Kim Matras
West Virginia University College of Law, 3L
Thursday, August 14, 2008

My Trip to Brazil (in a few paragraphs…)

West Virginia University College of Law students with the University of Vila Velha Law and International Relations students

Although it is extremely difficult to sum up my extraordinary trip to Brazil in a few short paragraphs, this is my attempt to describe my journey and the incredible learning experience. First of all, I still can’t believe that I just got home a week ago from a trip where I was in the Amazon holding an anaconda and piranha fishing one day, taking class in Vila Velha the next, and touring the Christo Redentor statue in Rio de Janeiro shortly there after. Over the course of 18 days I experienced things that many people only dream of, or even fear, doing. My whole life I have wanted to go to Rio, but I never would have guessed that I would enjoy the other parts of Brazil that I visited even more. Going into this trip I knew that I would be, and was a little concerned about, staying on a riverboat on the Amazon River and staying with strangers in Vila Velha. I was particularly excited about going to Rio and seeing all of the famous sites the city has to offer, learning about the culture, experiencing the night life, and shopping. However, as my journey to Brazil began in the Amazon and then took me to meet some of what are now my close friends in Vila Velha, I actually heard myself say, “I don’t want to go to Rio; I want to stay in Vila Velha!”

Starting out on the boat in the Amazon was a great way to thrust us into the culture of Brazil in Amazonia. Not only did we hold wild animals, hunt cayman under the beautiful shooting-star filled sky, go on jungle treks, and fish for piranha; we also held seminars on the devastating deforestation of the Amazon on the deck of our boat, played intense games of “Mafia” until the wee hours of the morning, experienced the great comfort of sleeping in a hammock, and shared much time getting to know one another. This part of the trip couldn’t be better placed in the sequence of destinations. Experiencing the Amazon first brought the group closer and gave us much to look forward to when we reached our other destinations, particularly getting a warm shower!

After a red eye flight to Vila Velha, I can remember getting off the plane and walking into the airport, sun shining, with the biggest smile on my face. I felt an overwhelming sense of happiness right when I was getting off the plane. Besides being excited to meet our hosts, the first thing on everyone’s mind was probably taking a shower. For Nicky Smith and I this seemed that it may not happen for a while because our host was out of town for the day. However, we were wrong. At the airport we met two of the most wonderful people, who would later become two of my very close friends, Maga and Kalif. Maga was Joey Spano’s host and Kalif hosted Mathew Stonestreet and Jasmine Morton. Immediately Maga and Kalif “adopted” us. Maga and her sister Manu took Nicky and I to Maga’s apartment and immediately hooked us up with showers. Right then I knew that the people in this city were something special. Then we were off to the welcome BBQ and later we met up with our actual host Alina. Alina further reinforced my love for the people in Vila Velha. She welcomed us into her home and treated us like sisters. The whole time Vila Velha was amazing! Some days we had class, other days we went to the beach or toured a convent, and at night we would usually go out as a big group to socialize and get to know each other, and of course, to have some caipirinhas (the best Brazilian drink, in my opinion). Going into this experience I never could have imagined growing so close to people in such a short amount of time. Leaving Vila Velha was one of the hardest things to do. It was heart-breaking to leave my new friends that I had grown to love even though I was excited about the next part of our trip, Rio.

With our wonderful hosts from Vila Velha/Vitoria, one last picture before we head out for our last evening together

Arriving late to the airport in Vila Velha allowed only minimal time for tears and goodbyes, which was probably best for me, since I was a blubbering mess. Then, after a quick fifty minute flight, we arrived in Rio de Janeiro! Quickly we checked into our hostel, settled in, and were off to the favela tour. With a quick ride up the hill on motorcycle taxis (one of my favorite parts of the trip) our favela tour began. This was probably an appropriate way to start this part of the trip because we were immediately immersed in this part of Brazilian culture. It was shocking to me and depressing to see how large the favela truly was. From the view on top of a roof in the middle of the favela, it looked like the favela took up ¾ of all of Rio! I felt thankful to have been welcomed into this part of the culture and able to learn about this way of life. I also felt helpless in a way because all I wanted to do was help improve this part of the culture, and felt that this would be a difficult goal to achieve. However, by learning more about the culture and immersing ourselves in it, we can understand how we can help to better the situation.

Rio de Janeiro is by far one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited. It was absolutely surreal to stand next to the Christo Redentor statue. This is something I have always wanted to see and I am still in awe that I was actually there. Although the day was cloudy and a little rainy, the view was spectacular! Actually I thought the clouds made the hundreds of pictures I took even more alluring. This was not the only magnificent part of the city we saw. Immediately after visiting the Christo statue we were whisked away to Pao de Acucar (Sugar Loaf). Having no real knowledge of this landmark, I was most excited about the tram ride up to the top! Once we reached the top, I understood the hype and could not get over how beautiful the view of the city was. We were there at sunset and therefore it couldn’t have been more gorgeous.

