Seven Days in Brazil - Day 7

Day 7 consisted of part of my 28 hour journey back to Nigeria.

I woke up, had breakfast, and jetted out to the airport. If not for a fellow festival-attendee who rode with me to the airport, I for don loss. This is because I didn't depart from the same airport I came through. Who books flight that way?

Since I don't take pictures of airports, we are going to leave out my experience at the three airports back, and just say goodbye the way I said goodbye to Brazil.

Rio de Janerio is a really beautiful city, and it is even more beautiful when seen in an aerial view. As I said in the previous post, it is a city inside the river, so check these pictures below out, as I sign out of this series.

If you missed any post series, click here, and have your eyes opened. I promise you will thank me, even if you have been to Brazil before.

A big thank you to everyone who followed my Brazilian experience, by reading this blog series. You are all darlings. *Muah*

As a  bonus, I have embedded the video of my first performance at the slam. I presented six times. The one below was the first one in the first round.

Seven Days in Brazil - Day 6

Day 6 was my final day of activity in Brazil. I was indoors throughout the morning. I decided that day would be my only opportunity to venture out on my own, and see parts of Rio de Janerio. With Flavia's description, I took the bull by the horns, and stepped out.

I walked to the main road, and took the subway to General Osorio. As I was descending down the subway, two men were walking ahead of me. Immediately they got underground, they quickly kissed each other. They then turned back, and saw me. I didn't know what to think of the whole thing, but it reeked of serious guilt.. It was the first time I had ever seen two men kiss in real life. I was really taken aback.

I bought my ticket, and waited for the train

Waiting for the train to arrive

Train finally gets here

The two gay men are somewhere in this picture, on
the train, but I won't point them out, lol.

Click below to follow me to the market square and the beach. 

Seven Days in Brazil - Day 5 (Part 2)

I quickly rushed to the hotel, and did a little rehearsal for the semifinal. And so, we proceeded to the festival site.

Remember, I was currently holding the highest score among all contestants, of 89.9/90. Unfortunately, all scores were dropped, and I wasn't even aware of it.

Unfortunately, after this round of three performances, two people made it to the final, and I wasn't one of them. I was so shocked to find out that our previous scores were dropped, but I guess it was just part of life. My fun time in Brazil was just starting.

Don't go. Click below to have more fun with me.

Seven Days in Brazil - Day 5 (Part 1)

Happy new year guys. How's 2015 so far? Hope we are cementing concrete decisions in the ground so this year can turn out better than last?

Day 5 was my longest and most tasking day in Rio de Janerio. In fact, it was so long, that I have to split the post into two. Because I didn't go to the festival at all on Day 4, and chose to watch the Live stream, I did not realise our visit to the Favelas (Brazilian slums) had been slated for that morning. I just stepped down to the restaurant to have breakfast when I saw the bus, and people getting ready to go. I was really confused as to what to do. Breakfast was one of the best things for me in Brazil, and I didn't want to give it up, yet I knew visiting the Favelas was an experience I might never have the opportunity to have in my life.

One of the producers just aided me in packing a few croissants in saviette, and a pack of yoghurt, and moved me out of the restaurant. I basically dressed up in the bus, lol. By the time we were done, let's just say I would never have forgiven myself if I missed that experience. Then again, I would have been too ignorant to know what I had missed.

Before I go on, let me just give a summary of this. Brazil, Rio de Janerio, Sao Paulo, and many other towns is a class based society, and almost no middle class. There is a clear distinction between these classes, different culture, living conditions, etc. The poor live up the mountains, while the rich live in the valleys. These mountain communities are the Favelas. You can't just walk into the Favelas anyhow. To visit, you must go in groups, and consult with the community chiefs, and go with one of the locals. They have a very strong community, and if you venture there alone, you might be killed, kidnapped, etc. To keep them separate, and the two classes as distinct as can be, policemen are placed in the Favelas. You have like three policemen in about every street or so, and they are there 24-7-365. The house are always clustered, with no space in between.

Arriving at the teleferico stations

Roberta, my slam master, with one of the festival directors

The cable cars we entered. The mode of transport is
on cables suspended in the air, like electric cables

Waiting to enter the cable cars

 Don't go, click below to read more, and follow me to the Favelas