Hyper Adobe Workshop Photos Posted!

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Just posted a photo album from the Hyper Adobe weekend workshop. Check it out in the photos section.

Tiba: A Day in the Life

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A typical weekday at Tibá starts with a 6:30 AM breakfast. This meal is a mixture of nuts and roasted oats mixed with homemade yogourt. There are fresh fruits, from the garden, forest, and sometimes from town. There is an effort that anything bought in town is organic, but this isn’t always possible. After breakfast , Peter, Johan’s son delegates the day’s tasks which begin at 7AM. Here there are no ‘formal lessons’, each day there is work to be done, and so when a task presents itself, someone teaches us how to perform the task. The tasks fall under two main categories: bio-construction and organic agriculture. In chronological order, here are some of the things I’ve been doing: dragging down some cut trees from the top of hillside and bring them down by dragging them down with a rope, skinning trees (removing their bark) to make them more durable, gardening, cooking (baking bread from scratch), making a foundation for an earth bag wall, and rendering adobe walls. During these tasks I’m learning how to construct a house without concrete and using sustainable resources. I’m learning about some types of medicinal plants, as well as gardening/permaculture techniques. At 11AM we stop for lunch. All meals here are vegetarian and delicious. Usually there is a salad made with vegetables found in our garden, a dish made who’s principle ingredient is something found in our garden and finally rice a beans which are usually bought in town. Unfortunately our climate is not one suited for growing rice and beans. We don’t go back to work until 1pm, then we put in another four hours of solid work, grab a bite to eat at 5pm and the rest of the day we have off. Over the weekends, there are sometimes courses which go on which we can attend on our time off. Saturday we put in 4 hours of work and Sunday is a day off. The courses thus far have been great. Last week I did the hyper-adobe workshop, which I’ll describe in a later post…and I’ll also post up some pictures from this workshop. This weekend I did a workshop on meditation and using both beta and alpha parts of the brain with Johan, I’ll also talk about this is more detail in another blog entry. That is a typical day/week in a nutshell… In the next blog entries I’ll go into details about some of lessons I’ve gained through our tasks, workshops and conversations.

Tiba photos added!

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Just added some photos of Tibá. Click on the 'Photos' link above. Or simply go here:

http://philbrazil.blogspot.com/p/photos.html

Tiba...the beginning

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The tall hill which now belongs to Tibá was once pasture-land with little trees, some sugar cane and coffee plants remained from back when this hillside was dedicated to these cash crops.  When Johan took over the 20 hectare property some 25 years ago, the entire landscape would change. Now, after having planting trees appropriate for the climate and allowing nature to run its course, the hillside is a lush green full of native and introduced vegetation as well a home for several species of animals. Recently, a rare monkey was spotted, the mico-leao (golden lion). When you look at it all, it’s difficult to imagine that this was pasture-land; just as difficult as it can be to imagine cities as being forests.

Johan is an architect and wrote a book, a construction manual for sustainable construction entitled: ‘the Barefoot architect’. TIBÁ began as a place where architectural students could come and learn about eco-construction and try out these techniques. Gradually, the types of people visiting Tibá changed. Many more people were coming from all walks of life, all with a general desire to escape the city and find an alternative, more sustainable and healthier way of life. A desire to reconnect with nature.

I have to admit I had some doubts about doing an apprenticeship with Tibá. For one, they charge R$1000 to be an apprentice, working 8 hours per day for 5-6 weeks. Simple accommodations and three meals a day included. However, the price seemed high for such an endeavour. In the end, I decided to give it a shot, and took a bus to Nova Friburgo, then to Bom Jardim, then a taxi to Tibá. The taxi driver who had taken countless people to Tibá smiled when I told him where I was going. He said: “you will learn a lot at Tibá, and afterwards you’ll see the world in a completely different way”. These words helped ease my doubts.

And now, I'm already beginning to understand what the taxi driver meant....

To be continued…

(I’m tired so you'll have to wait in suspense until I continue this story!)

Permaculture at TIBA

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Today, I'm heading off to TIBA for a five week internship. I'll have access to wi-fi and plan to update my blog on my time off there.

TIBA's Mission:

The main Mission of TIBÁ is the development, transference and application of low-cost technology and of low environmental impact, being accessible to many people as possible.

These techniques allow the training of people and communities for the creation or transformation of the places they live. This way they become an integral part of the building, of a healthy social network, being always:

Ecologically Correct, that is using mainly local materials with a low impact on the environment and promoting a responsible and moderate use of local resources and avoiding negative impact on the nature.

Economically Sound, in the sense of being available to all - whatever their economic status and even while being outside the usual market approach - and that will create opportunities for the proper functioning of the communities own economic relations.

