Viva o Vida

Hey, This is my fourth blog from the exchange year. I wasn't able to write before, because of some technical errors but here it is.

This might tell you everything that happened in the past few months and the places I traveled.

• September:

This month, all the exchange students were distributed in different groups to represent their country. Which went great for me, as I really liked my group. I made some traditional tea for all the visitors.

Rotary has great benefits, such as one of the member of my club, took me to watch a futsal game in my city, that was amazing, as the people there were crazy about the game and I saw how much they loved it. 

VAMOS MARRECO!!!

• October

Foz do Iguazu:

This was the second district meeting that we had, which was in foz do iguazu. Iguazu falls are waterfalls of the iguazu river, which is the largest waterfall system in the world, and is shared among the border with Argentina.

• November:

Pantanal & Bonito:

 Pantanal:

A natural region consisting the world's largest wetland area, located in the Brazilian state of Mato grosso do sul. This place was full of adventure, from catching piranhas to riding canoe, and also horse back riding. And hell a lot of mosquitoes. 

 Bonito:

I think the name speaks for itself, in Portuguese which signifies beautiful, which indeed is true about this place. It's a town in Mato grosso do sul, surrounded my rivers known for crystal clear water, which is perfect for snorkeling. Where we did several activities like snorkeling, swimming, bump tire rides, exploring caves and waterfalls, and visited the famous blue lagoon cave.

• December:

This was one of the most special month for me, as it had Christmas. We didn't had school, and most of the time I spent was with family, friends, playing football and parties. But as Christmas approached, everything started to change, such as the city center was decorated and there used to be some concerts and also my Host dad visited a town near by, which have some slum areas and being dressed as a Santa Claus, we both together distributed gifts and food among the children there. It was really overwhelming and I was glad that I got to help him do that. We had a special Christmas dinner, where before my family pray to god and then we proceed to the food. 

New Year with my second host family:

Thanking You, 

Rishabh Bothra

RYE 2018-19

R.I.D 3060-4640

Brazil

Vislumbre de um mês

Oi,
Hello,

It has been more than a months that I am living in Brazil as an Rotary Exchange Student. In this blog post I will write about various topics like the activities here, cultural shock, food, etc.

• Activities here

30/8/18

The food in Brazil is very different than India, we in India eat a variety of dishes and spices. I immensely miss the Indian food and so decided that lets eat something spicy. Before leaving, I took some Haldiram food packages with myself, so whenever I crave to eat my native food, I can. One of the day I decided to make the Pav Bhaji 😍 at my home and also make my host family taste it, of course it didn't tasted like the one we eat in India, however they loved it. My host mom wants to visit India, and is curious to know more.  

1/9/18

My Rotary district 4640 had the orientation weekend held in Francisco Beltrao on this day. The orientation was for three days and all the exchange students from all over the world were present there. I was delighted to meet other exchange students. We had a lot of activities to break the ice, and for all of us to know each other. How does it feel to meet other people of the same age as you and who are excited, tensed and happy as much as you are? It feels great to meet other students, who have grown in a totally different culture, sharing and learning about their language and differences. And to share my knowledge about India. Most of the people I met were excited to know about India and it's beliefs. Because people know that India has completely different culture, music and history than any other country.

The friends that I made there were curious to know about the distinctive beliefs of India; people asked me why we don't eat cow meat? Are you an Hindu? Which language do you speak, Indian?(Are you serious!) Do I have an elephant?(really, I was truly shocked) and many more. Some exchange students wanted to be in India, but what I got to know is that their sponsor Rotary Club didn't want to send them to India, because the girls aren't safe there, and they think that rapes are common in India. That is a generalized belief, and I discovered that that is a stereotype about India. I talked to my friends about this issue, and I told them that rapes aren't common in all across India, and it is just a generalized opinion like the ones I heard,"Oh WOW Brazil, it means you will party all the time, but spare some time to call us, okay?" This is wrongly believed by many people, and none of these is the truth. 

I miss most of them now 😭, and I can't wait to meet them again in Foz do Iguassu. It was my pleasure to get to know the students from various countries. Each one of us is unique and beautiful in our own way. 

Some pictures from the orientation weekend-

😍😍😍

4/9/18

This day was another regular day; normal school, lunch, work, but when we have other fellow exchange students with us, we can explore the city together. In my city, I have eight(oito) other exchange students from USA, Poland, France, Mexico, Canada, Denmark, Thailand. I am lucky to have you guys with me. We tried Acai, a native Brazilian fruit, which most of us liked. We hangout together, eat together and Party together. We went to the city park, I don't know why? However it was fun. 

