Thanks again for following my blog, all y'all!: Emma, Jin, Susanna, and Justin the man, Eddie, Sandon, Allison, and Meagan! I just got back from two hours of beach volleyball with Jin, a Korean Canadian hunk I randomly asked on the street to borrow his phone. He bought me dinner (older Korean thing to do) and we talked about the Japanese Brazilian population in Sao Paulo, the largest Japanese diaspora in the world. Korean and Japanese live harmoniously together in the industrial districts. It's interesting that I met a Korean Brazilian on the DMZ who emigrated to Brazil fifty-five years ago after the Korean War, then returned to South Korea only to see her hometown in North Korea through the barbed wires that compose the demilitarized zone on the 38th parallel.
Anyway, Jin is derivitive investor from Columbia University attracted here by the ethanol alternative energy boom going on. With Obama's $150 billion investment in alternative energy and green-coller jobs over his first term, plus the world's line-up for Brazilian ethanol (from sugar cane productions), this area for investments is a gold mine in the next five to ten years.
Ok, so do I even have a personal life here? I have for the last few days, but I plan to finally visit my research facility and get started on my studies. Senator Shin cancelled for May 1st because he has to travel back to Korea, so Gene is probably scurring fast to find a replacement. I wanted to impress/educate the Great Senator on gay issues, specifically around HIV/AIDs in Rio. I guess I can forward him a copy of my paper once complete.
Oh! So how is it living in Ipanema, you ask? It's FANTASTIC! Besides the language barrier, people are chillaxed like in Cape Town. It's really the bourgies who look like they have something stuck up their....but besides that, what really saddens me is the abject poverty that many children go through.
According to Inciardi, there are around 2-3 thousand children begging on the streets of Rio. Salvador has the largest child prostitution ring in South America, so it's a bigger concern there, but Rio's children (like all Brazilian children) are the most marginalized group in Rio due to their vulnurability. At least the gays have some dough, children here are tossed around. This is why many become hostile and violent, because they have to steal to survive. Brazil's government has tried to pass policy protecting street children, but the lobby's don't give a shit about them.
Many children have pimps who exploit them, kind of like the gypsies in Europe, or better yet, the street children from Slumdog Millionaire. They form networks where eighty or ninety percent of the funds goes to the pimp (or their parents), and they are forced to beg. On the beach yesterday, I say a girl no older than four, going from one European girl to the next, digging in the sand as a gesture of innocence. Not far was her mother, guiding her other children to do the same. At first, you want to blame the parent, but they too seem to be out of options and if they want to provide for their family, this seems to be the one of their only options. Or, they can sell small commodities, which is more sustainable then begging. I usually try not to give money to beggers, and would rather buy a handmade wrist-band since it's harder work than begging.
Before I go to bed, I just want to say that I've been seeing a lot of attractive people in Rio. I hope to meet someone at church. I'll be praying, and then I'll turn around to see him there , leading the choir in a hymn. After that, he goes home to speak about faith and politics around the dinner table with his family.
Those gym barbies......I'll keep it at that. Hey I can look right! ;) Good night y'all and stay posted!
Monday, March 30, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Transvestites and Ipanema..Day 5
I think the research is going to be more complicated than I thought. A research method seems almost impossible at this point. It will have to be just a paper.
According to my book, there are around 2000-2500 transvestite workers in Rio, mostly in Lapa (a young person's hangout), Copacabana, and el Centro. Eighty percent of transvestis in Rio have HIV/AIDS and also do drugs,mostly cocaine. The typical worker makes an equivalent of $400 U.S. dollars a month and has an average of one client a night, a job paying on par of that of a local part-time clerk. The typical worker has over seventy punture wounds as a result of silicone injections to shape their bodies and breasts. The injections are made by older transvestis who are too old to work.
Ipanema. The beach. Ipanema. The beach.....
Ipanema, specifically post 9 and farme is where barbies (muscled men) hang out to work out, show off, and tan. The locality makes it a hotspot for families, local celebrities, international tourists, and gays to congregate. The girl from Ipanema was made famous here. Calvin Klein has his favorite hangout here.