Culturally Wealthy, from the moment they rescue and reinvent knowledge and techniques accumulated over the ages, but even more so to avoid purely mechanical goings-on. In this way it raises the creative thinking of those that interract with them.

Socially Right, permitting that the persons and communities get away from their role of mere consumers, making them capable again to participate as much as possible in the building of their existence and the places they live.

For more info go to: www.tibarose.com

Reflection

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Yesterday marked one month that I’ve been in Brazil. I have written much on this blog, mostly because of the amount of reflecting I’ve been going through over the past few weeks.

Everyone reflects at some point in their life (or I’d like to hope), ‘what do I hope to achieve with my life?’, ‘where do I hope to go?’, ‘what will I stand up for?’, ‘how will my life be meaningful?’. But then it seems, borrowing Green Day’s lyrics: ‘life grabs us by the wrist and directs us where to go’. What’s really grabbing you is a job, school, relationships, routines. This gives you a temporary pause on self-reflection. Because after all life must go on.

But self-reflection is what defines how you interact in this show called life. How you perceive the different relationships in your life and the activities in which you partake. With enough self-reflection, a kind of paradigm shift occurs in the individual. A shift in perception, a shift in values which makes all the difference in life. While you still have your responsibilities in life: you begin to see them in a new light, making them a joy rather than a boring task. In a sense, is as if when life grabs you the wrist to direct where to go, you hold her hand, and consciously taking the next step forward with her, and taking the more scenic route. Living in the moments.

So here, without my Canadian friends and family, without a job, school or anykind of course and with a house to stay in, delicious food to eat, all my basic living necessities covered, well I’m left with the privilege of having hours upon hours  of free time. Self-reflection becomes inevitable.

Further prompting this self-reflection was the fact that I was rejected from two things which I was, well pretty confident I would achieve.  I went to a job interview to teach English offshore on oil platforms, and after a great interview, found out I was rejected. I also had applied to be a part of Canada World Youth’s core group of 20 individuals to attend Rio +20 Earth Summit…20 years after the initial Earth summit in Rio in ’92. Also got rejected.

So without a job (or the prospect of one) to keep my occupied, or a conference to start preparing for, well I got thrown back into deeper self-reflection. Which actually ended up being a good thing because I started realizing some tough stuff about myself and some changes I want to make. I’ve written them out in my journal but I’m not going to share the conclusions that I came up with on the blog. One, because I feel that they are too personal for this blog and; two, because by sharing them I will somehow believe that that means I’m making the changes I had decided upon. It’s oh so satisfying to share with people the ‘big changes you want to make in your life’…because by sharing them it feels like you’re halfway there. Well actions speak louder than words. So I would rather share with you the concrete actions I take as I take them. Let’s see where they take me.

And on another note, I haven’t only been reflecting with all this free time. I think if I don’t describe the other things I have been doing, you’ll get the wrong impression. As if I’m stuck in a room just thinking. Of course, I have been taking advantage of the fine weather and beautiful beaches. I’ve been biking, walking, swimming, surfing, reading, writing, studying Portuguese….all at the beautiful beach here (20 min bike ride from my grandmother’s place). I’ve been experimenting with fresh fruit smoothies every morning. My latest concoction gives me plenty of energy and tastes delicious: acai, guarana extract, mango and banana. Eating healthy lunches at drinking coconut water at my aunt Laura’s place. Going out for trips and delicious meals with my uncle Marnio and his family. Getting to know the awesome and extremely large Miranda side of my family. Continuing with Capoeira, doing a bit of yoga every morning.

It’s probably the best setting in the world for some positive self-reflection to occur!

.murph.

Never sign up for a service you don't need in Brazil

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I learned how difficult it can be to cancel a service over the phone in Brazil.

Called a company called 'Oi' to setup internet at my grandmother's place. The next day, two people called my grandmother, claiming they were related to 'Oi' and told her she had to sign up for an Internet Provider. One was with 'Terra' and the other with 'UOL'. Both charging about R$15/month. Both of them gave a username and password.

Modem comes in from 'Oi' and after installing it, I need a username and password...neither the one from Terra or UOL worked. So I call up 'Oi'...who gives me a different username and password. I ask them what was the deal with 'Terra' and 'UOL'..."oh, we don't work with them...we already provide you with an internet provider, you need to cancel your service with them or you'll get charged extra on a different bill"

So I call up a number I got from Terra...which tells me I have to call another number. So I call the other number, get put on hold, and finally speak with someone. Tell them I want to cancel the service. They get all the information they need...and right when they're about to cancel...they hang up. Wow...I couldn't believe it. Gave them the benefit of the doubt and called again....get right to the point of cancelling, phone hangs up. Okay...now a pattern is starting to emerge. I try looking them up on Google, tons of people had the same problem. Tried going on to their website to cancel online. The cancel link is conveniently in size 4 font, nearly camouflaged at the very bottom of the page. Click it: "error". Try again: "error"...one more time: "error". So I call again: they hang up. On the fifth call: I threatened them that I had a lawyer with me, that I was recording the phone call, and if this hanging up business continued I would take legal action. Cancelled Terra. One down one to go.