I also tasted a sweet Brazil dessert called Brigadeiro, and I loved it. I have a habit of eating sweets, so it was not that surprising to me. My Host parents and sister are really caring and just like my real family. I like to talk with them during the lunch and dinner time, and I am ready to help them at any time. I am glad to be a part of this family. 

7/9/18

On 7th of September, the people celebrate the Independence day of Brazil, it was a long parade in which I got a chance to participate. To proudly hold the Flag of India and walk with my blazer on. It was astonishing and encouraging to see the energy and enthusiasm of the crowd. There were many people in the parade, playing musical instruments, dancing, doing martial arts, and singing with crops. I felt really happy and it was amazing to meet the rebounds.

I and other fellow exchange students also participated on the Interact trip to Assis chateaubriand a neighboring city, it was not meant for us, however some of us managed to go. We were new members of Interact and I didn't knew much about Interact. We traveled in a bus and made many friends there. The theme of the trip was world war and there were mare than 600 other Interact people all over the state, gathered in Assis. It was a unbelievable experience that we indulged in the three days trip. Most of the time we had dances, speeches and presentation lectures. I also made friends from other cities such as Foz do Iguazu. On the second day, we had the world war activities, to play and get dirty in the mud, to know people you have never met. To indulge in the great spirit of world war. Most of us were plunged in the mud, it was great fun. The people I met there were crazy about the Indian culture, food, language and were curious to clear their thoughts, and so most of the time I was talking with a bunch of people from a city. I made many friends there, and I hope to see them soon in the next Interact event.

The most crazy, astonishing, great thing is that we played Holi (a festival in India)there. And the most surprising thing is that the people there call it Holi, but they weren't aware that it's originated from India. It was great to share my insight upon the love of this festival with those people. I was approached by many people there to know about Holi. I felt in love with the people there, with the level of excitement, enthusiasm and energy they hold. It was a once in a lifetime experience. 😍✌🏽

The last day, it was pretty much difficult to hug and wish goodbye to everyone, how can I find the ones I know from the crowd of 600+ people? It is a memory that I still cherish. 

Some pictures from the event-✌🏽

 😁😄

16/9/18

It was a normal school day, I understand mostly nothing in the class, even if I can relate to the subject content it is difficult to study in Portuguese. The most exciting activity of the day is to play football with a bunch of other classmates, it feels great to play a sport all over again. And for all those people who think that if someone goes to Brazil, it is easy for them to participate in sports, specifically football; I think, no. It can't be generalized , because it truly depends on the city and the people. For the first complete month, I didn't even saw someone playing football here, and I observed that football in my city isn't played on a high scale. I play football in school, with the other fellow classmates and people in school.

• People and Culture in India and Brazil

The public in any part of the world have distinct culture, habits, and behavior that is influenced by various factors like weather, population, interest and history. The culture is India is similar and different from that in Brazil. In Brazil, people greet each-other by physical contact like a hug or a kiss, but in India it isn't very much common. In India people hug those who they know very closely and have a special bond with, but here it is not the same way! This was an initial cultural shock, but now I am used to it.

In Brazil, I have observed that most people have a pet, be it cat, dog or bird, but in India having a pet isn't usual. In my first host family, one thing that I noticed was that everyone in the family is more or less treated equally, so everyone helps in the household chores. I used to clean dishes and other works during lunch or keeping the bathroom clean. Taking care of the house was a part of the family work, we work together and eat together. But not the same in India, the mother is solely responsible for the household cleaning and chores, we depend on our father to work and earn money, and the kids go to school and play. The kids don't need to work in the house, don't need to clean the bathroom and room, they don't even need to thank their parents, every time they get something. 

Another cultural shock was that in Brazil, drinking alcohol is okay, and I won't write usual as I have not been in all the parts of Brazil. As some people that I observed drink and let their children drink too. By the law, the official age for drinking in Brazil is 18, the same in India. However, in my city(Francisco Beltrao), I see people drinking with their friends on the streets, bars and my host parents drink too. I was also offered to drink, but I refused, as the Indian culture demonstrate that most of the parents and people in India don't drink, especially in the state(Surat- Dry state) I live. Drinking in my state isn't permitted and no drinks are sold. The place where I have grown up, drinking was never considered an option or a choice for any children like me. In India, I have seen only the adults drink, and drinking for children isn't common. 

