Throughout this trip I have learned that there is a lot of change and needed flexibility when traveling, especially when it comes to new countries speaking new languages. It’s inevitable to have stressful moments, uncertain moments, and confusing moments when traveling. They can all build up and cloud our minds from remembering the true purpose behind our travel. When at the falls in Argentina I was finally able to find clarity. Everything that felt uncertain and stressful about traveling fell away and I was able to fully focus on the incredible site that God created. I finally felt at peace and my mind was clear. Even if it was for a short amount of time, it was all worth it to truly experience our Earth and God’s beautiful creation. 

As a popular tourist attraction, there were many different people from all over the world visiting Iguazu Falls. Even though each of us were from a different place than one another, spoke a different language, and had a different story than the person next to us, when looking at the falls none of that mattered. Our minds became clear and our hearts became full. The last day of our trip spent at the falls was very significant because it taught us the importance of finding clarity in the chaos that comes with life and travel. 

Goodbyes are always difficult but I did not expect leaving my host family and saying goodbye to São Paulo to be so hard. Tuesday night of our third and final week in Brazil carried in these farewells which made leaving Wednesday morning even more difficult.

At the beginning of the trip, I did not expect to become so close to my host family. However, after spending two and a half weeks in their house and accompanying them on shopping trips, walks in the park, and jam sessions that consisted of High School Musical and worship songs like “A Boa Parte”, I felt as though I had found a home in Brazil. Flauber and Alexandra opened up their home to me and Lauryn welcoming us with open arms. I always looked forward to the end of the day when we got back to their house after our hour and thirty minute car ride through the city of São Paulo and we all sat around the dinner table, ate amazing food, and laughed about the events of our day or the antics of the cats Crystal and Mary. Even though there was a language barrier between our parties, we were able to connect on a personal level breaking the boundaries that the language difference sought to maintain. While exploring the beautiful sights of Iguazu Falls will be a joyous and epic adventure, getting to know my host family has been my favorite part of my Brazil experience.

I will greatly miss Flauber’s “Bom dia meninas” every morning, singing along to Olivia Rodrigo with Sarah, hearing Nathan sass his aunt, Aline, and having cake and coffee with Alexandra on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Their kindness, joy, and generosity showed me that you do not need to know people for a long time to become a family.

Projeto Locomotiva invites children ages 7 to 17 to form a connection with each other through music. Locomotiva uses instrumental education to create structure in children’s lives and to help those who may struggle with social disorders. This program is free of charge with the exception that each student must be actively attending school whether it be private or public education. This non-profit organization opened my eyes to the power of music. 

I was taken aback when I got to listen and watch these children perform for us. I witnessed a huge room filled with many different instruments and kids of all ages. Seeing the older more experienced kids sitting with the younger children mentoring and playing alongside them brought me so much joy. It is rare to see teenagers and children all playing together, and creating such beautiful music; music that brought chills to my arms. These children come from all walks of life but manage to connect and relate through their love of music. It is evident how being involved in this program has changed their lives, brought them together, and taught them invaluable life lessons. Seeing the smiles and pure happiness of each one of those students shows the power and connection these kids have to music. Projeto Locomotiva creates a loving and inviting atmosphere, connecting all walks of life through the power of music.

I’ve struggled with mental health for almost ten years at this point, so every day that I am alive, I am grateful. But this trip has shown me how beautiful and marvelous it is to be alive. I saw this as we were on the bus to the airport, where exhaustion and excitement filled the space. And I saw it even as we were waiting in the airport, where I watched hundreds of people filter through the space, each with their own journeys and destinations. How beautiful is the world in which we live, where 50 people on an airplane can all have separate and equally significant experiences and intentions? 

Second, I am incredibly grateful for the laughter. Laughter as we played UNO on the last night with our host family in a game that seemed to never end. Laughter at a stuffed alligator sticking out of a backpack traveling through an airport. Laughter with our professors as we shared a delicious meal. Laughter came as we went with the professors into a pharmacy to get Dr. Marshall a toothbrush, and we all walked out with a bunch of Brazilian candy. Laughter has carried us on this trip! And the joy from laughter has taught me that in any absurd situation, the only thing to do is laugh – anger or impatience are much less productive. 

