Day 14 - Sunday, May 31, 2009: Favela Funk

by Flavio Gonçalves Maciel de Figueiredo

For the first time I was able to participate in the Colloquium on Law, Culture and Politics between UVV and WVU Law. When I got to know the event, I was interested in hosting a student from the U.S.A. I was really interested in attending the classes that promised to be in a different style. As I could see, the classes held by American professors had more participation of students than the traditional classes, which gave us a good debate and reflection at the end. What really enriched my knowledge on the U.S. was the experience of hosting an American student, Josh Nightingale. Besides always bothering him with questions about his language or his country, this experience made me talk to his classmates and make them my new friends.

Talking about the classes again, the subjects chosen were really interesting. They brought us several debates about our cultures, involving religious, ethnic, racial, legal and political issues. These classes turned into good debates with the big participation of Brazilian and North American students.

I had the opportunity to join the group when it left Vila Velha and traveled to Rio de Janeiro and participate in many Rio activities. I would like to say that I was really impressed with the fact that they were very interested on seeing the Brazilian social reality with all its problems including the inequality.

On our way to the Favela Funk Party, I got fear for my first reaction. I tried to stay alert the whole time. I, for not being around this kind of environment a lot, felt the same apprehension the American students did. Although, once we arrived, I was able to identify a different social group and understand that diversity. I learned that diversity must be respected and, most of all, cherished. We can say the same for other countries’ cultures too.