Brazil January 2018
This past week I had the trip of a lifetime! I spent a week in Brazil for my older sister’s college graduation.
So to start off, I was born in Brazil and moved to the U.S. 10 years ago. That was probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever done because I had to leave behind my two older sisters. While we talk every day, up until last week I hadn’t seen them in over 3 years.
The trip started off in little cold Peoria, IL. From there I flew to bigger and colder Chicago and from Chicago to beautiful and sunny Sao Paulo, Brazil!
When I arrived in Sao Paulo, I had another 2 hours drive to get home to Piracicaba, Sao Paulo. Finally, I got to see my sisters again! To spare you of the sappy details, it involved lots of hugging and maybe a few tears.
The week with my sisters and family members involved lots of eating, pool time, traveling, and some Brazilian parties. My family had lots of churrascos (Brazilian BBQs) by the beach and did lots of sightseeing and exploring in the sandy beaches of Rio. We also enjoyed the social nightlife of Piracicaba and spent a few nights dancing downtown.
The main events were my sister’s graduation parties. Now, Brazilians do graduation 100x bigger than in the U.S. There is the graduation ceremony, like in the U.S., and then two more formal events. First the dinner, which is a five course meal followed by dancing and more dancing. Then the ball, which is a night full of dancing and fun and food.
The dinner normally runs from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. and the ball from 11 p.m. to 10 a.m. (which if you’re Brazilian means you don’t arrive till at least midnight). These events are held at big event centers meant for parties and concerts. There were famous bands and DJs, unlimited food and drinks, and the night didn’t end until the sun came up.
All of this just to celebrate the wonderful accomplishment of 300 graduating students. From personal experience, I can say that the $5,000 tickets and enormous amounts of preparation are definitely worth the experience of celebrating with your loved ones.
All in all, the trip was very bittersweet. I am forever thankful for the opportunity to be able to go celebrate with my sisters and spend time with family. However, like every trip I take to Brazil, the ending is always the sad part. Saying goodbye is never easy, but the memories are ones that will last forever.
This past week I had the trip of a lifetime! I spent a week in Brazil for my older sister’s college graduation.
So to start off, I was born in Brazil and moved to the U.S. 10 years ago. That was probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever done because I had to leave behind my two older sisters. While we talk every day, up until last week I hadn’t seen them in over 3 years.
The trip started off in little cold Peoria, IL. From there I flew to bigger and colder Chicago and from Chicago to beautiful and sunny Sao Paulo, Brazil!
When I arrived in Sao Paulo, I had another 2 hours drive to get home to Piracicaba, Sao Paulo. Finally, I got to see my sisters again! To spare you of the sappy details, it involved lots of hugging and maybe a few tears.
The week with my sisters and family members involved lots of eating, pool time, traveling, and some Brazilian parties. My family had lots of churrascos (Brazilian BBQs) by the beach and did lots of sightseeing and exploring in the sandy beaches of Rio. We also enjoyed the social nightlife of Piracicaba and spent a few nights dancing downtown.
The main events were my sister’s graduation parties. Now, Brazilians do graduation 100x bigger than in the U.S. There is the graduation ceremony, like in the U.S., and then two more formal events. First the dinner, which is a five course meal followed by dancing and more dancing. Then the ball, which is a night full of dancing and fun and food.
The dinner normally runs from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. and the ball from 11 p.m. to 10 a.m. (which if you’re Brazilian means you don’t arrive till at least midnight). These events are held at big event centers meant for parties and concerts. There were famous bands and DJs, unlimited food and drinks, and the night didn’t end until the sun came up.
All of this just to celebrate the wonderful accomplishment of 300 graduating students. From personal experience, I can say that the $5,000 tickets and enormous amounts of preparation are definitely worth the experience of celebrating with your loved ones.
All in all, the trip was very bittersweet. I am forever thankful for the opportunity to be able to go celebrate with my sisters and spend time with family. However, like every trip I take to Brazil, the ending is always the sad part. Saying goodbye is never easy, but the memories are ones that will last forever.