Women only... in Brazil

I was watching the news today during lunch when I saw something that reminded me of Japan. Many people know about the "women only" cars that exist in many railways, especially in big cities such as Osaka and Tokyo. I was even asked about those cars after returning to Brazil ("Have you entered one?", "Are they 'women only' all day long?" and so on...). But I didn't know that such cars also existed here.

So, according to this article (link in Portuguese) this system is being implemented in some trains and subways in Rio de Janeiro (double surprise... are trains used so much there? If someone in the known could answer me I'd appreciate it) and, as the system is new, some problems and misunderstandings are happening. The worst of them was when a group of students entered the car without knowing it was "women only". Security forced them out, almost pushing one to the rails. According to one of the students, the request to leave was made only five stations after they entered the car.

Also, the article mentions a similar attempt made some years before in Sao Paulo, where some cars were reserved to women, elderly, children and handicapped. But since it wasn't respected, those cars disappeared in two years.

... Well, out the part that it wasn't respected in Sao Paulo (I'm not impressed...), I was surprised that such thing existed also in Brazil. In Japan, the main reason for the "women only" cars are the problems with gropers. I wonder if it's the same case here... I'm not sure... Just don't think it's likely... The article doesn't give the reasons.

And do other big cities around the world use that system too? I wonder...

移民として

Okay. I'd promised a friend that I'd post in Japanese someday. Even the subject was decided, but that is still under way. And I probably won't be able to finish that for the next weeks because of my exams. But as I was (still) cleaning some things from Japan I found a file I used for a presentation about Brazil, focused on the Japanese emigration to Brazil because of the Drama "Haru to Natsu" that was released the same year and had that emigration as part of the background.

So, I'll post part of that file here. It's about the emigration, some problems and realizations that came from it, and comparing to the emigration of Brazilian workers to Japan nowadays. Some topics are incomplete and superficial because of my limitation with the language, my intention wasn't going too deep about it during the presentation and I lack some details about the subject, too. That's just an introductory text. If some interest grows from it, I recommend to look for other sources of information to know the whole picture. I can help on that.

日本からブラジルへの移民は、両国の利益にもとづいて始まりました。日本では人口過密の問題がありましたので、明治時代から移住政策が取られました。ブラジルではコーヒー農園で働くために、労働人口を必要としました。

そして、日本移民は1908年4月28日に笠戸丸船に乗って神戸港からブラジルに向けて出発しました。1908年6月18日にサントス港に到着しました。

第１次世界大戦の後で、日本の経済状況は良くではありませんでした。それに、１番最初移住した国アメリカでは1924年に日本移民の数を制限する法が制定されました。ですから、1928年から、1935年までブラジルへの日本移民はすごく増えました。

ところが、移民たちは多くの困難な状況の中で生活しました。たとえば、悪い衛生状況で働かされました。多くの移民たちは、お金を儲けて、日本に戻りたいだけでした。それに、ブラジル政府は、アジア人より、ヨーロッパ人が来て欲しかったのです。というのは、奴隷制度が廃止された後で、人口の「漂白」（白人）が促進されました。ですから、移住した日本人とブラジル人はあまり融合しませんでした。

それでも、だんだん、自活と権益を守るために、日系移民は協同組合を創設して、小区画地を買いました。

第２次世界大戦の時には、ブラジルは連合軍と同盟国でしたので、日本からの移民は禁止されました。その上、枢軸国の国語を教えたり、その言語で話したり、新聞を発表するのは禁止されていました。ポルトガル語とブラジル文化がほとんど分からない日系人には、そのような政策は情報を与えないことを意味しました。日系人とブラジル人の関係は悪くなりました。

大戦の後で日系ブラジル人は２つの派に分かれました。日本が大戦に勝ったと信じる人々は「勝ち組」と呼ばれ、日本が負けたと信じるのは「負け組」と呼ばれました。（「勝ち組」は約75％でした。）情報が得られない欠けない日系人は、どちらが本当に勝ったか知ることが難しかったのです。日本のラジオ放送局は禁止でしたから、情報はよくポルトガル語を知る日系やブラジル人からだけでした。でも、その情報源を信じない人々がいました。

