What I (Justin) Learned: South America In Review

If I could do it again, I would. If I could do it differently, I would too. Just like life, there are a lot of things I would change. But after all that happened, looking back and seriously considering how miraculously blessed we were with safety, local experiences and meeting genuinely real people, I feel an overwhelming gratefulness for a healthy body that allowed me to accomplish something that will be remembered as an amazing chapter in my life. Whether interpreted in a spiritual or scientific sense, our bodies allow us to do amazing things, we should all be grateful to whomever we believe is responsible for our blessing of this short time on earth.

We learned that the body carried Incan runners across days of terrain to deliver messages to priests. Tribes at Lake Titicaca build their own islands from plants that also serve as there homes and transportation. Columbians built an entire cathedral in the earth, a huge mine that made it (technically) the largest in the Catholic church, displaying an example of man's abilities and gifts available to God's children. Brazilians were given one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and instead of building massive mansions on its mountains looking down at the city, they built a monument to our Savior, hoping to build celestial mansions in their own way.

I would love to understand everything. It would take multiple lifetimes to grasp some of the worlds most basic constructions and designs. However, over the last month and a half I have discovered there will be an eternal lifetime to understand more fully the why's and how's of this life and the next. With the short moments we have been given on this earth, we should constantly search for purpose and although we may not find "The Answer", the journey will bring more joy than settling and accepting mediocracy ever would.

The funny thing is, I am making it sound like traveling gave me purpose, or that I met people that found the most beautiful way of life in adaptation and a constantly changing surrounding environment.
That's not what I found. I discovered one of the most amazing experiences of my 23 years, but purpose I almost feel I had left the second my plane took off from the Salt Lake Airport. Let me explain...

As I stated earlier, we are in a constant search for purpose, it's the reason we are here and the reason to continually strive to progress. My destination is not this earth, neither was it Ecuador or Bolivia or even our last country, Brazil, they were lovely countries with wonderful people with their own dreams and endeavors, but wandering South America put me no where closer to my purpose.

Backtracking a bit, I want to explain something to the few but close friends and families that have followed our experiences. How often do we look for something and have no idea where to begin or even a plan for how to find it? That is the beauty of what I believe is my purpose and the purpose of every human being here searching with me, we have a plan. There is a roadmap for all of us. My experience in South America reminded to never, if possible, get lost on the way. We had a map, and a plan, and we stuck to it. Sometimes we realized our original ideas would be slow or costly, so we changed them and were blessed with extra time in the places we wanted and more resources to do more things. People helped us on the way, we avoided those that would hinder our progress and seeked out those that knew the terrain and could offer us direction. I realized our trip was a wonderful reflection of a more celestial journey that we experience here on earth.

The locals on those tiny plant islands seemed much happier with the little they had and families they were raising then some of the travelers that had been away from their homes for years and years completely alone. Some backpackers I could tell made it a part of their purpose, but traveling was never a search of meaning for us, it was simply an amazing experience in a blessed time in my life where my circumstances permitted me to leave behind responsibility for a short time and to see the world.

I may do it again and I implore everyone reading this to travel as much as possible. I see myself visiting foreign countries and living abroad rather than owning a bigger home or having a ton of nice cars. The memories we made will be ours forever, and everything else seems so much more valuable than a new new car or a huge HDTV. But, while you're traveling, don't go looking for purpose and meaning. Those things can be found much closer than a 26 hour plane ride away.

The blessing of being back with my family and able to do the things that make me feel happy and strong seem magnified when I compare it to the backpackers lifestyle. I have everything I need right here!

Travel, discover, explore, these things are a part of life. Just remember, there is a roadmap, God gives us moments to unearth some of the worlds most beautiful truths, but in those moments of revelation, don't let them distract you from your spiritual path. Only let them remind you where you want to end up and what it takes to eventually get there.

Nate was on a little senior trip, I still love him, but this was the fam picking me up at the airport.  