Finally, I am endlessly grateful for the love I experienced these past few weeks. The friendships I’ve made, the people I’ve gotten to know even better, everyone!  It’s impossible to list all the buddies and family that made these weeks so wonderful. Regardless of where we met them or how long we spent with them, I have loved people more recklessly than ever before, and instead of being afraid of the repercussions, my heart feels even more full. I can confidently say that I love every member of my host family and every Brazilian student buddy I had the honor of getting to know. Giulia, Mari, and Nicholas are the only ones I’ve put pictures of here, but there are so many more that I love dearly!

As we drove away from our hotel in the chill of an autumn morning in Foz do Iguaçu, I really felt as though I didn’t even care about seeing the beautiful spectacle that I had been excited about for the last two years. The day before, we had hugged and kissed our host families goodbye, and I was ready to go home. Traveling by airplane and bus to a different part of Brazil seemed too much. Telling the people that I now counted as my family goodbye made me want nothing more than to see my blood family immediately. But, there were still a few days between me and my family, and we were going to have the privilege of seeing Iguaçu Falls as our last hurrah in Brazil.

When we arrived in Parque Nacional do Iguaçu, our first glimpse of the falls was breath-taking, and the views only got better as we walked. All I could say was, “Wow, wow, wow!” Walking the pathway to the upper limit of the falls with a few other students and the professors and then going on a boat ride under the falls were experiences filled with many moments of laughter and camaraderie. Rather than focusing on the imminence of our return to the US, I found that I needed to stay in the moment to soak it all up!  Even though initially I would have preferred to rush home after our visit to São Paulo, it turned out that our visit to Iguaçu was absolutely essential. I think of a line in one of Jeremy Camp’s songs, “Help me live with my eyes wide open,” and it feels like the stance that we’ve been taking on this trip. Staying in the moment and living into each moment with wide open eyes to see and enjoy is definitely one of the biggest life lessons I am taking from this trip. 

I would also like to add that a moment I enjoyed multiple times which brought a lot of laughter throughout the day was drinking water. Yes, you heard me correctly. When Dr. McPherson bought our supply of bottled water for our stay in Foz, he accidentally bought many liters of water com gás (carbonated) instead of sem gás (uncarbonated), so every time I unscrewed the cap of my water bottle to take a drink, a fountain poured forth from the pressurized straw! Even something as silly as this was part of the unforgettableness of the experience, and I learned to enjoy the moment.

Our day ended with all of us going our own ways in groups to find dinner, and I went to a Chinese restaurant with a few other girls. Every moment was already special because we knew it was almost the last day of our experience in Brazil together, but the laughter really peaked when our orders came and we realized that what we had thought were single dishes on the menu were actually dishes to be shared among three or more people! We ate what we could and took the rest home, and none of us will ever forget that lesson! Now as we look towards our homes, I hope and pray that we will continue, even there in the mundane and routine, to stay in the moment and live with our eyes wide open.

My host family’s dog, Yoda, changed my Brazilian experience to something familiar even when I felt different. Growing up surrounded by pets, I’ve always found an unexplainable comfort in having a dog around. There’s beauty in walking with them, witnessing their growth through thick and thin, and knowing they’ll always be there as your loyal companion. It’s undeniably a universal experience that occurs between many cultures.  Dogs can unite us regardless of country, history, or spoken language.

When I arrived in Brazil, anxiety gnawed at me about meeting my host family, especially because their English wasn’t perfect, my Portuguese was worse, and I’m not the most social butterfly. But upon arrival, one thing that instantly connected us all was our love for pets. We shared laughter over Yoda’s goofy personality. He’d pop out of nowhere in a perfectly quiet house, panting like crazy because he’s a pug. His sudden appearance would always put a smile on our faces or make us attempt to catch him for some decompression time. Nothing was better than spending time with something familiar when I was far away from everything else familiar. Yoda was an anchor in a new place and an interpreter everyone could understand. He helped me open up to my host family in an unimaginable way because I felt like they could really understand me when I interacted with Yoda. My host family’s grandparents, who could not make out much of anything I said, could still understand me when I chased Yoda around. This sparked so much joy: my own joy as I played with Yoda, the joy they shared with Yoda too, a joy that rivalled their love of football and their chosen teacm, the Corinthians.