Also, while in Rio we attended class at FGV, attended a victorious Flemengo game, and experienced some of what Rio’s night life has to offer, as well as a little shopping, of course. It was a truly wonderful trip to Rio and was definitely hard to leave. I don’t think I’ve ever been away from home for so long without being homesick. I guess maybe I felt a sense of home in Brazil. The people along on the trip helped as well because I formed so many close relationships among the group. I went into the trip only really knowing a few people well and came out knowing everyone much better and forming close friendships.

I take away from this experience so much that it is hard to put it all into words. If someone offered me a plane ticket and a visa to go back to Brazil right this second I would not hesitate to go. The cities were amazing, the learning experience was vast, the friendships built are long-lasting, and the experience as a whole is something that I will treasure forever. I have learned so much about myself on this trip and so much about how I want to be. The people and the experience in the Amazon taught me things about respecting nature and the environment, “roughing it” in the jungle, being open to trying new things, and opening myself up to make friends. The people in Vila Velha taught me a most valuable lesson in how I hope to be. The people in that city were the most hospitable, welcoming, generous, helpful, loving, open individuals I have ever come in contact with and I hope to take some of those characteristics away for myself. I miss everyone in Vila Velha so much and I miss the country of Brazil already. Basically, all I really have to say to sum up the trip is “when can I go back and do it all again?!”

Caroline Clark
West Virginia University College of Law, 2L
Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Our Last Day in Rio

Today was a day filled with mixed emotions. We woke early, excited about the free morning ahead of us, but dreading the flight to Manaus later that evening. The sun was out and our morning on Ipanema Beach was perfect. The Flamengos (the soccer team we had seen play a few days before) held their practice not far from where we were on the beach and Joey and Prof. Taylor were able to get their pictures and autographs. Our fun in the sun did not last long enough. We had to leave the beach to pack our belongings and prepare for our last class at FGV.

Our last day of classes included lectures by Brazilian Law Professors Rafael Almeida and Rodrigo Vianna on the emerging role that arbitration plays in Brazil. The lecture on arbitration was interesting. We started the discussion with a scenario. Joseph, who was a soccer player at WVU, signed a contract with the Flamengos and was going to be their new star. Joseph, however, went to the Amazon before starting practice and was attacked by a poisonous frog. Joseph was unable to move his leg and could not start practice with Flamengos. From there we discussed what Joseph’s best method of action would be since he would be unable to go through with his contract. Should he stay in Brazil? Or take his case to the U.S?

Professor Taylor and Professor cummings

In our next session, professor cummings lectured on corporate governance. We discussed what happened with Enron and the differences between U.S. and Brazilian corporations. This was especially interesting because one of the Brazilian students father owned a business and it was funny to see his reaction to the way U.S. corporations were run. More FGV students were involved in the lectures today and it was nice to meet many of them, including Anna Clara who will be studying at WVU this semester. After class we had our last few hours in Rio. This included some last minute clothes shopping and buying food that would be better than what we would receive on the plane.

The long wait at the airport and our flight to Manaus allowed us to reflect on our journeys. The fact that we would be back in West Virginia and school was starting in four days was not exactly what I wanted to think about, so I went to sleep dreaming about the friends we left behind in Vitoria and the beaches in Rio.

Jaclyn Courtney
West Virginia University College of Law, 3L
Monday, August 11, 2008

First Day of Classes at FGV

Our trip has passed by so fast. I can’t believe we are in Rio already. It feels like just yesterday I was being rocked to sleep in my hammock. It was sad to leave our host families in Vila Velha. In five days they became family. Most of the law school students from WVU are already planning on a spring break trip to visit our favorite Brazilians.

Today we arrived at the FGV law school (Fundação Getulio Vargas, Direito Rio) for a day of presentations. The professors at FGV took us out to lunch at a wonderful restaurant. It was the first time in weeks we got to eat green vegetables instead of the normal bread and meat. It was delicious.

FGV Law Professor Bruno Magrani received a certificate of appreciation and gift from WVU Law student Brittany Ranson

After lunch our lectures began. The Brazilian professor, Bruno Magrani, talked about copyright law and legal issues surrounding derivative works. Professor Taylor then discussed two important cases regarding the First Amendment and the Establishment Clause. Van Ordern v. Perry, addressed a public display of a monument inscribed with the Ten Commandments on the grounds of the Texas state capitol. McCreary County, Kentucky, et al. v. American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky addressed a public display of the Commandments in a Kentucky court.

After classes we headed home for a free evening in Rio. We sat around eating amazing Brazilian cuisine and reminiscing about our amazing days in Brazil. There is so much passion in Brazil. The food, the culture, the people. I don’t ever want to leave.

Nicola Dare Smith
West Virginia University College of Law, 3L
Sunday, August 10, 2008

Christo Redentor and Pao de Acucar

The Christo Redentor overlooks Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro is home to two of the world’s most famous sites: Pao de Acucar (Sugar Loaf Mountain) and Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer). Nestled between the two is Michael Jackson’s helipad, at Dona Marta. Apparently a great place to see miniature monkeys as well as a view of Sugar Loaf and Christ the Redeemer, the helipad was built for Mr. Jackson by the local city council, to spare him the trip up the mountain. If I were Michael Jackson I would appreciate a helipad over Rio too, especially because it is the most beautiful place I’ve ever been, and also because I too love monkeys.

