May 16th, 2025, will have to go down as one of the best days of our trip. We were provided the opportunity to go to the Sesc club in Bertioga, São Paulo. Every part of the trip was an exchange between American and Brazilian cultures, even the bus ride. On our ride over, one of the Brazilian students, Bruno, started a Spotify “Jam” where everyone on the bus could queue songs to a playlist that would play through a speaker that we had. It was really fun to hear a mix of popular Brazilian songs alongside popular American songs. It was also interesting to learn what American songs the Brazilian students knew as well. Some of the songs that were played were Country Road, Mas Que Nada, and Iris. The drive itself also blessed us with beautiful views of the Atlantic rainforest and São Paulo that left us all in awe.
Eventually, we arrived at the Sesc club, which had a huge, scenic beach where we would spend most of the day. Even though we only had two of the Brazilian students with us, Alice and Bruno, we still spent time teaching them activities that Americans do at the beach, and they showed us some of the things that Brazilians do at the beach. One of my favorite things that we did was play volleyball on the beach. We had enough people to do five-on-five, with one of the chaperones playing with us. We spent a lot of time playing, and we were talking to the Brazilian students and having them teach us the slang that is used in Brazil for volleyball and other Portuguese words that would be related. We also played soccer for a while, however, it was only Caleb, Bruno, Hayden, Landon, and I who were playing. There was also a pool at the club where we hung out for a while and we taught the Brazilians a lot about some of the games that a lot of us would play when we were younger, we also saw who could hold their breath the longest underwater which was fun. We also ate at the Sesc club, which was set up like a buffet. I had pork, rice, and beans with orange juice, it was a pretty typical meal for Brazilians. It was really good to talk with everyone and get to know them better.
Once we arrived back at ESEG, Caleb and I had arranged plans with some of the people who went to the beach, as well as Matheus and Sophi (other students at ESEG). We decided to eat at a restaurant that served burgers so it was another way that we had traded parts of our culture, eating a traditional Brazilian meal and then having a common meal in America. We all had a great time, and we were teaching each other how to do different dances that are common in either Brazil or America. It was a really cool exchange, and I was glad that everything worked out with setting it up. I also find it fascinating how close we have gotten to the Brazilian students after only a few days. I really enjoy hanging out with all of them, and it is awesome to be able to just go out and it with them after a long day. They teach us a lot about Brazil and Portuguese, and they really allow us to take in more of Brazil, and they make it more enjoyable as well. The sharing of culture between us and the Brazilians is very important because it allows us to make connections and strengthen bonds that allow us to broaden our horizons and create deep relationships. I cannot wait for more exciting adventures with everyone!
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