Besides the beach, the other wonder I've found is the succos, or juices. I grew up eating half a watermelon during the summers since I was two. No joke. Here, it's juice heaven. I had acai, a dark anti-oxident enhanced drink for breakfast, a kiwi joice for brunch, and tangerine juice after my soccer match. Exotic drinks are the norm and milk is rare.
I met a local Korean American from New York. He's a derivitive investor opening a startup with some friends. We make an appointment to play volleyball tomorrow evening. The main Asian groups here are Japanese and Chinese. Thus, to the cariocas, I am either a Japanese or Chinese!
I'll visit my research site tomorrow downtown and try to mingle with the locals as much as I can.
The G20 summit is Tuesday. America, China, Russia and the other powers need to fork it over to the IMF. It's really the last chance for America to try to fix this, as well as the other superpowers. If not, protectionist tariffs are definitiely going up and the poorest countries will suffer the most. We'll see how it plays out during the next few days....
According to my book, there are around 2000-2500 transvestite workers in Rio, mostly in Lapa (a young person's hangout), Copacabana, and el Centro. Eighty percent of transvestis in Rio have HIV/AIDS and also do drugs,mostly cocaine. The typical worker makes an equivalent of $400 U.S. dollars a month and has an average of one client a night, a job paying on par of that of a local part-time clerk. The typical worker has over seventy punture wounds as a result of silicone injections to shape their bodies and breasts. The injections are made by older transvestis who are too old to work.
Ipanema. The beach. Ipanema. The beach.....
Ipanema, specifically post 9 and farme is where barbies (muscled men) hang out to work out, show off, and tan. The locality makes it a hotspot for families, local celebrities, international tourists, and gays to congregate. The girl from Ipanema was made famous here. Calvin Klein has his favorite hangout here.
Besides the beach, the other wonder I've found is the succos, or juices. I grew up eating half a watermelon during the summers since I was two. No joke. Here, it's juice heaven. I had acai, a dark anti-oxident enhanced drink for breakfast, a kiwi joice for brunch, and tangerine juice after my soccer match. Exotic drinks are the norm and milk is rare.
I met a local Korean American from New York. He's a derivitive investor opening a startup with some friends. We make an appointment to play volleyball tomorrow evening. The main Asian groups here are Japanese and Chinese. Thus, to the cariocas, I am either a Japanese or Chinese!
I'll visit my research site tomorrow downtown and try to mingle with the locals as much as I can.
The G20 summit is Tuesday. America, China, Russia and the other powers need to fork it over to the IMF. It's really the last chance for America to try to fix this, as well as the other superpowers. If not, protectionist tariffs are definitiely going up and the poorest countries will suffer the most. We'll see how it plays out during the next few days....
Saturday, March 28, 2009
What I really think?.....
So I'll be honest. What do I think of Rio so far? It's not too different from any other city I've been to. Cape Town comes close in terms of vibe and the friendliness of the cariocas (locals). The beach is the hub of Rio and everyone gathers there for recreation, sports,a little suntan and window shopping ;)
Is tourism sustainable here? Thomas, a Belgium friend, T.J., an American, and I were discussing this at 2am yesterday over a hamburger that wasn't cooked all the way. The favelas, or Brazil's version of the ghetto, house one out of every five Brazilians. There is usually little or no running water, sewage, or electricity and many favelas, especially the further you get from the urban centers, are rife with gang warfare. A few nights ago, there was a shooting a few blocks away. According to my friend Jana, police are corrupt in Rio. They will fight the local gangs for power and money. Still, since Lula da Silva came into office, corruption among the police has gone down, but that figure is relative since socioeconomic disparities are tangible, even in Rio.
Taking a taxi to Lapa, or the town center, I ventured into travesti territory. The transvestite sex market is huge in Rio. There are more travestis than miches (male sex workers), and female prostitutes, according to my readings. I was driving by a group of them when one lifted up her shirt to display her merchandise to the cabs! Prostitution is a steady source of income for sex workers and most of them come from the favelas in Zona Norte (northern Rio), Oeste (West) and very poors parts of the country. When Bush mandated Brazil to repudiate the sex industry, Brazil refused, since it is such a life source for many Brazilians, kind of like Mumbai's red light district, or Bankok's sex trade.