There is an Indian Television series in Brazil, known as Caminho das Indias(India- A love story), which demonstrate the old cultural and clothes in India. In Brazil, many people have asked me about it, and other similar questions that are mentioned before. I  was totally surprised to know that firstly an Indian series is made in Brazil, and secondly it is usually presenting the stereotypes. People here are also aware of the famous Indian heritage site, the Taj Mahal. I was surprised, when I heard my sister play an Indian song, called "Kajra re", and here in parties and dances people dance on this song. It was as if, Brazil is making me nostalgic about India. 

• Pre-departure myth, stereotypes and truth about Brazil

To be honest, before going to Brazil, the only things I knew or assumed about Brazil is, A lot of football, everybody does samba, and a hot weather. And all of family relatives and friends were like, "WOW, Brazil!!! Click a good picture with Neymar", "Brazil, is a good country, but you will  get spoiled there", "Bigad jayega", and "Take care, in Brazil there is a lot of drugs and alcohol, okay?", "Bring some good quality coffee for us", "Vapas toh aayega na?", "I know Brazil very well beta, everybody does samba, tum bhi sikh lena."  But to be honest these stereotypical comments about Brazil, used to scare my mother in India. She didn't wanted me to go, and she also thought that Brazil is dangerous. And it is a BIG deal to send your son on an exchange year to Brazil, after hearing all these taunts and illogical comments. I assure my parents that I will make them feel proud and happy, and make them believed that they made a very wise decision. 

The things that I got to know in Brazil:

• Alcohol is common at some places and not at other. depends on where you are.
• They speak Portuguese, not BRAZILIAN!
• Not everybody know samba.
• It is safe, at least very safe(the city I live in), and the smaller the city, the safer it is.
• football isn't very common, at least in my city.
• The weather can go to 12 degree Celcius 😭😭😭
• Most of the families own a pet

Fun Fact: People in southern Brazil eat a lot of meat.

• Brazilian Food:

Pao de Queijo:

Pastel de Queijo:

Tapioca:

Brigadeiro:

Hope you guys enjoy it, so please comment by which I can gain my confidence.
And I will surely try to write the blogs weekly.
I am surely going to appreciate your suggestions

Thanking you,
With love,
Rishabh Bothra,
Rotary youth Exchange Student 2018-2019,
R.I.D 3060 to 4640,
Rotary club de Urio park,
Brazil

Not so homey, Not so strange

Ola,

Hello,

It's my second post on my blog, so are you all excited? 

I think yes😊

Let me write from where I left. 

16/8/18

Everything is new here, the house rules, weather, people, and the food. I was new to this place, accepting my enthusiasm, anxiety, eagerness, my host father took me at their country-house, it was a great ride on the countryside. The actual purpose was to make me have a look at their farm, and most importantly to pluck Laranjas (Oranges). I was extremely surprised to see the big, fruity oranges and most astonishingly the number of oranges on the tree. It was insane, and my Host father told me that he harvested the orange, sweet lime, and lemon trees here and also have a kitchen, We started to pluck oranges, sweet lime and lemon. Later, we were tired, and just have a look at the great number of oranges and lime, lemon below. 😍 Then we had a great ride to our House. 

On 17/8/18,

I got to know that I have an opportunity to travel to Chapeco with my district chairman to attend the Weekend orientation of the District 4740(not mine), on the day after. One thing my father used to tell me daily that never deny any opportunity, be it difficult or not. I was totally ready and packed my luggage by the end of this day.

 18/8/18,

Firstly, each day here was like a freeze day. The temperature 9 degree Celsius in the mid-night. I was very much excited to meet the district(4640)  chairman Irineu Feiten, and the other exchange students. I met a boy from Denmark, who lives in Francisco beltrao too, and two french and Finland girls from Pato Branco. This day was just travelling, however when we entered Chapeco at 7:00 p.m., we had a bad incident. I person riding a motor bike just slightly touched the car, and then he had an awful drift. He was badly hurt, and we all have to come out of the car. It was a serious moment. Later, we met other exchange students from Germany, France, Taiwan, Mexico and Belgium. Then we slept in our hotel room.

The next day we all had to wake up early and gather at the breakfast buffet. Then we have a tiring orientation. And here comes the exciting part, we were going to visit the Chapecoense Football Association stadium! Yes you read it right👍🏾. The team whose plane crashed on 28th November, 2016 and 71 people died.

