Love on the Hill, Rocinha

Episode 1

Hi everyone, nice to meet you, I'm Maite Castro, I'm 22 years old. I was born and raised in Rocinha, in Rio de Janeiro, I lived with my parents and my maternal grandmother.

My life in the favela was very peaceful, I had many friends and I really liked living there.

My father passed away from a heart attack, and it was all so difficult, so painful.

My mother lost the will to live, to love and be loved again, but with the passage of time she opened herself up again to happiness.

She met Jonas, a very nice guy, who loves and respects her a lot, did everything for her and welcomed me with his daughter.

He is very successful, he has a cosmetics company in Florianopolis-SC, his city.

They fell in love and decided they would go to his city, and I went along since I was a minor.

My grandmother Rosa didn't want to go, because she said she was already very old and wanted to have a peaceful life. She even tried to get me to stay with her, but my mother, of course, didn't let her, said I would have more opportunities in SC and brought me along.

My grandmother comes to visit us once a year, but she said she wasn't enjoying the trips anymore, so she said she wouldn't come anymore because it was very tiring.

Well, I study administration and I'm doing an internship at Jonas's company, I'm really enjoying it, it's a great opportunity.

During this time I met Eduardo, we dated for 3 years, he wanted to get married, but I think I'm too young for that.

He cheated on me with some girl at a club, while I was sick at home, I received several photos on my cell phone from an anonymous number, him with a girl kissing, holding hands, anyway.

That hurt me so much, because I really liked him a lot, I didn't love him because I only had one love in my life. And if there's one thing I can't stand or forgive, it's betrayal.

Well, this love is called Pedro Henrique, we had a secret relationship because my father didn't like his family, because his father was the owner of Rocinha, he dealt with crime, drugs, weapons and deaths.

Our love was so beautiful, so intense and so true. He was so sweet, caring and always respected me.

We lost our virginity together, it was all so magical, and with the person I loved and still love today, even though I never saw him again. I never took Pedro out of my heart, but today I don't know how he is, where he is, if he is single, married, dating or has children. To this day I have a photo of us from that time, we were hugging sitting on the sidewalk, I keep this photo in my drawer, with so much affection. I hope one day I can meet him again.