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| Ilha Grande, Rio de Janeiro |
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Sergio and me during
Corinthians Game |
It seems surreal that my time is done in Brazil. These past 6 months have been some of the best of my life, and some of the most beneficial to my personal development. Returning to the U.S., I am fluent in Portuguese, a rookie Samba dancer, no longer single, and have broadened my worldview immensely, along with my love for Brazilian culture and people. If I do not return to Brazil in the next five years, I will be greatly disappointed with myself. I am going to fashion my life after I graduate around the goal of making it back to this country I now see as my second home for the World Cup 2014.
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Me making a fool of myself at a
chocolate factory in Gramado |
It is a bit comical reflecting on my first post- one filled with only first impressions and extreme naiveness. I am almost embarrassed of what I wrote in this first post, though I recognize that this only means how much I have changed in these six months, and
actually adapted to life in São Paulo. I do feel that it is now appropriate to point out a few comments I made within my first impressions, and to modify them in order to reflect the realities of my situation upon departure from this wonderful country.
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| Wine Country, Rio Grande do Sul |
Of course, I am still a Gringa here. It is no longer an insult to me, as I know that this term is used widely here just to point out anyone who is foreign. However, I would like to say I was very proud of a few moments when I was not recognized as foreign: 1) Upon arriving in two of the southern states of Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, I was asked if I was from Rio or São Paulo, and my El Salvadoran friend accompanying me was asked what country he was from; 2) During one of my last days in São Paulo, I was chatting with some shop keepers I passed by daily when they introduced me to a woman who during the entirety of the conversation, did not realize I was foreign because "I had the accent of a Brasileira." She apparently spoke fluent english, and when told to speak to me in English by the shop keepers, she asked why, not realizing I was from America. I came to learn that I only stood out if I didn't speak, and was not warm and friendly with every stranger that passed by.
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| Rio During Carnaval |
In my first post I claimed I could live in São Paulo. Now that I have thoroughly traveled throughout Brazil, I have seen some of the greater places to live. It is true, São Paulo is a very liveable place with all of the amenities of a first world international city, however, just like in LA, I could never live there for an extended period of time. The smog and chaos can get tiring, and there is rarely sunshine without a rainstorm for more than a week at a time. I found the city I loved: Rio. It is true what they say- upon first impression, this city has it all. It has the beach and the liveliness of a city, the people are darker and more beautiful, and not to mention downright friendly from the start. In addition, almost everything is cheaper even though it is a tourist hub. This said, upon discussing this with my host parents, there are other realities to consider about Rio. With about 1/3 of Rio's population living in favelas, or slums, on the picturesque morros (hills) surrounding the beaches and city, crime is more heightened than in Sao Paulo. Additionally, Rio's money came from early government investment back when it was the capital of Brazil. This means that the economy in Rio is in no comparison as rich and successful as the industrial hub of São Paulo. Regardless of these realities, I could see myself living here in the near future.
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| Foz de Iguaçu with my Parents |
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| La Bombonera, Buenos Aires |
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| Hawk catching Pirana in Pantanal |
I was correct in my statement that I could not possibly see everything in 6 months. I unfortunately did not get to travel to the north of the country, and will forever regret this, but I will hopefully come back to experience that rich culture. Though I did not travel everywhere I wanted, I believe I still made the best of my time and traveled to quite a few places. From going to Rio three times, to the colonial towns of Paraty and Tiradentes/São João dos Reis, to the beautiful surfing beaches of the south in Florianopolis, to wine tasting and German countryside in Gramado and Canela, to my travels with my parents to see the animals of the Pantanal, and the great Iguaçu Falls near the Paraguay and Argentinan border, to even exploring the old beauty of Buenos Aires in Argentina, I can say that I am well traveled. In fact, from the start of my classes, to nearly the end of my classes, I had maybe one weekend in São Paulo in total, while the rest were spent exploring elsewhere. Though traveling further helped me expand my view of Brazil, I was glad to have my last month to get closer to the people I loved in São Paulo. I even got to experience a Brazilian wedding which was a true treat to see professional Samba and Tango dancers battle it out, and my host grandpa dance to house music.
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| Host Grandpa Breaking it Down |
Most of all, I am grateful that I was able to get close to my host parents. Tânia and Elcio treated me as one of their own. They were always caring for me and making sure that my life in São Paulo was the most enjoyable that it could be. I will never forget how my host mom ran around the house frantically trying to find some ointment or Brazilian medicine to fix my sunburnt skin or various common colds. From watching Corinthians games with the whole family, to drives listening to the Beetles with Elcio, to even just having a pleasant lunch everyday with them at their restaurant, I came to love my host family as I love my own family. It is comforting to know that I will have a family to return to when I come back to Brazil.
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| My Brazilian Parents: Elcio and Tânia |
I know I will always take a little bit of Brazil with me, whether it is the language, the caipirinha making skills, or the warm openness I have learned towards strangers. There are a few things, however I will not miss and have thoroughly enjoyed now back in the US. These include timeliness, extreme organization, the natural beauty and clean air of my hometown in Saratoga, the convenience of having a car and not having to deal with extreme traffic, being able to understand conversations thoroughly on a daily basis, and the unconventional love from my family. My time in Brazil has made me realize my priorities in life, and what I used to take for granted, along with other great values that I never had realized before. As I am terrible with goodbyes, I decided not to say goodbye to the country in which I lived for six months, but just an até mais... until more Brazil, forever in my heart.
