Admittedly, I should have studied more Portuguese before I got to Brazil. I could have listened to my Duolingo notifications (email and text!) that reminded me to study each day. But, I did not. Coming in to Brazil, I knew how to say “hello!” (oi!), “nice to meet you” (Muito Read more…
“Pray for them,” were the words whispered inaudibly into my heart as I was sitting in an unfamiliar church on Saturday night, in a country I’ve only barely begun to know, listening to a service in a language I don’t speak. I didn’t know who I should be praying for, Read more…
I feel saudade. I’m not normally one to analyze the definitions of words but during my trip here I stumbled across a beautiful and strangely fascinating Portuguese word: saudade. One of my hosts, a very nice Brazilian man named Eduardo (featured with Nate and I below), first told me about this Read more…
One of the few things that I knew about Brazil before I came was that soccer was a huge part of the culture. As an avid soccer fan I was excited to be able to immerse myself in a culture that shared the same love for soccer that I have. Read more…
Yesterday was not only mother’s day (Feliz Dia Dos Mães!!!) but was SUPER busy for us Brazil-goers. We did everything from touring a cathedral to watching street performers on Paulista Avenue. Although I don’t have enough time to chronicle every minute of our adventurous day I will highlight just a Read more…
While in Brazil this past week, I’ve done incredible things. I’ve tried so many new foods I didn’t even know existed, I’ve discovered beautiful parks with trees more beautiful than I could dream up, and I’ve flown over a continent. Despite all of these exciting new experiences, I Read more…
For many of us, spontaneous, flexible, and courageous aren’t really words that are typical descriptors. Those of us in the Honors program often like things to meet expectations and be in order. In Brazil, we have had to adapt to this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and learn how to go for it. For Read more…
What do green oranges, feijoada, and ballet all have to do with each other? Yesterday, our hosts were given free reign to give us a taste of Brazilian culture and show us around as they wished. For our newfound host mother, this meant taking a walk around the local area to Read more…
Família. Family. By definition, a family is a group of people related by blood or marriage. So far during this trip though, I have learned that a family can mean so much more. First, family can mean the friends who surround you, make you laugh and with whom you share Read more…
White Text In our explorations of the city, we obviously saw much traffic, but we also saw street vendors selling their wares, many small shops selling delicious food, and familiar stores: drug stores, grocery stores, gas stations; we even found a thrift store! In all of this people are walking, Read more…