そらに、「神道連盟」（しんどうれんめい）と言うグループがありました。そのグループは「勝ち組」の出身であった人々によってつくられました。1944年設立した「神道連盟」は、初めは日本文化と天皇のイメージを守る目標がありましたけど、大戦の後で、より急進的になって、日本が大戦に勝ってそうたように見せかけるために雑誌を捏造しました。そして、日本が大戦に負けたと思っていた日系人を暗殺しようとしました。

しかし、ついに、そのグループは解体されました。そして、時間がたって、日系人とブラジル人の関係はよりよくなりました。1960年代から日系人の家族は零細企業を始めました。1970年代にはブラジルと日系の文化が調和するのはもうめずらしいことではありませんでした。そして、現在では昔の偏見はなくなりました。日系人の社会的地位は向上しました。

1980年代に日本の経済は絶頂にありました。工業が八達し肉体労働者は外国に求められました。その外国人は「出稼ぎ」と呼ばれました。1990年代に変化した日本の出入国管理法は日系ブラジル人に有利でした。その法は日系人を優遇しました。ブラジルの日系人の数は世界一でした。それに、ブラジルはその時に経済情勢が悪化していました。

でも、日本人がブラジルへ移住した場合のように日本に移住したブラジル人には、困ることがありました。日本では、言語と文化が違いますから、日本人に似ているけれども、外国人扱いです。それに、日本語を習得する人はほとんどいない。そして、読み書きのできない人はわずかしかいない日本では偏見をもたれてしまいます。

ブラジルに戻っても、困ることがあるかもしれません。日本同じ給料をもらうことはできません。その上、経営の経験がないので、自分の会社を興しても、よく破産させてしまいました。これらのケースでは、その人々はもう一度日本に帰って、お金をもらって、またそのお金はブラジルでなくなって…というふうに、彼らがもうブラジルに戻らないことを決意するまで、その悪循環は続きます。

SdRA meeting and War (game...)

Today is Easter. That means Friday is holiday, too. Now, to prove that there's an universal conspiracy against my studies: friday I had just had dinner and was about to start a report I still had to finish. At the second I sit in front of the computer, the phone rings. A former university classmate calls saying that a group is having dinner at a pizza parlor and asking me to show up.

"Former" because when I went to Japan I kinda "lost" one year at my university. As I'm in the last year now, all the others in the group have graduated already. And the group was a part of the SdRA ("Sociedade da Régua Amarela". The name is just one we gave to the group. If someone who doesn't know Portuguese is curious about the meaning just run it through a online translator. Even Goggle will do).

So, the meeting. I didn't eat anything since I had just had dinner, but the conversations were nice. Meet old classmates, know how they are doing now (studying, employed, unemployed...) and lots of small talk. Remember old times and exchange info.

That was funny by itself, but some decided to extend it by going play some game at someone's house after. The game was War 2 (Link in Portuguese. Couldn't find any link in English. I wonder if it's a Brazilian game, or it has a different name in English... I saw a Risk that is similar, but not the same). Whoever have ever played the game know a little of what happened later.

It's almost impossible to finish it soon. It's a board game with a world map. So, you have to move your troops around territories trying to fulfill your objective, fighting other player's troops when needed. Fights are solved by dice up to 3 vs. 3 troops each time. Greater number wins.

I won't explain all the rules here...

Anyway, just some highlights:

• I started in the middle of Asia with Middle East, China and everything in between. As having majority of territories in Asia grants many extra troops at the next round, I was attacked by almost all the other players (as I could be attacked from almost any other continent except South America). Smashed, I had to hide and hope no one would kill me for good... And the balance of power was always oscillating like that. When one player ws becoming too powerful, he was smashed by the others...
  
  
• A friend was able to resist an air raid with about 8 planes, beating all of them before his troops were wiped out, but then he was raided by ground attacks... (in Vietnam) what I believe was the most unlikely thing to happen... Like an attacker rolling 3, 2 and 2 and the defender losing all by rolling 2, 1 and 1...
  
