Yes, indeed! It all started with my first visit to Brazil back in the middle of summer 1985. My parents decided to take me on a trip to this wonderful country, as a present for my 15th birthday, in lieu of having a Quinceañero (the traditional party for girls turning 15, in Peru and in most Latin American countries). Although I was very excited and intrigued about what I’d find on this adventure, I never anticipated this trip would become a turning point in my life.
There were several things that impacted me during this trip: the magic of Rio’s Carnaval with its multiple colors and the contagious rhythm of their music (there was not one single soul that wasn’t dancing, as we saw the escolas de samba parade before our eyes at the, back then, recently inaugurated Sambodromo); the natural beauty surrounding Rio de Janeiro as well as its spectacular views, especially from both the Pão de Açucar and the Corcovado; the fast pace and cosmopolitan flare of São Paulo; the delicious food (nothing, believe me, nothing beats Brazilian breakfast); Brazilians’ unique fashion style (that’s right, including amazing shoes) and their passion for futebol…the list could go on and on.
Nevertheless, the one thing that struck me the most was Brazilian people. Not only was I blown away by Brazilians’ love for life but also I was very impressed by this country’s vast diversity, in every sense of the word. I have to admit I was pretty ignorant about Brazil’s history and culture before this trip (remember, this was years before technology and the internet made the entire world a smaller place) and, therefore, I never expected Brazil to be the melting pot I encountered!
Our Brazilian adventure was an awakening for me…it was really a revelation! It was as if this curiosity for visiting other places and an appetite for exploring the unknown were sleeping inside me and, once I got to experience the wonders of this country, a sudden explosion occurred and I came to the realization that the world had so much to offer me and that through traveling I could grow so much as a person.
I’m not sure it was something they planned, but my parents certainly gave me the best present they could have ever thought of: they planted in me the travelers’ seed. Of course, it was up to me to make sure that this passion for traveling and discovering the world grew from that point on...I can proudly say that I have and I’m still doing so, one trip and one place at a time!
Understandably, Brazil is still very close to my heart and it is a place I will never get tired of visiting. As it had happened on previous trips, the last time I was there this past February, my love for both the country AND for travel was suddenly refreshed and renewed…after all, is there a better way to open to the world than doing so to the beat of samba?