Amazing views of Leblon and Ipanema from the vantage of Corcovado and the Christo Redentor statue

Cristo, or “Christ” as the locals call him, stands atop Corcovado hill. The hill was first named Mt. Pinnacle of Temptation, but I’d imagine the name was changed when they decided to put Christ up there. Now Corcovado, meaning “hunchback” is the name of the mountain burdened with the weight of Jesus. Thousands visit Christ every year, and the new chapel built beneath Christ’s feet is booked for weddings until 2018. Tourists stand, arms outstretched, mimicking the perpetual embrace Christ offers Rio. Of all things, white doves mingled with tourists around Christ’s feet. One guy perched himself on the railway surrounding Christ, and he stretched out his arms and leaned back with only the clouds to catch his fall. Indeed the Christ is so high that clouds obscure bits of the nearly 360 degree view of Rio. The cityscape spans from the Favelas West of Leblon Beach to Sugar Loaf Mountain in the East. From atop Cordocova one can witness the convergence of civilization and nature. With one glance you can see skyscrapers, homes, the giant Sao Joao Batista Cemetery, the manmade canal leading to the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, the shores and mountains surrounding the city, and finally the Atlantic Ocean.

At the ‘Michael Jackson helipad’ the study abroad group pauses for a picture with Corcovado in the background

While the Christ looks out over Rio, Sugar Loaf looks back at the city from the ocean. I think the “loaf” looks like and egg that has risen halfway out of the water. My friend Allison thinks it looks like the Grinch’s mountain. Really the mountain gets its name from the cone-like shape Brazilian sugar was packed in to be shipped to Europe.

Sugar Loaf Mountain situated between the beautiful beaches of Rio de Janeiro

We rode to the top of the loaf in a 60 person pod, hanging from lines leading up the mountain. The view from the top is indescribable – it beats every view I’ve ever seen, even the mountains of my own home. I think the reason again is the convergence of humans and nature. Every element of the natural world can be seen, as well as every aspect of human living. The harmony between land and human is apparent all over, in the stone Christ built atop Corcovado, in the wires and pods leading up Sugar Loaf, and in the sparkling lights of buildings along the shores. It was difficult to put down the camera and enjoy the experience, because I had a feeling the camera wouldn’t capture it all, and looking back, it didn’t.

Thrilling view of Rio de Janeiro at sunset from the top of Sugar Loaf

Travis Righter
West Virginia University College of Law, 2L
Saturday, August 8, 2009

Rio Free-For-All

I rolled over this morning and was greeted with eight of my new friends sleeping in the same room with me. We are staying in the Lemon Spirit hostel in a small room with three sets of bunk beds, with no room for anything else. Today is a free day in Rio and I can’t wait to see what this city has to offer.

A few of us decided to go to these famous beaches we had heard so much about, but we were in for a rude awakening when we arrived. It is winter in Rio right now, so the ocean was freezing, and even though the temperature was comfortable, there were not many beach-goers this morning. The waves in the ocean were the largest I had ever seen and a few of us decided we would try to conquer them. I tried riding the first wave and after about two seconds, the undertow had its way with me and when I finally surfaced, I stumbled my way back to the shore.

The soccer pitch, featuring Rio’s Flamengo versus Atlatico

Kalief, our Vila Velha friend, talked us into playing some beach volleyball after one of the locals allowed us to borrow a ball. Kalief was really the only person who seemed to know what was really going on, but we all had a blast diving in the sand and making fools of ourselves. We ended in a 1-1 tie before the locals decided we had enough and took down the net and boundaries we had been using.
For lunch, we decided to try an Italian restaurant where you could pick out the different types of pasta and ingredients you wanted. I took the conservative route and picked the pre-selected lasagna ingredients to make sure I didn’t make something crazy only a dog would enjoy. The food was great and cost about the same as a meal from McDonald’s. Now it’s time for the only planned event of the day in Rio, Flamengo futbol.

For a little background on Flamengo, this team has approximately 45 million fans. Needless to say, Flamengo futbol is a big deal and we weren’t disappointed. Flamengo was on a seven game losing streak when we arrived and the stadium was pretty bare, but for those who came out to support their beloved team, there was an atmosphere that could only be present at a Brazilian futbol game. The entire game consisted of drums being played and the equivalent to team fight songs being chanted by each and every person in the stadium. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any crazier, Flamengo scored a second half goal to take a 1-0 lead. Now the real fun begins. There were fires and excitement that was unparalleled to any American football game I had ever attended. There was so much smoke I could not even see the field. Flamengo ended up winning 1-0, the losing streak was over, and we had received a taste of the event that comes first in most Brazilian lives.

