Places I visited and their culture and traditions

Travel is probably the best way to learn about places, culture, people and languages. Someday someone said: “The difference between a good and an incredible trip it is with whom you share the experience”. Can be truth, but if you don’t have this special person yet, don’t worry, travel alone can be very fun and  maybe you can find someone there. I’m not a kind of person who travel a lot, with my lifestyle, job and money, just one or two trips by year is possible, but some places are unforgettable and I love to have opportunity to share my experiences with you. I remember very well my first long trip, I was just a teenager when I departs to Rio de Janeiro by bus, the travel was extremely uncomfortable I hope never do it again, but the good thing was knowing a lot of small cities, see real people doing real things, not only beautiful landscapes and people smiling in politicians advertisements. Rio was an amazing experience I visited famous beaches, historical places, samba schools, tasted traditional food, lived in favelas and after in good flats, When I realized I was living as a carioca was time to come back before their accent stay glued in my mind. After that, I didn’t any long travel for years until 2010 when I visited Canada. The cultural differences began at the airplane, beside me was a sir, a typical American businessman, hours and hours beside me without speak any word. When we arrived at the Newark airport in US, I tried to speak with him. I said: “Please, can you help me to find the gate for my connection, and he said if you had successfully found the gate in Brazilians airport, it’s impossible be lost here.” In fact, everything was very clean and organized. No one cut in line and the people were not worried about bandits trying steal their bags. All the time I could see fat people eaten junk food and how people are proud of your country they loved use clothes in white, red in blue and you can see American flags in everywhere. Stereotypes are also something bad, years later I come back to US, stayed at Santa Fé, a small city, and the people there were completely opposite. The people were very friendly and love healthy food, the traditional plates are spicy and their cloths very colorful because the influence of Mexican and native Americans is very strong there. In Vancouver, Canada, The most of people are very polite, people has liberty to use crazy hair cuts and strange clothes it is quite normal, old women wears short skirts, is not unusual see men walk in public holding hands and there are a lot of expensive cars, like Ferrari and Lamborghini. There is also a huge influence the Asian culture, probably there are more Chinese and Indian people living in Vancouver than Canadians. The city has beautiful parks, aquariums and so one, I hope visit again next year. I really recommend.

Alone in the dark

When I was in Vancouver, a day after my English classes begin, I decided to go play soccer with my new friends in the Stanley Park. In the summer, the sunset is never before 10 pm. So, I didn’t realize there weren’t buses after 10:30 pm and I was so far from my homestay. I said: “See you guys!” and I ran to the station just in time to take the last SkyTrain. When I got off the train, I went to the bus stop but it was too late. I didn’t have any money, my only option was to walk the last two and half kilometers to the homestay. The night fell down quickly, I was alone in the dark and my mind didn’t stop to remember the warning signs “Bear in area” while I was crossing streets surrounded by bushes and trees. I was walking so fast as I could when suddenly, I hear a noise and see leaves moving. I was scared, had no idea about what to do. So I saw that animal crossing the street in front me. Was a skunk, few minutes later I was at home, a little bit nervous yet, but clean, smells good, safe and sound.