Day 9 - Tuesday, May 26, 2009: Vitoria, Espirito Santo

by Jonathan Floyd

The most exciting element of study abroad is that learning happens experientially (by doing). Being able to visit a country to meet its people and share its culture has really thrust our group into a whole new level of learning beyond the classroom. An important part of this type of experiential learning is that it happens on different levels, some very large and some very small. Yesterday I had a very small moment that impacted me more than any other so far on the trip.

Our classes were to begin at eleven in the morning so I stayed at home while my host, Daniel, went to his 7 AM class. Early in the morning I heard a knock on my door and when I opened it I was greeted with a cheerful ´´Bom Dia`` from his father, Valdimir. My host father does not speak a word of English, so I exchanged the few pleasantries that I have in my Portuguese repertoire and gave him a big smile. Then Valdimir motioned for me to follow him. When I did we walked to the front door and he handed me a t-shirt. After I put it on, we stepped outside and he motioned to a pair of shoes which I also put on. At this point, I was certain he was going to show me something in the apartment courtyard or on their rooftop garden. When we stepped out onto the street, I still didn’t know where we were going.

Walking through the residential streets of Vila Velha while locals tend to their morning chores is a very exciting activity, even more so when you’re two minutes out of bed and wearing boxer shorts with flip flops. I had no clue where we were going, when we would be back, or even if pink stripes were fashionable in Brasil. As it would turn out, our trip was several blocks across the neighborhood (about a 10 minute walk) to a small bakery where we bought our morning bread. Unfortunately I couldn’t pay…alas, boxer shorts have no pockets.

It was not until the bakery that I realized the true proposes of my morning excursion. The first was very pragmatic in that we needed bread; the second was much more exciting. There had been a feeling around the neighborhood that I felt coming and going from the apartment. In the bakery, I realized that not only were my hosts very excited to be hosting an American, but so was the community. This was evidenced by their reaction when I entered their bakery. I was greeted with smiles, proclamations of ´´Americano,`` and comments on my blond hair (but not on my pink striped boxer shorts for some reason).

That morning I sat with my host father and had a conversation over breakfast, one between two men of different generations, different cultures, and different languages. He told me that he was from São Paolo, and talked about his family and even his dogs. We later toured the five floors of the apartment complex, visiting his dogs and feeding the birds on the balcony outside of his window. I was able to describe Manaus, a part of the Brasilian Amazon that the younger generations have no use for and the older generations are mystified by. I was even able to introduce him to my dog, Dutch, through the magic of Facebook.

My experience with Valdimir was unscripted and spontaneous. Our trip has been a series of events that follow a schedule: we have tour guides, classes, and even certain meals pre-arranged. All of this is necessary to facilitate traditional learning; however, the beauty of studying abroad is that it allows for opportunities like mine to sneak into an individual student’s experience. I feel very lucky to have shared such an experience with my host father and to have visited Brasil and its wonderful people.