Immediately following a goal by Flamengo, the celebratory fireworks and flags are breathtaking
Click Here To See The Video (Caution, video file is large)

Following the match, we stopped at a market in Copacabana that sold things such as favella paintings, jewelry, clothing, and really anything else you would expect in a market setting. I loaded up on Havaianas (the famous Brazilian flip-flop) and then we ate dinner at an outside restaurant. As usual, the food was good, but the most surprising part of the meal was that people were lining the outside of the restaurant. There was a building right beside the restaurant that looked like a club and Kalief told us it was a place known for prostitution. The people lining the restaurant were prostitutes and they were searching amongst the crowd for any takers. It was something I was not prepared for and was shocked to see, but the locals didn’t seem to pay much attention to it, as it was something that was apparently a regular occurrence.

Following the game, a 1-0 victory by the home squad, Travis Righter and Joey Spano pause for a photograph of famed Maracana Stadium

We ended the night at a small bar/club one block from our hostel, where we reflected on a wonderful day in a foreign country. I’m so happy for this opportunity to become close friends with people I had never met before and I can’t wait for the city tour of Rio tomorrow.

Brittany N. Ranson
West Virginia University College of Law, 2L
Friday, August 8, 2008

The Filthy, Flourishing City Within a City

Prelude to the Rio Favela Tour (Vila Velha Experience)

Every morning in Vila Velha, my host mom woke me up with sweet Brazilian coffee and pom, a traditional ham and cheese breakfast sandwich on crusty bread. As she walked me to school each day, we tried to turn her broken English and my nearly nonexistent Portuguese (pronounced Port-tu-gaze, if you want to be legal (cool) with the locals) into a conversation. On one walk, she caught me gawking at a tiny alleyway that ran parallel to an equally tiny canal littered with heaps of garbage. To the left of the canal, I stared at filthy makeshift shops and shanties. Starved and dirty-looking men, sitting on stools made from boxes or on the ground, stared back at me both helplessly and apathetically. I was particularly affected by the scene of a lanky young boy using a crude fishing pole, made of stick and wire, to fish in the sullied canal; he had just pulled up a used boot.

Rocinha Favela 2008 – Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Turning back to look at my host mom for some explanation, she waved her hand in front of her crinkled-up nose and said the one word I could immediately understand ; favela. Through our class discussions prior to the trip, I understood that word to mean a place of poverty and destitution in Brazilian society; a disregarded area that stood for an aesthetic blemish on otherwise beautiful cities. What I experienced in Vila Velha was exactly how I had pictured favela living, not only the visible state of it, but the reaction of my host mom and our blatant attempt to erase the image of poverty from our minds by trying to communicate about my previous night’s attempt at pagochi (a form of Samba). However, while there were some similarities, the favela in Rio left quite a different impression on me, and I have yet to fully process the differences.

Um Pouco Background Information on Rocinha

Rocinha (Portuguese for “small ranch”) is one of several favelas in Rio de Janeiro located along a steep hillside. It is the largest one, at a little over half a mile long and wide with an estimated 200,000 residents. Each store or residence in the favela is privately owned, or leased from private citizens, yet the favela technically sits on government property. Though favelas sit on government land, the government has succeeded in creating a very distinct and independent community that is detached from mainstream society through several measures. First, no one in the favela pays property tax, which is an extremely burdensome additional cost one would incur should he or she decide to leave favela living. Thus, while this benefit may help struggling residents and business owners, it may also act as an incentive to stay in the favela. Second, the favela is self-governed, meaning the policia are not given permission to enter and only do so, according to our guide, through the use of “special police” who go after well-known drug and gun runners. However, even then, the “special police” must know exactly which favela to search and be very limited in their intrusion. I got the impression that the favela residents happily exchange police protection from a government that wants little to do with them with the ability to self-govern and create their own system of laws based upon their understanding of justice, even if that means men carrying automatic weapons must be a part of everyday life. Self-governance has the attractive sense of freedom that one cannot duplicate outside the favela, and surely enhances the sense of community that the residents already share. Due to these measures, and others, the government’s hands-off approach may be encouraging people to remain in the favela.

The Favella Tour in Rio

I am still struggling to interpret what I saw during the Favella Tour in Rio de Janeiro. How does one process a self-governed city within a city that screams the contradictory messages of deprivation and filth, and yet independence, contentment and happiness? Perhaps the answer lies in reevaluating our American definition of happiness. I should begin by describing the favella we toured, named Rocinha.

One gets an immediate sense of poverty from the outset of the tour. While riding to the top of the hillside on motorcycles driven by death-defying Brazilians, our path traced the exterior boundary of the favela before entering the interior. What appears to be blackish-grey soot from the remnants of a fire discolors each of the houses and shops. However, the shops that line the ground floor of the exterior wall, and those that we saw inside as well, look no different than many of the small shops we found in downtown Manaus or in suburban Vila Velha. They’re not designer stores, to be sure, but they have advertisements, signs, electricity, and legitimate merchandise. These stores, and the residences above them, which feature garlands of colorful hanging laundry, serve as the favella boundary line—keeping the people in and the government out.

At the top of the hillside, one can see why the favela artists frequently draw abstract boxes with tiny dots to depict their sprawling community. The favela looks like a collection of differently colored, stacked boxes, probably a result of unsystematic growth with residents building on top of each other as needed. We began our trek down the hillside, walking through narrow passages on cobblestone floors and stairs, reminiscent of an Italian village I visited once.

