Answers for Audioconference 9
(September 17)
1. Sheree Petersen, Ahititi School
How long did it take to build Brasφlia, and
how big is its biggest building?
The majority of the city was built in just three years – from 1957 until 1960. But
the city didn’t stop then – the city is still growing and there are lots of new
buildings being constructed today. Many of the newer buildings are things like shopping
malls, apartments, and hotels.
The buildings are different from the 100-story skyscrapers that you see in cities like
New York and Melbourne. The biggest buildings are only about 30 stories tall, but they
take up lots of land so that they just look like huge blocks. When the city was first
built, the biggest buildings were the government ministries (each ministry had its own
identical building) which were about 15 stories high and very big. But the biggest
building now appears to be the Hotel Nacional – about 25 stories high and covering an
entire city block (these figures are "guesses" from looking at the outside of
the buildings)
*Correction: The biggest building in Brasφlia is the
Central Bank. It is just over 25 stories high, occupies a city block, and was once
described as "the largest building of Latin America in terms of quantity of concrete
used in it". Information courtesy of Augusto C. B. Areal (March 1998),
creator of the Brasφlia Homepage Internet
site.
2. Kylie Mariu, Blue Mountain College
We understand Brasφlia was built in the
shape of a plane. Why was this shape chosen?
The shape is a jet plane. Jet planes were still very new when the city was being
planned in 1960. Back then, Brazil was still a backward and undeveloped country.
The shape of a jet plane symbolised Brasφlia’s intent to be very modern –
and perhaps symbolised the fact that the Brasφlia was intended to lead Brazil on a
journey into the modern age. In some respects it has succeeded.
3. Gareth Farrow, Bucklands Beach Intermediate School
What do you like best about Brasφlia?
The city is safer and cleaner than other cities in Brazil. They even have a speed limit
on the road which people actually stick to (and there are speed cameras if you don’t
stick to it). The city is big and has lots of space.
Unlike many other cities in Brazil, it is possible to walk around the streets at night
and feel relatively safe.
4. Glenbervie School
What sort of workforce did it take to build and design the city of Brasφlia in just three years?
There were some talented designers and engineers employed to drive the project. But the
majority of the people were unskilled labourers who cleared and prepared the land for
building, and provided the manual labour for the actual construction. There were lots of
workers. There were at least 100,000 and some people say there were as many as 1 million.
5. Kelburn Normal School
Did you encounter any diseases on your trip?
The only disease that I’ve had was one called giardia. It’s caused by a bug
carried in untreated water.
But I’ve also met lots of people who’ve had malaria.
One person I met on the riverboat had had it five times (and I met someone in Peru who
thought she had it). I’m taking special pills called chloroquine which should stop me
catching malaria.
There are lots of other diseases in the rainforest, but I haven’t travelled into
any of the high-risk areas.
6. Trudi Keighley, Ahititi School
If the city was designed for 500,000 people how did they fit all the extra people
in?
There was lots of empty land in land around Brasφlia,
so lots of new buildings have been built here since the city was inaugurated in 1960. New
areas are also being built outside the city – Brasφlia is still expanding.
Buying land around expanding cities is a good investment. I met a person who said
he’d bought land outside another Brazilian city five years ago. He originally paid
$20,000 for it, but it is now worth $200,000 – it increased its value 10 times in
just five years.
7. Blair Falconer, Blue Mountain College
What jobs are available for people just leaving school?
It depends on your skills. If you have few skills it can be difficult getting a good
job. Many people go onto University or do some other training to help them get more
interesting and better-paying jobs (although not everyone who wants to can afford to do
this). Jobs for school leavers are usually as shop assistants, simple office work, or
labouring.
Brasφlia’s jobs are basically similar to
New Zealand jobs – there are people who work in shops, in factories, teachers,
doctors, nurses, policemen, firemen, office workers, and lots more.
8. Felicity Owen, Bucklands Beach Intermediate School
Did you and the people you have met in South America laugh at the same things?
