Munich to Brazil? It's only 5 weeks, but it's been a long time coming...

The first question everyone asks upon hearing of my trip is, "why Brazil?" I say, "because I adore Brazilians, and I need to see the place that seems to create such interesting people."

The response is typically: "Well, how do you know Brazilians?"

Then comes the best part, the part where I get to say, "Because of Germany"

I always get confused looks with that answer.

In hindsight, it makes absolute sense. Many students in Brazil study engineering. Germany happens to have very good technical universities. So many students study there. There is also the more in depth, "many Germans emigrated from Germany after the war...so seeing a german name here and there is not uncommon in Brazil" answer. I'm sure there's an abundance of reasons why it is so (and quite honestly, you will go anywhere in the world and somehow run into a Brazilian), but my personal experience shows me these reasons.

My personal experience also tells me that I come from a very warm and loving home. So just as Brazilians being in Germany makes sense, it would also make sense that I would automatically gravitate to people of the same make and mold.  By "people," I mean Brazilians of course.

In March of 2009, I met my first Brazilian, and I had no clue that I'd be hooked on his country from then on. Anyone who has been friends with a Brazilian understands this. He, like all Brazilians, was so proud of his home, showing me pictures of Carnaval, beautiful beaches, Ivete Sangalo's amazingly awesome legs, favelas, glorious penthouses, caipirinhas, and more. It was such a different world from what I knew and so intriguing.
And I'm not even going to touch on the language (Portuguese, not Spanish!) right now: the most fun part of any culture.

So basically, I was away from home, contemplating what parts of home I wanted to leave behind forever, and experiencing a completely new world that I deeply desired to keep a part of my life. I hung out with people from every place one can imagine-from Iran and Macedonia to Italy and Mexico, but Brazil got me. The warmth of the people, the passion of the people, all of it...it's not a cliché. I hadn't been there, but I was certain it was all true. There is a unique air of happiness that typically accompanies a Brazilian attitude, and it is utterly contagious. When it comes to these friendships, you can throw any happy pills out the window, and soak up all the spontaneity you need.

So by July of 2009 and many new Brazilian friends later, I was looking at flights. Now, over a year later, I am going to board a flight to Brazil in exactly one week.

So like I said, in hindsight, it all fits.

I would love more than anything to share my daily experiences and musings so that you guys can learn more about this culture that I have somehow come to adore. I want you all to know what wonderful people there are across the gulf and below the equator!

Also, I solemnly swear ("that I'm up to no good") and to keep up with this. I know my track record with blogging is poor, but since there are so many people who have requested this in order to know I'm happy, safe, and well, I promise to follow through.