Day 2 – Zoey Chandler – People are Precious

      Have you ever heard the saying “life is only as good as the people you do it with”? When I think about my second day in Brazil, I am especially reminded of this saying. Brazil is so incredibly beautiful, and I love being here- but I would be lying if I said that I was not incredibly homesick, too. Our second day (but our first full day) was a very difficult one for me. I cried, I was anxious, and I felt pangs of (false) regret that I was even here. Despite this, though, the day was redeemed because of the good friends and companions that I was so lucky to travel with. 

       I left one of the first classes we took to go to the hallway and “get it together” because I was so anxious I didn’t know what to do. When I came back, I wasn’t met with judgmental looks or criticism, but instead, my friends gave me big hugs and asked if I was okay. When I didn’t fully open up, they didn’t pry, but just took care of me and helped me feel better about it all. At one moment, I teared up during class and as a tear rolled down my cheek, a girl from Brazil who I did not know tapped one of my friends on the shoulder and handed her a piece of white chocolate to give to me. It’s funny how chocolate fixes all of our problems, even internationally! This small gesture from a kind stranger warmed my heart and helped me to see that even though I am abroad, people are still people, and we are more similar than different. 

        We spent the rest of they day after class exploring the city and seeing so much of what Brazil has to offer. I laughed a lot, I smiled a lot, and the time I spent with my old and new friends helped me to see that there is nothing to be so anxious about. Life is only as good as the people you live it with, and I’m learning that there are good and wonderful people all around me- no matter where I go.