Often we did when funny things happened – like when people (usually me) did silly
things. Smiles are contagious despite any language difficulties. Unfortunately, troubles
with the language meant that I missed out on lots of good jokes (often everyone around me
was laughing while I was still trying to figure out what was said). The Brazilian people
are very good natured and laugh lots.
9. Anna Fitz-Gibbon, Glenbervie School
Is there a lookout point within Brasilia
where you can see the actual shape of the aeroplane?
The best way to see the shape of the city is in an airplane or helicopter. But you can
sometimes get an idea of the shape when standing near the government buildings at the
"nose" of the plane. The best view can probably be seen from the tall buildings
behind the congress building.
10. Kelburn Normal School
What creatures have you encountered in the Amazon?
I've encountered lots. There were dolphins and piranhas in the rivers, alligators
basking on the riverbanks in Manu Reserve, monkeys swinging through the trees in the rainforest,
and macaws and other birds flying overhead.
In some areas there were also lots of mosquitoes
and other bugs.
11. Misty Gibbs, Ahititi School
Have you heard the Brazilian national anthem and if so what is your opinion of it?
I've heard the national anthem o TV before soccer games – but I can't say that it
stood out very much. It sounded a little solemn and bland, though I think that most
national anthems do when they're not your own. Brazilians would probably feel the same if
they heard New Zealand's national anthem.
12. Mark Snape, Blue Mountain College
What sort of transport is used by people in Brasilia?
Brasφlia is a city designed for cars. There are lots of big motorways which are very
well-designed – as a result, driving around Brasφlia is very quick and easy.
Unfortunately, the fact that the city has been designed for cars means that everything is
very spread out. In fact, Brasφlia is the best city for driving in Brazil since the
people actually stick to the speed limit and drive responsibly.
But the city isn't very good for exploring on foot since you have to walk a long way in
the hot sun without shade. There is a good bus service for the people who live in
Brasφlia and don't own cars, although it seems to be more expensive thn in other
Brazilian cities.
Brasφlia would seem to be a perfect city for bicycles since it is flat and very spread
out. But I have only seen two bicycles in my stay in the city.
13. Stacey Young, Bucklands Beach Intermediate School
Which food will you remember as being the most unusual you have tasted and why
don't we have this food in New Zealand?
The best food has been guarana. It is a berry which can be made into a drink called
Suco de Guarana (of which the best is made at a place called Skinas dos Sucos in Manaus). Suco de guarana (if made well) tastes a little
nutty and very delicious. Guarana contains a high level of caffeine, and is said to have
strong medicinal properties.
Unfortunately, guarana is little-known outside the Amazon region and isn't available in
New Zealand. I have seen it listed as an ingredient in a few products available in New
Zealand, but they aren't as good as the real thing.
14. Glenbervie School
How does their personal hygiene compare to New Zealand’s - soap, toothpaste,
bathing, flush toilets, toilet paper etc?
Most Brazilians are just the same as us – though, because of the heat I think that
they probably shower even more regularly than we do in New Zealand (2 or 3 times a day).
They buy many of the same products that we do (many of the brands in the local shops are
the identical to those in New Zealand – Colgate, Rexona, Close-up, Wella etc).
Most places have flush toilets. The only difference is that they don’t flush the
toilet paper since the plumbing here uses thinner pipes and the paper may block them up.
Instead the used toilet paper goes into a small wastebasket next to the toilet bowl and is
emptied regularly.
Life in the rainforest is different, but hygiene is still important – because hot
tropical conditions are prime conditions for infections to develop. Most people living in
the rainforest wash regularly (at least once a day), and if they don't have flush toilets
then the toilet or waste area is located away from the main living or food preparation
areas.
15. Kelburn Normal School
Did you meet any Amazon Indians on your trip and
if so were they hostile?
The Amazon Indians that I met were accultured. This means that they wore normal
clothes, sport shoes, and most had TV. In other words, they weren’t too much
different from you or me. The more traditional Indians were in very remote areas that I
had problems getting to (maybe next time).
16. Cheryl Gray, Ahititi School
What is it like around the city area: jungle, farm or river?