This is kind of my signing off from what began two months ago, a little trip of college friends who aren't yet supporting families and found time to take a break, only to be reminded why they're here. We are making a documentary so stay tuned, but I want to say thanks so much to all my loved ones, I am so lucky to know about this plan and to be on the path with so many of you. You'll be seeing other review post's from the other guys and I hope their experiences were very different from mine. Just remember what we called this blog from the very beginning, "there is a world beyond." My only hope now is that our experiences in this journal can not only remind me but also others of all the adventures to be had on the way to the "world beyond."


-Justin

Last stop, Salvador

Like most cities we have visited, we furtively arrived to Salvador by night, greeted by more rain clouds. As we got off the bus a strange feeling of finality and nostalgia come over us. This was it, our last stop. Still wet from the torrential downpour that hit us on the way to the bus station the night before, we collected our things and set out to find housing and a place to meet up with Derek. Unfortunately the rain persisted and our clothes stayed wet until the following day.

Acarajé da Dinha. Acarajé served by Bahian women.

That first day Justin and I were left to our own devices. Although three weeks in a county is hardly enough to learn any language, we found that we were more or less able to get by, at least together. We made arrangements to stay at a hostel in the Barra district, one of the nicer parts of town that lay just a few blocks from the beach. Having picked a location we notified Derek, who would arrive the following day. Though slightly marred by the shadow of ominous rain clouds brooding high above we spent the day getting to know Brazil's once majestic capital, trying to tap into the spirit of the place by aimlessly wandering its streets. We ate breakfast at a statue of christ we found overlooking the bay, visited a lighthouse that was constructed in the 1500's and sought out the most "local" places to eat. One little hole in the wall, Acarajé da Dinha, came highly recommended by everyone we talked to and is known for serving the best Acarajé in all of Salvador. A typical dish of the Bahia, Acarajé is a delicious blend of African and American spices that is added to shrimp and a deep fried bean-bun. It has also become somewhat of an icon of Salvador's African heritage, almost always served by black women dressed in traditional clothing. We ate acarajé nearly every meal, until I got food poisoning, once again.

The main altar of the Igreja de Sao Francisco

The next morning Derek met up with as our hostel. We were glad to see him again, and even more elated that no one would have to be traveling alone. Having lived in Salvador previously, he played tour guide for the rest of the day. Our first stop was the Pelorinho district, home to one of the most famed churches in the Americas. The Igreja de Sao Francisco, built in the 17th century, stands as a symbol of the pomp and grandeur of the Roman Catholic Church in the colonial era. We were amazed at what we saw. Nearly every inch of the whole cathedral is plated with 24k gold. After a while we ran out of adjectives to describe the scene and just settled on 'crazy.' I found myself slightly pensive once again, putting myself in the shoes of a typical citizen of Salvador when the church was in its prime. I wondered what the Indians, whose homelands had been stripped from them by foreign invaders, thought of this strange new religion that professed piety yet built idols of gold. Or if the Africans slaves, who had only known abject poverty, resented the gaudy amount of wealth poured into a sanctuary they would likely never see.

Justin marvels at the intricate gold molding of the cathedral's walls

We finished off the day taking in more sights, breathing in more ocean air and sweating through our last pair of clean clothes as we trudged through dreadful humidity. That evening we saw another samba band but wisely decided that we would hold off on dancing this time around.

The beach on our last day.

Clara and her family

Our last full day in Salvador was relaxing. All of us were tired from traveling and in many ways ready to go home. We killed most of the day at a beach just dear downtown. For lunch we met up with a friend of my sister, Clara Balthazar, and her family for lunch. Like nearly everyone we have met, they were terrific and opened up their doors for us whole-heartedly. We ate our last home cooked meal of the trip with Clara and her family. Since she had gone to high school for a year in the US we were eager to hear how she thought the United States compared to Brazil and discussed at length her experience in Ohio. No doubt, she found the little Ohio suburb I call home to be very different from her urban lifestyle in tropical Brazil. She said that she found the US to be very organized and efficient. However, she expressed frustration that sometimes it was 'too organized' and even restrictive. She also missed how affectionate people were in her home country, where people greet one another with kisses. We identified with what she said, but perhaps from the other end of the spectrum. We sure felt awkward every time a stranger came up to kiss our cheek!

We spent our last evening in Brazil at the lighthouse once again, watching the sun set both on the day and our trip. Tomorrow we fly home!