Graffiti by favela artists add culture and color to their community

The frequent sound of a Brazilian novella (soap opera) playing in an apartment and favela funk (similar to American hip-hop) playing on stereos reverberated in my ears and the sight of potted plants, cheerful residents, lively shops and modern “luxuries” (such as TV satellites, play stations, and electricity) made me question everything I had heard about favelas. This is not to say that the favela would not shock the conscience of any American. Alongside most walkways were foul heaps of garbage discarded sans trash bag and open sewer drains running down the hill. Stray dogs, cats, and roosters dug through the heaps for a bite to eat. The smell in some areas of the favela was enough to make someone of a weaker stomach vomit.

Conditions on the Favela walkways

However, in spite of this, and certainly without this sanitational defect, the favela is a flourishing and bonded community. Unlike Vila Velha’s favela, I did not see men starving in the street and children fishing for boots. Instead, I saw men having coffee in stores or carrying heavy loads of merchandise for work. Women shopped in the favella stores, walked with children, or watched novellas together in their tiny apartments. The children, too, played carefree with their kites and fellow favela-mates. I wondered where was the destitution and starvation that I saw in the faces of the Vila Velha residents. Though we were told horror stories of apartments that at one time or another housed 40 to 50 kids, walking through the favela, this did not seem to be the norm.

Smiling children at the Pre-school look through the glass as we pass by.

Earlier, I specifically referred to American’s conscience because the trip to Brazil has me questioning American values and our insistence that they be thrust upon others. Yes, the favela is horrific in all respects because of the blanket of trash over many parts of the city and the open sewer drains that often spilled out onto our path. However, perhaps what horrifies Americans the most, is that these people live amongst the trash, in an otherwise prosperous self-governing community, with vibrant faces and culture, and that they genuinely appear happy.

I realize that many of fellow students on the trip will disagree about my perception of the favela. Yet, I believe that they are applying an American standard by equating possessions and luxury to happiness. Alternatively, the favela residents seemed to equate community, togetherness, and independence as their measure of prosperity. Indeed, there are aspects of their life which should be improved (i.e. sanitation and cleanliness), but who are we to say that their otherwise prosperous way of life is incorrect or wrong.

The sun sets over Rocinha Favela

The favela residents were proud of their culture and the community they built. For instance, during one stop, four local boys played for our group on makeshift drums and instruments. Later, at a pastry store in the favela, the owner pointed with pride to a newspaper article hanging on the wall that featured the boys’ musical talent. Additionally, the local artistry in the favela was breathtaking. Not only are many of the walls decorated with beautiful and meaningful graffiti, but some of the residents were immensely talented and created incredible, abstract oil paintings. In fact, I bought one, which I look forward to proudly displaying in my Morgantown apartment. These are all examples of positive things that we should be taking away from their way of life and our favela tour experience. Should there be a community effort to remove the “filth” and to improve the sanitation, there is no doubt in my mind that the favela’s revised description would be the flourishing city within a city, with its standard of happiness and sense of community a model for us all.

Brazil 2008 Photo Gallery

Ben Warder
West Virginia University College of Law, 3L
Friday, August 8, 2008

A Sobering Day for Exhausted Students

Hello, Readers!

My name is Ben Warder, and my blog takes you from WVU Law’s last moments in Vitoria up until the first day in Rio de Janeiro. It would be impossible to talk about leaving Vitoria without first mentioning our last night out with our friends at UVV. Needless to say, everyone got pretty boisterous at the club, and I doubt any of us slept more than five hours before traveling to Rio for our jam-packed first day there. While leaving Vitoria, it was very special for many of us that our hosts were there at the airport to see us off. It was very difficult to say goodbye, and more than a few tears were shed. The students from UVV meant so much to me and my friends; they went out of their way to show us the Brazilian student experience. This often included staying out with us until all hours of the night and then going to class the next day around 7:00 AM. Many of us, including me, made life-long friends, and for this we were all grateful.

The states that contain Rio and Vitoria border each other, and thus our flight to the former was only about an hour. I tried to sleep, but I was still greatly hung-over from the night before. Upon arriving in Rio, we drove to our hostel in the ritzy Leblon neighborhood. On the way to Leblon from the airport, I could already see the great disparity in Brazilian society in the buildings I saw. Soon after making it to our Lemon Spirit Hostel, I felt that I was in a safe urban neighborhood. Then we made the drive to the Rocinha favela. The first thing that struck me about Rocinha is that it bordered a middle class neighborhood with nice housing and modern shopping centers.

The Rocinha Favela is the largest favela (shantytown or slum) in all of Brazil

My first shock on the trip was the motorcycle ride to the top of Rocinha. I had remembered my professors mentioning this as our mode of transportation to Rocinha, but I tried to block it out of my mind. I had never ridden on a motorcycle before, and I was scared to death. While staying in Vila Velha and Vitoria, my friend Jenny Feathers described driving in Brazil as a mix between motocross, drag racing, and karate, and the motorcycle trip in Rocinha was no exception. Somehow I knew I would be okay, but speedily passing buses and cars, or several buses or cars, on a motorcycle without a helmet did not do much for my constitution. Eventually, we arrived to begin our trip through Rocinha.

