the poor.’’

Basic infrastructure

Belém, located in Brazil’s Amazon region, has seen its population double in the past 30 years without the accompanying investments in infrastructure and urban planning. The loan is part efforts by the bank and the local government to improve living conditions in the city, which has 35 percent of its land prone to flooding. In 2004, the IDB completed the disbursement of a US$149 million loan to Belém to finance a similar sanitation project in Una watershed, which benefitted 176,000 people.

The loan, which accounts for the 50 percent of the total cost of the Estrada Nova project, has a five-year disbursement and grace period. It is denominated in U.S. dollars and will be repaid in 25 years. http://www.zimbio.com/Sewage+treatment/articles/11/Improving+Sanitation+Belem+Melhorando+Saneamento

Transportation

“It is impossible to solve the urban transportation problems in Belém city without considering the traffic in the metropolitan area. The coordination of the urban planning and the urban transportation system is also another factor that is very important, these two issues are closely related and one affect each other so they have to be integrated for a better development of the city. The financial integration is another important requirement for the implementation of the BRT system. In the BRT system the buses are integrated and the passengers can transfer freely from feeder services to trunk route without paying additional fare.”

“The present condition of the transportation system in Belém city need to be improved and a mass rapid transit should be implemented.

The management of the transportation system have to be done is a metropolitan level otherwise the actions will not reach their goals due to the discontinuity.

The public transportation should receive priority over the private car to encourage the people to shift to this mode of transportation and to reduce the number of private cars in the streets and consequently to decrease the traffic congestion.

The non-motorized mode of transportation is an important mode of transportation and needs to receive more attention in Belém case. The barrier-free measures are also very important to allow the same opportunity for the citizens to use the public transportation.”

rdgs.itakura.toyo.ac.jp/rd/pdf/thays.pdf

Education

“We affirm that literacy is the most significant foundation upon which to build comprehensive, inclusive and integrated lifelong and life-wide learning for all young people and adults. Given the magnitude of the global literacy challenge, we deem it vital that we redouble our efforts to ensure that existing adult literacy goals and priorities, as enshrined in Education for All (EFA), the United Nations Literacy Decade (UNLD) and the Literacy Initiative for Empowerment (LIFE), are achieved by all means possible.

The education of young people and adults enables individuals, especially women, to cope with multiple social, economic and political crises, and climate change. Therefore, we recognise the key role of adult learning and education in the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Education for All (EFA) and the UN agenda for sustainable human, social, economic, cultural and environmental development, including gender equality (CEDAW and the Beijing Platform for Action)” www.unesco.org/fileadmin/.../UIL/.../Belém%20Framework_Final.pdf

Through education Belem will stand to make a better and healthier living environment.

Dia Onze em Belem

Today I walked to school!

I woke up those few minutes earlier this morning and Stephanie, Karissa, Marisol and I formed a walking group together and headed to class. On our walk I got to take some video of the Belem streets!
(will post video at future date)
It was a short ten minute walk and much more fun and adventurous than the drive over. We got to dodge cars and buses and practically run for our lives at certain crossings while avoiding falling into the deep and wide trenches that engulf the sidewalks.

It was great fun, might do it again tomorrow!

In class (we made it to the room before the teacher and students who went by car) Raul presented Chapter five and six of our Journalism text books about taking your story to the "next level" in your writing and choice of topics. We talked about perspective, finding your voice and style, and further suggestions/ tips in how to build your voice and style through studying your favorite writers/journalists and understanding why they stand out.

Then Helen spoke about Climate and how to make it relevant to people's lives. Raul brought up a great example of the volcano eruptions that can change the actual weather of the area where it occurs. (i.e. The ashes covering the sky.)

Then we drove to the Botanical Gardens:

It is was filled with plants and trees and some animals. On the way out the gates we were being followed by a monkey on the run (he was escaping!_

When we left we filled up on gas (they mix gasoline and alcohol for cheaper fill up), parked at the shopping mall and ate at the food court. The other day my classmates raved about the pasta bar so i decided I had to try it. The pasta was delicious. You receive a checklist that you mark the ingredients you want. I got farfalle pasta with 4cheese sauce mixed with tomato sauce, chicken, mushrooms, oregano, onions, and spinach on a large plate for $6 bucks with a can of soda.

