Singing in the Rain – Grace Turner

Okay Mom, you were right. I should have packed an umbrella. Although Brazil is commonly associated with a warm and sunny climate, I have come to realize how unrealistic it is to anticipate this type of weather everyday. This became especially evident while attending Virada Cultural, an enormous music festival located in the city of São Paulo. Upon arrival, my hopes of getting an Instagram-worthy picture were crushed as a downpour of rain descended upon the crowd at a rapid pace. I would have been completely drenched if not for my wonderful host mother, Monica, who came prepared with umbrellas.

While I was busy feeling betrayed by my weather app for its deceptive reports of sunshine, I noticed the people at the festival remained unbothered as they smiled, swayed, and sang along to the relaxing music being performed. Seeing such positivity radiate from everyone despite the gloomy surroundings made me think about how much a mindset can change an entire experience. Taking inspiration from those around me, I shrugged off any negative thoughts about the weather and allowed myself to enjoy my experience at the music festival.

Soon enough, the sun chased away the rain as well as my bad attitude. My favorite part of the festival was attending a Brazilian rap concert. As someone who appreciates rap, it was very interesting for me to hear one of my favorite genres of music from another culture. I did not understand a single word that was said, but I feel like that made my experience even better than if I did. Even though the day did not pan out the way I thought it would, I still had a great time listening to the music.

Much like the weather I experienced this day, life is unpredictable. As a control freak, I struggle deeply with circumstances playing out differently than expected. However, staying in Brazil has been challenging me everyday to find the joy in uncertainty. Each day has been providing me with another lesson on how to be okay with change. I am learning that even though you do not always have control over your circumstances, you can control what you make of them.