I Want To Be a Carioca

Samba. Carnaval. Futebol. Feijoada and moqueca de camarao. Praia Copacabana. Cristo Redento. Sugarloaf mountain. 6 million people. Brazilians and their strong ethnic self-identity, proud and knowledgeable of their culture, history and heritage, come together to celebrate the best partiers known worldwide in Rio. After visiting the beaches, eating at the churrascarias (steakhouses with all you can eat filet mignon, roast, duck, lamb, shrimp and seafood!!), dancing Samba on the streets and visiting Cristo Redento and Sugarloaf mountain, I want to live in Rio. In a now famous book, an American woman recounts her experiences in Rio (and marriage to a guy from Rio) with her humorous and charming book “I want to be a Carioca.” This is my story about how I want to be a Carioca too.

After one day in Salvador da Bahia do todos los Santos, I led a group of 50 students south to the famous city of Carnaval, Rio de Janeiro, on Semester at Sea’s “Best of Rio” trip. Many faculty and staff had warned me that I would never want to lead a group of students again after Rio. This culturally rich and party capital of the world, they said, would be the scene of dozens of misbehaving students and the proof of the “ugly American” tourist. The true story couldn’t be further from the truth. My group was inquisitive, respectful, fun and observant. The guides even said they have never seen a more polite and well-behaved group in their 10 years of guiding young people. As a group, we discussed poverty and privilege, culture and language, how to take better photos and safe tourism. Our experiences in Rio ran contrary to Rio’s reputation as one of the most dangerous cities in Brazil with Sao Paulo, with crime statistics that would scare any tourist ever from entering the city limits. However, old Centro Rio, which houses the historic and colonial remnants of a capital city long ago, is like Manhattan or Old City in Philadelphia—most work there, but few live there. To the south of the central city, and ever since the tunnel was built to a small fishing village in the south, Copacabana has attracted sungoers. The southern city of Rio now houses the rich suburbs of Lema, Ipanema, and Copacabana. Made famous by the Portugues woman Carmen Miranda with high heels and her recognizable hat, Copacabana is the sun-worshipers paradise. The sunsets glowed behind the Morros or hills of Rio, and we enjoyed the reflections off the bay and warm waters. Ipanema, “dangerous waters” in the indigenous Indian language, was alive with paddleball and sunbathers, a small colony of multi-colored umbrellas. Beautiful Brazilian men and women wear the skimpiest of clothing, most with thongs or small speedos, and visit make-shift gyms with pull-up and parallel bars on the beach to work out in between sun-bathing relaxation sessions. A jeep tour also guided us through the Tijuaca Rain Forest, a remnant of the old Atlantic tropical forest that borders the city of Rio in the mountains and hills surrounding the beautiful city. Here impatient flowers, bananas and jaca fruits grow wild among monkeys and hundreds of species of birds and lizards.

In Santa Teresa, a historic and old red light district of Rio, I danced the Samba in the Street to Brazilian songs like O Maria, the bossa nova song made famous by Austin Powers, and The Girl from Ipanema, the world’s most covered song. Small curio shops dot every street of this old neighborhood in Rio and the tram that started 200 years ago is still running. Our guide and a faculty member, Pat Bianco, both helped teach me the basics of Samba, a complex and fun dance. I danced to the drums and beats in this erotic and sensual dance. Samba is experiencing a comeback, and neighborhoods like Lema rock on the weekends with street music and huge danceclubs.

Cariocas know how to eat. Food from all over the world comes to mix in Rio—Japanese sushi, Italian restaurants and pasta, Bahian and Salvador restaurants from the Northeast, and more. The Northeastern restaurants have distinctly African influences, with such dishes as moqueca, a mix of spices and seafood cooked in coconut milk, dende oil (African palm oil), and the spicy malagueta pepper. Other parts of the Bahian cuisine include acaraje, or fritters filled with shrimp and beans fried in dende oil. Rio adds its own mix to the national palate with feijoada, a bean-and-meat stew served with rice, farofa (manioc flour), kale and sliced orange with toppings. This traditional stew is served on Saturday, and required all day to digest the all-you-can-eat food. The meats have changed over time and upgraded from the poorest cuts of meats, but the dish has historic roots similar to the Soul food in the American South.

People from Rio can drink too. Cachaca, a sugar cane alcohol, is the national drink. It’s 80 or 90 proof and tough to drink solo. Instead, the Brasilenos mix lime juice, sugar, water and cachaca to form a smooth, but potent Caipirinha. Great drinks for the beach or dinner. And of course, the coffee is to die for! The only legitimate complaint of my voyage is the coffee-flavored water that is served as coffee aboard the ship, and friends tease me about my “final” cup of coffee before the on-ship time on our last day in port.

We visited all of the tourists sites possible in three days, but the trip included so much more. Between long walks on the beaches and swimming in the 85 degree water, I hang-glided off of 1500 foot Pedra Bonita the top of a mountain over the city onto Praia do Pepino in Sao Conrado. Although it wasn’t quite the rush I was looking for, the pictures, sights, and panoramic views of the city showcased the best of Rio. Great views complemented nice people. Even though Rio is described as very dangerous and dominated by gangs and favela kid criminals, our experience was safe and comfortable. Indeed the students on my trip and I agreed the best experience, above the tourist visits of Sugarloaf Mountain and Cristo Redento, was the special trip to Mangueira favela in Rio and playing soccer with the children. There were no language barriers with children—there is only language, play.

Most of the time I spoke Spanish to the Portugues-speaking Brasilenos, but I tried to pick up the language with simple phrases like Obrigado and the five question words. “Americans,” our guides Marcelo and Fabio said, “cannot pronounce the ao,” a nasal common sound in portugues in such words as nao. Many Cariocas speak Spanish as well as Portugues and a small minority even know English. Indeed, Portugues is one of the most beautiful languages to hear in the world. Next time I visit I will speak like a Carioca.

Similar to Salvador, an African city that bears witness the dangers and suffering of the worst disasters of humanity, slavery, and yet one of the most vibrant cultures and cities, Rio embraces the vibrant sins of a city that is bursting with creative life and energy. Cariocas know how to live a happy life, complete with fejoiada and food, samba and music, beaches and mountains. Now all I need to be a true Carioca is a banana hammock bathing suit!