Then walking back to the elevators our group divided into those going to Das Docas and to YYAMADA, then Patrick created his own group by hopping into an elevator, not to be found or heard from until we gave up our search party and saw him back at the hotel.

Karissa, Helene, and I dropped off our water bottles and then Stephanie, Helene, and I walked up the street towards the little market shops to get more souvenirs. I had to buy a duffel bag for the flight back this Saturday so I can fit all the souvenirs!

We stopped in a T-Shirt store where they print designs for Brazil jerseys and shirts. Stephanie and Helene got a few Brazil printed tees.

We walked back to the hotel and I called my mama, Stacy, and caught up on what going on with her and the family. Our puppy, Studley, is swimming all by himself now! I can't wait to see! But Stacy is getting sick too and that's no good!  I will have to find some healing potions while I am out here.

Back at the hotel Marisol, Patrick, and I were trying to share and transfer videos from our trip and encountered lots of complications! hmm, no need to express the frustrations in detail, but eventually a lot of the kinks got worked out.

After surfing the web and getting some homework accomplished Marisol and I started getting ready early (8 o'clock pm) to go out to this pub with live music that Lucas and Isabella said they wanted to take us to. We didn't know the name or what time we were leaving, but we were so hungry and ready to go! We didn't hear back from Raul, so he was probably out with his friends at this art show he had been trying to go to (but previously car-jacking prevented him...) Hope he made it there and back safely this time! Alejandro arrived at the hotel around 10pm and later Lucas. Then we all headed to the pub!

The doors of the location opened to these wooden paneled floors and strange smelling walls that were not particularity appealing but as you continue down the hallway there are another set of glass doors that lead in to the real party. There was a DJ and tables set up and very nice decorations and setting.

We ordered food, I had a glass of Bacardi Gold and Silver on the rocks, Marisol had a Capirhina, and Patrick had a Smirnoff Ice. We all ordered "batatas fritas" and shared the appetizers until our main courses got there. I ordered a steak sandwich which when I received it ended up being exactly what we call a quesadilla: with steak, onions, peppers, and cheese, but also a lot of mayonnaise. They seem to put mayonnaise, or at least offer it in packets, with almost every dish. For this already greasy quesadilla/sandwich it was a little overwhelming...

Dia Dez em Belem

This Wednesday is one of the most exciting days I have experienced in Brazil and in my life! We didn't go to the University today, but only because we had an early appointment to meet with one of the veterinarians of the Servico de Parque Zoobotanico (the ZOO!) This was different than any zoo most of us have been to. The plant and animal life in the zoo was diverse and also wild. Walking into the park it was like entering a jungle!

There were giant iguanas everywhere and sloths up in the trees above (none in cages or nets). There were also HUGE rodents running around (they looked like baby-pig size) called agoutis.


















When we met Antonio he gave us an environmental education lesson about the park and their mission of learning from the animals and breaking the cliche through educational sensitization. He is even in the process of writing a book about it.

The first thing we did in this jungle/zoo was to look for the 3-toed-sloth Antonio spotted in the trees above. Helene found it! Can you see it?

Antonio was explaining to us that the sloth only eats leaves and small fruit, it has long hair to protect itself from rain, and its only water consumption comes from the leaves it eats.  This makes it's droppings very dry and the sloth only defecates once a week when it comes down from the tree. The animal presses its anus on the soil in order to defecate... What a strange and interesting animal!

At the zoo we saw and learned about many new trees.
Brazil was named after trees! Specifically the Pao Brasil tree, which is the national tree.
There were also many types of "walking trees" that regurgitate nutrients back into the earth. They are relatives of a palm trees and move their location over time. The pachiubo tree looks like an Indian tee-pee and its roots can be used to scrape potatoes and make "farafa" a very commonly eaten side dish here in Brazil. It is delicious to put on all your meats, vegetables, or even eat alone.

A lot of the trees in the Amazon drop leaves which rot on the top of the soi, which is where it leaves most of the nutrients. Some of the trees even serve as repellents to insects. There is also a tree with thorns, which is the the suma uma,and it can grow up to 30meters high.

