The only fight that you lose is that which you abandon

By Cassandra Mac

Not a day goes by where I don’t think of my summer study abroad in Brazil – either for the amazing people I came to know and love, the delicious food I tasted, the beautiful cities I explored, or just the adventure itself.

School has been in session for just over a month now and I have been able to tie in my Brazil experience to each one of my classes. In the Policy and Governance that I am a TA for, we were talking about Pope Francis’ recent visit to the United States and his concerns about capitalism, reminding me about our visits to the traditional communities of the Amazon Rainforest that do not live under a capitalist system. What a beautiful and inspiring lifestyle it was. At this point, not only did I feel a deep connection to the Pope, but also to all the students in my class.

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Rio and the Return Home

By Cassandra Mac

Miriam Adeney once said, “You will never be completely at home again because part of your heart will always be elsewhere, that’s the price you pay for the richness of loving and knowing people in more than one place.”

It has been nearly a month and a half since I have returned to the United States after an incredible month abroad in Brazil. I have been thinking about what to write in this post, and honestly, putting it off for some time because these final reflections truly indicate that my adventure is over.
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Day 25

By Cassandra Mac

Although the official study abroad is over, I am grateful that I get a few more days in Brazil, specifically in Rio de Janeiro with one of my closest friends. Now that I am no longer in the Amazon where (believe it or not) there is basically zero internet connection, I have the ability to share my Amazonian experience.

City #4: Santarem (and about 5 or 6 other cities/communities throughout the Amazon)

The Amazon by far was my favorite part of this trip. This was not my first time here, but this second trip was even better because I got too see and experience for myself how people can live sustainably within a forest, which is literally a dream come true for me. The best part was a five day boat tour Amazon to visit various traditional communities.

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Day 16

By Cassandra Mac

And the adventure continues! Even though it has only been a few days since my last post, we have gotten to know an entire city and are on to the next one. But what a city it was…

City #3: Curitiba

From the moment I first got off the plane, it was easy to tell there was something significantly different about this city when compared to Sao Paulo. The hustle and bustle of the city was pretty much non-existent. There were natural trees and green spaces that weren’t completely surrounded by skyscrapers. It was a breath of fresh air, literally! The beautiful and unique umbrella pine trees for which the city was named after especially stood out as if they were saying: “This is MY city and I am proud of it.”

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Day 11

By Cassandra Mac

As I am flying from São Paulo to Curitiba, I finally have the opportunity to sit and reflect on my study abroad experience thus far.

City #1: Salvador.

Since I was already flying across the globe, I took the opportunity to visit a few of my Brazilian friends in their home cities. I arrived five days before my actual program to a city called Salvador in the state of Bahia, which is famously known for its Carnival festivities.
I stayed with my close friend, Bruno and his family. Although he spoke English, no one else did, and I was fully submersed into a different language and culture all at once.

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The beginning of my Brazilian adventure

By Cassandra Mac

In the summer of 2012, I participated in my first study abroad experience – a ten week summer program exploring the beautiful country of Ecuador. It has been almost three years since my last international adventure, and my craving to travel and live abroad again is at an all-time high. It really only hit me a few days ago how soon I would be leaving, with only 10 days until I leave for my journey to Brazil. Just as fast as today has come, I know my four weeks in Brazil will go even faster.

I think because I have done the whole study abroad thing before, my experience will be different than for some other students. I am not nervous at all about living abroad or being completely submersed in an entirely new culture, although the fact that I don’t know Portuguese at all will be unique and probably a little scary. The biggest obstacle for me will be to ignore the urge to compare this Brazil experience to my previous study abroad experience. Ecuador was amazing, and I know Brazil will be too. But I really have to appreciate Brazil for what it has to offer on its own terms.

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