Monsters come to visit Rocinha

 

I get interesting requests from visitors to the favela. A representative from Universal Nutrition Vitamins and Supplements contacted me about some bodybuilders who are here for the Bodybuilding Expo/Arnold Classic. They are doing the tourist route of Sugar Loaf and Christ and they had a unique request. They wanted to see the favela butI thought why not combine a tour with two things bodybuilders need to do? Workout and eat!

 

Living in Rocinha is a great place because we have everything here. We have 5 gyms and many great healthy places to work out. The best place we have to work out is R1 Fitness near the bottom of the favela. The gym has been upgraded and looks like any gym that you would see in any middle class neighborhood. It even has a swimming/exercise pool and plenty of aerobic classes to satisfy anybody. The gym is two floors. The basement or bottom floor has the pool with mens and womens changing rooms and a juice bar. The second floor is a mix of machines and free weight area. The third floor is a air conditioned cardio room with bikes, treadmills and stairmasters. next door is a room just for spinning. The last room is a open space used for aerobics, stretching, yoga or any other kind of movement classes. The top floor is a roof top where meetings or parties are held. For a favela, its state of the art! We have a few other gyms but this is the best choice for these guys. They even had some heavy weights.

 

Universal Nutrition (UN) from New Jersey has been around since 1977 providing bodybuilders with much needed supplementation. Next door to the gym has opened a supplement shop called "Strange Nutrition" and I was suprised to see that they have UN products. The visitors took photos of the products in the shop and commented on how expensive the products were. Import taxes really raise the prices so much that Brazilians pay about 2.5 times the "regular" price. There was a huge bag of Whey Protein that sold for 430 reais which is about 215US$, when in the US you can buy this same product for about 80US$. Crazy!!!!

 

Frank McGrath is a 34 years old professional bodybuilder who lives in Toronto. His friend Antoine Vaillant, 25 years old, amateur bodybuilder is from Quebec, Canada. Antoine is going for his pro card. The third guy of the group was Jorlan Vieira, also a bodybuilder, lives in Rio was acting as a tour guide for the group. Eric Schwartz and Travis Poulsen were promoters for UN and were there to workout and also film the travel journeys of the team. These bodybuilders are sponsored by UN so they receive products and other perks.

 

After they worked out, I took them to one of our best restaurants "Trapia". Its a por kilo places where the food is set up buffet style and you take what you want but you pay by weight. There is also a area where theres a guy who will cut for you 10 different types of meat, from sirloin to chicken hearts. The prices are very reasonable and the food is great. Frank and Antoine ate clean but Jorlan didnt seem to have a competition coming up so he had french fries on his plate.

 

After eating, we walked through the favela a little and I took them over the pasarella (footbridge) so they could see how big the favela is from the bottom. It was fun to see the reactions of the residents seeing these huge muscular men walking through the favela. I couldnt help but laugh because to have professional bodybuilders here is not common at all. Only once before did I have three bodybuilders visit here from Sweden. I love the work I do. I get to meet the most amazing people from all over the world!

 

I hope team Universal Nutrition comes back for a visit! But next time we can take more time to walk through and see the favela!

Teaching people how to Fish

 

Agencia Redes de Juventude (Youth Networking Agency)

 

I remember being approached by the girl about 18 years old wearing a blue t-shirt with the word AGENCIA across the front, on the streets of my favela about 4 months ago. She told me that I should come to a meeting to promote my dj school. I had the date set to go but somehow forgot the meeting and I was upset. I later found out that Agencia Redes de Juventude (ARJ) is a city funded project with interest in helping favela communities. I was not sure how they helped as I was just told to go to the meeting and I would find out more. The ARJ fund youth who have new ideas about how to create a sustainable business in their favelas.

 

I forgot about this until about 1 month ago I was contacted by representatives from ARJ. They asked me if I could help one of their grant receivers with their project. I told them sure. The ARJ contact persons name was Rafaelle and she sent me emails about Joao Batista the youth recepient. Joao told me that he wanted to start his project with the idea of developing tour guides in his favela of Providencia. He found me on the internet and our website. Morro da Providencia is rich in history and is known as the first favela that exist in Rio de Janeiro. The hill was settled in 1897 by ex slaves and soldiers from the War of Canudos. So, historically Providencia could be developed, if done right into a tourist destination.

 

On March 27th, Dembore, my partner, and I met Rafaelle, Joao and a youth reporter who writes for the ARJ web site at the Copacabana Palace. We took the favela transport to the top of Rocinha and slowly decended talking about how we set up our tours and routes depending on tourists interests.

