Anna Stitt

A few days ago, someone asked me how God was speaking to me this trip. I was taken aback. My initial thought was that to be spoken to by God requires some huge service to others or some great realization of His call for what career to pursue. I gave what I thought was a weak answer, meaning it didn’t measure up to what I thought people should take away from trips like this. I said, “He’s letting me fall in love with His creation.” I didn’t grasp the gravity of this statement until I was trekking through the Atlantic Rainforest with pouring rain purifying my face. Experiencing God’s creation in another region has given me insight into His character. When Professor Waverly brought us to the Atlantic Rainforest, she pointed out trees with moss growing on them and emphasized that this was not a parasitic relationship. Many things, including other species of plants and frogs that lay eggs in these plants, thrive alongside trees as they all reach for the sun. Later on the adventure, she pointed out a tree that had died quite some time ago, but was still erect. She explained that often the trees are decomposed before they fall down so that when they fall, they immediately (in less than six months time) disintegrate. In this way, fertility is not found in the soil, but in each member of the environment. If soil were taken from the forest to make fertile land for farming, the attempt would be in vain. Each and every component is in existence for the vitality of the population. What an incredible analogy to humankind in Brazil; we are not made to live alone and compete for success, but to live in company with others to thrive as a generation. If God created animals and vegetation of His forests to behave in such a positive manner, can we assume it is His desire for His human creation made in His image to live in a similar manner? We apply His fundamental principles of loving one another and treating each other as we would ourselves if we cooperate rather than compete.

Kirsten Liddle

Getting to know Brazil as I’ve traveled on these past two trips has been such a privilege. I’m ashamed to admit that before I first left, the only thing I knew about Brazil was that the “Jesus statue” resided in its coastal city of Rio and that a large portion of its land is covered by the Amazon Rainforest. As I was preparing to go on this second trip and explaining that I would be spending my February break in Brazil, so many people asked me what I’d be doing on my “missions trip”. My heart hurt every time someone made the assumption, but I totally understood because before I traveled to Brazil, I really only knew of Brazil as a “developing country”. I’ve learned many things as I’ve traveled, but perhaps the most important thing I’ve learned is that there is so much about the world that I don’t know! Brazil isn’t just a poor developing country, it’s a place with vibrant culture, beautiful art, delicious food, friendly, insightful people, immense cities, and a diversity of landscapes and heritages. It’s home to the third largest city in the world and is a melting pot of people of Native Brazilian, Portuguese, Lebanese, Japanese, African, and Italian heritage among many others.  I’m sad to think that I was so ignorant to such a fascinating and beautiful country and know that with two short trips, I’ve only begun to scratch the surface of Brazil’s history and culture. Now, I am all the more eager to travel and learn about the multitude of countries that I know so little about as I seek to come to know and understand the beautiful and diverse world that God has created.

Martha Smith

To be completely honest, the thing I was most looking forward to in Brazil was the food. Kirsten filled me in on all of the different kinds of fresh fruits and meats and pastries that she had tried last time, and I was more than ready to try them. I was also excited for the 80 degree weather in February, the opportunity to learn Portuguese, and the chance to see actual South American rain forests and waterfalls. One thing I hadn’t given much thought to – and if I had, it was with a bit of trepidation – was the fact that we would be split up and staying with host families. I’m not particularly extroverted, especially with strangers. Add a language barrier into the mix and it was looking like a big awkward mess. However, I was very surprised to realize a few days into the week that my favorite part of the day was rapidly becoming the drive back to the apartment Stephanie and I were staying in. My host family technically consisted of a young woman who worked at the university and her husband, but it really included their parents, siblings, in-laws, cousins, nephews, niece, and three neighbors, all of whom lived close by and joined us for dinner almost every night. There were only two in the mix who spoke English, but that only made the conversations more entertaining as we attempted to use gestures and Google translate to understand each other. It wasn’t long before I was playing a soccer video game with a 6 year-old boy who could only point to my controller to show me what to do, nodding along with a 70 year-old man who was enthusiastically showing me his only English music CD, and having my nails painted by a talented neighbor. Stephanie and I even joined in on the building’s Zumba and Water Aerobics classes, dressing up in costumes in honor of Carnaval. I did end up loving the food, the language, and the scenery, but it was the people who welcomed me into their families and community who showed me the real heart of Brazil.

