A gay couple walks through one of São Paulo's public parks Wednesday afternoon. São Paulo is home to a strong and visible LGBT movement.

Homophobia runs rampant despite presidential promises and a lively LGBT movement

In many ways, São Paulo is the New York City of South America.

Race isn’t what you expect it to be in São Paulo

The average American has fairly set ideas about what people from other countries look like.

Graffiti belonging to the Brazilian protest group Black Bloc covers a wall near São Paulo's central avenue. The words imply that corrupt politicians ought to be blamed and imprisoned for corruption instead of young protestors who are often arrested by the federal police.

Brazilian elections inspire protest, not confidence

The first round of voting for the Brazilian state and presidential elections was last Sunday. The structure of Brazilian democracy is not so different from the American system, but the elections here were characterized by a general feeling of resignation rather than excitement for the future.

A young volunteer hands out free water to residents of Cracolândia Saturday evening. The volunteer group Instituto Construir, or Construction Institute, makes bulk amounts of soup every Saturday night and distributes it to the homeless living in the center of São Paulo.

Brazil protests, homelessness differ from US

Last week, protesters set fire to a public bus less than five miles from where I live and go to school.

Water coolers are almost universally used by Brazilian households and businesses, because the tap water generally isn't safe to drink. Local shopowner Rodrigo Batista said his water is turned off every night, meaning water from these coolers will be all he has access to at night.

Brazil struggles with drought

Here in Brazil, I take a 15-minute shower in the morning, just as I would in the United States. I wash the dishes under running water. At home or on campus, I have easy access to as much drinking water as I please.

Brazil Column

Students walk to class Wednesday afternoon at the PUC-SP campus. Graffiti is very popular in São Paulo, and the PUC-SP building is no exception.

Brazil Column

A Brazilian student smokes a cigarette Wednesday afternoon at the PUC-SP campus. PUC-SP has religious roots, but is also known for hosting demonstrations against the military regime, which fell in 1985.

Brazilian students let loose despite society's high expectations

The Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo is probably one of the least Catholic universities you’ll find pretty much anywhere.

Dining

Students sit and eat their food at the Collins LLC dining hall.

Brewers give out hops for Earth Day

In honor of Earth Day, Bloomington Brewing Company passed out free hop roots Tuesday evening at its location at Lennie’s.

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Nick Banks holds out a sample of pelletized hops, which the Bloomington Brewing Company uses in their brewing process. The pellets are a very consistent form of the hop plant, Banks said.

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Bloomington Brewing Company was handing out free hop plant rhizomes, or horizontal roots that grow underground. The rhizome will send out shoots growing to be about 20 feet tall.

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Adam Hamel came to the Lennie's to collect hop plant roots, also called hop rhizomes. Hamel is an aspiring brewer and said the hops should be a good start.

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Nick Banks holds out a sample of pelletized hops, which the Bloomington Brewing Company uses in their brewing process. The pellets are a very consistent form of the hop plant, Banks said.

Aquarium dumps harm Griffy habitat

Aquariums dumped into Griffy Lake introduced an invasive plant species in recent years. The plant’s gone now, but wildlife managers at Griffy want to prevent aquarium dumps from reintroducing the pest.

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Shanna Schmutte pushes John Langey down South Washington Street Sunday afternoon at the 12th Annual Homeward Bound 5K Walk. Schmutte amd Langey were part of a group from Life Designs, a resource for people with disabilities in the area.