 

We eventually made it to our DJ school Spin Rocinha, where we spoke more about marketing and the business of running tours in a favela. I tried to give him as many ideas based on what I have experienced working with tourism here in Rocinha. I would like to be able to eventually help other favelas like City of God set up cultural tours in their favela. I am open and available to help those who support sustainable tourism for these communities! Its like the expression “I would rather teach the people who to fish, instead of just giving them the fish”.

 

Joao received 10,000 reais from ARJ to start his tourism company in Providencia . This will be needed for him to build a website, make business cards, marketing and much more. Joao’s plan is to study about the history and talk to elders about Providencia. Then he wants to find a route through the community that will be interesting for foreigners to see. He plans to train 5 guides that will work with his “company”. He has alredy picked a name “Provitour” for his company. I told him that if he ever needs help to contact me. I will keep in contact with him. I am posting fotos for you to see of our day with ARJ.

 

Heres a link to a article that was written about our day with ARJ in Rocinha: http://agenciarj.org/novas-visoes-das-favelas-atraves-do-turismo

Dj Meeting March 10, 2013

 

At the DJ School Spin Rocinha we always like to show whats going on. We have had the oportunity to have the students play in the public. Every month now at the bottom of the favela, there is a group of Dj's that are organizing a "Meeting of Dj's". The purpose of this is for people in the community to get to hear various dj's from the favela playing music. Its also a great opportunity for new dj's and our students to get to meet some of the established dj's in the favela. Its a great exchange of ideas with everybody benefitting. Our students get to see the older guys in action and can ask questions about anything relating to dj'ing. The most common conversations have to do with equipment, what people are using and where to buy stuff. The meeting we had on the 20 March, we brought our 2 Cdj's and a mixer. Other dj's brought turntables and speakers. We had 2 dj's from Rio das Pedras (another favela) come who were turntablists. Dj Nilo and Dj Fabricio came to show the favela their skills in scratching. Dj Gordura who is well known lives in a small favela down the street from Rocinha. His focus is playing beats on the mpc machine. He also is well connected with many famous funk artists here in Rio, creating beats for them. I have put some fotos here of the event. Next event will be April 14th.

 

I feel so fortunate to be part of this project where so many people can enjoy music through dj'ing!

Finding reliable help

Me and my silly cat Fuzzy who likes to Dj..

 

And im not talking about domestic help. As most people know, I work in tourism and its very frustrating trying to find reliable people. But theres is that saying that goes "nobody will ever care more for your business than you". This is so true! I prefer to hire people from inside the favela but its dificult. The major problem is that I can only offer somebody part time work as I dont have enough work. Most people have full time work so the last thing they want is more work when they have time off. Working in tourism is like any other work. It work! But I see a pattern where people dont take it serious. They think its like play time or the dont respect tourists time restrictions. My american side always believes in the customer first because without them, I dont get paid.

 

Showing up late, to me is not showing respect for other persons time. I have only been late twice since I started tours over 5 years ago. The most I was ever late was 7 minutes. I apologized to my guests who didnt seem to notice but still, I hate being late.

 

I love my work and I am very appreciative and thankful for all the good karma that has come my way in the last 3 years especially.

 

I think I have figured out why some guys have this lack of responsibility. The experiences I am talking about are dealing with men, not women. Brazilian guys in general are lazy. Let me explain. Americans, once they turn about 18 are encouraged to be more independant and either go to work or school. In Brazil, I know guys 30 or 40 still living with their parents. So, I see this as a negative because Brazilian guys who live at home with their parents seem to mature later. These are jusy MY observations.

 

When you live with mommy and daddy and you dont pay rent, food or other bills, they wash your clothes and cook you food, its easy to not be as motivated..

 

I have two examples, Leo who is 21, still lives with his parents, says he wants a job but his actions show different. He doesnt pay any bills. He has a cell phone but never calls people. People call him, which I think is strange. He shows up late or not at all. I sent him a text message a few days ago about work, he never showed up, no message, nothing. This is not the kind of guy who deserves a job because hes not motivated. The shame in all of this is that he speaks fluent English.

 

Dembore is a totally different guy. He came to Rio 10 months ago from Minas Gerais. He came to make a better life for himself and his girlfriend. When he was working for me, he also held down a second job at night as a waiter in a hotel. Since beginning of October, he has quit the other job and is now only working with me. Dembore lives with his girlfriend who has a part time job and is involved with theatre productions. He lives on his own, not under his parents roof. He pays rent, electricity, water, cable and internet. He ALWAYS shows up ontime and most times is early. He drinks minimally in his off time and his actions show responsibility.