They threw me a surprise party on my birthday!

Stephanie Piper

Throughout our time in Brazil, there was a continuous trend of hospitality and kindness from every person we interacted with. There was not a moment where I felt lost or alone despite being in a foreign country where I could barely say more than “thank you” and “help” in the local tongue. Even when I was separated from the group I traveled with for my job shadow experience, the Brazilian students I met had taken me under their wings and made me one of them. It’s that trait that I want to bring back home with me and show through myself, the neighborliness that extends to strangers upon first meeting. Perhaps it’s already rubbed off on me; I left on this trip with little more than vague familiarity with the other students and return with three new close friends who I was comfortable with to confide in on our last nights in Brazil. It is my hope that I can continue to foster new relationships formed, with those that returned with me as well as those left behind in Brazil, and further push myself out of my comfort zone.

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Nevertheless, this morning I sat (sweating) in a hot room in Brazil with my fellow classmates and professors listening to our guide explain that Hollywood gives an inaccurate portrayal of rain forests and we will very likely not see any animals, and especially not snakes. We ventured out with serious doubts about our guide’s prediction, seeing anacondas in every tree root. It turns out that she was right. Snakes were absent, spiders not so much. (I would post a picture had I been brave enough to take one- they were palm-sized, and even a long-range camera zoom couldn’t get me close enough.)

Our guide was very passionate about Brazilian ecology, and very knowledgeable about the flora and fauna. She stopped every few yards to point out a moss-and-fern covered tree, a flower that changes color as its pH shifts, or a curtain of stringy roots that grew from a plant growing on another plant above our heads. Whenever one of us let out a squeal upon discovering a daddy long-legs or a large grasshopper on our personage, she calmly picked it off and put it on herself instead. The guiding principle of the Atlantic rain forest, she explained, is not competition but collaboration. The moss and ferns growing out of the tree trunk are not parasitic; the organisms coexist and even contribute to the growth of the other.

It started to sprinkle when we stopped to look at the beautifully misty reservoir, so we decided to wait it out under the protective canopy. Then it started to thunder very loudly, so we decided to cut the tour short and head back to the cars. Then it started to hail, so Kirsten and I decided to run ahead of the rest of the slowpokes with my very wimpy $2.oo umbrella. We were quickly soaked through, and directed our steps instead to a nearby concession-stand type of building at the bottom of a grassy slope. We made it there (one of us by wiping out and sliding down the hill, but you don’t need to know who) just in time to hear a loud crack as a large tree crashed to the ground ten yards in front of us.

The rest of the group joined us after a few minutes, and we all stood wringing out our clothes and watching the storm on the porch of the building. The tree had fallen across the road leading out, so we weren’t sure how long we would be stuck there. However, here the Brazilian principle of collaboration over competition proved to be true for the people as well as the plants. The woman in the concession stand brought us out several rolls of fresh bread and butter, and soon another man arrived armed with only a machete-type sword to clear our way out. We were expecting it to take at least an hour, but he hacked the trunk in half and several others cleared the brush away in only about twenty minutes. What I was envisioning as a Jurassic Park-type situation turned into a wonderful experience of teamwork and hospitality. While I’m sure that the rain forest is beautiful on a sunny day, I wouldn’t have preferred to experience it any other way than in a violent thunderstorm with friends who are ready for adventure and Brazilians who are ready to help us when we inevitably need it.

Photo Credit: Stephanie (along with the butterfly and flower pics!)

We’ve reached the end of our week at Universidade de Metodista, and although I have been bitten and sweaty, I haven’t been poisoned, eaten, or even struck by lightning. I am very thankful to all of those who have helped to make this week wonderful for all of us, and I am so glad to have ventured out of my temperature-controlled room! I think I speak for everyone when I say that we’ve had a blast and would love to come back again. Iguazu Falls, here we come!

Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. -Terry Pratchett

Hospital tour selfie!

