Conexão Mundo

Another trip completed, new stories, and a piece of my heart left in another destination. I feel volumes of gratitude to the people I met and the love received. The independent traveler in me had to take a backseat to become a traveler in a new group dynamic. I don't know what luck or fate took place to bring the group together that I just spent the last month with, but they showed me a new perspective on life. Such a diverse group, but filled with kindness and openness. 

Never have I had such a fulfilling job in my life. Experiencing the impact of just our sole presence in the classroom
really took to me. The closing ceremony was all about thanks, hugs, tears, and reminiscing. Not enough time, but just enough to build a deeper connection. I have a million thanks and love to write about, but instead of pouring out my heart, I'll share moments of awesomeness... 

The World Cup was a fun distraction from work. I always knew what game was coming up due to the flow of people that would stay at the hotel that week. It was like a small piece of each culture visited then left us. The Mexicans made the strongest impression with their much appreciated enthusiasm. I got up to watch the sunrise one morning and a group of Mexicans were just coming in from a night of partying. They woke me up with their energy and I tried to chant their songs with them, but apparently you need to speak Spanish to sing along, who knew ;). Some of us went to the Mexico vs Croatia game and it was an electric experience. Tons of energy and you can feel the pride each fan had for their team. The Brazil game was at the same time, so every time Brazil scored the fans went nuts. It was as if we were experiencing two games in one moment. 

I didn't blog as much as I anticipated. It is a lot easier to keep up with the blog when I am independently traveling. If I had to reflect on my small time here, it would be that this culture never ceases to amaze me. Cultures like this no longer feel foreign to me and all the shock of differences is almost non existent. I'll just have to go live somewhere new for a long period of time. Challenge accepted. 

Tchau until the next adventure! 

Brasil Round 2

Brasil again! I am backkkkk. After much anticipation of when I would ever be able to visit this beautiful country ever again, it has finally happened. Even though I have been here about a week and a half, I am finally getting to my blog. I never thought that coming back to Brasil would be through work. I thought maybe it would be through the world cup, but no, somehow fate stepped in and decided visiting the country wasn't enough. That is a round about way of saying I am grateful for this opportunity in more ways than words can describe. Fate is treating me good ;). 

My Work:

My work is more rewarding than I could have ever imagined. Brazilians wear all their emotions on their sleeves. You just constantly feel the love that they give off. The school held an opening ceremony for us to welcome us to their school/ country. Some big people were in that room and being one of the Team Coordinators, I felt the importance of my presence. As soon as we took steps into the room, there were about 100 students sprinting at us screaming, crying, hugging, etc. I got a glimpse into the world of what famous people experience on a day to day basis. It was a really special moment. I think I have given more hugs in a week and a half then I have in the last year back home. (I have learned I need to hug people more). This culture just knows how to bring me to life again. I don't feel the pressure to be a better person, but feel appreciated for the person I am. There is something really powerful about receiving appreciation and love on a consistent basis. I feel the impact of my presence here. Since I overlook all of the coaches in their classrooms, I have the lucky opportunity to connect with all of the students. I appreciate the present moment I am in. 

At the school they have a nice field, so I bring my soccer ball everyday to play soccer with the students. Are you surprised that I am playing soccer here? This blog all started with a combination of soccer and travel and I don't see that trend ending anytime soon! Even though I have already connected with these students in the classroom, soccer is a way to connect on a deeper level. All the students are calling me 'Marta' (brazilian women's soccer star), which is really complimentary. The other day we played inside due to the rain. All the students were eating their snacks on the bleachers in the gym, while we played soccer. I stole the ball and scored and the whole gym went nuts! It was as if I just won a championship game for my team. It was such a cool moment. The soccer moments are great, but the addition of the classroom work just makes my days that more exciting.

The Importance of World Cup in Brasil:

World cup is an incredible time for the world to come together for one sport. With all eyes on Brasil there has been lots of media sources informing us of what has been happening here. It isn't just a soccer celebration here, it is much bigger than that. This country has a fight and wants the world to see what they are fighting for. Brazilians are using the world cup as their stage to fight for their rights to make their voices heard. The riots have been publicized to all countries and we all have seen the intensity of the riots. I think it is important to share that these riots have validity. There is a vast inequality between the rich and poor. The problem is in plain sight. It doesn't help that there is corruption preventing fairness. Brazil has the money to build new stadiums, but can't afford to help the poor. I understand why these riots are happening. I have a lot more to learn, but just seeing the impact of what FIFA has done to the moral of this country is disheartening. I was messaging with one of my students telling him how cool Fan Fest was tonight and telling him about how many people were there. He said "you should have seen the streets in years before". People would paint the houses, have flags on their cars, and just bleed the colors of the Brasil team. The country is divided as to how people feel about the world cup being hosted in Brasil. This article can explain it better: http://www.latimes.com/opinion/topoftheticket/. 

Fan Fest:

On a positive. We attended the Fan Fest (big screen TV playing the game with entertainment) and it was a great experience. The vibe was energetic and just a new experience in general. The World Cup has started!! Getting to work in a country where the world cup is taking place is unreal. Unreal. I am going to a game this weekend thanks to my work handing me a free ticket! whattttt. I must have had some good karma waiting for me. ;).