Rambo da Rocinha

Every neighborhood or city has their characters of people the are recognizeable. Rocinha has many people that stand out in the comunity as being different. People consider me a character too because I am the only person in the neighborhood who has the favela tatooed all over their body. So, I am easy recognizeable. The purpose of this post is to let you know about one of my favorites. Rambo da Rocinha!

When you see first him, you think he belongs in a war movie or a jungle. But he lives here in Rocinha. He goes by the name "Rambo". It is common in Brazil for people to have nick names. Mine is Zezinho based of my middle name "Josivaldo". Ronaldinho, famos footballer need I say more..I think you get it..

Many times I had seen him walking through Rocinha but never had time to stop and introduce myself to him. I had heard all sorts of stories about him living in a cave and all..He is always smiling and very friendly. So, this day I made the effort to say hello to him! :)

So, Rambo, whose real name is Marcio, is originally from Minas Gerais. He has lived in Rocinha now for 25 years and loves his life here. I would say that he is probably about 47 years old but keeps in good shape with all his physical work he does.

Rambo walks through the comunity wearing army fatigues for pants and a green army type shirt, with ropes around his neck, and knife in his belt. The only thing missing is a gun. But, I do not think he needs one. He wears this old green hat, like a baseball type cap.

I first met him when I was renting a kitchette (studio type place) in the ponto 7 area of Rocinha, not far from Rua 2 (2nd street). I woke one day to hear loud noises not far from my front door. It is common to hear much noise in the favela becase there is always somebody improving there house and constructions happening. But this noise was like a chainsaw, so I went to the door and saw Rambo high in a tree with ropes around him, probably safety lines so he does not fall. He was cutting branches off a tree in the middle of the favela.

I opened my door and saw him in front of me but of a distance of about 20 meters up in the tree cutting branches. I waved, and then got my camera becase I had heard many stories of Rambo and seen him walking in the streets but never saw him "working" until now. When he saw my camera he posed, no problem.

When he took a break, he came and knocked on my door. I opened it and let him in. I introduced myself and he did the same and we got to thinking ablout old times. We talked about the "old" Rocinha and how it was, about the first "dono do morro" Denis who was loved by all for instituting "A lei da favela" (the law in the favela) here in Rocinha. We had many old stories and memories of happenings in the comunity that we shared. We chatted for about an hour then he had to return to his work.

After that talk it was like, I would see him everyday. So, a couple days after our first meeting I asked him what he does. His work is a mixture of many things, tree cutter, fireman, security for big events in the comunity, trafic control and other odd jobs helping people. A friend of mine told me about how he reduced a huge trafic jam in the favela.

I have also seen the gentler side of Rambo. He loves critters too!! Many times he has snakes or other tropical animals. I have seen him cuddle kittens and even a baby goat. The thing that means the most is the guy helps people and cares for the animals too. I have put some fotos of him here.

Enjoy!

Yes, I admit it: I LOVE cats!

Fotos from top center Rua 4 cat, Rua 4 my favorite beco! bottom left to right: Bey, Avril covering her face, and Pitty

CATS!!!!!

I live in a place that is so full of "critters". I love them all but I have my favorites. When I grew up we always had cats becase if you had a cat, you never had rats! Quando voce tem gato, voce nao tem rato! So true!!!

Becase of the tight living spaces favelas have and not adquate services, sometimes depending on the area there are mice and rats..The biggest rat I saw was about 25 cm long which is big and probably that thing weighed about 2 kgs. But it was not near me so I am ok with that..As long as they do not come in my house, no problems.

When I was a child, we had a orange tabby. This cat was my buddy and followed everwheres I went and slept with me. I really miss him, but I have had other cats since him. All were wonderful critters.

I do not have anything against dogs, just prefer cats. I think the things I like more about cats is, they are quiet, they clean themselves, they purr, their fur is soft, they talk to you in their different types of miaows, and they do silly things. But most what I like is that they can be ying or yang..They can be the soft cuddly thing or the agressive hunter in the wild! I also like they have a certain independance too.

Where I am living now, there are two furballs, Pitty and Avril. There was Bey, my favorite but one day she just never came home. I hope wherever she is that she is safe and loved. She used to come in my window late at night and jump on my bed and curl up next to me. In the morning she would gently bite me on the face to wake me up so I would feed her. I really miss her. Pitty and Bey used have these major battles in the kitchen. I think they were jelaous of each other. Pitty being the senior cat and all, thought that the kitchen was hers! Avril just avoided and did what she liked an never challenged Pitty.