While in Brazil, we (the students) were given the chance to job shadow in our respective fields. Today, Anna and I (Chemistry and Nursing majors) had the amazing opportunity to tour one of Brazil’s Public Hospitals in São Paulo! After a short Uber commute made lengthy by traffic (São Paulo is NOTORIOUS for its traffic), we arrived at the destination and were greeted by Fernanda, the Director of Administration and Infrastructure at the hospital, who graciously gave up four hours of her busy workday to take us on a guided tour-on short notice, I might add, since the hospital we were supposed to visit yesterday cancelled at the last minute! A great example of the generous Brazilian spirit.

Fernanda started the tour by sharing a fact that you may find surprising: Brazil has a universal healthcare system! She explained that all Brazilian citizens and even foreigners receive care free of charge at public hospitals in Brazil (Private hospitals exist but are expensive). Around 70-80% of the population rely on this public system. While universal healthcare sounds ideal, Fernanda explained that the system faces many challenges, the greatest being having the resources to meet the immense demand placed upon it. One way in which this challenge manifests itself is in crowded waiting rooms and long lines. Anna and I witnessed this in person but were pleasantly surprised to see how calm and patient the waiting clients were (America, take note! Nudge, nudge ).

As we began our tour, I noticed a strange phenomenon. While we had been working with the language barrier all week, for some reason, today was especially challenging! I quickly realized that this was because our translator was non-medical so not only did she have to deal with Portuguese and English, she had to navigate medical jargon which is almost a language in and of itself! In fact, sometimes I had more success translating even without an extensive knowledge of Portuguese since I had the medical background. It shocked me but reminded me that when I interact with my patients in the US, I need to be mindful of communicating information in a “language” that they can understand! Not only do I get to work as a nurse, I get to be a “translator!”

Walking around the different floors, I was struck by both the similarities and differences between nursing in Brazil and in the USA. I had to laugh because some things are so universal! While the nurses in Brazil still use paper charts to record information about their patients rather than using an electronic health record, they were recording some of the same exact things that I do on a nightly basis at the hospital! I immediately recognized the Glasgow Coma Scale, which is used to record the neurologic status of the patient and the Morse Scale which is used to determine if a patient is at risk of falling in the hospital. Everywhere I looked, I saw equipment that was familiar to me. Sometimes, because I was in my element, I forgot that I was even in a different country!

Proudly holding our certificates!

Besides the paper charts, there were other differences that I noted. One was the number of patients that each nurse was assigned. In the Intensive Care Unit, where patients need the most attention, a nurse in the US typically has 2 patients. In Brazil, each nurse can have up to 10! I’m impressed with the nurses’ ability to balance care for so many patients, and I want to learn the secret of their time management skills! Another difference is in the number of patients in each hospital room. In the US, patients typically have either private rooms where they are alone or semi-private rooms (2 patients). In Brazil, there can be up to four patients in one room, without any kind of a divider such as a curtain. Again I was surprised by the calmness and willingness of the Brazilian people to share. Fernanda explained that while they would prefer private rooms, they are content to share since the care they receive is free.

When we finished our tour, Fernanda took us to her office and presented us with certificates of completion for job shadowing and was gracious enough to sit and answer all of our remaining questions. After we hugged goodbye, we headed back to the University for our last day of Portuguese class and again had to say many sad goodbyes to the friends we’ve made. While we’re sad to go, we’re excited for the trips to the rainforest and Iguazu Falls that the near future holds!

In actuality, it’s very necessary that I consumed high concentrations of caffeine for all the physical activities in which we’re participating. During this trip, we have had the opportunity to do touristy things, participate as students at the Universidade Metodista de São Paulo (UMESP) and immerse ourselves into actual Brazilian life with our host families (this is my personal favorite ?). Believe it or not, going to the gym with my host sister Luana was one such cultural experience. First of all, it was a new enough experience for me to be at a gym, let alone one where working out was more of an enjoyable, social activity than one we begrudgingly try to cram into our busy schedules. Walking in, there was a café where healthy snacks were individually made, a Pilates room, a Zumba section, a plethora of training equipment, and a fleet of incredibly buff personal trainers. It was one thing for Emerson, a huge, jacked man to be instructing me about muscles I didn’t even know existed, but the issue was exacerbated by the fact that neither of us could speak the other’s language. There were many confused, blank stares and some hilarious body and hand motions. I just kept giggling while he was telling me how to breathe and to act like its yoga and to work my “glùteos.” Eventually I won him over, he cracked a smile, and we became amigos. The other gym members laughed at the unique relationship between the silly American who was a little too giddy for the circumstances and her tough trainer who had a wonderful sense of humor.