Upon starting the tour of Rocinha, I realized what a different world I was in now. This was not Leblon, or Ipanema or Copacabana, but somehow I felt safe. Rocinha is one square kilometer, and holds over 200,000 people. It is one of several hundred favelas in Rio that co-exist with some of the most beautiful and extravagant neighborhoods that I have ever seen. Describing Rocinha is difficult because it felt so surreal to me. The favela was like a fantasy or underground world to me. Maybe my feelings about the favela are also shared by other Brazilians, and allow them to separate it from their lives and brush it aside.

A view of the interior walls of a favela home

I came into the favela with several preconceptions. I thought it would be a place of total hopelessness and misery. While these adjectives described parts of the favela, not everything was in a gloomy cloud. The citizens of Rocinha did not walk around in a Dickensian pall of depression. I was surprised about all the life and vibrancy that existed in the favela: there were several stores that sold everything from food to cleaning supplies to clothing. There were also more than a few Internet cafes.

Other positive highlights included visiting an artist’s studio, who sold paintings that depicted Brazil and the favelas; going to a nursery school that was privately funded and seeing the young children of the favela in a healthy setting; and listening to the music of young musicians made with instruments that included an oil can and a pot. From the roof of the nursery school, two contrasting views were available. One provided an amazing panorama of the wealthy neighborhoods that existed so close to Rocinha. Another showed the sheer size of the favela, a collection of multi-colored shanties abutted against a mountain. Thus, from this spot two worlds, so close geographically but so far socially, culturally, and economically, exist.

The second perspective, displaying the massive presence of the favela, demonstrated the despair and degradation under which most favela residents live, and much more negative than positive exists in Rocinha. For one thing, the sewage system is deplorable. At any given spot in Rocinha, you can see untreated sewage at your feet, along with mounds of garbage everywhere. Sanitation workers, along with most outsiders, do not often come to the favelas in an official capacity. While the nursery school we visited in the favela was nice, Rocinha only has four schools, and I am sure that many of its residents are children.

Favela residences are often built directly on top of other homes

By the end of the tour, I was incredibly glad that I had to opportunity to go to Rocinha. Touring the favela is another example of Brazil’s massive income disparity. While walking to the bottom of Rocinha, where our tour buses would safely (as safely as Brazilian drivers drive) return us to trendy, wealthy Leblon, I noticed how seamlessly Rocinha blended with the nicer neighborhoods around it. The area directly bordering Rocinha was full of shops and street vendors, and the pleasant Rio winter weather reminded me of similar scene outside the monuments in Washington, DC during the spring time. A few blocks from Rocinha, about a 10-15 minute walk, my group and I were back in middle-class Brazil waiting for our bus. The difference between the neighborhoods in Brazil shows how intertwined the haves and have-nots are in Brazil. In the United States, it is difficult to find the rich and poor living closely together. In Brazil, the poor and rich live literally right on top of each other.

The tour of the favela took up most of our first day of Rio, my group found time to go out and enjoy Friday in one of the most lively cities in the world. Rio is truly a city that never sleeps, and I am sure many people in my group can attest to this when we get back to the United States. I will never forget my time in the favela, and I think that seeing a neighborhood like this should be mandatory for anyone who lives in the middle or upper class and complains about their existence. While parts of the tour were very sobering and a bit depressing, the people that lived in Rocinha did not give off this impression. This was their life, and they made the best of it, and hopefully with time, the people of Rocinha, especially the children, can look down to the valley below and see the middle class and wealthy neighborhoods as their reality in the future.

Joey Spano
West Virginia University College of Law, 2L
Thursday, August 7, 2009

Last Day in Vila Velha

What an eventful 48 hours! Not much more can be said to describe the last 48 hours in Villa Vella. It all started two days ago after dinner. Travis Righter, Matthew Stonestreet and I decided to head to the beach to play some futbol (Soccer). We had one mission: to play in a pickup game on the beach with the local Brazilians. We couldn’t speak much Portugese at all, but somehow managed to get on a team and play in the first match of the night. Five minutes later I was sucking for air. I had no idea how hard it is to play futbol in the sand. I also had no idea how good the locals could play. We lost a 15 minute game by the score of 2-0. But the real excitement started after the game. The locals boys were intrigued by us as we waited for the next game. They showed us all the tricks they could do with a soccer ball. I couldn’t do much but wasn’t about the be over-matched so I showed them all the tricks I could do using the soccer ball as a basketball. The atmosphere was amazing and the beach was thriving with life.

Guarapari Beach

The next mourning was our free day and we all met at the bus to head to a black sand beach at Guarapari. The only disappointment was the color of the beach. It was black in some spots, but not in others. Oh well, back to the sand futbol field. Ten of us from the group, including Carlos our UVV guide for the day, played a pickup game in the sand. The first thing I noticed was Americans are much slower and more clumsy than Brazilians, but no one else noticed as the competition was heating up. Professor Taylor scored the last goal on a great assist from myself as our team won 4-2. After so much futbol it was time for a rest.