Most of the area around the cities have been developed. Often these are farms where
people raise farm animals or grow food that can then be sold in the nearby city. Although,
the farmland here is less productive than most New Zealand farms.
17. Clint Robinson, Blue Mountain College
Would you please describe the differences between the most expensive and the poorest
homes?
There are some very rich people in Brazil – much richer than you or I could ever
imagine. A very small number of people (6% of the population) control over 56% of the
total economy. They have lots of money and live in huge mansions with servants, fancy
cars, and lots of holiday homes all over the world.
The poorest people live in the streets of the cities and don’t even have houses.
They just lie down on pieces of cardboard and try to seek shelter in doorways and other
places whenever it rains. You can often see them on the street begging for money.
18. Elna Fourie, Bucklands Beach Intermediate School
What has been the most memorable event of your adventure and what is the most
forgettable event?
The best thing was my time in the rainforest in Peru
– especially one night when we went out spotting tapirs. The event I’d like to
forget the most was my day stuck in La Paz and feeling very sick while I was waiting for
an airplane back to Manaus.
19. Glenbervie School
Have you managed to visit any schools as you had hoped to? If so what did you feel
were the main differences between their school and education compared to ours?
I saw some schools in the South of the country and wandered around some smaller ones
within Amaz⌠nia (but it wasn’t anything official because most of the teachers
didn’t speak English, and my Portuguese
isn’t very good – so I feel very dumb trying to make special arrangements).
The city schools are similar to NZ ones, but not as well equipped. The schools in
remote areas are very barren and have difficulties with even the simplest things like
books (and the teachers are often not very well trained). I think that public education in
New Zealand is definitely better.
Rich people in Brazil usually send their children to expensive public schools which
have lots of facilities and import their teachers from England or the United States.
20. Kelburn Normal School
How do you feel in a big city after being in the Amazon?
It feels very much like being back in "civilisation". There is even a
McDonalds in Brasφlia, and the inevitable
McDonalds’ wrappers in the streets.
However, things here are also very much more expensive. My hotels in Amaz⌠nia
generally cost R$10 ($NZ 15) per night – but here in Brasφlia an average hotel costs
R$60 ($NZ 90) per night! Most people that I have talked to have commented that Brazil is a
very expensive country.
Part 2
1. Abby Smith, Oreti Plains School
Why did they make Brasφlia the capital of
Brazil?
It was a political move by the then-President, Juscelino Kubitschek, to develop the
territory in the backlands of Central Brazil and to make Brazil a modern country. It made
him look very good with the people (though few of them realised how much it cost).
The decision was made by politicians who thought it was a good idea.
2. Tara King, Pitt Island School
What impression does the city and its people give you?
The city is big and well laid-out, clean, and feels quite safe. It has some interesting
buildings, but feels a little sterile. Everything is widely spaced and there are lots of
motorways – it sometimes seems as if the city was made for cars and not people!
Trying to walk places is hard work because everything is so far away, and there is little
shade from the hot sun.
The city seems very American or European. The people are mostly white (or a light shade
of brown), slim, and good-looking.
Overall, I like the city (I’d expected to hate it). The people are friendly and
helpful, and my only real complaint is that things here are so expensive.
3. St John’s Hill School
How many people live in Brasφlia?
There are about two million people living in Brasφlia, and even more people living in
the small satellite centres outside.
4. Samantha, Thorrington School
Why did the city of Brasφlia evolve? Was it
planned?
The city was planned from the start as Brazil’s new capital. From the very
beginning it was planned to have all the facilities required – government buildings
and offices, shops and theatres, major roads, an airport, and apartment blocks. It was all
carefully planned and designed by the city’s chief architect, Oscar Niemeyer.
The city has had lots of criticism – but I think the city is coming of age.
Brasφlia is actually a nice place to live, and there is lots of new building going on
around the city. There is plenty of space, so constructing new buildings isn’t a
problem.
5. Penelope Baldwin, Waimauku School
Describe the major industries in Brasφlia?
