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Published: August 31st 2007
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Me
Meat and Beer! Well after returning from my little excursion to Bahia my life in Belo Horizonte has settled into steady routine. Well sort of. Before I left for Brazil everyone was curious what I was actually going to do down here. My response was, well just study Portuguese. Seemed simple enough, however after finding out that I only have four hours of class a week I started wondering that same question, what the hell I am going to do with all my time. Though waking up at 10 am everyday is nothing to complain about I found myself getting quite bored and decided that though this was supposed to be a brainless carefree year I needed something slightly stimulating to keep me from going crazy. So I searched the campus here and came across a Limnology (fresh water research) Lab in which they were almost too happy to receive me.
So beyond my time volunteering in the lab I have been trying to find a job teaching English, but have had little luck yet. So my time has been spread out between the lab, class, job searching, swimming, eating meat and drinking beer.
Meat and Beer: The
Limnology Lab
Testing the nitrate levels in a set of fresh water samples. nightlife here seems to never stop. There is not one night of the week where there isn't something going on somewhere. The weekends usually start on Thursday and go on until Monday or Tuesday, well for me at least. Thursday nights are often the most lively and I usually find myself in the area known as Savassi with a stick of meat in one hand and beer in the other. On Thursday nights in Savassi there is fabulous street fair with all the barbecued meat you could dream of. My favorite, the heart attack special: chicken wrapped in bacon. But the beef and chicken hearts are a close call. The fair is lined with people selling typical Mineiro (from this state Minas Gerais) food usually consisting of mandioca soup, colorful rice dishes and fejão. After a full meal costing roughly $5 the party moves on to the nearest Buteco where the nights is spent drinking beer and Caipirinhas and trying to explain in Portuguese that not all Americans are fat gun weilding, hamburger eating, Bush lovers. But this is often done in vain, but at least I practice my Portuguese.
Street Crime: my first run in with crime.
More Meat
So much meat. One skewer cost about $1.50. I am going to miss this for sure when I get back home. It was just another day and another party full of the usual meat, beer and drunk Brazilian guys trying to grab any girl that passes by. The area seemed nice enough and it was in the middle of the afternoon, so I did not even think when I stepped outside the party that I was in any danger. As I walked down the street talking to a friend on the phone nothing indicated that I was in a bad area. That was until two kids about sixteen or seventeen come out of nowhere and demand that I give them my cell phone. I am not sure if it was the tequila talking or what, but I was in no mood for their silly games. Seeing no weapon I did not feel particularly threatened and yelled at the closet one "No!" and shoved him aside and took off running. Well it was a good thing I did not wear my sandals that day otherwise they might have caught up with me. As I ran I remembered my friend was still on the phone, he was still chatting away having no idea of what just happened. After I brief description of what
Carnage
All this meat has to come from somewhere. I just wish I never knew where. just went down I thought it best if I called him back when I was not running away from street thieves. After noticing the guys had given up their pursuit I cut back onto the street with the party. After walking halfway down the street I notice one of the guys coming towards me again. Being that he was between me and the party I was not about to turn and run further from my sanctuary 300 ft away. So walked straight towards him. At this time I noticed the other one walking on the other side of the street concealing something behinds his back. HHmmm not so good I thought. At this point the first one I saw runs up to me and starts shouting, I pushed him aside and headed straight for the party. As I run past the first guy I see the second pull out a chunk of concrete and lob it at my head. As the piece of concrete sailed over my head and crashed into the car beside me I thought, hmm maybe this area is not that safe. Well after a quick sprint I was safely back in the party and though shook
The healthy choice
Yes that is some tasty chicken wrapped in bacon. So Good! up I was little wiser as to the danger two young kids and piece of concrete can make.
Well beyond this little ordeal things are going well and I hope this is the same with all you reading this back home. If you have the time please leave some comments I really enjoy reading them. Até Mais.
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Guillermo
non-member comment
close call!!
Wow morgan what happen to your knive!!! , well thankfully nothing bad happened. Well time to start packing a sharp knive when strolling out at night!! The churrascos look delicious!!!!