Being away from my very large family in Brazil was difficult for my mom (eldest of 6 and only one who ever left the city, let alone the country). So every summer break, we would pack our bags and spend 3 months in the neighborhood of Campo Grande- far from the shimmering lights and action of famous Copacabana and Ipanema beaches. Where my family lived had no stoplights. We were the only ones to actually have a phone line, TV, and running water (and thanks to our American dollars we’d send). These summers were the best times of my life. Learning to have fun without toys, but with your friends- making up games, building kites, and crowding around the lone TV with all the neighborhood kids watching Vasco da Gama & Flamengo play football, while my favorite aunt made us popcorn. As I got older my love for Brazil grew as well, and I finished high school early so I could spend 6 months with my family, and learn more about my country. And it was then when I learned how to surf, spend endless nights dancing samba, and was old enough to understand the perspective I gained from all those summers of visiting Brazil.
Tagzania