The black sands of Guarapari

We soon vacated the beach for a kilo restaurant that consisted of many traditional Brazilians entrees. Once again I ate until I could barely stand up. One thing I cannot get enough off is Brazilian food. I have eaten more steak in the last 2 weeks that any one human can imagine?I AM NOT JOKING, I HAVE EATEN A LOT OF STEAK! The cuts of meat here are better tasting and much cheaper than in the U.S. The day was heading in the right direction, and would soon get better before it would abruptly turn for the worst (FOR ME).

Later that night we met at Shalom´s MTV CRIB (his house was that nice) to have a one hour discussion on race and then we were to head to the dance club. Professor Taylor led my discussion group and there was a very interesting discussion about the differences between Brazilian and American affirmative action. Thais, a UVV student, gave us much insight into why some Brazilians are disgruntled with their affirmative action plan. She explained that up to 50% of available seats in classes were reserved for minorities (mainly African Brazilians and Native Indians). This was very interesting because only 3% of college admissions are impacted by U.S. affirmative action. The discussion was very dramatic, but at the same time was also educational.

Next, we said our final goodbyes to our UVV family and by this I mean FAMILY. From our teachers to our guides to our hosts, we were treated as royalty for a week. I will never forget my experience in Vitoria. We then left for the dance club, San Fiminero. The music of choice was Brazilian and the club also served a delicious menu of sushi. All I can say about the dance club is too much dancing and too much fun. The party lasted long into the night?.which would lead to a big UH OH for me.

Our incredible Brasilian hosts and friends (Maga, Kalif, Caio, Victor, Carol, Tatiana, Tatiana and Thais)

Doomsday arrives. I woke up at 8:30 and had to be at the airport at 9:30, plenty of time right? Wrong! My ride to the airport arrived late and then the nightmare happened. There was a wreck in front of me on the bridge from Villa Vella to Vitoria. I was trapped and knew the flight would leave without me. Sure enough it did. Luckily my friends from UVV stayed and helped me through the ordeal. I am now sitting in the Vitoria airport getting ready to catch the next flight to Rio. I keep thinking, where would I be right now if it were not for the many friends I have met from UVV. Lost. But here I am getting ready to catch a flight only three hours after the original flight and all because of efforts of friends I only met five days ago. Like I said before, WE HAVE ALL BEEN TREATED LIKE ROYALTY AND WE ALL NOW HAVE A NEW FAMILY AT UVV!

Ruff Alexander, Jr.
West Virginia University College of Law, 2L
Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Best Day Yet? You decide.

Our learned professors bestowed upon me the privilege and honor of describing to the internet community, in detail, the most fun-filled day of our Brazilian adventure! Here it goes:

The group woke to a beautiful morning in Vila Velha, while Travis R., John D., and I woke to an equally attractive morning in Vitoria.

All became a single entity at the professors’ hotel, where the University of Vila Velha (UVV) bus rounded us up for our tour of the Garoto chocolate factory. A short distance from the University, the Garoto chocolate factory has been in operation for over seventy years. They are now an entity of the Nestle Corporation, but we were assured their tradition of quality is unscathed.

The Garoto Chocolate Factory

Upon entry into the factory, groups are issued booties for their feet, hair nets, and smocks that resemble what one would wear as a patient prepped for going under the knife. Dressed and ready to go, we broke into two groups and began the tour around the factory after a short documentary about what else? But Garoto Chocolate of course!

Garoto’s operation is very practical in every sense of the word. This is what I gathered about the tours and the primary reasons why we had the opportunity to enter the factory. First, it informed us of the process in which the raw ingredients are delivered, refined, combined, packaged, and shipped. Second, it’s a great sales pitch for the product since the company gives out free samples along the way. Third, since the tours continue throughout the day it is a good opportunity to monitor the whole process, keeping the employees under a close eye. Finally, these tours cost money.

The tour was a grand time for all, but I believe I speak for most when I say the real benefactors are the relatives who will be receiving Garoto as souvenirs when we return home.

Following the factory tour, we ate lunch at what I call a “weigh buffet.” Unlike in the States, where an individual pays one base price to eat as much as they can (resulting in the most obese society mankind has ever witnessed), at the weigh buffet, one loads his or her plate with as much or as little food as they desire and weighs it. Payment is by the kilogram. The food was really quite good, but in typical American fashion, I was unable to stray from my Shoneys instinct and piled on too much.

Afterwards some went for ice cream while others shopped at one of the three local malls. I believe the ice cream was self serve, but as for details, that is all I can provide.

With our bellies full and the shoppers satisfied, we moved to our next attraction. The Convento de Penha. Founded in 1558, the Convent overlooks both Vitoria and Vila Velha.

The majestic Penha’s Convento.

The view from the top is absolutely breath taking, especially if one does not take the optional bus ride. At approximately $1.75, the bus was the way to travel. It left five or ten minutes after the walkers of our group began their trek, but reached the top ten or fifteen minutes before them. Once up top, it is irrelevant how anyone gets there. I was in absolute awe. The flora and fauna has remained untouched and there are monkeys everywhere. That’s right, monkeys. Cute yet ugly, the little guys are fed enough they have all formed a unique pallet that spans over the entire monkey community. Crumbled bread is fine, but commercial brand potato chips do not meet the grade. The monkeys served as a good photo opportunity.