-Porter

We enjoyed catching a street football game on our way home on night.

Salvador's famous city elevator.

Cool art behind a fruit stand.

The presence of Catholicism is everywhere. Brazil is home to more Catholics than any other nation in the world. 

The sun setting over the Bay of Todos os Santos

We caught a 'cool' jazz show our last night in town. There are even hipsters in Brazil...

Home Sweet Almost Home

The moment we arrived in Porto Seguro, I felt as if I had returned to a second home. I served a two year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the south of Bahia, Brazil from 2009-2011. I spent a little over a year in Porto Seguro and the surrounding regions, so this place holds a special place in my heart. During the bus ride from Rio de Janeiro, I was remembering everyone I had met and become friends with in this area.

We arrived in Porto Seguro around 4pm and headed straight to where we would be staying for the next few days. The Branch President (or local ecclesiastical leader) of the local LDS Church, João Pires is a dear friend and he opened his house to us. The first night was not very exciting as we had just finished an 18 hour bus ride and just wanted to relax. We showered and picked up some dinner. On our way back to the house we stopped by a few of my friend's houses for a few surprise visits.

João Pires and his wife Maria Santa kindly let us stay with their family 

We all had the same plan for the next day: BEACH TIME. This region is known for its beautiful beaches. We took a city bus and stopped at a random beach along the coast. After walking down and scouting the beaches, we found a place to set up camp. It was close to perfect. Decent waves, clean, warm water, few people. The only thing that was lacking was the perfect weather. It was slightly overcast, but still a beautiful day. We found a few coconuts to play catch with. We figured we would teach Brazilians an American way to have fun. Later in the afternoon a group of three men came running down the beach, yelling and laughing. Apparently they had just caught a fish with their bare hands. 

Porto Seguro is pretty much a peninsula. There are huge stretches of beaches. 

Justin wishing for the wind to die down. Or contemplating the vastness of the universe. We really never know what's going up there. 

You have no idea how excited these guys were. The guy holding the fish was FREAKING out. It was hilarious. 

The hours passed, and a brisk wind brought the smell of rain on the horizon. We grabbed a quick bite to eat right on the beach and rode a bus back into the city. That same night, we found out about a large activity at the Church. We attended and were able to see many of my friends from 3 years ago.

The next day was a split adventure: Porter and Justin stayed in Porto Seguro while I traveled an hour inland to the city Eunápolis to see more friends. 

Our time in Porto was great, but the weather didn't allow for as much beach time as we had hoped for. Itching for more sand in their toes and hair, Porter and Justin left a day early for Salvador while I stayed to visit and hang out with more old friends. 

Funny enough, the day I spent alone was gorgeous.

It was a beautiful day. Later I heard that the day Porter and Justin spent in Salvador was pretty rainy. Patience pays off, eh?

Seriously. It couldn't have been a more perfect day. 

In the morning I visited the city's aquarium. It is on its own private island, called Ilha dos Aquarios. The guide, Marta, was great. She has studied marine biology for years and years. She is actually planning a trip to visit Mexico and California. When I told her I lived in Monterey, she got so excited and told me she was planning on visiting the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The tour was with a high school group. So, naturally, all the student swarmed me with questions and pictures. I will miss the feeling of every single girl staring at us wherever we go. We  feel like rock stars.

Marta the Marine Biologist. Side note: For some reason every person we ask to take pictures for us thinks we want our whole bodies in the picture. Some people take the pictures from so far away.

Example A: You can barely see anything in these pictures. However, that is a pretty good looking fence... I am split on this picture actually. But you get my point.

While walking through the center of the city, the streets were decked out with decorations for the upcoming São João parties planned for the end of June. I wish were able to stay for São João. This time of year is especially fun. The streets are filled with traditional decorations, music and food.

One of the small squares near the coast decorated for the upcoming festivities

This road is a few miles long. The whole thing looks like this, with varying patterns. 

The rest of the extra day I had was spent visiting as many people as I could. It was great seeing so many people, but it was also sad. I wasn't able to see everyone. With those I was able to visit, I would walk in the door and say "Hey! I'm back! But I have to leave tonight!" The next time I come back to Bahia, I will be sure to stay long enough to see everyone and spend time with them. 