Brazil purchased a billion condoms last year to fight STD, AIDS, and other sex-related diseases. They gave them out during Carnival, and will give them out at other major events including the Pride parade. A large portion will also target sex workers. Miches are usually younger boys, 9-17, who have sex to support themselves and their families back in the favelas. They can be found 24/7 in specified cruising areas around Rio and can be armed and dangerous. Like gypsies in Europe, they can form systems around each other and many have pimps that expoit them. It's like playing Russian Roulette once you enter this circle.
Lets get a little personal now. First, I want to say that I have bugbites and it's irritating me as a write. Second, I'm so anxious of how my paper is going to turn out. When I visit Georgetown in May, I want to hand the Dean a copy of my research and say, "this is why you should accept me!" I was waitlisted for their Master's of Science in Foreign Service program. At first, I shook it off, and then after visiting their website, I found out that out of 800-1000 applicant (more this year) they accept 90. Their faculty includes Victor Cha, a researcher I based papers of North/South Korea relations on and Sen. Chuck Hagel just joined the team also! It would be phenomenal to experience the small classes with world-class diplomats and top scholars.
Two days ago, I was accepted into the Unveristy of Southern California's school of public policy and development. The program is ranked in the top seven nationally and student popluation is very diverse, with 38 percent of the students coming from underrepresented backgrounds. They have more foreign students then any other Westcoast university since LA serves as a hub for students coming from the Pacific Rim and Latin America. Also, America Ferrera (Ugly Betty) goes to USC ;) If I choose to go there in the fall, I'm going to contact Congressman Honda to intern with him and/or the Center for Asian Pacific Conflict Resolution.
What am I doing now? I'm going out with Ben and T.J. to Ipanema after breakfast and spending the day reading. BOOOO! Chillax David, you're in Rio.
Is tourism sustainable here? Thomas, a Belgium friend, T.J., an American, and I were discussing this at 2am yesterday over a hamburger that wasn't cooked all the way. The favelas, or Brazil's version of the ghetto, house one out of every five Brazilians. There is usually little or no running water, sewage, or electricity and many favelas, especially the further you get from the urban centers, are rife with gang warfare. A few nights ago, there was a shooting a few blocks away. According to my friend Jana, police are corrupt in Rio. They will fight the local gangs for power and money. Still, since Lula da Silva came into office, corruption among the police has gone down, but that figure is relative since socioeconomic disparities are tangible, even in Rio.
Taking a taxi to Lapa, or the town center, I ventured into travesti territory. The transvestite sex market is huge in Rio. There are more travestis than miches (male sex workers), and female prostitutes, according to my readings. I was driving by a group of them when one lifted up her shirt to display her merchandise to the cabs! Prostitution is a steady source of income for sex workers and most of them come from the favelas in Zona Norte (northern Rio), Oeste (West) and very poors parts of the country. When Bush mandated Brazil to repudiate the sex industry, Brazil refused, since it is such a life source for many Brazilians, kind of like Mumbai's red light district, or Bankok's sex trade.
Brazil purchased a billion condoms last year to fight STD, AIDS, and other sex-related diseases. They gave them out during Carnival, and will give them out at other major events including the Pride parade. A large portion will also target sex workers. Miches are usually younger boys, 9-17, who have sex to support themselves and their families back in the favelas. They can be found 24/7 in specified cruising areas around Rio and can be armed and dangerous. Like gypsies in Europe, they can form systems around each other and many have pimps that expoit them. It's like playing Russian Roulette once you enter this circle.
Lets get a little personal now. First, I want to say that I have bugbites and it's irritating me as a write. Second, I'm so anxious of how my paper is going to turn out. When I visit Georgetown in May, I want to hand the Dean a copy of my research and say, "this is why you should accept me!" I was waitlisted for their Master's of Science in Foreign Service program. At first, I shook it off, and then after visiting their website, I found out that out of 800-1000 applicant (more this year) they accept 90. Their faculty includes Victor Cha, a researcher I based papers of North/South Korea relations on and Sen. Chuck Hagel just joined the team also! It would be phenomenal to experience the small classes with world-class diplomats and top scholars.
