Berkley Center

I have a passion for São Paulo, from its culture to its language, food (as it is the gastronomy capital of Brazil), and skyscrapers. In Brazil, each state has distinct characteristics, which have become apparent during my travels around the country. Last year, I spent two months over the summer with a host family in the interior of São Paulo. This semester I am in a homestay in Rio, and their day-to-day routine is completely different.

My current host dad in Rio works in the information technology industry and my host mom is a lawyer. On the other hand, my host family from the interior of São Paulo last summer had a stay-at-home mom and an electrical engineer. The interior of Brazil is characterized by a simpler and easier lifestyle. Most upper-class Brazilians have country houses in the interior to get away from the troubles of the city life. Therefore, the interior is calm and has less crime compared to the capital cities. During the semester, I have traveled to see my Paulistas (friends from São Paulo) and made sure we continue to build our relationship. 

I feel acolhido (welcomed) in São Paulo to such an extent that my parents talk with my host family from São Paulo every month and keep each other updated. This relationship is interesting because they communicate through Portunhol, or a mixture of Spanish and Portuguese. During these past four months, I have come to the realization that my study abroad experience would not be the same without these Paulistas. Whether through Snapchat, WhatsApp, or Facebook message, I feel their carinho, or love and affection, as if I were a part of their family.

Culturally, I have noticed Brazilians tend to show more affection. I saw the extent of their carinho when I got sick in Rio the first week of August. I informed my host mom in São Paulo about my trip to the doctor and afterwards I received multiple messages making sure I was okay. Later that night, three other Brazilian families from São Paulo contacted me and talked on the phone with me. 

Their familial dynamic is interesting because every time I am back, I’m taken to birthday parties and family gatherings, where I see host uncles and aunts that I met a year ago. I am always greeted with hugs and kisses, and most of them say they have saudades of me, which can translate to a longing or yearning. The host grandmothers on both sides of the family even call me grandson. These moments make me grateful and help me further experience Brazilian culture. 

The more time I spend in Brazil, the more I realize the strength of familial bonds in Brazil. Unlike the United States, where college students leave their homes to live in dorms, many Brazilian students go to college in the same city they went to high school. Therefore, Brazilians tend to live with their parents until they graduate or get married. In my experience, Brazilian familial bonds and dependence on one another are ingrained in their culture.