The same day, we were afforded the opportunity to participate in a traditional Brazilian activity, capoeira. This art involves fighting and dancing, as it originated with African slaves needing to disguise a method of defending themselves with dance, as they were prohibited from learning to fight. It combines so much more than solely dancing and fighting, in that it exercises ones mind, spirit, emotions, balance, and cooperative skills. Eduardo, our Master, utilizes his skills by working with children with developmental disabilities. Our capoeira session began with a story time of the history of the art. Eduardo described it like this: “Africa impregnated capoeira, but it was born in Brazil.” In his lesson, he made sure to emphasize just how instrumental the African culture was in not only shaping capoeira, but shaping Brazilian culture as well. He finished the chat by discussing the importance of rhythm from the music and from our bodies, and expressing ourselves to our partners as if we were having a conversation with our movements. Our Masters insisted we make our own rhythms, but after hearing our attempts concluded we should stick to our day jobs.

We put this social art to practice by first stretching. Now when I saw stretching, you’re most likely imagining each person bending down to touch their toes and maybe following up with some arm circles. Think again. All of our sweaty, gloriously-smelling bodies were pressed against each other as we wrapped our arms around each other in a circle and bent, swung, extended (and sometimes squealed) in harmony with the music and in unison with one another. I had never before had someone stretch my neck for me, but I assure you it was wonderful.
After we were all limbered up, the real fun began. We split into two’s to exercise some new capoeira moves. I would love to say we were striving to imitate our Master’s incredible demonstration, but in reality we were trying our absolute hardest not to kick each other in the face. We did so with moderate success.

Eduardo kissed us goodbye and requested we take this wonderful experience of Afro-Brazilian culture from South to North. We intend to, so if you’re ever in the mood for insight into this truly beautiful expression of the body and maybe a kick to the head, you know who to call.

This may or may not have resulted in injury.

Editor’s note: Kirsten was not harmed by this kick.  She may have been kicked previously by a professor who will go nameless.  However, she in turn kicked that professor.

Our host had invited us to water aerobics, saying it was a special class for Carnaval this week. Of course we accepted the invitation; while working as a lifeguard, I’ve supervised many classes but never have been able to participate myself. The social environment of the event was different than what I had seen before. In part of the class, we were divided up into teams (the other women were kind enough to be sure that Martha and I were on the same team as Gisele, our host, who was the only person playing who spoke English). The game was pretty much water polo, and it wasn’t long before we were shouting along “Aqui! Aqui!” and doing our best to help our team win.

There were several more games. We were told earlier in the day that Brazilian people do not care about being first. Apparently the person who told us this had never met the women in the water aerobics class; they’re all dirty cheaters and definitely cared about winning or losing.

Our team won in the end, much to my delight. Apparently competitiveness is something I have in common with the women here.

I have to end this blog by brining it back to the first topic I wrote about, the traffic.   The flow of traffic has not slowed down since we first arrived.  The roads are a horror even by an Western New York native’s standards. While every Brazilian person I’ve met so far has been welcoming and friendly, apparently once they step on the gas pedal they lose any respect for others. I’ve never been so scared of crossing the road before!

We all had a bit of trouble with the pronunciations, but we were partnered with University students who spoke both English and Portuguese and who coached us step-by-step. I now understand what Professor Betania meant when she described the language as a type of singing: it relies heavily on inflection, and it sounds like music to hear native Brazilians converse! With only two hours of instruction under my belt, I already have a much greater appreciation for the Portuguese language and for the University, which we toured after class.

Every person we practiced with in the cafeteria and on the sidewalks was incredibly amicable and helpful, and- it sounds odd to say it, but- I can’t wait for class tomorrow!