So, everyday, I was down my beco (alley), I encounter several "friends", there is a friendly black cat 10 doors down the beco that I will see many once a week. At the end of beco Travessa Real there is this furry cream colored kitty who as soon as I talk comes running. She has a deformed back righ leg and has troubles getting around, but is able to get her pets from me and others. I noticed she has two friends who live with her. Two black and white shorthairs who now arrive when I come close to her. They both headbutt the cream one out of the way so they can get to me. Such fun to have these cats fight over me..funny..

As I make my way down to the hill, I decide to always take Rua 4 (4th Street), about half way down, there is a cat that I would love to steal and take home with me. She is a medium hair Calico. I have included fotos of her. I arrive at the barzinho (small bar) and she comes running. This is a outside bar where there is a counter that stretches into the beco. People can stand outside and grab a cerveja!

So, I go by and she comes running. I give her some head scratches and she purrs really loud. Her favorite thing is to keep her back paws on the bar as she put her front paws on my shoulders and kneeds her claws into my shirt (no problem, it does not hurt), all while licking my face or hair. Very cute!!! Almost every day I see this friendly cat and I leave with a smile on my face. I am thankful of such simple things and how they can make me happy. I am very lucky!

I do not have any of my own cats right now, but I will soon, when I buy a new house here. I want 2 so they can keep each other busy.

Tio Lino: Somebody who I admire in Rocinha

Tio a student and me hanging out!

Tio Lino and some of his students!

One of my best friends in Rocinha is Lino dos Santos Filho. He is a 63 years old retired guy who was born and raised in Rocinha. He is one of the changemakers in the comunity.

So, the story goes back some years ago he was teaching art to the kids in the Valao, which is one of the poorer areas of the favela. His goal was through art and expression that children could find an outlet from all the negative things in their life.

One day while walking outside the favela, he saw a building on fire and heard some noises. He went to check it out and there was a person inside this building who could not get out. So, Lino went in the building and dragged the guy out. Another person who came a little later was able to call for the ambulance to take the injured guy to the hospital. Lino left thinking that his job was done. Some years later the person who happened to be a doctor, who he saved was able to get in contact with Lino and they exchanged letters.

After a while, sad news came to Lino that the doctor had passed away. The family of the doctor came looking for Lino to thank him for his good deed. They eventually met and the family bought a house for Lino outside of the favela in Jacarepagua, which is about one hour bus ride from Rocinha. Lino lives in Jacarepagua but every day, except Sunday he is in Rocinha. From 10 in the morning to 10 at night his life is Rocinha! I thought I was the only one who loves Rocinha..

To this day "Tio" Lino is still teaching his art classes to the kids in the Valao. He has "saved" about 60 kids from joining the drug gangs or a life of negativity. People in the Valao respect Tio Lino and for some he is like a father figure.

To me, this guy is one of the real heros of the neighborhood. About 3 days a week, after my work, I go to his art studio to help out. I do not go to teach, but just to be there if any of the kids need help. The other day, one kid just wanted me to walk him home. No problem, what many of these kids need is just somebody who will listen to them and not judge.

Recently the kids are always asking about my tattoos. Understood that kids are curios about what they mean. So, now they all want tattoos. Of course they can not have a real tattoo until they are 18, so now the popular thing is they have my paint a design on them. And I do! It is in water color paints so their parents do not get angry with me. They are happy as I am able to do a small thing that means so much to them.

When I have visitors, I bring them by the studio to show the influence he has in creating a positive environment for the kids. Outsiders need to know that people like Tio Lino exist in favelas.

The other day I saw Tio scold a kid who was carrying a toy gun. He would not let that kid enter his art studio with that toy. I saw him point at that kid and say "you can not come in here with that!" The boy looked confused and went on his way. Later Tio explained to me that kids in favelas need to learn that seeing armed men in the comunity is not normal and should not be accepted like it is. On the wall of the studio his saying is "Troque uma arma por um pincel" which means "Exchange a gun for a paintbrush".

In febuary a documentry filmaker is coming to Rocinha to film about my life here in Rocinha, but I have decided that I do not want this film to be about me but people in the favela, like Tio Lino who are making a difference! I have a list of about 15 people in the comunity who I know very well who are really making an impact here in Rocinha.

Having people like Tio as my friend, makes my work all the more valuable.

Awesome Aussies!