We were instructed to not joke about the team, and be serious. This was a great experience, we went to the walking hall, where both the teams walk to the stadium. It was a great moment for everybody, then we went to the Journalist hall of the stadium, where most of the the players answers the journalists. We also clicked some Pictures, with each other✌🏽😍. The exchange students are really good and friendly, we talked a lot and shared our experiences till now.

The most proud moment for each and every exchange student is the one, when they proudly holds the flag of their country.   😍

In the evening we went to a Shopping mall and just talked with other exchange students, basically we were laughing, and the evening was cheered up. Today our chairman said that we can sleep late, because today all the students can enjoy with each other's company. I miss that night 😭.

19/8/18,

On this day we had a early morning orientation which got over in afternoon. And then we had to say good bye to each-other 😰😭. For the whole day, we had to travel to our city. It was amazing to meet people from all over the globe, those who were similar to us, and those who we can freely talk with about anything.

20/8/18,

Yayyyyyy! Today was my first day at school 😁😄. The things I expected were, that the school would me big, a lot of students, a football field, and a great class. Some of these are true, but not all. The school was small than those of the normal school in India, and it was only of five hours 😂😝(That's great). It doesn't have a football field, but a indoor basketball court. There are a lot of students, and the classmates are also very welcoming and have a positive attitude. The teachers are really good, and are welcoming too! However it was boring, as all the classes are in Portuguese, and I understand nothing, so it was just to listen, and nod.

The school days are boring, as well as interesting and amazing as the best part is that I am from India(a land of diverse culture and traditions), that's why everybody is eager to know you, and I am treated specially😜😄.

Pictures of my school (these days it is raining heavily):

Normal Days:

On the normal days, I help my mother in arranging, setting, and cleaning dishes and utensils and also in other household chores. I love to play with the cats(Guess what I have three cats here! 😱), and on 25th aug, the black cat slept with me 😍😘. They are way too cute.

 I also go with my host dad to the gym in our house and and also sometimes to play guitar, I try to converse in Portuguese. I really like my family here, and I also made them taste some of out Indian food like Dal makhani, Sonpapdi and Papad, and they loved it. they eat sonpapdi daily. Also to me, it's very much mouth watering, and I miss the Indian food immensely.
😋

26/8/18,

Today I wake up late, as there was no school! I had my breakfast and took bath. After lunch, my host dad and I played a brazilian game, called Peteca. It was amazing, and both of us enjoyed it.

Today is Raksha Bandhan, and I was very excited to share my cultural ritual with my host family in Brazil. I have a sister here, who tied me Rakhi on my wrist (Picture below). To all my sisters in India, I miss you, and the best part is that I don't have to get gifts to my sisters in India 😂. But trust me, whenever you need me, I'll be there for you, and all of you better miss me.

Hope you guys enjoy it, so please comment by which I can gain my confidence.
And I will surely try to write the blogs weekly.
I am surely going to appreciate your suggestions

Thanking you,
With love,
Rishabh Bothra,
Rotary youth Exchange Student 2018-2019,
R.I.D 3060 to 4640,
Rotary club de Urio park,
Brazil

Day 3- And the Adventure begins!

14.8.18 Brazil

Day 3:

I was awake at 8 o'clock, and then I walked to the kitchen to have a glass of agua(water). Then I saw my Host dad(Lourenco) and walked to him. We sat and talked for a while, then I asked him to show me the house. We walked upstairs to his gym, and besides, that was his Office. He was very generous. He was working out and I was having my Yogurt. Then I went to my room, just to check that is my IGCSE Grade 10 results on the network, and guess what? I was totally surprised when I saw that I scored a distinction. (Picture is below).

I screamed in joy, and then called my Mother in India to tell her about my results. I was very happy that day. I went straight to Host mom and dad, to show them my results and then touched their feet as a sign of blessings and respect, I also gave them an Indian sweet as whenever we achieve something in our life we give sweets to people(Mu Metha karo).

My host mom told me that we have to visit my school (Colegio Aguia), so got dressed in some time. I had a great ride to my school. The school is amazing. Later that day, my host mom (Jane) and I went to get Titi(our Cat, she's really cute) an injection.

In an hour we were at our house and then went to a Supermarket to buy household materials. That day, I got messages from a lot of family members, friends, relatives, and teachers congratulating me on my results. It was the best feeling when all your efforts are paid off! At around 7 p.m. my dad and I played guitar(he has both acoustics and even an electric guitar). It was a great day, however my third day in Brazil.

And the Adventure begins!