Call up UOL to cancel my service with them. I'm already frustrated at this point. Speak to a guy, who asks me:

"What is your motive for cancelling?"

"I already have an internet provider...don't need your service"

"Well...we are more than just an internet provider...we have this and that and the list goes on"

"Great, well I'd still like to cancel"

"What's you're motive for cancelling?"

"I have an internet provider AND I don't need any of those extra services"

"Well, how about this, you're already going to pay for the first month, so keep the services for one month and decide after that point what you want to do"

"No I'd rather not, can you just cancel it as of today"

"But you're already paying for it...so why not just..."

"No, I don't care, take R$15 for the first month...I'm not going to use the services, so go ahead and cancel it now"

"But you don't understand, why do you want to cancel it if you're going to pay for it anyways"

"I just don't want it okay...isn't that reason enough?! Just cancel the service"

"I need a reason"

"You need a reason?! Okay, I'm leaving the country for 2 years, I don't need your service"

"Well I know you're lying"

"Yep, but you need a reason...just write that down...and let's move on and cancel this"

"You're sure you don't want to try it out for a month?"

"Yes, cancel it"

"Ok"

Wait for 15 minutes...he comes on every 2 minutes saying: "one moment"...."one moment"..."one moment"...

I'm a calm guy...but I was already shaking at this point. If he hung up the phone...I think I would start growing, turning green and I would feel the need to destroy something.

Thankfully, service was cancelled. Wow. Went into the kitchen grabbed some water, told my grandmother not to talk to me for the next 10 minutes....needed some cooling off after having gone through that.

Disproportionality

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Thursday will mark two weeks that I’ve been in Brazil. Yet, I feel as though I left Canada long ago. In these two weeks I’ve been getting a lot of errands done.  Identity card, bank account, CPF, birth certificate (since I forgot mine in Canada), workers identity card, translating my resume, paid voting fine, photocopy this photocopy that, find an internet and cell phone service provider…it seemed like the list would never end. But now I’m truly coming to end of these errands. Thanks to my cousins and grandmother who helped me with all of these things.  And now, Eneo, a family friend has been working tirelessly to help find me a job. I’ll let you know how that goes.

In other news, I found a gym which offers capoeira! It’s only some 500 metres from my house here. They told me it was R$30 (which is about $20CDN). I figured that was the drop-in price per class. Nope, turns out that the monthly fee! According to the instructor, Capoeira here is undervalued. Everyone wants to do the ‘American-style’ sports and workouts. I told him, he should go teach in Canada.

My first capoeira class here was made up of the instructor, his wife, and me. Not exactly what I was hoping for…but nevertheless, it’s Capoeira and I’ve been itching to get back into it.

I’ve borrowed my cousin’s bike. Now the entire city is open to me. I’m able to bike over to the best beach in the city, lock up my bike and walk, read, write, enjoy the beach on sunny days. The weather has been pleasant, but it’s been raining every couple of days. Still, it’s nice enough to wear shorts and a t-shirt outside.

I’ve been reading about permaculture and organic agriculture in general. The last book I read was ‘The Vegetarian Myth’ by Lierre Keith. It was fine until her chapter on ‘nutritional vegetarians’…here Keith began pointing out that saturated fats and cholesterol are good for you (and that we need more of them), that all beans and grains are horrible for you, and that we need to eat more meat and definitely more dairy products. And these ‘facts’ weren’t coming out of nowhere…she convincingly points out numerous studies and cites several medical practitioners. Without the internet to check her sources…I was starting to really question my own vegetarianism. I started doing some research…and asking my aunt who’s a nutritionist about some of the things Keith was saying. I didn’t know what to believe for awhile. But I’ve decided, that Keith doesn’t know what she’s talking about. She’s relying too heavily on one controversial source for information. I won’t go on, read the book if you want to see what I mean. In fact I encourage you to read it…then do your own research and tell me what you think.