  
• Some Portuguese jokes like "taking Peru from another player" (hummm... I'm not telling the meaning of this one... just that Peru could be translated as "turkey"...)...
  
  
• There was a hot fight for Brazil for some rounds... I wasn't in that one. And another player was telling jokes about me not attacking and conquering Japan right beside China (there was no meaning according to my objective), like that I was not Japanese (well... I'm not) and was ignoring Japan...
  
  
• My objective was "destroy all yellow troops" (Dalai), and I was really close of accomplishing it. The problem is that I must destroy the last troop, but as that player was wiped from Europe (thanks to Wilson) and was cornered in Oceania another player was also attacking him to take Australia... AND HE GAVE THE LAST BLOW! Damn... The problem is that my objective was changed to "conquer any 24 territories"... and I almost sacrificed all my troops to destroy all yellow troops...
  
  
• Almost 5 am. Most players were tired and wanting to finish the game, except one (Osni). In that player's turn, he could complete his objective if he made some moves and was really fortunate. All players were hoping he'd finish the game, so it was pretty funny when a defending player was happy for being beaten in a territory... In the end he won. The same player who killed the last yellow troop...

また会う日まで！

During my last days in Japan, there were farewell parties. At that time, I had a lot in my head and couldn't write about them. But it's something that I really couldn't skip. I had planned to post this the day I left to Japan. As it wasn't possible, plans changed to the day I arrived (considering the time passed, not local time)

So, first there was a exchange students farewell party on Feb 9th. More especifilally, the students at the Shosha campus that are staying for one year (Silvia, Win - from Thailand, a Korean whose name I forgot... sorry, and me). Simple and basically only us and our Japanese teachers (volunteer teachers that gave classes at the university), but even so nice. That's the point where we started seeing persons from Himeji for the last time. That time, some teachers and students.

Next, there was the Himeji Gang surprise party on Feb 11th. I commented that one previously.

On 13th, Vinny (Australian), Ou (or O... don't know how to write the name in romaji... Chinese), Silvia and me did a farewell party on our own. We were the regular Japanese class (at the university... by regular I mean included and registered as one of our classes) students and decided to meet one more time before going back (only the Chinese girl wasn't a one-year student). That one was funny... western style I could say. We had planned karaoke, but it was crowded, so we went bowling at a place Vinny knew... plus some games (there was finally a DDR there... but I was just too rusty...). After that, a sushi restaurant nearby (something we would miss back to our countires).

14th. This time the ESS (a.k.a. English club) farewell party. Impressing the capacity most Japanese have to be responsible and organize things... As far as I know, one girl from the club organized it all... with some help from other members. A small dinner at the kinenkan (something like memorial/commemorative building. I know it as a second restaurant at the university...) followed by bowling and karaoke (you might think "it's always the same!" Well... it IS! those are the two main forms of having fun in group in Japan). There was even a plaque (humm... is this right?) with messages... in English (note it is an English club... and Portuguese was out of question). It was also Valentine's, so some chocolates (giri or friendship, before any strange thought arises...).

(Time to say sorry to the aikido club for not going training that day... but I really had that scheduled a long time before...)

Then 18th. Vinny's farewell party at Roxy club. Seeing farewells from another perspective (it was HIS farewell party and I stayed silent). Also, some laughs with some situations (for those who know, I'm talking about the crazy twins...)

19th. USJ with Fabio and Claus. I might consider that "farewell from Brazilian students" since it was the last time I met one (except silvia, of course). Well... it was my 5th time there... but with different company is always interesting (plus the combination Fabio and Claus is surely entertaining...)

22nd. Lunch with my Egret volunteer teacher. Since the end of 2005 we couldn't have classes with her, but all of us wanted a last meeting at least. Think I can say she was probably our best Japanese teacher, although the one that gave us classes for the shortest time... Too bad I lost contact completely now... and she isn't even in Himeji anymore.

24th. My last day at the lab. As all the students there (except me) were busy with their presentations (for their graduate projects) no parties... I didn't announced anything before it was too late, too, because of their presentations... Even so, I got some farewells and a last-minute thought present... already eaten. Later, a last meeting with some people from the Himeji gang at Tiger Pub... I wasn't in the mood for smokey places, but it turned good in the end.

