Yesterday I watched a short film called "Ginga" which is basically a celebration of the Brazilian obsession with soccer and the style and verve with which they play. At least I think that was the theme. The biggest thing I took out of it, however, was that Brazil is poor. Real poor. I mean, I hadn't been laboring under the impression that the country was rich, and I knew about the favelas, but even so I was still blown away.
The film follows around a few kids who are pursuing their dreams of playing professionally. Well, all except for one -- the lone white "rich" kid from the suburbs. I use the scare quotes because while he was considered rich his lifestyle appeared unremarkable by American standards. One kid -- "Romarinho" -- lived in a favela where his family basically lived in a crowded shack. He wanted to play professionally to make some money to help out his family. While he was happy because he scored a tryout with Flamengo, the chances of him going on to any kind of career are incredibly slim. And then what? No mention was made of any education of any other way to escape from the grinding poverty.
Another aspiring pro made money by directing cars into parking spaces and watching them for tips. After being handed a few coins by one car he said "Cool, now I can eat breakfast." Then he got a tryout with a pro club -- Portuguesa I believe -- which was equally eye opening. The field was a mess. My high school had a nicer facility. The fields I play on now with my rec team are at least as good. In contrast the field the tryout was held on was bumpy, not completely covered by grass and the nets on the goals appeared in tatters.
Think about that. Soccer is the national obsession in Brazil, and a pro club in this soccer crazed country can't even practice on a decent field. And then think about this: according to the CIA World Factbook Brazil's per capita income is $8,100. In the scheme of things that's not even that poor. For example Yemen has a per capital income of just $800. Or Bolivia at $2,600. Or Ghana at $2,300. It's shocking.
The poverty also hurts in less obvious ways. One kid, "Wescley", lost a leg because one day he wanted to watch a game that was only on cable TV. His family couldn't afford cable. So he went to a sports bar, but couldn't afford the $1 cover charge. So he stood outside watching through the window and a van hopped the curb and hit him, crushing his leg. Now he plays soccer on crutches and hopes to make the national handicapped team. But really, what hope is there for him? What hope is there for a guy who can't perform manual labor in that environment?
While everyone in that movie could blow me away on the soccer field, it sure does make you feel fortunate.
The film follows around a few kids who are pursuing their dreams of playing professionally. Well, all except for one -- the lone white "rich" kid from the suburbs. I use the scare quotes because while he was considered rich his lifestyle appeared unremarkable by American standards. One kid -- "Romarinho" -- lived in a favela where his family basically lived in a crowded shack. He wanted to play professionally to make some money to help out his family. While he was happy because he scored a tryout with Flamengo, the chances of him going on to any kind of career are incredibly slim. And then what? No mention was made of any education of any other way to escape from the grinding poverty.
Another aspiring pro made money by directing cars into parking spaces and watching them for tips. After being handed a few coins by one car he said "Cool, now I can eat breakfast." Then he got a tryout with a pro club -- Portuguesa I believe -- which was equally eye opening. The field was a mess. My high school had a nicer facility. The fields I play on now with my rec team are at least as good. In contrast the field the tryout was held on was bumpy, not completely covered by grass and the nets on the goals appeared in tatters.
Think about that. Soccer is the national obsession in Brazil, and a pro club in this soccer crazed country can't even practice on a decent field. And then think about this: according to the CIA World Factbook Brazil's per capita income is $8,100. In the scheme of things that's not even that poor. For example Yemen has a per capital income of just $800. Or Bolivia at $2,600. Or Ghana at $2,300. It's shocking.
The poverty also hurts in less obvious ways. One kid, "Wescley", lost a leg because one day he wanted to watch a game that was only on cable TV. His family couldn't afford cable. So he went to a sports bar, but couldn't afford the $1 cover charge. So he stood outside watching through the window and a van hopped the curb and hit him, crushing his leg. Now he plays soccer on crutches and hopes to make the national handicapped team. But really, what hope is there for him? What hope is there for a guy who can't perform manual labor in that environment?
While everyone in that movie could blow me away on the soccer field, it sure does make you feel fortunate.
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