What do they export/import?
Brasφlia doesn’t have a lot of factories. Most of Brazil’s industry is
concentrated around Sπo Paulo in the south of the country. Brasφlia’s biggest
industry is the government, as well as lots of malls and service industries to serve the
politicians, bureaucrats, and overseas embassy staff who work here.
There are also lots of hotels and banks.
6. Luka Lainchbury, Oreti Plains School
What kind of transport do they use in Brasφlia?
The city is big and spread out, and there are lots of major roads. This means that the
easiest and most convenient way to travel around is by car. There is a huge bus terminal
in the centre of the city, and the bus services seem to be very good for those people who
don’t have cars (though the ticket prices are higher than the other Brazilian cities
I’ve visited).
You can walk around the city – but the fact that it is so spread out, and there is
little shelter from the sun along the city’s walkways, makes walking very hot and
tiring.
7. Ryan Lanauze, Pitt Island School
Is there a problem with violence or gangs in Brasφlia?
Brasφlia is the safest feeling of all the Brazilian cities that I’ve been to.
I’ve been told that there is very little violence or gang problems here. I’ve
been walking by myself at night, have gotten lost, and gone into areas that I probably
shouldn’t – without anything happening or feeling threatened.
But there is some crime. On the day that I arrived the biggest news story was the
capture of a gang of kidnappers. They’d taken the son of a high-ranking politician,
but the police had traced the payphone that they were calling from. The police followed
the kidnappers back to their house then stormed in with guns and other weapons. There was
a gunfight, but the police captured all the kidnappers and returned the politician’s
son unharmed. The parents and the son looked very happy when they were reunited.
8. St John’s Hill School
Have you had a chance to visit a school in Brasφlia?
If so could you tell us about it?
No, I arrived in Brasφlia over the weekend and don’t really know my way around
the place. I know no one here and, to be honest, I feel a little lost. But I guess the
schools here are similar to the ones I’ve seen in other cities – and probably
not greatly different to New Zealand schools.
Brasφlia seems to be quite a rich city (compared to elsewhere in Brazil), so I guess
the schools here are quite well equipped.
9. Paul, Thorrington School
Do the Brazilians have a leader? If so does he/she run the place fairly? If not, who
decides the law?
Brazil has a President, just like the United States (in fact, their political system
appears based on the American model – and Brazil was once known as "The United
States of Brazil").
Unfortunately, the politicians here have a bad reputation for corruption. Some people
go into politics because it is a good way to make money. They reason that since all the
other politicians are stealing money then it is okay for them to do also. Brazil’s
previous politican was called Fernando Collor de Mello. He resigned in 1992 amid charges
that he’d led a gang that stole over US$1 billion dollars from the economy. The
courts found him "not guilty" but there is a lot of doubt about how this verdict
was reached (some people think that he just paid out a lot of money). De Mello no longer
lives in Brazil – he is enjoying "retirement" in Europe and the United
States, and it is clear that he got a lot of money from somewhere.
Brazilians have frequently commented to me about the amount of corruption in their
government and the problems which this causes for their country.
10. Daniel Fawkner, Waimauku School
What are the leisure activities of people living in Brasφlia?
Soccer is popular in Brasφlia, just like everywhere else in Brazil and South America.
But there are also several parks, with lakes for swimming, where many people relax during
the weekends.
Brasφlia has a large central theatre, and there are also some good shopping malls
where people can spend their time (and money).
11. Chris Whyte, Oreti Plains School
How do the people in Brasφlia dress?
They dress much the same as people in New Zealand. In Amaz⌠nia, lots of people were
wearing t-shirts, shorts, and jandals. But most of the people in Brasφlia dress a little
more formally – wearing jeans or long trousers, shirts, and sports shoes. Being the
capital and a business centre, there are also people around wearing suits.
12. Travis King, Pitt Island School
Are fashion fads followed in the city? What is the "in" thing in Brasφlia?
I’m not sure what the "in" thing is. But the insides of the clothes
shops in the shopping malls look much the same as clothes shops in New Zealand.
