Volunteer stories from the Music Courses in
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
To read about the extensiveSupport & Backup we provide in our countries,
please click here.
Click here to read a case study about
Christina Homer during her Percussion & Portuguese courses in Foz.
NAME: Alexander
Binks AGE:
20 NATIONALITY:British
Volunteering in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil
(Alex’s first e-mail on arrival in Brazil)
Hi Elizabeth
Just thought while I had literally two minutes I'd give you a quick
post. I am now learning with Marcos, he's really good, lots of patience
but eager to improve your speed and co-ordination. Learning both the
Pandoeira and the Congas now.
I couldn't thank Jefferson enough last night - We (me, Ros and Vikki)
went to a samba bar where he was playing and he made me get up on stage
in front of hundreds of people dancing with all the girls in their
costumes (blush lol).
We're going watching Marcos play on Saturday as well as there is a
really famous band called Revelacao playing in town.
We have planned a trip to the falls on Sunday and next weekend we are
contemplating a weekend trip to Buenos Aires! So much to do!
Alex x
PS. The hostel staff are really helpful as well - particularly if you
have questions about traveling places you're unsure of.
(Alex’s feedback halfway through his placement)
What experience do you feel you gained? A sense of a totally
different way of life to begin with! Musically I feel I have really
improved on percussion and my sense of rhythm. On a personal basis I
have made friends with so many people and learned about so many
different cultures.
What was the best thing about your placement? The music course in
itself is amazing! Also the people in connection with Travellers (Ana
Maria) are superb.
Would you recommend this placement to anyone else? Yes, anyone
that has an open and creative mind when it comes to music would love it!
Can you think of any improvements that could be made to the
placement? Not really, only the home comforts thing but I suppose in
a new environment its good to explore new things.
Was their anything that you weren’t told before you went away that
you think future volunteers should know? The number of mozzie bites
at night you get if you're not careful!
Can you describe a typical day? On a busy day I will have a piano
lesson between 8am and 9am then a percussion lesson between 10 and 12.
I'll then catch the bus back to the volunteers house where we go out for
lunch (or eat in). Then there is another lesson between 3 and 5pm. Once
I get back to the house we will chill out for a bit then either go out
for dinner (or eat in again!) or we may have a dance class between 6 and
7. If we're still feeling energetic we will go to a dinner show or
possibly a night club occasionally.
Can't thank Ana Maria, my teachers and the hostel staff enough for being
so helpful! I find it easier to explain my stories by talking rather
than in writing however as there are so many things that have happened
over the last month.
SPECIALS, EXTRAS & ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
NAME: Guy Jones AGE:20 NATIONALITY:British
Volunteering in Foz do Iguaçu
The percussion placement in Foz was definately the experience of a lifetime!
If you have a love of percussion or music in general I can not recommend
this project highly enough. 2 hours of one-on-one tuition every weekday,
with a professional percussionist who is an expert in his field and an
incredibly cool and friendly guy (not to mention patient!). I feel like i
have never learned as much as i did in my three months in Brasil; musically
and personally. The lessons focus on all aspects of percussion and samba
music.
I mainly spent time on Pandeiro and Congas which was great. There are lots
of other weird and wonderful instruments though. Being a semi-professional
percussionist already, I was worried that the lessons might not be advanced
enough, but there is so much to learn there was no way of that happening.
It's a totally different kind of music.
Foz itself was very nice too, and has a good selection of shops,
restaurants, cafes and bars. I also really enjoyed the house and hostel, and
the people there. It was nice to meet new people every day, and still have a
few people who are always around. The guys at the hostel were really helpful
and friendly and made it a really comfortable and relaxed atmosphere to be
in.
.
+44 01903 502595