Side note from the editor AKA Dr. Kovach:  Martha celebrated her birthday today!  We (well, really our Brazilian friends) sang to her in Portuguese.  It is no surprise that the Brazilian happy birthday song (sung to the same tune) is far more energetic (clapping and shouting and made up noises) than the American version.  Parabens pra voce Marta (the deletion of the h is deliberate).  We are so happy to celebrate you in Brazil!  Marta’s host family was also happy to celebrate as they threw her a surprise birthday party!!!

Next, we headed downstairs and across the street to explore Ibirapuera Park, a gorgeous, verdant oasis for the Brazilian people in the midst of the sprawling metropolitan city. The park is always packed on weekends but was especially so today since the Carnaval celebrations continue throughout the week. We were impressed with the bike rentals, cycling paths, covered skating park, and beautiful arenas that host many of the biggest events in Brazil such concerts and Fashion Week. In our opinion, Ibirapuera is the perfect gathering place for families and friends alike!

Our next destination was Vila Madalena. A few short years ago, this area was a rundown, abandoned alleyway but the creativity and imagination of Brazilian street artists breathed new life into it! Now Brazilians and tourists flock to see the walls covered with colorful statements from a multitude of artists. The murals ranged from the fun and playful to important social statements. We loved taking it all in and stopped in the cafe for a quick lunch and some refreshing Açai and fruit juices before heading out again!

After taking in some of the sights from our van, we traveled to the Municipal Market which was created in 1933 by architect Francisco de Azevedo. Not only was the exterior of the building gorgeous, but the interior was an intoxicating kaleidoscope of colors from the vendors’ stands. Brazil is a diverse country and the foods in the market had a variety of cultural influences. The Lebanese cheese was especially delicious but our favorite part of the destination was the fruit! We sampled old favorites such as Mango and tried many new fruits with names I can’t pronounce or remember!

The final stop (my personal favorite) was in the neighborhood of Liberdade, the largest Japanese community outside of Japan. In Brazil, there is no typical “Brazilian appearance”. The Brazilian people come from a mix different cultural backgrounds including Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese, and Lebanese heritages among many others. Although our time was short, we had fun wandering the streets of the neighborhood while viewing and purchasing the beautiful Japanese goods.

After our trip, we had a quick rest before heading to the Methodist Church located on the campus for evening worship. Even though we couldn’t understand much of the service, we loved being able to worship with our Brazilian brothers and sisters. A special moment was being able to sing Great is Thy Faithfulness together! It is always an amazing and humbling experience to worship God in the context of another culture!

Today was another fantastic day of experiencing the culture and sights of São Paulo! We can’t wait to see what tomorrow will bring!

We were told that Carnaval would be insanely busy, but I completely underestimated this statement. The flooding crowds began at the metro, much before the big event. I felt like I was hugging thousands of people at one time. The funny thing was that even though the lines were incessant, no one was impatient! There was a sense of relaxation, contentment, and acceptance of the long waiting game. Even more amazingly, there was a tangible excitement spread by laughs and screams of enthusiasm. The journey was an experience itself, and one more contribution to allow us to get a feel for the culture.

Luana and her friends were the ideal tour guides throughout the new experience; they explained along the way, but also went about their normal routine, allowing us to get a feel of actual life in Brazil hanging out with friends. I personally was so happy to have Luana as a host sister, as she reminds me of my own sister at home.

My go-to Portuguese phrase for the day was, “Você quer dançar,” or “do you want to dance.” I of course practiced this a LOT and apparently could say it correctly. However, when I used it to make friends, the conversation ceased immediately. My new acquaintances expected me to respond to what they had begun to say to me, but were instead met with the most confused look. ? I’ve got quite a bit more of Portuguese to learn…

If we learned how to ask people to dance, we obviously had to learn the dance itself! Juliana’s best word of advice was, “Keep your chin up and you’ll look like you know what you’re doing.” The beautiful thing about Brazil was, yes of course everyone recognized us as awkward, pale, “gringas” who couldn’t dance, but they didn’t care! We felt loved through warm smiles, kiss greetings, and dances. Not only was our adventure at Carnaval an absolute blast, but it was also an invitation to participate in the unique, cultured, accepting, bubbly society that is São Paulo, Brazil.