Two days ago, I was accepted into the Unveristy of Southern California's school of public policy and development. The program is ranked in the top seven nationally and student popluation is very diverse, with 38 percent of the students coming from underrepresented backgrounds. They have more foreign students then any other Westcoast university since LA serves as a hub for students coming from the Pacific Rim and Latin America. Also, America Ferrera (Ugly Betty) goes to USC ;) If I choose to go there in the fall, I'm going to contact Congressman Honda to intern with him and/or the Center for Asian Pacific Conflict Resolution.
What am I doing now? I'm going out with Ben and T.J. to Ipanema after breakfast and spending the day reading. BOOOO! Chillax David, you're in Rio.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Day 1: Rio
First, thank you to all those following my blog and research in Rio!
The flight from Seattle to Houston was four hours. From Houston to Sau Paulo was 9 hours. From there to Rio was another 30 minutes. So as you can guess, I was jetlagged once I arrived at my hostel. Yet me being me, I went to the imfamous Copacabana beach and later Ipanema shortly after my arrival. The weather is a sweltering 27-30 centigrade (75-85 degrees) but the air is relatively dry given it's next to a beach. So what is my first impression?
As a non-Portuegese speaker, I felt overwhelmed at the airport. So it didn't come as a surprise that a bagger boy escorted me, quite hastily, to an internet cafe so I could find the address of my hostel. He paid for my internet time wanting a bigger tip. Without a grip on the real currency I tipped him 15 real or about $6, which I wouldn't have done back in Seattle!
People keep asking me why I'm here. There are two reasons: research and the Sun. What is my biggest obstacle? Definitely language. Even if I voluteer at the ABIA (Brazilian Interdisciplinary Association of Aids), language will be a big hurdle. It took me three weeks to edit a revise a IRB with the UW Human Subjects Departmenet and now, because of the language barrier, IRB seems like an unlikely option. How can I make it substansive then?
I'm on my way out to me Raphael, a friend I connected with via couchsufing.com, a social network of international travelers. He is a carioca (local Rio resident) who will get me situated with the local Rio scene. I have many question regarding Rio's gay scene since it the ethos of my research. Gene is putting pressure on this project due to my less-than-perfect research record! So I plan to have my abstract done by Monday, poster and research paper done by April 27th.
P.S. As the cliche goes, the Brazilians are very self-conscious about their appearance-men and women alike! There are cosmetic surgery buses (though I haven't spotted any yet), along the beachfront where surgery is done on the bus, thus giving this city the nickname as the Cosmetic Surgery capital of the world! The men and women are here are attractive, but I hope the beauty is not skin deep...
The flight from Seattle to Houston was four hours. From Houston to Sau Paulo was 9 hours. From there to Rio was another 30 minutes. So as you can guess, I was jetlagged once I arrived at my hostel. Yet me being me, I went to the imfamous Copacabana beach and later Ipanema shortly after my arrival. The weather is a sweltering 27-30 centigrade (75-85 degrees) but the air is relatively dry given it's next to a beach. So what is my first impression?
As a non-Portuegese speaker, I felt overwhelmed at the airport. So it didn't come as a surprise that a bagger boy escorted me, quite hastily, to an internet cafe so I could find the address of my hostel. He paid for my internet time wanting a bigger tip. Without a grip on the real currency I tipped him 15 real or about $6, which I wouldn't have done back in Seattle!
People keep asking me why I'm here. There are two reasons: research and the Sun. What is my biggest obstacle? Definitely language. Even if I voluteer at the ABIA (Brazilian Interdisciplinary Association of Aids), language will be a big hurdle. It took me three weeks to edit a revise a IRB with the UW Human Subjects Departmenet and now, because of the language barrier, IRB seems like an unlikely option. How can I make it substansive then?
I'm on my way out to me Raphael, a friend I connected with via couchsufing.com, a social network of international travelers. He is a carioca (local Rio resident) who will get me situated with the local Rio scene. I have many question regarding Rio's gay scene since it the ethos of my research. Gene is putting pressure on this project due to my less-than-perfect research record! So I plan to have my abstract done by Monday, poster and research paper done by April 27th.
P.S. As the cliche goes, the Brazilians are very self-conscious about their appearance-men and women alike! There are cosmetic surgery buses (though I haven't spotted any yet), along the beachfront where surgery is done on the bus, thus giving this city the nickname as the Cosmetic Surgery capital of the world! The men and women are here are attractive, but I hope the beauty is not skin deep...
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