The Carnauba is the tree that was used to make vinyl records and still is used in making wax.

There is a funny kind of plant that is called the "tongue of mother-in-law" which leaves have serrated edges all around each blade.

The mahogany tree is the most valued tree in the Amazon. And unfortunately is is the tree cut down the most and reforested with the cheaper Eucalyptus.

Also, the Rosewood tree here at the zoo is the type of tree used in making the Chanel No. 5 perfume!

"The Cananga Odorata tree is considered to be the true Chanel No.5 Perfume Tree. More often referred to by it’s common name, Ylang-Ylang…(pronounced “ee-lan ee-lan)"

Chanel No. 5 is considered the best selling perfume of all time! So it's interesting that the scent comes from a tree in the Amazon!

Another important tree in the Amazon is a medicine tree, called Ceiba. They dig out of the sap which is used as an anti-inflammatory. The Ceiba is considered the tree of life and some people suspect it will contribute to the cure for cancer.
There are many natural healing sources in the Amazon forest and Antonio believes that with enough education and research: Brazil can be responsible for great things around the world.

In the pond at the zoo there are lily pads and also these flowers named after Queen Victoria and having unique colors and timing. At 5pm one day it will be whit, then opens at noon the next day, closing and back to opening to a red color that evening. Very interesting.

There were also these leaves from a bushed that smelled very heavily of garlic but were a normal looking green plant leaf.

My favorite part of the day was the JAGUAR!

The jaguar is not a pack animal, so the two the zoo has are put in separate cages.
The older one has a "behavioral problem" he is hyper sexual and masturbates... Bet you wouldn't have guessed that!

The pink building is the first institution of research in the Amazon (1866)

The founder of the museum was Ferreira Renna

Towards the end of our zoo adventure we went in to the cage with the tapirs, which is an animal I had never heard of but resembles an anteater.

We concluded out zoo trip back in Antonio's office where he shared amazing photographs he has taken over time of the plants and animals at the zoo, openly answering all of our questions.

Then he joined our class for lunch at a different park a few blocks away.

I gained so much knowledge from speaking with Antonio and he was so kind to show and share so much of the zoo with us. At lunch he taught us a Portuguese word "saudade" which does not have a direct translation but means many things about "missing you, remember you always, you are special" kind of feeling.

After lunch Isabella and Lucas met us to take us to a private kind of country club in Belem. We went swimming, we got amazingly priced 1hr massages ($15) went in the sauna, stretched out by the pool, got drinks at the wet bar, and basically had the most spectacular vacation with friends feel to the day.

We learned so much with Raul in the beginning of the day and relaxed so much with Isabella in the afternoon, and then ate so much with Lucas in the evening when we went to an all you can eat Japanese food cuisine of SUSHI!
Oh, fun fact: they have California Rolls here but instead of the avocado they use mango!

Dia Nove em Brazil & WORLD CUP!!!

Today is the BIG day in Brazil! It is their first game in this year's World Cup: Brazil vs. Korea this afternoon and all the shops, grocery stores, and even the schools will shut down for the rest of the day.

On the way to class we heard honking and people blowing horns, screaming and whistling in excitement for the festivities.There were Brazil flags and banners everywhere. Everyone was in yellow, green, and blue!

In class Raul helped me understand the structure of a "news story" specifically for the web:

1. LEAD (grab attention of the reader)
2. NUT GRAPH ("in a nut shell", start developing the story)
3. DEVELOPMENT GRAPH (what the story is about, list info, "so what")
4. SECTIONS (sub headings)
5. PICTURES
6. VIDEO

In class we had a guest lecturer this morning, Luiz, who focused his lecture on the economy of Amazonia and Para, as well as the history and development of the Amazon.

We discussed reforestation and deforestation and the effects on the Amazon. After the valued durable Mohagonaey wood are cut down they replace/replant with eucalyptus trees which hare cheap and bad for the environment (not even natural to the Amazon area) but profitable for selling for plywood. The Eucalyptus plant does not provide what the Amazon environment and soil needs in nutrients. Too many people care about profit instead of understanding and helping to do what good for the environment.

