Jesuit José of Anchieta (1534-1597), one of the founders of São Paulo, is also known as the Apostle to Brazil. He arrived in São Vicente in 1553 and eventually became fluent in the indigenous Tupi language. He was canonized by Pope Francis in 2014. St. Anchieta is at the beginning Read more…
When I awake on Friday morning, the first thing I think about is the time I have left at my host family’s home. I look back on everything I have experienced in the almost two weeks we have been in Sao Paulo, and I try to grasp that we are Read more…
Today was the first time that my roommate and I got to spend a full day entirely with our host family. After many early mornings and long classes, relaxing and spending the day with them was so lovely. After sleeping in a little, we ate breakfast and spent some time Read more…
Recently, I’ve flown twice on two different airplanes, and doing so has helped me realise something important about this trip: going on this trip wasn’t quite so impossible in the end. At the beginning of these three weeks (or, even at the beginning of this semester) I couldn’t quite believe Read more…
During my time in Brazil, I have consistently observed the extensive range of similarities and differences between our country and this place. On certain occasions, I could almost convince myself that I was in the United States, but on others, I felt completely disoriented in a completely unfamiliar environment. When Read more…
I have always loved the phrase ‘family is more than blood’ as family can be much more than those who are directly related to you. I call my close friends sisters and brothers and see them that way too. Over the last two weeks, I have expanded my family and Read more…
Ever since I have been in Brazil, it has been nothing but an adventure. I came to Brazil thinking I did not truly have expectations of the culture and the various adventures we are embarking on. However, as we go about each day, I now realize that I did hold Read more…
Brigadeiro, what a wonderful food. Who knew that combining condensed milk, chocolate, butter, and sprinkles would make one of my favorite desserts! For those who are not aware, there are two types of Brigadeiro that are often served. One is in a ball shape and can vary in size (image on Read more…
A city founded by a Portuguese nobleman and built on the labor and dreams of the native peoples. Santos City is one of Brazil’s oldest-founded areas, booming in growth with a blossoming history that made it into what it is today. On this trip, we took a bus tour through Read more…
I enjoying walking because it allows me to organize my thoughts. As a result, one of the things I like about São Paulo is that many places can be reached by walking. We’ve done a lot of walking these past few days of the trip, while we’re in and around Read more…