Once the time came for me to catch my bus to Salvador, it was was even harder to part with the city and people I had come to love. For the second time. A few friends came to see me off at the bus station. I can feel this trip coming to a close. I am ready to go home, but part of me has adopted the spirit of traveling. Many of my viewpoints, opinions, and goals have changed while some have been reinforced. I am already drawing up plans of where I will go next.

Another candid shot of Justin doing what he does best: Posing. 

With love from Bahia,

Derek

PS: I know the main reason you all follow our blog is for our pictures, but we may not have access to our cameras for a day or two. On our flight back to the States, it seems our backpacks were lost. Sorry, but for now you'll just have to imagine three very tan, good looking guys surrounded by beautiful Brazilian women on the beach. That's pretty much what happened. We'll let you all know when we upload pictures!

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".

Rio de Janeiro

View from Cristo Redentor

5 am is early for any arrival, including to Rio de Janeiro. Before the city even woke up, we were there, talking to taxi drivers, planning on places to see and things to do with such little time. All we could think about so early in the morning on this beautiful sabbath day was to see Cristo Redentor. The second we peeked our heads out of the bus station, we could see its white figure looking over all of Rio. Finally, something so well known but seen only in pictures and movies was real and in front of our very faces! Easily, one of the best moments of the trip.

We took the first train and the sun was still coming up

It took a taxi ride and a trolley to reach the top of one of the citys central mountains where a resurrected Christ (that's how we saw it at least) reigns over all the eye can see. There is a plaque by the statue that gives details of its owners and different restorations it has gone through over the years. The most interesting of all is the vision behind the idea. Originally Christ was going to hold a cross in His right hand and the world in His left, then realism replaced symbolism. Now, His figure spreads His arms wide to represent the cross, while the city of Rio de Janeiro represents the world. It was a brilliant revelation. The grey marble base was also home to a chapel or cathedral were worship was taking place. 

The stadium was massive, this doesnt give it justice.

From the top of the mountain, we saw a stadium in the distance... SOCCER... we also put two and two together and realized that there was way more English tourists then the usual amount. Turns out, there was a friendly going on, Brazil vs. England, with the best players present, all getting ready for Mundial (World Cup) in Brasil this 2014. We decided any amount of money was worth it to get into the game, but apparently it wasn't because we couldn't find a single one for sale. The place was packed. We tried to buy tickets from a street vendor but it was a little too obvious when we compared a real ticket with stickers and anti-counterfeit logos and the tickets this guy was selling. Horrible black and white copies. I personally felt embarrassed for the attempt, he couldn't even commit to a color copy? People started warning us that there really weren't any tickets left and to be careful with the guys we were talking to. Sad and disappointed, we drowned our sorrows in a Churrasqueria where we watched the game with the locals.

In between our all-you-can eat delicious meat dinner and the failed attempt to attend the soccer game, we checked out the famous, Copacabana beach. Its basically a long stretch of hotels and stores with the most people I have ever seen in the water. It might be an obvious comment, but the water keeps getting warmer the father we get up on the coast. There was a lot of small tent business' renting bikes, umbrellas, chairs, and even those stand up surf board things. 

We wanted to go check out a few other places and beaches but the clouds started heading our way. It was actually good timing because the game was about to start and we had starved ourselves all day so we would be as hungry as possible for the Churrasqueria. The game was a good one, 2-2 was the final score, but the goals were Sportscenter Top 10 worthy for sure. After the game and the food, Dustin had to go get his things and head for his plane home. It was a sad moment for all of us.

Although we have done so much together, it feels weird losing a whole fourth of our crew! He will certainly be missed as we have 3 more cities to visit and to explore before our journey comes to a close. If there is anything I have learned so far, it's that there is always un mundo más allá... We hope to catch some good weather and some history as we get to Porto Seguro where Brazil was discovered by the Portuguese. 