A small monkey peeks out from the forest that surrounds Penha’s Convento

Once in the Convent, it was evident Mass was in session. It is a usual occurrence for visitors to wander around during the service. We walked softly and enjoyed the view from all sides. Pictures taken and vertigo conquered, the bus headed back down, where we again waited for the walking crew.

With the group all together once again, we boarded the UVV bus in order to attend a lecture. The lecturer, Andréia Vieira, discussed the English and American common law systems versus the Brazilian civil law system. She was insightful; both in her knowledge of their civil law system and in her understanding of our common law system. Ms. Vieira gave signed copies of her most recent publication (premised on the topic of the lecture) to professors cummings and Taylor (in no particular order). Mr. Bernie Worley received a special copy as a door prize. Apparently the book is a great read, if you are fluent in Brazilian Portuguese.

Breathtaking views abound from atop the convent including one of beautiful Vila Velha

Lecture over and scheduled activities complete, everyone went their own ways for dinner, planning to meet later at a night club in Vitoria. Students from both universities reunited at a club called “The Office;” the theme being that of an office. We watched a match between Brazil’s most popular club, Flamengo (who we would later watch live in Rio), and Galo, a team that is ranked worse than Flamengo. Well, so much for rankings. Flamengo lost and the bar appeared divisive in emotions. The Mountaineers did not lose that night, so zero emotion was shed by yours truly. The table where we sat had a tall tower of ice cold beer (literally, there was ice going up the middle of it) and there were plenty of Brazilian women to help this blogger dance the night away. We closed the bar down and headed home, drenched in anticipation for the rest of our Brazilian adventure.

Lauren Thompson
West Virginia University College of Law, 3L
Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Lectures at UVV and the Espirito Santo Supreme Court

Amidst the uncertainty as to whether the excitement of the Amazon could ever be matched, we returned to civilization (?) by way of Vila Velha, a beautiful city in the Brazilian state of Espirita Santo. The hurried shift from the serenity of boat on the Amazon to the beautiful beaches of Vila Vehla was overwhelming. After a lovely breakfast from my amazing host Morena, we were taken to University of Vila Velha to begin our week of classes. Within an hour of our arrival, it was clear that today would be one of those days that delivers more questions than answers.

UVV Rector Manoel Ceciliano de Almeida welcomes WVU Law students and provides an introductory lecture

The most interesting dialogue came via the differing opinions of the University of Vila Vehla’s Rector, Manoel Ceciliano Salles de Alemeida (equivalent to our Dean or University President), and Judge Tasso de Castro Lugon former member of the Supreme Court of Espirita Santo. It was apparent that the battle between Brazil’s leaders and educators must be intense. Rector Alemeida was an impressive man, clearly conservative with a strong physical presence. He spoke of the need for a constitution that highlights only the most important of rights and difficulties of promulgating too many rules. He explained that this enables more effective policing and allows citizens to be more fully informed as to those things the law requires. He further explained that Brazilians are proud to say that they have a “right” to take an action, but will rarely admit to owing a “duty”. This stance makes control difficult.

Visiting the Espirito Santo Supreme Court together with UVV law students

We were then rushed by bus to the Supreme Court of Espirito Santo. We were met by the venerable and personable Judge Tasso. He spoke freely of his pride in the Brazilian Constitution. He sees the multitude of amendments (The U.S. has 23 since its inception, while Brazil boasts an impressive 66 across the last 20 years) as an effort to move to better protect the citizens of Brazil. He, in no uncertain terms, declared Brazil’s Constitution the best constitution to protect human rights. I cannot disagree, so long as these laws are enforced. Article 5 alone boasts more than 78 items. Articles 6 and 7 are dedicated to the protection of the social rights of Brazilians.

It is a difficult line to walk: the need to balance the rights and freedoms of the people with the need to ensure that laws are followed and fairly applied. It is a battle that the U.S. has been dealing with for centuries. Is it is easier to create a fair constitution amidst a modern world or to interpret a centuries old document in light of modern advancement?

Our next lecture was presented by UVV graduate Roberto Leao. It is important to be equal when it is the differences between us which make us inferior. Culture is problematic only when viewed in the context of another.

During lectures, Professor cummings role plays a corporate board meeting modeling boardroom diversity

Lastly, Shalom Confessor Amorol presented the most eye-opening lecture of the day. We didn’t learn about Brazilian culture or even Brazilian law. We learned about the Brazilian response to the threats of the world. Al Gore, Mikhail Gorbachev, Margaret Thatcher and other world leaders famously called the Amazon a “world resource” and insinuated a need to control the Amazon. Sometimes, the opinions that others hold of us as Americans and the things they feel we are capable of embarrasses me. But, in the context of the general “anything goes” attitude we have allowed from American Corporations and an unchecked government seeking their own private profit over the betterment of the country we love, do we dare say anyone is wrong to think that of what we might be capable of doing?