Ok, I have to admit I love bringing people to Rocinha. I know that most people on the outside see favelas as misery and poverty and all things bad. Yes we have good and bad here like any place. But, I prefer to show people the side they rarely hear about, the good things going on here.

foto #1 Courtney, Tania and me on top of Carlinos' Roof Rua 1

foto #2 Eat out in Rocinha group

On Friday July 3, I had the oportunity to bring a group of 13 people here just for a short visit to "Eat out In Rocinha". The idea is to break down images that favelas are no go zones full of evil stuff. So I put a advertisement on couchsurfing.com website and invited all there to Rocinha to get a taste of the food we have here. I really want to change the image that the press gives about us who live in favelas. My group was a mix of all types of people which I love becase this is what is represented in Rocinha too.

I met everybody at the Samba School Academicos da Rocinha, just outside of the favela at 1 in the afternoon. Everybody arrived and we all walked over the pasarella where everybody can get a good view of the comunity. Some fotos were taken and as we walked into the comunity, I was able to explain a bit about Rocinha and the types of food we have here.

We all made out way up to the Pizza Lit restaurant which is celebrating 10 years of history in Rocinha. It is the most famous place that everybody goes and is open until 5 in the morning. We all shared some awesome food and after made our way down to the Valao as some of the guests wanted desert. There is a nice place that has tastey pastries and cakes in the Valao. So, off we went. Most of the guests had either acai or chocolate cake of some kind. After our little tour, I escourted everybody to the buses and Kombis so they could get home safely.

After the "Eat out In Rocinha", I was contacted by one of the guests about wanting to come back for a real visit. Courtney wanted to come back on the 9 of July, so I set aside time to show her around. Courtney is from Australia and is on a six month travels around the world.

She emailed and we met in from of the samba school at 10 in the morning, but this time she brought two of her friends, Gosia and Tania as well both from Australia. They came prepared with water, confortable clothes and tenis shoes. I told them that the tour would be about 5 hours but I never stick to a definate schedule.

All I can say is that I, the "tour guide" had such a great time with these three women. We entered the favela and the first thing they wanted to do was grab some food, so we eat some pastels. We proceeded to take the mototaxis to the Visual in Laboriaux. I could see that they enjoyed the view and felt confortable being with me. Sometimes with other visitors, I can see that they are aprehensive and not sure how to "act" in the comunity.

They took plenty of fotos in the right places and we leisurely made our way down the hill. Courtney had a request that I thought was interesting. Everywhere she travels, she likes to jump rope. Something about this, just made me smile because it is simple rituals like this that breed great ideas (more about this later). I chose Carlinhos' roof (he is a friend of mine) at Rua 1 for her perfect setting to jump rope. I thought the view and location were perfect in the favela. Too bad the whole comunity could not see her jumping rope.

It was all fun until she asked me to join in. I am not the jump rope kind of person but I was ok with it and decided I would go along. The thing is she wanted to film both her and I jumping rope. Well, I suck at jumping rope but still was a good sport about it. I have to admit it was fun.

I was able to also get some fotos of her and Gosia jumping rope on the roof too! They also got fotos of them jumping catching the shots of them in the air.

We made our way down the area where I live in Dioneia. We visited my best friends and my neighbors and hung out talking, and went up on their roof for a difeerent view. My friends really liked the girls and said if they ever come back, to visit! I never saw my guests without smiles on their faces.

After a while they started to get hungry so I had to cut out some parts of the tour that I usually show. We went to Trapia a por kilo place in the Via Apia. It is one of my most favorite places becase the choises of food you can get there are many.

After, we made our way to visit one of my good friend who runs an art studio in the Valao. His name is Tio Lino and he is a retired man who volunteers his time to teach kids to make art using recyclable materials. He is a great guy and has saved many kids from the streets and getting into troubles. The girls were impressed with him and we chatted and Tio showed them the art the kids had made on display in the studio. It was not getting late around 7 pm, and everybody was getting tired.

The tour began at 10 in the morning and was supposed to be only 5 hours but turned out to last 9 after all the visiting with people and hanging out with friends. The idea was born that I know Jump rope is not that expensive and it is something you can do alone. In Rocinha I rarely see anybody jumping rope. I want to start a program for girls where they can learn how to jump rope, maybe even Double Dutch. I think this would be a great self esteem builder for the girls in the comunity, it does not cost a lot and its FUN!

I want to thank Gosia, Tania and Courtney for reminding me why I love my work so much!

