A única palavra que descreve a emoção que sinto quando penso no Brasil e saudades. Saudades do povo, da minha família, da energia, da cultura e da comida, dos corações dos Brasileiros- corajosos, amantes, cheio de alegria e paixão.
The only word that describes my feelings when I think about Brazil is saudades. It’s one of the most difficult words to translate, because it’s an experience that can’t be explained through language, only felt. It’s a deep longing for something we feel connected to that is no longer present. It’s a form of nostalgia, that incommunicable emotion we get when we are missing a person, place, or thing. I feel saudades for the Brazilian people, my family, the energy, the culture and the food, saudades for the hearts of the Brazilians- courageous, loving, full of immeasurable joy and passion.
Oh Bahia. I didn’t get to experience the heart of your cities, but I did get to dig my toes into your sands on an island off your coast where the sun shone each day through the lazy clouds floating over your warm and inviting waters. It was February 2011, and I had the great honor of celebrating my birthday on the stunning coast of Brazil.
Our days were spent in both relaxation and adventure. In poetic sunsets and caipirinhas (Brazil’s famous cocktail) eating fresh fried shrimp with lime drizzled over them. Leisure mornings eating fresh papayas, guavas, and coconuts, and afternoons riding quads through rough terrain that lead directly to the ocean’s edge. Sinking into the sand I felt at home, listening to the waves lap against the shore, their calming sound reaching deep into my soul. Ahh. Here I could breathe again.
Far from the hustle and bustle of the city I could hear myself think, and most importantly, I could shut off my chatter and scattered brain and reconnect to nature and the purity of Mother Earth. Instead of business meetings and phone calls we played existential tag as the water nipped at our ankles. Nights spent in hammocks swinging and dreaming about the stars, wondering if there would ever be a day we could reach them. Drizzles and warm rains had us running for cover in the safety of our cozy rooms. Churrasco (Brasilian BBQ) wafting into our window, had us following the scent like we were explorers on a treasure hunt, finding the gold that was perfectly grilled meat and sausage and fresh fish. We ate so much we thought we might explode, each flavor sending our taste buds spiraling in every satisfying direction.
We wrote letters and poetry and laid in tall grass. We watched the most beautiful sunsets of my life, golds blazing across the sky like Greek Gods on fiery chariots. Pinks like bubblegum cotton candy, and crimson sunsets turned my insides into velvet. We raced across the water’s surface on rented jet ski’s and explored tiny coves far from civilization. We drank cold beer and listened to the Brazilian heart beat, the drums, beat life into our systems, so that each limb moved in accordance with the rhythm of the music. We danced because nothing else made sense but the samba playing through the speakers, and we imagined we were dancing at Carnaval (which we experienced later on our trip and which requires an entirely separate entry!).
We bounced around ideas like beach balls over volleyball nets, dreaming up projects and inventions and vowed to do something about them when we got back. Because after all, our motto at the time was work hard play harder. And quite honestly, we worked pretty damn hard. As the trip came to a close and our minds had eased their tensions we got back on the tiny little ferry that took us back to the bumble bee hum of the city. Glancing over my shoulder at that little island with its sandy trails and mischievous palm trees swaying in the wind, shaking their coconuts like devious sirens, I knew we would return, if not to this island then to another. For Brazil is a colossal country with a plethora of treasures worth a lifetime of exploration.
The culture, the inviting warmth of the Brazilian people, who welcome you with open arms whether you’re a native or a foreigner, the beaches, the food, the instant family, the love, the music, the HEART of Brazil and its people will leave anyone who happens upon its surface feel a deep sense of saudades on the long journey home.
Brasil, te amo amor <3
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