Isabella was saying that education is the only way we can change this and I agree. People don't understand what needs to be done (and what not to do) and that's what needs to change first, we need to learn.

Then Karissa did her presentation on nature writing.

Drove to Mangas de Garcas and up the elevator to an amazing outside tower 360 degree view of the city.

After seeing the most incredible view from the tower we walked down to an ice cream shop and I got the acai with tapioca which is so amazing and I highly recommend if you are ever in Brazil. You can get acai in practically anything here and it is so yummy and good for you!

Everything is so naturally healthy and sweet here. All of the fresh food in grocery stores and in restaurants is a wonderful change. The food in the shopping mall is incredible here, I could never say that about the mall food courts back home.
It is funny to go to the imported goods section of the grocery store at YYAMADA and see a box of nerds here for 9 reais! That sounds outrageously expensive, huh?

We had lunch at Das Doas, but not our usual buffet. We tried an organic restaurant where I ordered the daily special : chicken, rice, beans, vegetable salad, and farofa. The vegetable salad was interesting to try, but not to my taste. It was literally cut up veggies tossed in mayo...I also ordered a mango juice which was very yummy!

After our meal we went down to a lounge area by the water where the World Cup game was displayed on giant projector screens and fans crowded in.

It was so awesome and fun watching the Brazil game IN Brazil! The people just went completely nuts every referee call and kick! The energy and excitement through out the game was wild and so fun to be a part of!! Every time Kaka (#10) had the ball the fans cheered and hooted and treated like a national hero. Five minutes before the end of the game our group (Raul, Marisol, and Helene) ducked out so we wouldn't be stuck in awful traffic on the drive back to the hotel. Also, the score was 2-0 (Brazil winning) and we were confident we wouldn't miss anything huge. BUT thirty seconds into our departure we heard the crowd going crazy, but not in an excited manner. Korea had scored a goal!

When we got outside the building the street were empty and quiet. Everyone was inside watching the game. It was a strange and eerie kind of feeling driving around an almost ghost town. Usually the streets are packed, people are running around everywhere, the buses are cutting people off constantly and causing accidents, there are vendors knocking on windows, and people trying to bum a ride. But leaving the game five minutes early, there was not a car or person in sight!We had no idea it was even possible to drive from the docks to the hotel in five minutes!

Dia Oito em Belem

Today is Monday and it feels like a very early morning after a very eventful weekend! We woke up at 8:30am and had breakfast at nine.

I rode with Raul, Karissa, Marisol, and Patrick to class a few minutes later than usual, but otherwise it was a regular morning.


Today was my re-scheduled presentation day and I was ready and energized to get in front of the class and talk about Technology and Engineering in journalism! Our plan in class today was to listen to my presentation and then to Marisol's about the Environment, and later go to the Botanical Gardens.

But today ended up being more than just class presentations. Everyone seemed to be high strung and vulnerable to their own sensitivities, today was the day when our communication with each other didn't go smoothly.

 People were homesick and confused about issues that couldn't be talked out appropriately. The mis-communications and intentions of words drew out a lot negative feelings and issues. Sounds complicated huh? It was! Monday kinda started and ended with a dramatic mess:

...but the middle of the day was quite pleasant! So I will focus more on that!

Well, first off we got our midterms back and I got a 95/100, pretty happy about that!

And my class presentation went rather well, got some good feedback from my peers after class and hopefully taught some constructive tips in writing about "Technology". Here are brief bullet points from my presentation:
1.  Try to oversimplify (make things as simple as possible)
2. Look for everyday units (find a familiar way to compare sizes or convert metric units)
3. Fish for analogies (explain through concrete visual words)
4. A little expertise is a good thing (get a good sense of what engineers mean)
5. Draw on experience (illustrate a point by making it familiar and comparing
6. Provide Context (go into detail step by step)

Then Marisol discussed the "Environment" and some of the challenges journalists face.
She used the Exxon oil spill as an example for when there was so much being written about the incident that people didn't know what was accurate anymore.
It is important to know who you are quoting and the only solution in writing about the environment is through communicating with scientists.

