Crash Course in Portuguese

So these past few days I have been in Lisboa, Portugal. And I do have to admit it was an amazing experience. A very big Obrigado (port. for thank you) to Catarina and Chico for being my gracious hosts, even though you had only spoken to me through email. I know crazy right? And I am sure my parents won’t be too thrilled to hear that I stayed with complete and total strangers, but there is a very big sense of community and family in the Brazilian jiu jitsu world. Which reminds me the reason I went to Portugal was for the European jiu jitsu championships. Ok now back on track. I did not get the chance to see much of Lisboa, but there were two very distinct things I did see. # 1 like Spain there was a huge mix of old and new. It would go from this beautiful old architecture to very modern, cramped looking housing. #2 again like Spain there is a huge issue with graffiti. It is everywhere. Not just underpasses or side walls of buildings, but on every thing. The ancient architecture, the news stands, cars, houses, just covering the city. Some of it are murals, others are tags, and the rest are anarchy symbols, and anti government slogans. It is fairly upsetting that no one has done anything to stop the vandalism on things they should be protecting.

On to the tournament. I spent 3 amazing days surrounded again by jiu jitsu. And while I was at it got a very big crash course in Portuguese, traditional, and Brazilian. I promise you there is a difference in the two. For example, Brazilian Portuguese is much easier for me to understand because it honestly sounds much more like Spanish, with very open vowel sounds, and almost a singing way of pronouncing things. Where as regular Portuguese sounds more like French, and actually the consonants are pronounced or exaggerated, and the vowels are closed off. I was the only person working, whose native language was English, and the rest were all either Brazilian or Portuguese. I did learn one major thing, my Spanish, when spoken slowly, was easily understood, and i could respond to their slowly spoken Portuguese. By the end of the tournament people would ask me questions in Portuguese and I would immediately respond in Spanish… Which managed to throw a few people off… Along with this I ended up making friend with this hilarious group of guys, Jahnerson, Lucas, and Wesley. They all started flirting with me and were somewhat like the three musketeers. Their coach quickly told me in English, a nice break from all of the Spanish/ Portuguese conversations I had with the guys, that Jahnerson and Lucas, were both married. Both guys were also twenty two. Wesley the one they kept trying to convince me was a stripper, was actually the only single guy and the only one serious. The others were just excited to meet an American. Then there were the guys from some randome little island that I am still trying to look up. Yes pretty much an island near Madagascar. Theeir coach was from Brazil and named Thiago, he was an interesting guy, and then there was Matteiu. Matteiu apparently like me but only spoke Portuguese and French. And his coach would translate, but I definitely got the feeling his coach was telling him the wrong thing. Mainly because he came up to me later and told me I shouldn’t be flirting with Matteiu but with him. So I really have no idea what to think about it. Both were attractive, but definitely a crazy situation. And I will probably never see either again.

Ok so to working and competing. I didn’t win. Something I’m not used to. I cried, I tried not to but I ended up doing it. But at the same time I saw Megaton, a really good black belt, after he lost for the first time in a very long time completely break down. So I’m learning from the video. And I won’t make the same mistakes again. One of the very cool things was the ring that I was working as a score keeper on, was the ring they had the finals matches of the black belt divisions. So Not only did I get to see some amazing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, I got to meet, Fabio Gurgel, Megaton, Braulio Estima, and Kron Gracie. Every single guy had an amazing game and it was crazy to see how tight and slow they played. So after wards I definitely got a picture with Kron, even though it is fuzzy, and then a photo with his father Rickson Gracie. Thank you to Keiko who coached me and has offered to let me visit Portugal one more time and actually see stuff! So Ciao for now and Bom Dia!