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| Loving life under one of the many waterfalls we visited |
"Since I returned from my trip to Brazil a week ago, the common
question from friends, family, and co-workers has been, "How was your
trip?" It's been hard to do justice to that question, because my answer
is quite complex. It goes beyond eating great food, coming back with a
nice tan, and getting some cool souvenirs. This trip to Brazil was the
first international trip that I've taken that was purely vacation, not
traveling with a group for some mission or specific purpose. I think
that's part of what made it so special- that I didn't have an agenda,
didn't know what to expect, and that I was traveling to and back on my
own, knowing that I was responsible for myself and what may or may not
happen en route. Normally, this is something that would create a lot of
anxiety for me, not knowing the language and culture, thinking that the
worst possible scenario could happen while traveling. I was almost
surprised when things seemed to go almost too well, especially after
being prepped by Sarah: "Just know that in Brazil, things don't
typically go as planned. Buses break down and roads are closed.
Muggings and pick-pocketing are common. When you make plans with someone, there's a decent chance
it won't work out." Maybe I was just lucky or things were just in
our favor this trip, but the trip seemed to go perfectly with the
weather, buying last minute bus tickets, finding our way to a hostel in
Salvador, and a lack of health concerns.
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| Day hike up to Fumaça waterfall |
One of my favorite parts of the trip was the Brazilian
culture and people. English was not spoken very much in Ilhéus or even
in Chapada, which was challenging, but I was thankful for Sarah and her
wonderful ability to translate for me. There were a couple of times
that I had full on conversations with a Brazilian without either of us
knowing the other's language, because Sarah was there to translate. I
wanted to connect with the people I was meeting there, and the language
was a huge barrier to that. There was so much I wanted to ask, say, and
express about being an American in Brazil. On my first day in Ilhéus,
we went out to eat at a little restaurant in the downtown area. Our
server was a young woman who was studying English and hoped to go to
America one day. Sarah was translating the menu for me and the server
was surprised that I had just come from America the day before not
knowing any Portuguese, saying that I was very brave. There was another
similiar incident on the beach one day, when a fisherman we met
couldn't understand why I couldn't speak Portuguese. It was surprising
to them that I would come to a country where I couldn't speak the
language. It showed me that many Americans are less willing to learn a
second language, while many of Sarah's students and people we met at
Chapada could speak many languages.
I enjoyed getting to know the food, dance, and
customs specific to the state of Bahia. Like Mocqueca, a rich stew made
with various types of seafood (we had shrimp), dende oil (a palm oil that
we do not have in the U.S. and can upset the stomach if you've never had
it), and is sprinkled with farofa, fried manioc flour. I heard a
lot about Forró, a type of dance that is practiced to the region's folk-style
music and is comparable to line or square dancing in the U.S. I also
learned about the famous phrase, "Sorria, voce esta na Bahia!" which
translates to "Smile, you're in Bahia!" While not only specific to
Bahia, I became familiar with the traditional greeting of a kiss on each
cheek for hello, and then again for goodbye. At times I found myself
reaching out my hand out of habit, then remembering that Brazilians
enjoy touch, embrace, and in general are a little more touchy-feely than
Americans are. On a crowded bus, a woman held my grocery bag on her
lap while I stood up, just another warm and simple gesture that I wasn't
used to.
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| Getting some shots of yoga poses with awesome scenery in the background |
Brazilians are warm, friendly (sometimes too friendly!), and
welcoming to foreigners. While it was challenging for me to be the
outsider at times, I didn't often feel awkward because there's always
the opportunity to exchange a smile with someone, even if you don't
speak their language. Brazilians seem to have a way of expressing
themselves in a very unique and passionate way. From the tour guides on
our trek who we got to know pretty well, and other Brazilian tourists, I
appreciated the richness (as Sarah translated) of their descriptions of
the beautiful scenes we were seeing, the importance of making the most
of our time in Chapada, and offering us a blessing as we hiked.
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| Getting tired of all the long and extremely bumpy van rides |
So how was my trip? It changed me in
unexpected ways. Some things had nothing to do with Brazil, but the
personal journey I was on to get to this place in my life where I had
the opportunity to take a trip of a lifetime. I still feel that words,
and even pictures, can't explain the beauty that I was able to
experience in some of the most remote places in Brazil. I will visit
those places in my mind often when I want to remember how simple life
can be, free of the stress of the demands of work, traffic, and money.
Even during the uncomfortable moments with snakes, bugs, horribly bumpy
car rides, burning calves, and complete exhastion, nothing is ever really
that bad. You can always come out on the other side feeling full of
appreciation and love for what you are apart of in that moment. It was
that feeling of helplessness at times, with a consistent need for Sarah
to explain, translate, show, and answer questions, that I realized what
it feels like for those coming to the U.S. for the first time. It helps
me to have more compassion and sensitivity for immersing oneself into
another culture for the first time. One of the best parts of the trip,
that even surpassed being in the most beautiful location was being able
to be with my dear friend Sarah. Sarah is someone who I can be
completely myself and honest with, who accepts my weaknesses, who
encourages me to be an even better me, and (we realized during the trip)
is often thinking the same thoughts as me at the exact same time.
There's something very life-giving and soul-sustaining to have a person
like that in your life, knowing that it is a friendship that is based
on unconditional love and acceptance.
I am thankful to have had this amazing opportunity
to travel in and experience Brazil. It showed me that we are all
just people, no matter where we live, and despite our differences, we
can live a richer life for having experienced each others' culture."
-By Erica Cheslock
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