Learning lessons in Rio
Having arrived safe and sound, Sonali Karnick explores as the Olympics get underway
Well, hello Rio. Nice to meet you.
I've been in Sao Paulo for the last week with the Canadian women's soccer team. But I finally got the chance to spend some time in Rio, the city at the heart of these Olympic Games.
It gave me the chance to reflect on what I've learned so far:
1) If Google Maps says 15 minutes. Quadruple it!
Traffic is terrible pretty much all the time. In Sao Paulo, whatever looks like a 15-minute drive, is probably more like an hour. Plus we also have TV equipment, so we have to budget more time to pack up and unload.
2) If you thought airport security was tight...
Security is tight. How tight? There are law enforcement agents from nearly every level of government here: local police, military police, plus actual military and security agents.
To give you an example, when entering Corinthians Arena in Sao Paulo, we had to go through a local police checkpoint. Fine. Then we passed several military police trucks. Ok.
But we weren't done yet; we still had to go through stadium security. The Olympic security team was also standing by, just in case.
3) Did anyone order a mysterious package?
The only time I felt a little unsafe was just before the first game of Canada's women's soccer team.
A man in a motorbike rode up to the gates of the stadium, got off the bike and started ranting and raving. His bike fell over and several mysterious packages scattered on the ground.
He didn't seem to approach anyone in particular. But our cameraman was a little uneasy with someone leaving unidentified packages on the ground.
The motorcyclist was apprehended around the corner and everything was fine, but it was nevertheless a scary moment for our crew.
4) Cold milk in coffee? Who does that?
The coffee here is unbelievable and I am savouring every cup. Some would say I have a coffee problem, but I can live a few days without it (Ed. Note: Debatable).
Most Brazilians drink their coffee black. The only kind of milk that is offered is hot milk. When I asked for cold milk, they looked at me as if I were crazy.
5) Brazilians are not just soccer fans, they are soccer aficionados
What hockey is to Canada, soccer is to Brazil. I expected as much, but it wasn't until I saw Brazilians cheering two countries to which they had no ties, namely Canada and Zimbabwe, that I realized just how much they love this sport and anyone who puts effort into competing.
It was heart warming to see the crowd cheer for Zimbabwe, a country whose women's soccer team has had such a tough battle to get to the Olympics.
One of their players grew up in an orphanage. They played at a tournament where their federation did not have enough money to provide meals, so friends and family brought them food.
The team almost lost out on its chance to go to the Olympics when the country's soccer federation did not buy plane tickets for them to travel to a match.
Zimbabwe is ranked 93rd in the world. But they have managed to score against the second-ranked team, Germany, and the tenth ranked, Canada. Paulistanos (that is, Sao Paulo residents) recognized the team's struggle as much as they did their talent and potential.
Ah, the Olympics...
6) Fala inglês?
I don't speak nearly enough Portuguese. But I learned a few words before leaving, and I also downloaded an app to help me translate things.
The most difficult thing to translate and explain is my nut allergy. I'm allergic to tree nuts (cashews, Brazil nuts, pistachios) but peanuts and almonds are OK.
It takes a lot longer to explain this in Brazil, where every nut has a different name and isn't necessarily even called a "nut". Luckily, I've been very careful about this! I My por favors (pleases) and obrigado/obrigadas (thank yous) are on point so I should be okay.
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