This Where I live. This is Who I am.
I grew up in Sao Paulo and lived in the city until I was twenty-one years old. From an Italian immigrant family we always lived in the West side of the town. Butanta is a low-med-high worker class neighborhood next to the University of Sao Paulo.
Located only 15-20 minutes from Paulista Ave, Jardins and the central parts of the town I never complaint of living there until I was an teenager and needed to stay out of the house more often close to the central happenings.
It was interesting to meet people during college time and get to know how was their lives growing up, since Sao Paulo is so huge and cultural rich, some neighbors can be the size of a European country.
Our days since I been back I notice that the neighbor where I grew up started to kick out all the families and build new apt/condos for the students of USP. Just in my street about six families sold their houses and immediately constructions started. There is about five students condominium in my street and unfortunate the neighborhood is losing the living family feeling. A metro station is on the way and more students apt as well. In the middle of all this change, I could find some spots that did not change it all; the main square (Praca Elis Regina) and the long stair near the square (called escadao)
I like to walk by the Praca Elis Regina and watch the senior’s playing cards/domino in the early morning. There is also a lady in a Volkswagen Kombi selling pastel and caldo de cana (Brazilian drink made by sugar cane), (pastel is an fried dough stuffed with meat, cheese or vegetable)
The escadao (the long stair) is a great place to meditate and stay quiet. I saw couple of cute houses along the way up. I like to go up and down in the escadao couple of times for exercising.
Sometimes you have to stop and appreciate what you can have near you and explore it! Where you live and grow up defines who you are.