Theoretically it is winter here, but the weather is still hot – currently 29░C.
As a result, a lot of the clothes are made of light or other fabrics, and some of the
women wear very skimpy tops (not that I’ve been trying hard to notice).
13. St John’s Hill School
What are the similarities and differences between Brasφlia and a city in New
Zealand?
The biggest difference is in the roads and motorways. I think that driving around
Brasφlia is definitely better than in most NZ cities (this is the advantage of being a
"planned" city). The other difference is that the weather here is a lot hotter
– like Australia, lots of the grass areas are brown and don’t seem very fertile.
14. Lisa, Thorrington School
Have you been to one of the famous buildings in Brasφlia,
if so can you tell us about one of the buildings you saw?
I’ve been to a few. I’ve been inside the cathedral – the inside of which
is very beautiful, and much more refreshing from the old cathedrals that I’ve been
in. I’ve also been into the congress building where the Brazilian politicians discuss
and vote on new laws.
The cathedral is very beautiful, and must be quite inspiring for the people who worship
there. Apart from the frame, the walls are all stained-glass windows. The Congress
building is interesting, but its early 1960s design now looks very dated and I don’t
think it has ever been refurbished. The desks in the debating chambers all have electronic
buttons so that votes are counted automatically with the results shown on a scoreboard
(the buttons are in a handhole inside the desk so that they can vote without anyone seeing
which button they pressed).
15. Bronwyn Lucas, Waimauku School
What people/cultures make up the city of Brasφlia?
Do you see any Indians? If so what tribe are they?
Almost everyone in Brasφlia is an immigrant from elsewhere in Brazil. This means that
there are few local customs or traditions (the Indians in this area were defeated and died
out a long time ago).
I get the impression that most people here have come from Brazil’s southern
regions, because most of the people here are white European (unlike Northern Brazil, where
many of the people are Afro-Brazilian).
16. Justine McFarlane, Oreti Plains School
What was the most dangerous animal you saw during your time in Amaz⌠nia?
I saw Pumas and Jaguar
in the Museu Emilo Goeldi in BelΘm – but that probably doesn’t count. During my
time in the rainforest and on the rivers, I saw jacarΘ
(alligators), piranha, and a couple of snakes – but none of them were really dangerous so
longs as you left them alone or were careful. Some of the animals like monkeys or bats could
have potentially been dangerous if they were carrying rabies and bit me.
17. James Moffett, Pitt Island School
When you leave Brazil what are you going to do? Are you going to do any more
journeys?
I’ll return to New Zealand, and work for a while in NZ or Australia so that I can
earn money to attend university in the United States. Hopefully I’ll be able to make
some arrangements to go to university towards the end of next year. I may attempt a
similar project for American schools (hopefully with more resources and people) as part of
my Masters degree in Instructional Systems Design.
18. St John’s Hill School
What was the best part of your trip?
The best part of my trip was the time spent in the
Peruvian rainforest, and particularly at the Manu Wildlife Centre. I saw lots of
animals and learnt a lot about the rainforest.
But I’ve also enjoyed most other things about my trip and have met lots of
interesting people. I’d like to return to some of the places, and revisit my new
friends, at some time in the future.
19. Gavin, Thorrington School
What are the effects of the large population compared to the planned size of
500,000?
There is lots of space in Brasφlia – so
the fact that there are now about 2 million people here instead of the originally planned
500,000 hasn’t made a huge impact. There are lots of houses, and I haven’t seen
any slums (though there are reputed to be some outside the city). The streets are clean
and I haven’t seen any pollution (though I haven’t seen how the city processes
its waste, which may be resulting in some pollution).
20. Micheal Bertleson, Waimauku School
What makes Brasφlia a city worth visiting?
I think that its architecture and recent history are both very interesting. It is a
planned city – so is a little bit different from most other places.
But, if I was making a recommendation to anyone, I'd tell them that it's possible to
see all the buildings in a just a day or so, and that the high costs of staying here means
that it isn’t worth staying any longer than one or two days.
 
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