Today, we are leaving our host families to spend time at Iguacu Falls, and while I will really miss everyone, I might just miss Yoda the most; just like how I miss my dogs while I’m at school, I will miss my furry friend of the southern hemisphere. He made life so much less stressful every time I looked down and saw him begging for food as he distracted me from any hardship I was experiencing. Nothing is more comforting than something that can keep you rooted at home.

Started in 2001, a community school in a gang-heavy area provides free education and care for children from 4 months to 14 years old. It supports families earning less than 14,000 BRL annually, ensuring even those making less than $400 a month can enroll their children. The school relies on donations and partnerships for expenses like food, diapers, and teacher’s salaries. Despite the surrounding gang activity, the school remains a safe haven, protected by local gangs who respect the work being done. Initially challenging, this respect has grown steadily. Operating at full capacity with 130 children, the school offers half-day sessions with proper teacher-student ratios maintained. Donations also include clothes, food, shoes, and other essentials, providing comprehensive community support.

Children attend the school from 6:00 AM to 12:00 PM, with some parents paying for the second half of the day. Teens volunteer on Saturdays to help with younger children. The school plans to expand by purchasing a neighboring building to accommodate more children. When I was in Haiti, my mother had to protect me from high levels of violence to receive an education, navigating a battlefield daily. Getting to and from school was incredibly hard. I relate to how gangs near Todo Mundo Feliz offer protection; respect alone can go far but can also be precarious.

In Haiti, my education journey was fraught with danger. My mother shielded me from chaos, making each day a test of resilience. Reflecting on my experiences, I see parallels with Todo Mundo Feliz, where children face significant challenges but receive protection from gangs out of respect for the school’s mission. This reliance on goodwill ensures safety but highlights precariousness. The efforts of Todo Mundo Feliz, like my mother’s determination, showcase extraordinary measures to secure education in hostile environments. Both stories underline that education is a beacon of hope and progress, often achieved through formidable adversities.

The story of this community school is a testament to resilience and collective support. Despite operating in a gang-heavy area, it provides children with a safe and nurturing environment, offering them a chance at education and a brighter future. The respect and protection from local gangs highlight the school’s positive impact on the community. Like my experiences in Haiti, this initiative underscores the importance of safe access to education in challenging environments. Through donations, partnerships, and efforts to expand, the school continues to be a beacon of hope, showing that even in the most challenging circumstances, a community can make a significant difference in children’s lives.

Realizing the bonds I have made with my host family has made me realize the importance of reaching out to others. Despite the fears and anxieties of connecting with people from other cultures, the results could be life-altering. I pushed through my anxieties and allowed connections to form naturally and more meaningfully than ever. I have made connections that I will cherish for life and I consider these people who were virtual strangers 2 weeks ago, my family. I will remember this experience as I travel in the future and keep myself open to connections with people despite my reservations. I’ll never forget this experience or this temporary family that has become a permanent fixture in my heart.

When we got to the kitchen at our cooking school, the whole energy changed, everything became much more positive. I realized that this was because the chefs expressed themselves through their cooking. The chefs were so proud to show and teach us their talents. At the same time you could see that their cooking was a part of them by the way they expressed themselves. They wanted to share a part of themselves with us. This was no more evident then when the chefs would proudly give instructions on how to create delicacies such as the brigadeiro and this delicious fish wrapped in banana leaves. It was complex, but it was completely and wholly them.

During samba I really started to catch a theme for the day: these weren’t just activities, these were arts that these instructors fully immersed themselves into, and then expressed them. I could clearly see our samba instructor expressing himself through his dance moves, such as cleaning the floor with his feet, or catching a rhythm on the drums. He was completely in the flow state, and it was simply beautiful to watch. Once again, they took pride in expressing themselves for the betterment of our education and experience. It felt like a transfer of energy just as in the cooking.

As I got home I realized that I do the exact same thing as these instructors, but just in a different art form. Instead of cooking or dancing, I express myself through my athletic abilities, specifically soccer. I am usually a pretty confident and skilful person, and I see this within myself being externally portrayed on the soccer field. I love to dribble past guys, set up my teammates, and do moves most others wouldn’t. It made me feel proud of myself and my instructors on that great Friday, that we can use the arts we have mastered to express ourselves and also help uplift others.