There’s Something About Brazil

There really is something about Brazil, which just somehow connects me with the samba country.

I remember growing up with myriads of different kind of music across the globe, as my dad loves to put tracks from hundreds and thousands kilometers away in our cassette deck — later, CD player. But the ones that I love the most are songs from Sergio Mendes’ Brasileiro. I played the cassette over and over again until it sounded weirdly distorted. Well after all who can forget Magalenha and all the fabulous tracks in the album?

When I was in my junior year in college, I dated a guy who was so into capoeira — not only he did it good (as in, oh so sexy!), he also taught capoeira and played the accompanying music with the berimbau and caxixi (he made it himself).

Years later, in the first Global Youth Against Corruption Forum in Brussels, Belgium, I met my first Brazilian friend, Marcelo Soares. The amazing journalist/database builder/comics translator+freak/Deep Purple fanatic becomes one of my best friends ever.

With Marcelo in Brussels, 2010

Little did I know, just a couple of years after that… I would really go to Brazil for the third GYAC Forum (and the 15th IACC). Meaning a chance to finally visit Brazil, to have reunion with Marcelo, to reunite with other GYACers, to meet new friends, and to have endless amazing stories to share. It was a blessing to have the chance to visit Sao Paulo and Brasilia.

Sao Paulo, Brasilia, GYAC, IACC, reunion, old friends, new friends, endless stories

This week I chose a Brazil-related topic for a school project. Just because it has Brazil in there.. 😀

I will go back to Brazil, one day, for sure. Até breve!