My friends in Rocinha have asked me why I write the blog in English. I tell them that if I write it in Portugues only people in Rocinha would read it and I am trying to reach more people with the blog. People in Rocinha know how I feel about this place! I am trying to send a message out to the whole world about the place I live. And people in Rocinha already know about life inside a favela. I don’t want to bore them!
My blog covers all sorts of subjects as I write about life here in Rocinha but have different eyes because I had the opportunity to live outside of Brazil. My understanding and appreciation for Rocinha is much different now than when I was younger. I am thankful and proud to live here. I have no shame to say that I live in a favela or that I am a favelado.
We in Rocinha understand the class system and that people outside of favelas don’t really have interest to want to read about them. It is sad but this is the truth. Sometimes I think that these people wish that the favelas just disappear. Brazilians who don’t live in favelas, out of ten people, eight despise the favelas and see them as factories of criminals. Most of these people have probably never been inside a favela. But, their domestic help probably lives in a favela. I have met very few people who live outside of Rocinha that have an interest in the place. It doesn’t help that media like “O Globo” rarely write anything good about favelas.
The majority of people who read my blog are foreigners. People usually find my blog through searching google. I receive many emails from students, researchers, journalists and film makers who read my blog as a resource. They contact me and often times they want to meet personally to discuss their work. I then try to connect them with the right people who can help them.
Through my blog, I want to show the world my life here in Rocinha. The only way I can do this is through writing in English. I can reach more people with my message. For those who are interested in learning about favelas, my blog can give you an inside view that you cannot get in mainstream media. As I have told many people, there is no such thing as a bad place, only bad people, and every place has bad people!
I enjoy hearing from you. If you have any ideas on subjects for me to write about please contact me at: visitrocinha@gmail.com
