Day 4
Next day started off with a lecture in USP's Econs department informing us of the social business scene in Brazil, then Prof Teo from our version of USP gave the Singapore side of the story.
Lunch at the student cafeteria was meh (as expected), then the next talk by LGT Venture Philanthropy (a social VC of the Lichtenstein's royal family), which tells the credit-side story of the social entrepreneurship industy, is also pretty interesting, getting to know how they measure their impact investment and the success/failure stories in different parts of the world.
And since the programmed ended pretty early, it's time to rock and roll. Girls went on yet another round of shopping while the guys and the cool kid Yixiu went crazy at the grocery store. Got two twelve-pack (for a few cents a can!), some wine (less than S$5), and some booze. Nothing too hardcore.
And dinner is this: sushi but with cream cheese... Yet another case in point of how the Jap food here is infused with Brazillian elements
Then dropped our stuff and off we go: parteh!
Went to this bar beside the club we were recommended to go after walking up and down a few times and finally found a seat. Pretty nice system that encourages you to consume cos they just exchanged your IC with a card that you use to pay (and this works pretty much the same in the club later), so you don't see the money going out each time you order. Also cos many people are just standing around with no table nor table number to tag their bills to.
Mojito (not too shabby with salt spamming) and Sangria (weird with white wine). Also had a few rounds of beer and, of course, Caipirinhas
And I think the drinking part was nice, perhaps even nicer than the clubbing part (Amanda would beg to differ). Doesn't matter; after much cajoling and hustling, off we go.
Started off with a live band and we were quite stun/disappointed though it was good. And then the music came and the rest is history
Day 5
Woke up seven early eight early for shopping again, and a curious incident happened: the guys got things from Forever 21 and the girls all came out empty-handed.
Got back to the hotel after some chilling in a local cafe with this interesting drink, the spoon wrapped in aluminum foil is coated with chocolate inside. The drink's pretty meh though
And saw this along the way!
First itinerary: Japan town
And it's the traffic light again!
Rushed through all the exhibits talking about Japanese mass emigration pre and post war, specifically into Brazil (duh!)
And also that they set up one of the first cooperatives here. And then we used the rest of a 45min period for lunch but the ramen in Brazil's Japan town wasn't very impressive, as expected
Which turned out surprisingly cool
With very futuristic kind of set up, and there's even another room looking like a Harry Potter film set
And that's kinda it for the tour day! And then it's free and easy!
While the rest left halfway for Japanese cuisines, some of us decided to check out this large (luxurious) mall in the other side of town.
And here is an OOTD shot by the philosopher roommate haha!
Then some drinking at yet another bar at Villa Mendalena with many random weirdos approaching us, and that ended Day 5.
Day 6
It's Sunday!
All of us sort of signed up for a tour and got to this village out of São Paulo city, Embu des Artes
And it's a Sunday market!
With amazing paintings for sale and they were pretty cheap! Other stuff was pretty alright at best, but still, something new!
One more, love the one nearest on the right
And this is pretty cool as well
This was damn good though
Lunch place wasn't very fantastic
And stuff like this. Got a t-shirt as well!
And we almost didn't make it out of this rural village!!! (Jk, I like the aunty's expression lol, like "dafuq?!")
Came back and went for this: my first demonstration ever. Was protesting against the heat
Mixed feelings about all the passion I've felt on the ground. Wondering how many of such demonstrations are rational but this one was pretty controlled (and given the corruption scandal, it's understandable). Just hoping they'll sort out the mess soon, if ever.
Got back and showered then headed to Hotel Unique, architecture was pretty unique alright
View was okay at best though
But Unique Watermelon was damn good. Haha
Dinner at Burger Lab nearby. Dem bacon~
Day 7
Road trip Monday out of town. Pastures of green reminded me of the times road tripping in Europe. Good times, good times.
Traveled all the way out for 2 hours to visit this MFI, a very "fresh" experience even though I've been studying them for the most part of last semester cos it was really up-close and kinda personal (the founder was there to talk to us!). What's even nicer is that she joined some sort of case competition and won, using the opportunity to go a step further and set up this bank. Makes me fantasize my own breakthrough someday...
The founder, whose name I forgot haha. Very young though
Then took another 2 hour bus ride after a good lunch to visit the incubator. Not too bad but was kinda underwhelming. Highlight was the old school classroom haha
More shopping and visited this amazing toilet upon the guide's recommendation. Posh sibo~
Dinner was macs and never say no to bacon fast food overseas
#205presents #muckupmonday
Drinking session was pretty alright, what's amazing is that we woke up the next morning with 4 hours of sleep as if nothing happened the night before...
Day 8
Cooperative day. Factory visits.
Then a talk by Unisol, which wasn't very productive cos they needed a translator and it's super distracting to wait for translation. Which begs the question: if a topic is really interesting and important, should you learn the language it's prominent in, or should the topic be translated to a common language of wider audience so that it can be further promoted?
Visited some graffitis which were super communistic
Going against the chronological order of events in the day to talk about the dinner at this food truck place serving good burgers before I blog about our final site visit in São Paulo cos that is just too impactful to not be the last...
Walked back and found some pretty street lights
Before trying out the metro system here in Brazil to get back to our hotel
A simple final drink at 248 just across our hotel marks the end of our time here in this ex-capital of Brazil...
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Our final stop in this city, which also turned out to be the most memorable for most: favela. We technically didn't enter the favela but stayed on the fringe, but it was still quite an eye opener. This is perhaps something average tourists will never get to see (Favela Adventures, I heard in a talk in Rio later, brings people to Rocinha, so maybe I'm not entirely right). But still...
Beyond a simple sightseeing objective, we came here to learn about the local women's garbage collection/recycling cooperative. And it was amazing firstly because we get to see them on-site/in-situ, up-close and personal; and secondly, because they welcomed us with open arms.
Beyond that, this group of women displayed optimism, courage, and tenacity I've never come close to experiencing before. It's life and death. It's do or die. And they chose the harder route, all in hope of getting a better life. No, not a better life out of this community outsiders called "slums", but to improve things within, and to work something out together as a whole; not abandon others for their own good.
Two incidents were particularly poignant: (i) when the ladies shared their failure the previous year, when people abandoned them, when things started to crumble, but they held on, and believed that they have all that they need to improve their lives, to get that education, to get that much-needed proper roof above their head, to get the kids grow up to be better persons than they can imagine; and (ii) when they displayed not a sign of despair, when they showcased the gayness in this small little garbage dump, when life so meaningful and hopeful is found in a place no one ever bothers noticing, much less enter. This is their life; this is their home. And they work goddam hard to make it what they want it to be...
