BLOG#4 Garopaba And Independent Travel To Porto Alegre

Since I moved to Garopaba city, things seemed really changed. Daily routine became different except apprenticeship and language learning classes. In week days, I´d go apprenticeship in the morning and I’d come home at lunch time. I´d eat some lunch and would help my mom with washing dishes and setting cutleries on the table. After lunch, everyone in my house would also go either to school or work. I´d have nothing to do. As I immersed and made couple of friends in my host community, I´d spend some time with them. I´d go to the beach with my friends. On the beach, I´d read, play football and meet new people to practice my Portuguese, all time, it did work and help me. On the beach, I’d enjoying doing those stuff but whenever I saw the surfers enjoying the waves, I’d be so jealous. I´d wish that if I could do that like them. But I couldn’t do it because I was too scared to go inside the water due to my weak swimming skills.

However, one day, my friend suggested me to buy a bodyboard, which was easier than the longboarding and require less swimming skills but lot of confidence. So, I went to surf shop and I bought a big and good quality bodyboarding. I was so nervous at first, but I remember the quote “No pressure, No Diamond”: for me, don’t fear of fear. That´s why, I went to the water awfully confident with my friends. It was not a piece of cake but required a lot of practice and confidence. I went to all the beaches with my friends, all day after my apprenticeship, to practice and be better. In body boarding, few things were very key to do, like paddling and breathing calmly. Otherwise, you´d freak out and get yourself in big trouble. I started bodyboarding from few inches’ waves to biggest wave I´ve ever had in my life, around 2.5 meters. There was a lot of risk-taking but putting myself out my comfort zone helped me learn about myself and learn bodyboarding and swimming. I did bodyboarding for 3-4 months and all the time, it was the best thing I could’ve asked for my gap year. Bodyboarding was one of my best learnings of my gap year. I did appreciate my friends for always helping me and saying while surfing that “I gotta feel the water and enjoy it”. Their words were very awfully true, and I seconded it. Other than body boarding, I played football at a club with IFSC staff. The week I had visit to IFSC, my supervisor asked me for my hobbies, I told him I love to play football. He said he´d introduce me to the IFSC football club. The other day, I went to play football with IFSC staffs. We´d play an hour game among 16 people on every Friday evenings. The games were overwhelming because I felt I´m play with ones who know what they are doing. After few games, I improved a lot and made 1-2 goals every game I´d played with them.

About my apprenticeship and language, they were going great and fun. Other activities I´d do would be exploring the surrounding beaches with my friends and family. Before I´d moved to the city, I´d only been to 2 beaches; Praia Do Garopaba (Garopaba Beach) and Praia do Ouvidor. But since I was in the city, I promised I´d go to every beach possible. And I did go and explore every beach possible from my house with my friends. And, in couple of months, I managed to explore all the beaches close in my town, in total, I went around to the 10 beaches (Praia do Rosa, Praia do Ferrugem, Praia do Siriu, Praia do Barra, Praia do Gamboa, Praia do Vigia, Praia do Silveria, Praia do Garopaba. Praia do Vermelha).

Even though, I was having a fling in Garopaba, but I was curious to explore some other parts of Brazil, like a different state. I didn’t know what I choose. My friend asked me to visit his place in the south of Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul. I planned a week to go with him during Independent Travel period. Later in December, we decided to go to Porto Alegre in Rio Grande do Sul. About our journey, it took 5-6 hours to arrive there. The journey was beautiful with cool mountainous landscape on our way. My friend was nice that he asked me to stay at his place. He said he´d be my tour guide to his place. We went to his place then we planned to visit 5-6 different place in our time there. In the morning, we´d eat and rest, but in the afternoon, we´d go see national parks, shopping malls, cinemas, skatepark, and restaurants to get some food. Later in the evening, we´d go out to the parties or hang out with his friends in the center. In the center, there´d be thousands of people on the streets, partying and chilling all night long. I loved all the places. There were some things that I noticed about Porto Alegre that the place is very big and populous. There is a huge amount of poverty. There are many favelas. But the place has lot of beautiful landscape. The weather is very hot in summer and it would be freezing in winter. In general, I was very grateful for the city and my friend and his family for having me at their place. Independent Travel went great too. Now we are in Garopaba on usual routine.

FUN FACTS ABOUT GAROPABA CITY:

Best Night Clubs:

1. Na Lata Skate Food.
2. Pitaya Beach Club.
3. Bali Hai.
4. Pico da Tribo.
5. Quintal Butia
6. Beleza pura)

Best Beaches for Surfing:

1. Vento Sul
2. Praia da Ferrugem
3. Praia do Rosa
4. Praia do Silveria

Best Place To Explore.

1. Pedra branca (in Ressacada).
2. Pedra Grande (in Praia do Vigia).
3. Natural pools (in Praia do Silveria)
4. Vento Sul
5. Morro in vento sul.

Best Slang Used in Garopaba:

1. Party/Partying: festa/bombando
2. Girl: menina/guria/gata/gatinha.
3. Boy: menino/guri/cara/gato.
4. How are you/ What´s up: Beleza. E ai.
5. Thanks: Valeu.

Stay Tuned 😊😉

________________________________

Haider Ali
Student
UWC Robert Bosch College