La Vida Idealist

I grew up in a Hamlet located just north of New York City. With the exception of that one corner restaurant that has a new name every month, nothing ever seems to change. McDonalds, the train station, and the town park, all remain in their original position, receiving a new coat of paint as needed. This was not at all my experience in Rio. (Ok, so I did take an airplane!)

Initially, when I arrived in Rio in July 2008, I knew one organization: Catalytic Communities. Catalytic Communities is an organization that publishes and translates community development solutions so that they can be accessed on the web, and replicated throughout the world. The director, Theresa Williamson, graciously welcomed me to Brazil to study the social capital of her organization.

In the midst of my research, I was introduced to a number of other community development projects including one called Centro Integrado de Apio a Crianças  e Adolescentes de Comunidades (CIACAC). CIACAC strives to show adolescents an alternative life outside the favela, one that is not dominated by drug trafficking. I frequented this organization and met with Neuza Nascimento, the director,  about once a week.

The third organization I researched was Calle, a small community project that was brought to my attention by an English University student, Paul Finnerty. Calle is a project that teaches residents English during a cultural exchange conducted by its international volunteers.

During my research, I did, as the name of my sponsoring organization, Catalytic Communities, suggested: I became a catalyst. I introduced Paul from Calle to Neuza from CIACAC. The two not only formed a friendship, but also an alliance which produced regular English classes in the favela Parada de Lucas, where CIACAC is located. (What is a favela? See my next post!)

After living in the neighborhood of Botafogo for six months, I returned to the states to finish up my degree. This spring 2009, I graduated with a master’s degree in Geography from the George Washington University. I loved Rio, and decided to return, if only for the time being. I wanted to check up on the organizations I had studied, and try to contribute once again, in the position of a volunteer, as opposed to a researcher.

Exactly one year later, I arrived in Rio again. Already, this trip has proven vastly different than my previous trips to Rio. There are new streets, new buildings, new volunteers, and new management.  This blog will encompass my new experiences as a volunteer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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