Brazil Carnival – Highlights from Sambadrome
Carnival in Brazil is celebrated all over the country, especially in Salvador de Bahia and Rio de Janeiro, however, the most famous visuals from carnival come from the Sambadrome (Sambodromo) stadium here in Rio, where samba schools from all over the city compete in a two day parade to determine a grand carnival champion. Here […]
Brazil Carnival Behind the Scenes (Part 2)
Day Three (cont’d) – After the blocos and the beach, it was time to head to Sambodromo to watch night one of the Carnival parade. The energy of the stadium could be felt from the moment I stepped off the metro as the cheering crowd and beating drums echoed across the night sky. I found […]
Happy at Carnival in Rio de Janeiro
It was an amazing week of fun-filled chaos here in Rio de Janeiro during Carnival. The costumes, parties and dancing were never ending, so I decided to capture it all on film. Inspired by the hit single “Happy” by Pharrell Williams, this is my rendition from Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I hope it […]
Brazil Football: Things to Know About Soccer in Rio de Janeiro
(Click here if you can’t watch this video on your device) Your team is chosen for you as a birthright, and from that moment forward, you support those “colors” like a badge of honor. For many fans, this devotion is so strong that they actually tattoo that badge on their arm, back, or chest as […]
Enter the Blocos do Carnaval
I just wanted to inform the viewing public that things are escalating quickly here, and if this is only foreplay, than the climax is going to be explosive! Carnival in Rio de Janeiro doesn’t officially begin for another ten days, yet the city is already engulfed in festa (party). Samba schools like Vila Isabel continue […]
Learning Portuguese in Rio de Janeiro
Before I moved to Rio de Janeiro, I asked fellow travelers about the art of learning (Brazilian) Portuguese. To my surprise, they all pretty much responded the same way… “If you know Spanish, you’ll be fine.” I understood that Portuguese, Spanish, Italian and French (among others) are rooted in Latin and are often referred to […]
Brazil Carnival 2014 Preparation with Sabrina Sato
As Rio de Janeiro gears up for Carnaval 2014, my roommate took me to go party with last year’s Carnaval champions, Unidos de Vila Isabel. You’re probably wondering the same thing I was when I showed up at the party and noticed all the trophies… doesn’t everyone win at Carnaval (Carnival)? Turns out, the famous […]
Arriving in Rio de Janeiro
It wasn’t until I crawled over the disheveled Brazilian man a slid down into my window seat that I was able to contemplate the journey ahead. Between all the errands, goodbyes and last minute essentials, I never allow myself time to get too excited before a trip. As the plane took flight my mind began […]
Travel Deeper – Bolivia
Take a three minute journey of highlights from my four-month trip to Bolivia, where the mission was to volunteer with literacy NGO, BiblioWorks, in Sucre, Bolivia. I helped develop learning initiatives at one of their eight libraries in the small town of Morado Q’asa outside the city and worked with the BiblioWorks staff to organize, execute and […]
Ayia Napa — The Other Side
In recent years, Ayia Napa has developed a reputation for being a nonstop party zone, a relatively cheap destination for youngsters to experience their first taste of freedom… and alcohol by the bucket load. That’s a great shame, however. It’s perfectly possible to enjoy other sorts of holidays to Ayia Napa. If you’re planning to […]