Finally 25th. Last day and the busiest one. Meeting the frisbee group for the last time, then a "former members meeting" (OB会) with the aikido club. These meeting are usually a training followed by dinner when members that are already past the 3rd year (when they usually "retire") participate together with regular members. I couldn't go to the training, but I managed to go to the dinner... I know that's bad (take only the light part), but I had no choice really... I couldn't go earlier and I wanted to meet them one last time.

I just didn't expect a homage during the dinner... and a T-shirt with messages from all (or almost). I'm not emotional, but they almost made me cry with that... After all, I was just for one year with the club and that was an occasion with former members, some they usually don't see too (what means there're a lot of senpais to think about... more a less...).

After the dinner, some decided to challenge me on KOF one last time... Some matches later (the year changed again... and again to one I'm not really good... KOF 2001. Even so... オレの勝ちだ！ Well... most times I should say...) I had to meet some people from the Himeji Gang... but it was raining and I had to go by bike... So I sent a message (using a friend's phone since mine was cancelled already) and... some people that were there decided to go to karaoke too! But another one. Thinking about it, I should have asked to go to the same place where the gang was... at the time that didn't come to my mind... Sorry.

Also, there were other occasions. Karaoke, Starbucks meetings ans dinners with the gang; meetings with people from the university (from professors to secreteries and employees)... All that made me happy. During this year, I met lots of people. Some I may meet again someday, some only through the Internet and some I may never hear about ever again. Even so, all of them contributed someway... for me to learn something... for fun... for helping me... From my closest friends to the lady at the cafeteria, all who recognized me while I was there, thank you.

Hope I was also able to make some difference into your lifes as you did in mine. Then one of my objectives will be complete... I wrote on the paper about the "reasons for going to Japan" for the scolarship examination: "(...) As I believe that knowledge is not a one-sided, I hope people there can learn something from me, even if it’d be only about Brazilian culture (but I expect more than that)."

After one year

... Typical.

April 7th is the day when I left to Japan last year, so I had planned to write something on this day.

But I had classes all day... and stayed until late the day before talking to a friend (well, I wanted to meet him anyway, there's no one to blame...) didn't help. So I couldn't finish the post and slept suddenly after returning home...

Well, I'll post this just to mark it. The post I had planned will be published also... later.

Folhainvest

As years goes on, there's always some kind of mania among Engineering students, or at least my classmates. Maybe as a way to stay sane during the couse... hehe. As Grissom said in the CSI series, you must have something to enjoy outside work, or else you break down (not exactly these words). In the first year, it was the game "Age of Empires". So it wasn't uncommon to see studants leaving classes to play. There were others, like futsal. That time some friends tried to play every week... alhtough it wasn't possible (it IS Engineering after all...), we did it plenty regularly.

The current one seems to be stock market. Weird maybe, but lately I've been wondering if our conversations are becoming too "economic related". Of couse we have "normal" conversations (like the one on the previous post ^^;), but it's not uncommon to hear someone complaining about stock fluctuations or an investment that turned bad, or good.

They're not investing in real stock market, but a simulator created by a Economy Newspaper, Folha Invest. That simulator is updated continuously with real market data from the stock exchange in Sao Paulo (Bovespa) with only a 5 minutes delay. They recieve some virtual money and shares in the beginning and have to administrate that. As it's based on real stock market, the responses will be like the real thing.

So, I was invited to join the thing. It's pretty interesting, since I want to know more about stock market. The problem is that they spend a considerable amount of time in that thing, and I don't know if I'll have that time (besides, the simulator is open to change shares only at the times the stock exchange is open). It's a good thing to practice in a simulator, though... We discover interesting things, like a friend who was investing in banks since, in Brazil, it's the kind of company unlikely to go bankrupt or something like, but he was surprised when a Ministry was dismissed and that caused that kind of shares to drop a lot...

Maybe it's worth a shot. I'll think about it and accept suggestions. For those interested, the site is here.