There have been so many interesting people from all over the world that have made this trip great thus far. From our coordinator, Vanessa, to to random waiters and samba singers, these people have made the Rio experience amazing. John Dai and I actually started a project documenting some of the people of Rio. It has been interesting getting to know strangers from all walks of life in this city. For example, we spent time giving food and money to homeless people. One of them even taught us a handshake that we have been using ever since we met him. I met another man at a samba dance restaurant who was originally from Italy. When I told him we are from Ohio in the United States, he mentioned Columbus and said he knew the school there. He was businessman and had been to a conference in the city (and he even mentioned the football team). I never thought that I would run into someone from Italy, while in Brazil, who knows where I go to school in America. I love the culture of Rio, but it does not stem from the landscape, the beach, or the food. The culture here is enveloped in the people and their attitudes toward each other and life in general.
I feel the exact same way about Rio. There are a million places you could call beautiful, but I think there is much more involved to make a place a paradise. From my experience in Europe, people are far less willing to help you out and there is almost no chance of assistance if they didn’t speak English. At night, people are generally more happy to talk, but if you are slowing down their day, you end up feeling like a burden. Here, everyone is overjoyed to meet you. Anyone will talk to you longer than just answering a question and maybe even try to friend you on Facebook. Of course, the people trying to sell you things are a little hard to shake sometimes, but I really appreciate the time and effort people give to you. Even if there is a metaphorical ten foot thick, sound proof glass wall, they will try their hand at sign language if it means they can help someone.
I also love that it goes beyond help. The cariocas and Brazilians in general show true interest in getting to know you and being your friend. In Brasilia we ran into one of the few in the city that spoke English. He walked with us for a little bit and we made a quick friend. I much prefer this kindness between strangers than the silent shoulder checks often experienced in cities. So this is truly the reason I have fallen in love with Rio. From the cab drivers of downtown to the people laying on the beach, no one is a stranger in Rio.
Yes! I am agree with Wiatt. Travel is always a good way to meet different people from different place. From chatting with them, I can know their live and story. It is also a really good way to know the culture of this city and country. I can also learn lots of different and fun things from chatting with those people. On our free day, when we walked along the beach, I saw two men who paint themselves one as coke and another drew himself as Simpson. I thought they are interesting so I took a picture of them and then they came to me and asked for money. They spoke really nice English and said that they were college student. They asked for money to help their school. I was really moved that those college students walking for a long time in a hot day to make money for their school. And I also met an old grandpa when I went to the supermarket one day. He ask me if I was a Korea or Chinese. I said I am Chinese and he seemed really excited. He said he has been to China and spent a really good time here. I also told him that I enjoyed the time in Rio. During this trip, I also met different kinds of people, Photographer from Bali, a man who can speak really good Japanese, 15 year old native girl, a group of native teenage boy on the beach… I think one of the most interesting things during the trip is meeting different kinds of people!
I follow an account on Instagram, @davidalanharvey. I’m not sure how I came across his account but he spent a few weeks in Rio working on a story called BeachGames. He studied and documented the different kinds of people that hung out on the beach and what kinds of activities they took part in. He talked about how Copacabana was a literal melting pot where people from all over the world came to unwind and soak up the sun. After following his posts I was really excited to visit the beaches and meet/interact with locals and people from abroad.
I wasn’t really expecting people to be as friendly, helpful, and patient as they were like Sarah was saying (not to say there weren’t people who were frustrated with our lack of knowledge of the Portuguese language, I mean really who knows what they were saying about us (; ).
The people surrounding you can make or break your experience, and I think we were blessed as far as the community we were in. I made a friend named Diego who I bought a piece of spray paint art from along the beach, and when I asked to take a picture with him he was excited and started asking where I was from, etc. He told me he was from Argentina and had never had a friend from the United States. Now he does and I have a friend from Argentina!
Going into this trip I had the mindset of being cautious and not trusting the people around me because I’m a 20 year old white tourist, and while there still were some sketchy people I was incredible happy with the people we were surrounded by and I think others feel the same.
As a side note on the subject of people we met, there needs to be more Vanessa’s in this world! 🙂