After our presentation, class went on break and we walked from school to YYAMADA to buy more water bottles and I ended up getting some Brazil-esque (half naked women in thongs) towels for gifts! My mom's gonna love it! Just kidding, well I really did get them, but they're for the guys back home and maybe I will pick up another one for grandma! (I will be traveling to Wisconsin next week and will see her!)

After check out we walked back to the hotel and had plans to meet back with Raul in the lobby for lunch around noon. Isabella and Lucas met up with us as well and they took half of the group to Das Docas, but Lucas and Isabella didn't end up joining us.

We ate at our signature buffet there and walked around the market at Das Docas after to get more gifts for family and friends. Going for a second time it was not as overwhelming and it made it easier to determine what would be a good gift and for who. I finally was able to find something that I think my dad will like! Let you know when I get back to the states.

Then we piled in Raul's car and drove to a church, but the huge green painted doors were closed!

So, we drove to the park to walk around and get ice cream, but a police man, in his bullet proof vest and gun, informed us that the park was also closed! Everything is closed on Mondays!!!!

We kinda laughed it off and "rolled with the punches" and were happy to go back to the hotel in the air conditioning! We showered, we blogged, and we went to dinner ordering pizza with ground beef which looked and tasted like a very yummy lasagna, also containing eggplant, onions, and a green olive on top of each slice. We also brought our own bottle of wine which the waiter very kindly chilled and served to us. It was a very classy outing: pizza and wine!

Um Dia em Festa Junina

    


Today (Sunday) is the big festival of June here in Belem! There are street vendors, food carts, coconuts to drink, and music to dance to all over the plaza.

Raul didn't join us, but Lucas, Vivian, Isabella and her boyfriend picked us up and participated in the festivities around 10am. We parked and walked through the festival to get to the end side of the fair where things might be cheaper than towards the front. 

We walked down the strip looking for gifts for our family and friends, getting great deals and other times getting "American" prices (for tourists). Regardless the colors and items for sale were so different and fun to look at.

 
There were lots of blankets set up with bohemian an Rastafarian men and women selling hand crafted jewelry and creations, which were very beautiful and fascinating to watch them craft in front of you.

We all seemed to get lots of wonderful things to bring back home to show our friends and family or give for presents.
 
I can't write about what I purchased because it is a surprise for some of you reading this blog!

They also had people set up around the festival to braid, dread lock, and wrap your hair. I got a business card from one of the women and am thinking maybe get my hair braided? What do you think, could I pull it off?
     
 














Patrick started to get very hungry, so hungry in fact that he dared approach a barbeque cart (most likely cat-barbeque, you never know what meat you are really eatting) and purchased a cabob!

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 I was curious enough to try it, Helene squirmed and and her stomach turned, but it really was tasty and delicious! (so bad to admit that!)

We had so much fun at the festival and the day was still young.

When we left the festival and headed to the after party Patrick, Lucas, and I got 3 cervejas for $2.50! Oh yes and we had to chug them in the next two minutes before we reached the front door of the party at Mormaco, a bar and dancing location on a pier. Mormaco is very close to the Manghas das Garcas and it extends out to a dock into the river overlooking the gorgeous skies and markets of Brazil. 

The clouds and view were amazing, the cerveja’s were well priced and cold, the caipirinhas are delicious, and the music gets your whole body moving and dancing all night long!

Some more carimbo and samba! And eventually it started POURING and the sky went gray!

After the pouring rain and the pouring sweat from all the dancing and people inside we called it a night and walked back to the car. On the way out I was approached by two Brazilian girls, Layla and her friend who spoke a little French, (which I tried to speak with her, haha!) they were trying to ask me about my "boyfriend" Patrick, haha, I think because we look alike? (both blond hair and Caucasian) 

When I explained that he was not my boyfriend they instantly showed their desire for him, begging us to party with them! She was giving him the Megan Fox look!

 It turns out these girls were hot for some Italian traveler because when the "french" girl found out Patrick was an American, she lost interest! It was a strange an interesting end of the evening conversing with these wild Brazilians, but we didn't end up going out with them, Patrick politely declined and we got home safely with a story to tease him about!