For me, for my students, the trip is fast approaching. Less than a month now. There and back again -- a hobbits tale in Brazil. Dear Adventurists, Discovers, and Life Magicians,
Greetings from Salvador da Bahia—the black Rome of Brazil. As I write this letter, thousands of miles from where you now sit, a tropical rain is pouring outside of my window. It is the rainy season here in northeast Brazil, a time for the city to rejuvenate its greenery, where an occasional downpour can catch you off guard. From the street below, car alarms are wailing excitedly as people yell and scramble for shelter. While a downpour is to be expected at this time of the year, it sounds as if a river is carving a path on the street below, and I pray to the African deities that my house remains safe and isn’t carried out to sea.
Despite the rain, I hope this letter finds you well as you begin to prepare for your journey. Soon, the colors and sounds of your home will fade away, the smiles of family and friends distanced by a thousand new steps. All that is rhythmic, that feels comfortable and predictable will pass on—replaced by a new world of samba, palm trees, and the roar of the South Atlantic. Are your bags properly packed, your shoes tightly fastened? Are you starting to get excited?
For me personally, Brazil is a very special place, and I greatly look forward to sharing experiences there with you. My first journey to the “Land of the Southern Cross” occurred in December of 2003, a short trip into the rural backlands of the state of São Paulo. Having made my rounds through Europe – through multiple countries abroad – I thought that I was prepared for the “third world”, and all that Brazil had to offer. With family from Brazil, I thought that perhaps their collective consciousness would somehow seep into mine—that I could fake a samba, or pull out a Portuguese word like a rabbit from a wizard’s hat. How little I knew of the universe that lay ahead.
From the first minute outside of the São Paulo airport, my jaw hung open. How green everything was! How noisy, hot, and chaotic it all seemed. Motorcyclists raced at full throttle in between cars. Horns blared. As a farm boy who grew up in rural Michigan, it was all so much. From the warmth of the people that I met, to the culinary delicacies of fried bananas, churrasco, and frozen açai—I became addicted. In the years that followed, I finished up my degree in Anthropology, edited books on the Amazon, and eventually found my way to Salvador da Bahia, where I lived in a favela – a Brazilian slum – working as an English teacher and on a Masters degree in Education. For me, Brazil became a place where I could challenge my assumptions about the world, where I could develop my self, my language, and my empathy for those around me.
As you shall soon discover, Brazil is also a place that will challenge and engage you. It is a land governed by extreme dualities, by wealth, poverty, affection, division, smiles and sadness. You may see things that horrify you—street children begging for food, trash filled streets, a poverty endemic and passed through generations. You may find things that inspire you—a game of Capoeira, a waterfall, a steaming hot plate of beans and rice. You may feel things, simple though they may be, that bring you awe.
In the end, I only have a few recommendations. First, be open to things that challenge your sense of “how things should be”. Confronting a new reality is never an easy thing and it requires a strong sense of confidence, maturity, and flexibility. I’m sure you will find it. Second, try and leave the United States where it belongs—at home. It is all too easy to start comparing what you SEE in Brazil with what you HAVE in the U.S. But this is a mistake. Brazil and the U.S. are two different worlds, and though we can never forget where we are from, we must strive to embrace (and be thankful for) things as they are (this has been the hardest lesson for me).
Lastly, I would like you to keep in mind a quote by 17th century British author Thomas Fuller, who once wrote, “The fool wanders, a wise man travels”. In this great experience to come, let us be wise men and women, with eyes and hearts open, feet pointed toward the great beyond. Your fellow Dragons students are your companions, your instructors your guides. Stick with them and travel wisely.
Adelaide, Isabela, and I will be calling you soon, to chat about the trip and discuss any loose ends. Feel free to call or email me any time with questions or concerns.
Until then, dream of our journey, and I will see you in L.A.
Leo
