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Backpacker South, Final Destination: Brazil
Nothing wets the appetite for adventure and
new experiences like the promise of fresh
exploration. Have you explored a destination using
only a backpack, a low budget and the spirit
of Brazil in your mind? Well, this is what Shani
Meyer; an Israeli living in Los Angeles did in October
2005. Since she was a child, Shani had an
adventurous spirit. Her affinity for Brazilian culture
and language began as a pre-teen. She considered
it to be so beautiful that she stated, “I first became
a lover of this country through the beautiful melodies
and beat when I started listening to Samba and
Bossa Nova in my early teen years.”
When Shani came to U.S in 2000 she decided to
live in L.A and started to work in a cell's phone retail
store, where by coincidence her boss’ wife was an
Israeli that has lived in Brazil and spoke Portuguese
fluently. She became her friend and was the
first person to introduce to her the culture of Brazil.
“I started taking some Portuguese classes with
her to know more about the intense Brazilian culture
in L.A”. As Shani was already a dancer when
she met Marco Vaz - a Brazilian samba instructor,
started taking samba classes with him. She became
updated with Brazilian events through her samba
instructor Marcos. She later started dance classes
with Katia Moraes and fell more and more in love
with the Brazilian culture.
After a while she was in Esti Ashkenazi’s samba
class and Esti asked Shani to come for auditions.
She enjoys a group called the Sunflower Dancers
and that’s when Shani became a professional
dancer performing Samba, Belly Dance, Jazz and
many more styles. In October 2005 she decided to
travel to South America, but not decided if starting
her backpacking trip in Peru, Bolivia, Chile or Argentina.
One thing for sure she had in mind. “My
final destination would be in Brazil because I knew
will take longer there!” She went with a friend from
Israel from L.A to Chile. After four months traveling
with her friend around different counties in South
America she did follow alone to Brazil through Foz
de Iguaçu by bus. “The famous waterfall is the
most amazing, just breathe taking”. She then went
by bus to Florianopolis, Ilha do Mel, and then
the big metropolis Sao Paulo. “A cosmopolitan
city with a big Jewish and Muslim community, all
them living in harmony”. After one week she was in
Rio after stop for some days in Ilha Grande/Angra
dos Reis. In Rio de Janeiro she trained with a
real samba school community for a month. She says
“It was a dream come true, a fantastic experience in
my life!” Shani followed her journey in the North
direction and stopped in Arraial da Ajuda in Bahia.
Regarding her experience in this small town - one
of the most important spots for international backpackers
travelers like her, she mentions “The city
that matches most with my personality and life style
because it was the perfect combination of all my passions:
a big capoeira group called Sul da Bahia and
a dance studio that I was in day and night dancing
samba, axé, forró and Afro-Brazilian rhythms. The
city also offered amazing beaches and great dancing
parties that let me express myself the most”. Shani
also traveled to Salvador, Recife and Olinda following
her Brazilian northeast route before back
to L.A after 7 months - 3 months around Brazil.
She complements our conversation by saying that
her philosophy is the same where she stayed, ‘I try
to learn the language, which is the most important
idea of traveling and a very powerful tool for connecting
with people; as well trying to learn the typical
dances to those countries.” For this charismatic
Israeli, with a Brazilian heart every traveler should
take time to learn a bit about the culture and the
people they are visiting. For her, it is especially important
to try to meet as many locals as possible to
learn something different from each person.
* Shani lives in Encino, California and now besides a performer,
she is a samba and belly dancer instructor.
She has just got her first capoeira cord/green belt last
Nov 17, 2007 with professor Parafina from Capoeira Los
Angeles/Cordão de Ouro Group. To contact her shani.
dance@hotmail.com or (818) 312-2468
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