I made anothe "Eat out in Rocinha" on july 11 and was surprised when Courtney showed up with a bag full of Art supplies for the kids!. I am so happy becase I know Tio Lino needs this kind of help for the kids. Courtney could not stay and just dropped off the bag to me to deliver. Nothing can express the big smile from Tio's face when I gave him that bag of art supplies. Thank you again Courtney!

Going Home

I have been in the USA for 3 months setting up a non profit organization with several Americans. My friends who are help me have visited or lived in Rocinha for sometime. So our organization is with people who know what life is about in favelas and Rocinha.

We call our organization Rocinha Arts and Culture Institute (Instituto de Arte e Cultura da Rocinha). Our organization will provide classes in anything art related from dance, drawing and even martial arts like jiu jitsu and capoeira!

My friend Andy build our new site, it is in the beginning stages and will develop over time as our organization grows. I am really happy about this becase I am able with the help of others to bring some much needed help to Rocinha.

Eventually we will have volunteer visitors come and offer help by being guest teachers! I have already receved many emails about this. After the PAC project or (reurbinization project) is finished we will lok to buy a building in Rocinha where our arts can have a "home".

Please check out our website: www.rocinharts.org

I have some other news that I will release when the time is right. With my business proposal, I hope to employ many people in Rocinha and in this way for me, is the best way to give back to the community that gave me so much!

Please come back and send me your questions if you have any?

thank you friends for all your support!

Zezinho

rocinhajj@yahoo.com.br

or

visitrocinha@gmail.com

Honoring those lost on Flight 447

I admire people who help me to learn new things. Sounds simple but I found this writing on another site and wanted to share with you. I think I understand a little more about airplanes. I did not write this, Jordan Maclkey wrote the piece below!

To those souls lost, 

Rest in peace!

Paradox of  'Simplicity'...Flight 447

Consider for as moment these two cockpits. On the left is the granddaddy of jet airliners – the Boeing 707 – which first flew paying passengers in 1958. On the right is the Airbus A-330 – which started flying the line 35 years later. Now quick: which is the more complex airplane? Looks can be deceiving.

Relatively speaking, the 707 is a much simpler airplane – which is different from saying it is simpler to fly. Mastering and monitoring all those steam gauges required an alert three-person crew. In the 707, the burden of the complexity – and the opportunity for error – is on the human side of the instrument panel. Because humans make mistakes and machines do not, airplane designers have steadily shifted that workload to the other side of the gauges over the years. The A-330 instrument panel is proof they have done a bang up job. It looks simple to fly doesn't it? It is.

The joke is that in the not too distant future, flight crews will consist of one human pilot and an ill-tempered junkyard dog. The pilot is there to watch the computers fly the airplane – and the dog there to bite him if he tries to touch the controls.

Airbus has embraced the philosophy (if not the joke) with zeal. The company builds highly automated "Fly-By-Wire" airplanes. NASA developed the first fly by wire aircraft in 1972 – an F-8C Crusader. On FBW planes, the movable surfaces on the wings, the horizontal and vertical stabilizer are not connected to the controls on the flight deck with cables, pulleys pushrods and hydraulic actuators as they were on the 707.

Instead, electrical wires transmit the pilot's commands to hydraulic actuators that move the aero surfaces. Between the pilot and those surfaces is a bank of computers that are actually flying the plane. The computers are programmed with some strict rules (in fact, Airbus calls them "Laws") designed to assess the human commands from the flight deck – and veto them if they would put the plane in harm's way. Point the nose too high or too low – or bank to steeply and the computer will correct your bad airmanship. Who's in charge here?

Pilots like to call their autopilots "George" (old phonetic shorthand for "gyro", which makes the AP work) – on an FBW airplane, "HAL" might be more apt.

But what happens when the silicon co-pilot gives up the ghost? It gets very ugly - very quickly. Just before Air France 447 went down, it transmitted a four-minute spurt of text data reporting 5 failures and 19 warnings via its Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS). The data is cryptic and we will only know the full scenario if searchers find the black boxes, but we know the autopilot disengaged, the flight control computer failed, warning flags appeared over the primary flight data screens used by the captain and first officerand the rudder moved beyond its limits.

All of it is consistent with a flight control system that was getting some bad information about how fast the airplane was moving through the air. The device that performs this task is called a pitot tube. Pointed in the direction of flight, it measures the relative pressure of air as it flows in. For pilots this is a crucial device – (like an EKG for a heart surgeon, I suppose).