I’ve also been enjoying a few awesome nights here with my family. Had a sushi night at my aunt’s place. My cousin Gui just graduated from culinary school. He made some 400 delicious salmon and tuna rolls. The next night we were out to a ‘club’…doors didn’t open till midnight (which is a norm here). Party until the sun starts to rise. Then another night, my cousins Allan and Paulo put together an awesome reggae/soundsystem show. Went out to that with Gui and his friend.  The only disappointment I’ve had with these events is the ratio of guys to girls. At the reggae event there must’ve been 15-20 guys for every one girl. The thing is…that there really isn’t many events going on Macae…there isn’t much of a night scene here, so I’m not sure where all the girls are. Maybe this entire city is disproportionate. After all, Macae is like the Fort Mac of Brazil. There are a bunch of oil companies here—oil platforms all over the coast.  In fact Macae has is having a growth rate of about 600% (according to Wikipedia). I’m thinking one out of ten who move to Macae are women.

Despite this growth rate, there wasn’t a pizza place to be found at 1am last Saturday. Even the only 24hour café/bar in the city was closed.

Alright, so that’s my update on the last couple of weeks. I’ll try to post some pictures on the blog when I have consistent internet at home…give you a ‘virtual tour’ of my place here.

.murph.

Getting things done...

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Just a quick update. I´ll put up another one once I have internet at home.

Just wanted to say...that I made it to Macae, RJ where my grandmother lives. There´s no internet here yet...but I´m working on getting something hooked up within the next week or so.

So far, I´ve been getting some errands done. Picked up a copy of my birth certificate (since I forget in Canada), paid some fines for not voting in the last federal election. Don´t get mad at me! I voted in Canada okay! Picked up my CPF number...which is the equivalent of a Canadian SIN number. All that´s left is to open up a bank account and get a identity card...and eventually a driver´s license.

Over the weekend I spent time out in my aunt´s place in the countryside. So much food there...drank coconuts, picked berries, oranges, bananas, jalepenos, lettuce, tomatoes, parsley, manioc root. Ate some eggs from the chickens they have plucking around. Everything is organic...they don´t use any pesticides, antibiotics, hormones...nada! On top of that...my aunt is studying to be a nutritionist...she knows how to combine the right foods in order to get everything the body needs! It got me excited about getting involved in Permaculture...I´ve been watching movies and reading about Permaculture in my spare time...there´s a lot to learn.





Anyhow, today i found this internet cafe...figured I´d put up a quick update. Now im off to look for a capoeira academy here.

Sittin, waitin, wishin.

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Sitting a the airport and waiting for my flight to Rio. For the first time I have a moment to breathe. This morning I was rushing to get somethings done...things seemed to have crept up out of nowhere. With so much to do, I was having a hard time realizing that I'd actually be heading out today.

Canada has treated me well for some 19 years. During my stay in Canada, I feel I've been well-equipped to do what I hope to do in Brazil. Made some solid friends...too many to name. You have all had an enormous impact on me and helped me out in many situations. Had some amazing teachers. Picked up a couple new languages (English and French). Got the opportunity to travel through amazing organizations like Canada World Youth, Global Agents for Change, International Student Exchange Ontario, Explore (French language bursary program). Through these trips I've met countless inspiring people. Working at the YMCA for eight years....thanks for taking me back after each one of my trips. The staff there are an amazing group of supportive individuals. And those aquafit ladies....taught me much about living life to the fullest. My bachelor of Arts opened my eyes to the injustices of the world, ironically making me sick of school...annoyed at talking about problems and ideal solutions...wanting to get my hands dirty and try to make positive change. Teachers college gave me some of the tools needed to make the positive change happen.  

Thank you,all of you.

I am usually hesitant with people when speaking about what I hope to do in Brazil. But I'm not going to lie, I truly believe that things will fall into place while I'm down there. Maybe that's naive. But I've seen it happen again and again while traveling: things seem to just work. And already some things seem to be falling into place for Brazil. I'm not sure where I'll start when I get to Brazil. I'm going out on a limb...but I have faith that things will work out.

Time to board this flight!

Philippe

Heading to Brazil

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I just gave my blog a facelift. To find my previous entries during my sailing trip and backpacking in Brazil (summer 2010), please go to http://sailtohalifax.blogspot.com. I’ll be putting the link up in the ‘links’ section of this new blog.

I concluded my last blog by stating that I would no longer be sailing to Brazil. However, I still feel a pull towards Brazil. So, once I got home from my sail trip I started working in order to make enough money to pay for a plane ticket to Brazil. Departure: October 12^th 2011. Return: …undefined!

Going to Brazil is more than a simply quest to look for a job. I have told some people that I’m simply going to teach English while I’m down there. While I will indeed be looking for work, I am also going with another agenda in mind.

I will be visiting several non-profit organizations. Organizations primarily focussed on permaculture, for instance, Instituto Visao Futuro and IPEC Ecocentro. I hope to observe and take courses to learn more about sustainable ways of living and natural systems.

Where I will go from there I’m not sure. Maybe try to get a non-profit organization started, or work for one which is already established in Brazil. Whatever I end up doing, I’ll be posting in this blog in order to keep people at home updated.