Arriving in Brazil was a daunting thought. Every time I mentioned to anyone I was moving to South America, the looks on their faces changed drastically. A quick glance at me and they saw I'm this innocent looking young girl who spoke of adventuring off to practically a third world country. Their faces expressed a mixture of pity and excitement.
With this concern naturally came a healthy and safety message: Brazil is a dangerous country with crime and violence. I heard this so much that by the time I was descending into Sao Paulo, my nerves were sky high. I imagined that the moment I left the airplane, there would be a group of men awaiting to mug me for anything of value I had. I questioned myself so much asking myself why I would leave a comfortable life to go into such chaos.
Naturally, when I left the plane I was practically having a panic attack. I wasn't ready to go into this war scene everyone spoke of, and I wasn't ready because that isn't what Sao Paulo and Brazil is.
Brazil is a country which embraces every culture, religion and ethnicity. You don't have a standard looking Brazilian because it's a fusion of people from everywhere in the world. Brazilians are a nation full of faith; an all loving faith that doesn't judge others because they are Jewish, Muslism, Hindu or Christian. Instead, they focus on their own evolution. Brazil is a country that has a wild mixture of wealth and poverty, and sure there is a huge gap in between. But it is also a country with a nation full of hope and love; hope that one day everyone will be able to have access to good education and medical care.
Brazil is an amazing, curious country.
I'm glad everyone painted such a gray and dangerous image of Brazil. I expected so many awful things that everything and everyone is now amazing.
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