If you don't know your airspeed, you can easily stall or overspeed the plane. That's why the A-330 has three pitot tubes. They tend to be ice collectors on an airplane flying through precipitation. If they glaze over, or get clogged with crystals, they won't work – so that is why they are heated. Even so, A-330 pitot tubes were icing up and failing in flight so Airbus issued a "service bulletin" recommending airlines replace them with a newer model that has a more powerful heater. It was not considered urgent – and so the pitot tubes on the doomed plane had not been removed and replaced. But I would not focus on this too much.

The epic thunderstorm system that Air France 447 flew into would have been a huge hail and ice-generating machine that could have overwhelmed even the new and improved pitot tubes if they had been installed.

Regardless, the failure cascade chronicled in the ACARS text message hauntingly matches a 2008 event when an Air Caraibes A-330 flying the same route encountered some serious pitot tube icing. That plane was not in such severe circumstances so the crew was able to get things back under control – and lived to tell the tale.

Now here is a key point to remember: as systems fail in an Airbus, the laws that the computers live by change from "normal", to "alternate", to "abnormal alternate" to "direct". At each stage the computers surrender more authority to the humans – until finally silicon surrenders and the carbon pilots are on their own – with no help at all from HAL – at just the point they need him most.

They were in the dark, getting hammered by turbulence, flying blind, by hand, a plane that was designed and built to be controlled by machines – with human supervision.

Suddenly that deceptively simple cockpit was a riddle so complex it could not be solved.

J.

The Pros and Cons of Favela Tours

Foto (R): Some of my guests visiting me in Rocinha

Ok I have some diferent feelings about this. Favela tours have been around for about 15 years. I guess with all the media attentions around the drugs, violence etc, attract people from the outside who want to know about these places. But somebody tell me please why or what do you expect to see in a favela?

I understand the curiosity, but the comunity is not some zoo to be exploited by wealthy outsiders. Again, I see it at outsiders again exploiting the people who live in favelas. Just like the samba and carnival is now exploited by the rich for the benefit to fill the pockets of the promoters. Of corse there is the "jogo de bicho" and curruption inside alot of samba school but I wont go there at this time. Its a very complicated issue that deserves its own separate post.

The favela of Rocinha has the destinction of being located between two very rich areas of Sao Conrado and Gavea. Rocinha is also one of the largest favelas in Brazil and is densely populated in such a small area with awesome views of the city. From where I live in Rua 1, I can see the Cristo, Lagoa, Sugar Loaf (off in the distance, but I can still see it), the jockey club and the beaches of Ipanema and a small part of Leblon. Who would not want to come up to Rua 1 or Laboriaux to get some great foto shots!

Foto (R): Here is me selling my T-shirts at the art stalls in Rua 1 (foto taken by Mark Peacock)

First lets take a look at who makes these "Favela Tours". I have met four owners of these companies and I used to work for one of them. ALL of them live OUTSIDE of the favela. There are from what I see everyday, several tour companies, these are "Private Tours", "Be a Local", "Exotic Tours", "Jeep Tours", "Forest Tours" and the most well known "Favela Tour". Now in the beginning the tour companies had to get permission to run these tours in the community. They got permission by the powers that be, becase the tours angle was to bring "commerce" or money into the community. So, the company charges the tourist, and when the tourist comes they put money into the community by eating, drinking, buying souvenirs, art etc..

Why are these companies doing the tours? Well becase they can make money, and they make alot..one company charges $65reais each person. They often have 10-15 people come on the tour. Well you can add up the money. And this company does 2 tours a day...so this is a lot of money in one day..Now some tours do contribute some money into some non profits in the comunity but how much they give is not really known.

One tour company I found out was using some artists by telling them that only their tour company could bring tourists by the art studio, which I thought was not right. Why can not the art studio be open to all the tourists? But then I later found out that the tour company owner controlled who came to the art studio and when art was sold he took a commision..talk about explitation. I took several of my guests to the same studio becase the guys are friends of mine and when the tourists bought art, the guys were suprised that I did not want a cut of their sales..I told them that their art is theirs and that I bring people by there to support them. I do not want any of their money!!! I can make my own and I make enough with the tourist paying me a fee. I am not greedy. Tour companies like this piss me off! 

There are diferent aproaches to the tours, some are more walking through the comunity and others come in jeeps with open end so the tourists do not need to leave the confort of their seat. I see these tour groups everyday.

I am for and against these tours and I will explain: 

The pro's are, yes some money gets put into the comunity by visitors, people get to see how currupt and uncaring the goverment of Brazil is, they get some education about favelas and Rocinha, but most important to me is that outsiders get the chance to see that the favela is not a constant war zone and that the majority of residents are hardworking people who just earn less money for their work.