 

Dembore is 24, only 3 years older than Leo but there is a huge difference is how they live their lives. Leo is the life of the party with very little responsibility and Dembore is in bed at midnight most nights to rest for the next days work.

 

I have gone through 5 tour guides working with me in the last 2 years and its been very frustrating, but now I think I have a keeper in Dembore. He is also a dj and loves being involved in the dj school. Thank goodness I have finally found a person of quality that wants to grow with the expansion of the dj school and loves making tours here.

 

Leo needs to take life more seriously. He needs to get off his mothers tit and grow up. But im not his daddy..Some things you need to figure out on your own.

Police Occupation and UPP

 

Copa para os ricos e a UPP para os pobres! The Copa (world cup) for the rich, the UPP's for the poor!

 

The twenty-eighth Pacifying Police Unit (UPP) in Rio de Janeiro, was installed last month, the 20th, one of Latin America's largest favelas, Rocinha.

 

The installation of the UPP in the community is the continuity of real war operation, preceded with the help of the Special Operations Battalion (BOPE), Shock Battalion and Navy officers nearly a year ago. I have mixed feelings about being under occupation by a corrupt and unfriendly police force. The do not make any attempt to befriend the residents and can be very hostile and agressive to residents here. About 98% of the residents here are hard working honest people who just make very little money and have no other option but to live in the favela.

 

The favela was already partially occupied by the forces of BOPE and Military Police, with an effective range of 400 men. However, the inauguration of this UPP which will feature nine bases distributed throughout the community, with a staff of more than 700 police officers, a comprehensive system of monitoring and patrolling 24 hours, consolidates the occupation and allows to form a system of control and surveillance lot higher against residents.

 

"Officers from UPP Rocinha count with the help of 100 monitoring cameras installed throughout the community, and 12 motorcycles, considered fundamental to patrol the hundreds of alleys that cut through the favela. The command of the UPP will be in charge of Major Édson Raimundo dos Santos, who heads the same actions from the beginning of the permanent occupation by the police. "(Network Brazil Current, 9/24/2012).

 

The installation of the base in Rocinha is a key part of the plan to besiege the city, isolating neighborhoods "noble" poor areas. The favela is in the heart of the South Zone and separates the neighborhoods of Ipanema and Leblon from the region of São Conrado and Barra da Tijuca, and the UPP in Rocinha, the government intends to form a corridor that would link the neighborhoods of the south and this region, providing a key step in the formation of a sort of "Green Zone" in the city, similar to deployed by the U.S. invasion in the city of Baghdad.

 

The occupation, therefore, is a landmark of political repression and violence against the poor communities of Rio, organized directly by the government and the right to promote speculation and repress the population. Moreover, while the occupation is a hallmark of that policy, it is also a challenge to the bourgeoisie with a great chance of failing.

 

The experience with the occupation in other communities, such as the Complexo do Alemao, City of God, etc., clearly showed that the population is not willing to live with the wrongdoings by the military in the hills. What the capitalist press sought to present as a combat drug trafficking in reality proved a real dictatorship against the people and a policy of favoring contractors, as well as crime, trafficking and crime continue to exist only otherwise directly controlled by the police. There still exists drug trafficking here but its more hidden and the police are part of it happening. They take their bribes from the traffickers every month as like before.

 

Hundreds of demonstrations and clashes followed the occupations in almost all favelas. Allegations of abuse of power, indiscriminate violence, torture and theft practiced by the UPP police were recorded in areas of hostility and occupations of residents police presence is total. These incidents are happening every day but not being reported in the main stream news. I hear of cases of police abuse at least 2-3 times a week, usually against innocent people who have nothing to do with any illegal activity.

 

To occupy and control a community inhabited by over 200,000 people in an area of ​​840 thousand square meters steeped in abject poverty and poverty is only a policy that will result in the confrontation with the people, politics is a fascist, certainly desperate to increase further the unwillingness of the public against the police and will inevitably lead to a complete demoralization.

 

The UPP therefore has the sole purpose of controlling and monitoring the population of Rocinha, suppress poverty and meet the plans of the bourgeoisie who want to profit from the increased social segregation in the city.

 

My fear is once the olympic games and world cup are finished, that the police units will leave and there will be a fight for Rocinha for selling drugs by one of the three gangs that dominate Rio's drug sales.

The Challenges of having a NGO

 

Living in Rocinha can be one of the best places to start a project/NGO. It can also be complicated.