 We´ll leave you with the view of Copacabana (and way too many speedos) until our next post. We have recieved word that Dustin is home safe and working hard on his medical school application. We wish him luck on his new adventure. Thanks to everyone for the amazing support we have had with this blog. Derek is working on the translation for a newspaper article that was written about us in Sorocaba! Stay tuned!

Sorocaba with Eugenio and friends

People travel for a myriad of reason. Many seek to see what is in the world, its highs and lows, its wonders and splendors and everything in between. For me, far more impressive than the things we have seen have been the people we have met and the stories we have uncovered.

In front a historic train near the city center of Sorocaba

Leaving Florianópolis I, along with the other three vagabonds in our group, found ourselves surprisingly sad, as if we were leaving behing lifelong friends. We pushed onto Sorocaba, a large suburb resting just outside the urban sprawl of Sao Paulo and were warmly received by Eugenio Rocha and his family. Our paths cross today because more than 25 years he and my father were friends while serving a religious mission together in northern Brazil.

Getting to know Eugenio, Fernanda, his wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Julia and Giovana, was an absolute pleasure. Despite humble means, we were treated like kings for two straight days. They fed us more than we could eat in a week, we drank Guaraná by the liter and were shown all the best spots in town.

Friday night the partying continued with music, dancing and even more food at a local Festa Junhina (literally translated, "June Party") to kick of the first day of June. The sounds of samba reverberated off the walls late into the night, far later than our green gringo legs could handle. We tried our hand at dancing but our obvious failures only reinforced any stereotypes about the grace of the anglo-saxon race on the dance-floor.

Dancing like white boys.

Tired from food and fun we were ready to call it an early night when Fernanda motioned for us to follow. Completely unaware of what would happen next we soon found ourselves behind the scenes of the festival's main stage. Our looks of confusion must have been hysterical for anyone watching as we were led like sheep in front of thousands of screaming fans.

Explaining our trip to a crazy Brazilian crowd.

Apparently, she had mentioned a little bit about our journey and someone important took a liking to the idea. We quickly realized they wanted us to talk about our blog and documentary to the whole crowd! By this time we were quaking in our boots (well, at least Derek since he was the only one expected to speak). We were able to stammer out a few muttered words before yelling out and enthusiastic "Brasil!", which was met with an uproar from the crowd. Our fifteen minutes of fame lasted a little bit longer when a group of teenage girls asked us to pose for a photo. This must be how Justin Bieber feels.

On stage singing a song we didn't know.

The following day the Rochas took us on brief tour of the city. On one stop we passed the office of a local newspaper which got our wheels spinning once again. Still feeling invincible from the night before we calmly strolled into their main office, told a journalist about our endeavors and were given an interview on the spot. She spent an hour with us asking us about what we had seen, what we had learned and how our perspective had changed as a result of the people we have met. Hopefully the story will be printed in the next few days.

Speaking with Andrea, a reporter at Cruzeiro do Sul

We left Sorocaba Saturday night feeling like rockstars thanks to the generosity of Eugenio and his family. There have been very few occasions where I have felt an outpouring of pure love like we did over those two days. Getting to know Eugenio gave me a glimpse in the power of hope. In one of our discussion he revealed a little about his youth,  one that was marked by drug abuse and misfortune. His desire to change compelled him to quit "cold turkey" which left him in bed for nearly two years. After going to hell and back he dedicated himself to painting in order save enough money for a two year LDS mission of service and sacrifice where he touched hundreds of lives. Eugenio's example stands as a brilliant ray of hope in a world suffocated by moral decadence and egoism. I am grateful for the way that he and his family touched my own life.


 More adventures to come soon, including our one day in the city of Carnaval.

-Porter

Eugenio grooving to some Samba.

Getting ready to stuff our faces. Again.

Outside the local newspaper, Cruzeiro Do Sul

The Rochas got us all gifts to remember their homeland. 

Viva Brasil!!!

Enjoying a refreshing coconut for breakfast on the street.

A Brazilian ways to have fun in Florianópolis

We finally made it from the Pacific all the way to the Atlantic Ocean--trekking across an entire continent! When we arrived we bought some "vergamota" (oranges) from this van (photo to the right) and took a stroll down the beach. We were thrilled to shed our hiking boots and feel the sand beneath our feet and the salt water breeze on our face. What a welcome change of pace from hectic bus terminals and rugged expeditions to barefoot beach time and laying out in the sun!  