I am against, not the tours themselves, but how they are run. People get a very sanitized view of the favela, there is very little interaction between residents and tourists (partly due to the fact that most foreigns do not speak portuguese), people do not get to spend enough time to see more of the comunity. Most tours stay very close to the Estrada da Gavea, the main street. They may walk through one or two becos but thats it.

I have the biggest problem with the tour guides. First,  90% of them DO NOT live here in the favela (how could they really know what goes on here by bringing people through on a 3 hour tour?). I do not know of any Favela tour companies that have night tours! So how would these guides know what goes on here??

Most of the guides are like parrots who just say the "party line" (a script). And I have heard guides not from Rocinha tell outright lies about the place! I sell T-shirts up at Rua 1 where all the artists sell their works and I over heard one woman guide tell the tourists that the favela does not have large metal garbage bins to put garbage in becase the drug dealers would dump dead bodies there! I over heard this and translated for my fellow artists and everybody was very upset at this. Everybody know that if the drug gang is going to kill somebody, they will take the person deep into the hills, do their thing and little or nothing will be left of the person. This is comon knowledge in the favela! The last thing the traficantes want is police attention in the favela, its bad for buisness..there so much more I could say about this but I think you understand what I am talking about here

My biggest con is that most of the guides are NOT from Rocinha. I think the tour guides should be from the favela becase they know so much more than some outside guide. The ROCINHA guides bring one thing that is best, AUTHENTICITY! Who better to give you a tour than somebody born, raised who eats, sleep and conduct ther life in the favela..The guides that are hired by the outside tour companies pay the Rocinha guides CRAP!! I know becase my friends have told me how much they get paid and I know becase I worked for one tour company, but only for  a short time. I gave a tour for 8 people who paid $60reais each ($480reais) and at the end of the tour, the owner handed me $30reais!! Something is just not right about that.

In terms of any kind of tour wherever in the world, what makes a great tour is the GUIDE! Not all tour guides are treated equal! The value of the tour greatly depends on the person giving the tour.

Now you are probably asking well then why dont you do your own tours? Well, I DO! I think most people who know me know how much I love Rocinha. For me what makes Rocinha is its people, not the poverty, poor houses, open sewage or any other negative thing. What makes Rocinha for me, is the people I know, love and care about. 

There is nothing special or romantic about living in a favela. Life is VERY dificult and a struggle for most people. I see on faces everyday the challenges that people live here. I have been there, I know. I am like everybody else who has gone days without water in the house or eletricity being shut off or seeing a rat run through my doorway. There is nothing fun about these things. The social divide and prejudices against favela residents, I have experienced. Its no fun having some currupt cop staked outside the favela stopping you asking is you have drugs, pulling open your pants and shoving a flashlight down to your privates to see, or being physically pushed around when they frisk you. Or when your 10 years old seeing your best friends brother get shot 15 feet from you. Or when you are refused a job becase you live in a favela. Or having a security guard ask you to leave the fashion mall in Sao Conrado becase he thinks by living in Rocinha that "I do not belong there", or that I am there to steal something.

So, I still make tours, but my tours are totally diferent becase they are not the "Tour" like the companies. When my guests come to Rocinha, I treat them like my friend coming for a visit. My focus is to show them the good things and people that exist here. Everybody already know about the drugs and the negative but outsiders need to see and interact with the people. If you come to visit me, you get the tour but you also come to my house, visit my neighbors, we drink, we eat and I introduce you to the people making positive actions in the comunity. 

For me, yes, I earn my money but I see something more important here as most of my guests often ask about volunteer oportunities or wanting to come back and make some sort of contribution to the comunity. I also feel that I get a cultural exchange as well becase I get to meet people from all over the world without having to leave my home. When you leave Rocinha, you will have a better understanding about us who reside in the hills. You will be able to pass on your expereince to others that favelas are much much more than what is reported in the news!

I am working on a big project now with some comunity members about expanding my tours but I do not want to say too much about it now. In september, I will be releasing my website and I guarentee that ALL my guides will be residents of ROCINHA! And they will be paid much more money than what these other tours pay. I will treat my guides with the respect they deserve!

If you have interest to learn more about the diferent types of tours I do, please contact me. You are welcome to come for a visit and learn more about my comunity but also have a great time.

my email: rocinhajj(at) yahoo(dot)com(dot)br

 

****I do not endorse or allow any kind of ilegal behavior on my tours!