The first thing we all noticed when getting off the plane was that we were not hit by the familiar blast of icy Rochester air. It was a welcome feeling to all of us because by this time of the winter we’ve usually resigned ourselves to our chilly and rather unpleasant fates. Instead, the heat welcomed us to Brazil, and I think it’s safe to speak for everyone that we were all delighted. Heat is not unfamiliar entirely, but it’s certainly been a while since we’ve felt it in the air at home! It  felt like our first warm welcome to Brazil.  The next warm welcome followed as we met Vanessa Martins,  International Relations Advisor at the Methodist University of Sao Paulo, and our host families.

First selfie in Brazil, credit to Martha

As we were lead into Brazil by new friends, we remarked about palm trees and how green and colorful everything is compared to the environment we just left.  However, it wasn’t long before I realized the more surprising difference was how traffic works in Brazil.

The rules of the road here in Sao Paulo, Brazil are nothing like the rules in Rochester, NY, and it was with awe, fascination, and the slightest bit of fear that I watched motorcycles and motorbikes whiz in between cars (who also seemed to do the same thing, when able). I guess everyone here is used to that, since we made it to the university safely and no one seemed to want to drive us off the road. It was at that moment that I decided I would never be able to drive in Brazil; I’m aware of my more timid driving habits and the strictness in which I follow the rules and hold others accountable for them. The movement of the cars was like water flowing, stopping as infrequently as possible as it moved past obstacles and rolled on toward its destination. Thinking back on it now, I wonder if a comparison could be made to the culture we’ve begun to immerse ourselves in, but I think it is still too early to tell.

We’ve been welcomed with open and very friendly arms! While we have spoken to only a handful of people, everyone has seemed to be excited to see us and very helpful with getting settled in. Joana, the woman that Anna and Kirstin are staying with, let us all pop in for a visit before Martha and I went off to Gisele’s home and fed us cake and coffee or tea. We’ve been very well fed so far! Not long after arriving at our host’s home we were also given a very delicious lunch of chicken and rice and beans. So far, I’m a fan of Brazilian cuisine. It seemed a little different to me to have a warm lunch in the middle of a hot day, but it’s not like I’ve never done that at home myself. The time was familiar, just about noon when we ate, but I don’t think I’ve ever had a meal like that for lunch before, unless I was reheating leftovers from dinner the night before.

The people we’ve met have gone out of their way to help us feel comfortable, but I think the others would agree that we want to try as many new things as possible while we’re here… –except maybe driving!

A sunset over the city of São Paulo

Fast forward to today, and we are returning to Brazil!  Julie and I are headed back (without Kevin—we will miss you Kevin!) with four honors students for a trial run of the on-location course.  In May of 2018, we will be taking our first Global Honors Program class (26 students) for the full on-location course.  We thought it was a good idea to test it on a smaller scale first!  We fly out tomorrow and will be in São Paulo for eight full days.  Then, we are headed to Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil to see the spectacular waterfalls and to discuss the experiences we had in São Paulo, including:

• Portuguese lessons at the Methodist University of São Paulo
• Seminars on human rights and sustainability in Brazil at the Methodist University of São Paulo
• A visit to the Atlantic Rain Forrest
• A capoeira workshop (Brazilian martial arts) at the Methodist University of São Paulo
• A job shadow experience within each student’s field of interest
• A meeting with 27million to hear about their ministry in São Paulo.

Wow!  This is in addition to normal tourist activities and experiencing a completely new culture—one that is warm, friendly, and vibrant!

The campus of the Methodist University of São Paulo

I am confident that this trip will change the way that these students see the world, how they see God, and how they relate to those around them.  In experiencing the diversity that God has created, we are able to better understand who God is.  I am excited to be a part of this transformative experience in their lives!

I am so thrilled to go back to Brazil!  I look forward to reconnecting with our friends in Brazil, and I am excited to lay the foundation for this integral component in the Global Honors Program.  I must admit that I am also excited to be able to order suco de manga again!!  Stay tuned for future blog posts from our four students (Stephanie, Kirsten, Anna, and Martha) as they share and reflect on their experiences in Brazil.  Keep reading—it will be just like you are experiencing this exciting adventure with us!