 

No matter where you are in the world, people are people. Some are good, some are bad. Rocinha is like any other place where all types of People exist. We have oportunists here too. Living in a close knit comunity, people talk, so you have to learn to play the game. After O Globo showed the piece on tv about SPIN ROCINHA, we got alot of attention about the project.

 

As always the comunity and the residents association support any projects that can help the comunity. The Dj school has always been my dream and I know the responsibility it takes to run this project. I am hesitant to accept any kind of help from any kind of govermental organization. My project is about art through music. I dont want to be connected to anything goverment. Corruption is everywhere and if people can take advantage, they will. Our CASA DE CULTURA that received a grant from Gilberto Gil in the early 2000's is shut down. I would like to know what happened to the 700.000 reais that was given to the project by the Culture Minister. There are other stories of situations like this but this happens everywhere in Brazil, not just favela comunities.

 

Other countries are easier to deal with, especially those with less corruption. I am happy to say that the people who have helped my project more than anyone is the Americans. When they see a good, honest project, they want to help. I had one donation a year ago from a German man. Becase of his donation, we were able to buy a computer. This is why I take fotos and films of the kids playing. I want people to know my project is sincere and it really exists. There are many scammers out there trying to rip people off.

 

Lately, I have experienced some pressure from one of the Dj school students to get SPIN ROCINHA registered as a legal NGO here in Brasil. I am doing my research about this but I am taking my time to read all the pros and cons to doing this in Brasil.

 

The student getting pushy about things and even mentioned about talking with the comunity goverment here. I had to tell him that he needs to slow down and let me deal with this. I finally had to tell him to stop and that the project is only 11 months old. I guess he did not like what I had to say and has decided to take time away from the Dj school. He wrote me a message explaining that he wanted time to himself. His choice and I told him, ok. I started getting the feeling that this student was trying to control me and tell me what to do. Every class he would aproach me and talk about this. Finally, I had enough of him being pushy.

 

What I am seeing is a pattern of people trying to affiliate some way with this project for their own gain. I had this in the beginning too with another person. This project SPIN ROCINHA, is about the students, not money. The classes are for free and NO money is earned from this project. If money is received through a donation, it is spent on equipment for the school. And everybody in the school will know about it. I want to keep everything transparent and honest. This is my project for the development of the students through the art of Dj'ing. Once the word is out there, people want to be associated with you. I need to watch the people who are trying to take advantage. No matter where in the world, you need to protect whats important!

 

Just thought I would write what is on my mind.

Giving Thanks!

I have been away from the blog for sometime. I need to get back if even once or twice a month so keep up with demands of people who want to know more about Rocinha. Life has been very busy for me. I am now making tours about 4 to 5 times a week which is great even though it is low season here. I went to some website and read reviews about my tours. It makes e very happy that visitors have enjoyed their visit to my favela. The dj school is doing great. We have about 18 students and we are operating 6 days a week from 7-10pm..Sundays is a day of rest. I am still getting telephone calls from the report O Globo did about SPIN ROCINHA. But lack of space is a big problem here. Today I went outside walking around looking for spaces available for the future becase I know the school is going to only grow more. For now, the Dj school is in a space that used to be my bedroom. The room can comfortably hold about 7-8 people at a time. So, the way I decided to accomodate all the students is to have them chose 2 nights a week that they can come. So each class has 4-5 students. My idea is to save money to eventually buy a place here in the favela. My dream place would be a house with three floors. The first floor would be the dj school and recording studio, second floor, my living space and third floor would be space for visitors volunteering in the favela. The roof would be used to make parties and to enjoy the view. I have had people aproach me about helping but I am hesitant to take this help becase as we all know, its very rare that somebody offers money without wanting something in return. I dont like or trust politicians as here in Brazil they are only out for their own interests. I dont ever want to owe anybody anything, including favors! Its a fact here, most politicians are corrupt. I know the direction that I want to take with this dj school. I would rather it take longer and its done right than to rush things. I am not going here. Considering SPIN ROCINHA has only been around for 11 months, things are ahead of schedule. Now, back to the title of this blog post. I am very thankful for all the good things that have happened to me especially starting from 2010 to now. Work is going great and for that I am especially thankful! Without tourism, I would not have a Dj school here. For all of you who have visited Rocinha, I need to give you a BIG thank you! Becase visits have increased here, I now have been able to give one of my friends a part time job helping me. His name is Eden and he is a resident of Rocinha and has a website promoting everything that is about Rocinha. His website is: http://www.clubecomunidade.com.br ok, gotta go now clean and set up the Dj school for classes tonight.. any questions can be directed to: visitrocinha@gmail.com