I'm not putting down my fruit for anything.

Luckily for us, Derek has some amazing friends here, the Moraes family and friends, who have laid out the red carpet for us: taking us to all the best views and beaches, guiding us through the city, and introducing us to some of the nicest, wildest people we've ever met. In addition, they've offered us their home as a place to stay, done our laundry, and cooked us some delicious meals. We are extremely grateful for them; they've made our stay in Florianópolis exceed all expectations. We've seen and experienced some amazing things in our travels, but these past couple days have definitely been the most fun. 

Us on our final day with the Moraes family

Our main man, Thiago, showing us around the city our first night

Our first night in Floripa (Florianópolis) we met Thiago, a friend of the Moraes family who also speaks English. In Justin's struggle to pronounce Thiago's name correctly, he accidentally called him "Chango," which in Spanish means "monkey," and the nickname stuck. 

These "dream" croissants were smothered in fruits and chocolate.

Sugarcane juice. Not only is it delicious, it's also probably really good for you and very healthy.

 The next morning we walked around the city center for a bit with our friends Thaís and Guilherme Moraes. Our constant failures in Portuguese pronunciation drove us to give Guilherme a nickname as well--"Billy Demais," (literally translated = too much Billy). We met up with some more friends and relatives and drove to some large sand dunes to do some summa-time shredding with a sand board. I say "sand board" as if it were a special piece of equipment, but I'm sure a piece of drift wood would have worked just as well. With all of us being used to boarding on "the best snow on Earth," as they say in Utah, the sand was a little difficult to get used to. However, we all had a blast doing our best to adjust to the challenge. We even found a jump someone had made from piled up bags of sand. We decided to go for it, and Justin and Derek both took some hard falls, making several attempts each before finally landing a jump. We were all picking sand out of our ears for the next several days, and to this day we can occasionally still feel sand in our eyes. Not the most pleasant feeling in the world, but worth it. Maybe.

Righteooooous

The next morning, the Moraes family took us to a beautiful beach called the Praia da Guarda do Embaú, where they led us along a rocky trail to reach a smaller, more secluded section of the beach, called simply "Prainha" ("little beach"). We had the whole beach to ourselves. The sand was super fine, the views were gorgeous, and our pasty white skin got to soak in some much needed sun. Billy Demais brought along a surf board, and we all tried to catch some waves. Since none of us is particularly talented at surfing, the short surf board proved to be extremely difficult to balance. However, we still had tons of fun swimming in the ocean and laying out in the sun for hours before our hunger finally constrained us to return to the Moraes' home for some dinner.

After the rocky hike along a grassy hillside we arrived at Prainha, completely empty

All ours, baby

This beach rocks.

This beach rocks too. I'm running out of puns. 

This was the cabin at the ranch

Our last day in Floripa happened to be some sort of a holiday, and the Moraes family brought us to a big churrasco (barbecue) at a ranch out in the forest. We asked several people what it was that we were celebrating and nobody really knew--something about Corpus Cristi--but as we've noticed, Brazilians will find any excuse to party. We met up with a giant group of Brazilians our age that are all part of the same institute class (which is like a religious class for youth, for those that don't know). With the exception of our lack of Portuguese fluency (minus Derek), we fit right in, making tons of friends while playing volleyball, futebol (soccer) and pool/billiards, eating loads and loads of meat, drinking an unhealthy amount of Guaraná, and listening to American top 40 songs blasting from a loudspeaker. Everybody seemed to enjoy teaching us new words and letting us practice our pronunciation, and we ended up hanging out well into the night before finally heading home. 

Porter and Justin discussing strategy for the next game of pool

The whole group

The next morning we said goodbye to the Moraes family and took a cheap flight to São Paolo, where we then took a bus to Sorocaba to meet up with a good friend of Porter's dad. There are parties going all the time here in Sorocaba, too. We are exhausted but refuse to turn down an invitation to party. We are very quickly realizing that it is impossible to out-party a Brazilian. Até mais, caras.