1/14/2010 - "What do you mean you don't flush toilet paper?!"

After a ten-hour flight from Chicago, I finally arrived at GRU airport. Immediately upon stepping off the plane, I was hit with a rush of humidity and began sweating instantly. I figured it was probably time to remove my North Face and Nike sweatshirt. Customs was a breeze, and my bags were not even checked. I can only hope to be so lucky when I return to the United States with a suitcase full of drogas…Once I had all of my luggage, which consisted of a large duffel bag and hiking backpack, I exchanged some currency and found a taxi to take me to the Vila Madalena Hostel where I was to meet Paul and Megan.

The taxi ride was my first chance to really test my fledgling Portuguese skills because the driver spoke no English. Although I rarely understood anything he said, we were able to communicate through key words, and by the end of the ride he knew that I was going to be a student at FGV for the semester. Another thing that helped us communicate was Spanish. I found it funny that when I asked him “O senhor fala espanol?” (do you speak Spanish) he laughed and responded, “Falo Portunol!” (Our equivalent to Spanglish).

The traffic into Sao Paulo was horrendous. Think New York City traffic, except smaller…almost every car is about the size of a VW Golf and I can probably count on one hand the number of SUVs I saw throughout my first day. Also, there were hundreds of motorcycles weaving in and out of traffic at full speed. Motorcycles are definitely the way to go if traffic makes you as angry as me. I have a strange longing for my moped at the moment.

Upon arriving at my hostel, I was disappointed to hear that Paul and Megan had been delayed in Rio and would not be able to make it to Sao Paulo that night. Thus, my first night in Brazil was to be spent “alone.” Now I have never been to a hostel before, but if travelers are as friendly and welcoming as they were at Vila Madalena, then I am in for a real treat. Even before I had a chance to consider how I would spend my afternoon, a group of three travelers from the Midwest asked me to join them for lunch. We went walking for several blocks, and finally decided on a bar called Sol. After being seated, I ordered my first beer (also called Sol) and a cheeseburger. The cheeseburger was very good, but quite different from American burgers. It was served on a French roll, had an egg on top, and was very salty. One of the guys I was with told me that Brazilians use very little spice on their beef (with the exception of salt) in order to prove just how good their meat really is. I must mention that the first song I heard in the restaurant (and perhaps since I had been in Brazil) was the Spanish version of “Whenever Wherever” by Shakira, followed by “She Bangs” by Ricky Martin.

After our meal, we walked the streets of Sao Paulo for several more miles. I was strangely reminded of Uptown in Minneapolis as we passed small cafés, antique shops, and clothing stores. It was a very beautiful part of town. Also, there were several blocks lined exclusively with music stores. Each store had it’s own selection of drums, guitars, keyboards, and wind instruments. When I have more time I am definitely going to venture back to those stores and perhaps buy myself a guitar to keep my musical appetite alive while abroad.

After shopping for a couple of hours, I decided to head back to the hostel because I had to catch a taxi back to the airport at 4:30am. I took a much-needed shower, and after visiting with some of my roommates, I climbed into bed.

Note to self: try cachaça. It’s the Brazilian alcohol made from sugar cane and is only about US$3.00 for a liter. I may have found my Karkov for the semester.

*Note about Vila Madalena Hostel: apparently it is ranked as one of the cleanest hostels in Brazil and is also one of the few ‘no party’ hostels in South America. I guess most have alcohol for guests and some even have full bars. Also, Vila Madalena has the largest number of bathrooms for a hostel in Brazil with 1 bathroom per 4.5 guests (I think the average is about 1 bathroom per 9-10 guests).

Disclaimer: Stop reading this section if you consider yourself to have a weak stomach:

One thing quite different from the United States is that you are not allowed to flush toilet paper down the drain. Apparently the pipes are too narrow. After doing your thing, you are to dispose of the toilet paper into a small trashcan adjacent to the pooper. I have yet to find Febreeze in any bathroom.