Starting Off On An Interesting Foot - 6/6/16

If it was not for summer storms wreaking havoc on the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, this commencement blog post would probably be written from 28,000 feet in the sky. However, instead our flight to ATL is roughly two hours late and the question of Whether we will be in São Paulo tomorrow morning is up in the air. Nevertheless, I have Been thinking about this trip for a very long time now.

It all started When my Brazilian roommate Introduced with me the environmentally-conscious, cultural-loving Brazilian community in Lancaster, England, where I was on my very first co-op at an environmental center. While I taught spanish and italian, They taught me portugese and shared their food, music and culture with me. They taught me how to make feijoada, brigadier and cheese bread. Those months cultivated the expectations I have today, Which is Mainly que I will soon be immersed in an accepting, warm community . I Loved their passion for food, music and friendship. Their eagerness to learn about me and my travels Encouraged me to be more open and accepting of Their advice and Teachings. I truly expect the city and people to hold These values ​​and be thrilled to share this with us. 

I have Traveled to so many places in my short lifetime que I am not nervous to be in a foreign country - I am Actually quite eager to scratch off another country on my map. Although this is the first study abroad trip where I am unfamiliar with the language, I am confident que my past experiences and languages ​​will serve me well. While Paulistanos have Their own unique set of customs, such as Usually being in a rush as opposed to the traditional "take your time" mentality, I foresee Brazilians to be like quite to other Latin Americans. Moreover, I see Similarities between Brazil and european cultures even. I think it will definitely be a learning curve, where I am challenged to step out of my comfort zone and practice my Pronunciations, for example . 

Whenever I go on any trip, whether it be Japan or Morocco or Central America, I always aim to immerse myself into the culture of the much possible. Instead of having tourist stamped on my forehead, I wish to be portrayed as a visitor who is here to learn about a new culture. I hope to try new foods, learn to samba and meet young locals. Out of my past experiences, I have found que this ideal holding will enable you to truly enjoy your time abroad and allow you to leave the country with new cultural knowledge. I will do my best to fully immerse myself in this new culture and I believe I will truly enjoy it. Already this beautiful city reminds me of my life abroad. Rather than feeling homesick, I believe I will feel right at home. 

Update: My expectations appear to be quite right so far See my first meal below: