I may not say a lot of Brazil today.
One day, my crazy french bitch friend told me the huge difference between doing tourism and being a traveller.
Tourism: you just believe in things write on the guides, by touristic information, you don't eat things you don't know, you don't speak with people. You took a lot of pictures but no real MEMORY. You my try sexual tourism in Brazil *going in jail for doing it with under age brazilians, but you don't visit a favela. You never my try the same night food that hookers and taxi drivers have because it seems unsafe. At the end, you have a lot of pictures and superficial view of the place. Some stories to tell at home, nothing touch your heart... Sad.
Traveller: well... think Marco Polo, the old fashion way to travel. I am not being nostalgic, ok maybe a little. First, interact with locals! Eat their food. Read the news about that country. Go to the places the locals visit during their free time. If necessary, dress like them. Try to be inside their culture. Some are close, but you have Couchsurfing to help. My personal sign, I win as a traveller is when I take a interest history from someone in a cultural different from mine.... not written in the Fodor's, Rough Guide (my favorite) or Lonely Planet (my former favorite). I got happy when a taxi driver told me the history of afro american taxi drivers in Washington as part of his life. I learn about History, Politics and Life!
Sometimes, you need to relax and be a tourist but be a traveller most of the time. You change and pictures you have from the place will still in you mind, even if someone steal your camera.
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