Getting Famous and Making Names in Sorocaba

I am not to sure about the legality of this, but I have translated the article published about us and our trip in the newspaper Cruzeiro do Sul. Here is the link to the original article (in Portuguese). We take no credit for writing this article. We only take credit for being awesome. 

-Derek

Headline: Students from the US travel around South America to learn from other realities

Written by Andrea Alves andrea.alves@jcruzeiro.com.br

Upon traveling around South America to further understand the cultures present, a group of four young US citizens made an interesting finding: it doesn't matter what kind of opportunities life gives you, but you must find your own happiness. That statement brings no surprise, however what they did find intriguing is the fact that many people in such unfortunate situations of safety and comfort were able to achieve happiness. Each student - Derek Sloan studies business, Porter Jenkins studies statistics, Justin Ashby studies communication, and Dustin Welch studies medicine - have been keeping a blog with texts in English and pictures of the places they visit and their new experiences - one being trying caldo de cana (sugarcane juice)! The final project of the group is, after returning to the United States, to produce a documentary of the trip and make it available on the internet. The newspaper Cruzeiro do Sul was one of the final places they visited last Saturday in Alto da Boa Vista.

The four young men were greeted in Sorocaba, São Paulo by the couple Eugênio Rocha and Fernanda Peixe. All are members of the same church - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints - and got to know each other through missions served in the past. It is the custom for young men at the age of 19 to serve missions, and this was how Eugênio and Porter's father got to know each other. Derek, for example, served his mission in Bahia, where he lived for two years, and thus speaks Portuguese fluently. The other three served missions in varying parts of South America and the United States and have mastered Spanish. "We are very impressed by the Brazilian culture. The people are very happy and festive", said Derek. The four North-Americans, now 23 years old, have already completed missions for their religion and on this trip, they say, they came to believe that coming to know other customs will be useful in helping them become individuals better prepared for the professional world.

Within Contrasts, the Search is the Same

Derek, Porter, Justin, and Dustin left the United States on the first of May, and planned to travel through South America for approximately 40 days. The purpose was to get to know other cultures, other languages, other customs, and get a closer look at the contrasts betweens areas of this large continent. From Sorocaba, they traveled to Rio de Janeiro and after will continue to Bahia. Before arriving in São Paulo they went through Mato Grosso do Sul and Santa Catarina. Before Brazil, they went through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. In the last countries listed, Derek told, they saw extreme contrasts to live in North America. Near Lake Titicaca, on the border of Peru and Boliva, they met a woman who lived with her family in very limited circumstances compared to the live the four students live in the US. 

"She told me they mainly eat potatoes and grains and when I asked if they ate red meat or chicken, she said it was a dream of hers to afford a half-kilo of meat," said the young man who practically became the spokesman of the group. "But was caught my attention was that it doesn't matter if you are rich or poor, you can take control of your life and be happy. I see so many people in my country that live such comfortable lives, with many cares and beautiful houses, but are depressed, they are sad." During this trip, Derek and his friends have seen the complete opposite. People that are so poor, living in very complicated situations - like what they witnessed in the Devil's Mine, in Bolivia, where miners work in precarious and unhealthy conditions. Finding the people strong and happy is one of the motives of the young men on a trip of observation and fun. 

Those who wish to follow these travelers can access their blog at thereisaworldbeyond.com. They still don't know what to name their documentary, but believe they will name it after their blog, being translated to "there is world beyond".