¡vamos a brasil! / lets go to brazil!

I spent the past week in Recife, Brazil exploring Brazilian culture, cheering on the US in the US v. Germany World Cup game, and hanging out with my cousins and sister. My cousins spend their summers in Brazil so I had been planning on going to visit them sometime during my year in Argentina. The stars aligned as I realized the World Cup would be happening at the same time my cousins would be in Brazil.

My sister met me in Buenos Aires and we flew through Rio de Janeiro to get to Recife. We drove to my cousins house and were greeted by many of their friends and family members all welcoming us in Brazilian Portuguese. Throughout the week we watched lots of fútbol, celebrated the northeastern Brazilian holiday São João with bonfires everywhere and lots of delicious corn dishes, made a few trips to the infamous Brazilian beaches, ate so much delicious exotic fruit and fruit juices (acerola juice is now my favorite), and explored lots of fun sights in Recife. 

One day our cousin's friend gave us a tour of the area that included a bit about the Jewish community of Recife. We visited where the first synagogue, Kahal Zur Israel Synagogue, in the America's stood (a new synagogue still exists there today) and a clandestine mikvah that was used by Jews before religious tolerance was allowed. The name of the street where the first synagogue was is called the Jewish street. My cousin told me the current Jewish community in Recife is small but strong with about 900 Jews. When they lived in Recife full-time, her daughters went to the Jewish school and their daughters still participate in Recife's Habonim Dror Jewish youth movement. I always love learning about Jewish communities around the world.

The highlight of the week was going to the US v. Germany World Cup game. It down poured the entire day so we headed to the game decked out in USA gear and rain ponchos. There was so much flooding on the road so it took a long time to get to the stadium. We found our seats and were so excited to be sitting in a section with mostly US fans, it made cheering so much fun! I loved the energy at the game; the whole time it was raining so lots of the players were slipping everywhere. Everyone was so excited throughout and even though we lost, right after they flashed the score of the Portugal v. Ghana game indicating that the US had made it on to the next round! 

I'm sitting on the plane writing this as I leave the 80 degree weather in Brazil and head back to winter in Argentina. I had such an amazing time with my cousins and my sister in Recife, I hope I can make it back there again!

Jill, Lula, Jenny, & Liat, thank you so much for your warm Brazilian hospitality, for hosting my sister and I, for the countless translations between Portuguese & English, and for all the acerola juice! Obrigada!