Category: Reflections

  This is going to be much harder than I thought. It’s not about reverse culture shock – objectively musing about how tough it is to eat dinner at …

It’s funny being fluent in a second language. I’ve hit the point where Bahians sometimes hesitate because they’re not sure whether to ask me what part of Brazil or …

As of today, I’ve been in Brazil for one full year – unbelievable. It’s funny… yesterday mom asked me to make a list of things I want to do …

I still can’t get over the fact that I’m 22. I’m not sure why the whole finding-myself-an-adult thing astonishes me, but it does. I think because the process of …

It’s a little disconcerting being in “real life,” that is, outside the normal and well-established path of high school – college – grad school – postdoc – guaranteed job …

Two weeks left until my trip to Bahia!!!!!!!!! My time here has paradoxically passed both quickly and slowly, as time is fond of doing. When I arrived in September, …

Last night was one of my rare depression nights. I feel a bit better, but I’m not completely over it. I’ve gotten progressively more dissatisfied with my life here, …

Proximity to my family and friends. Although I’m not by any means in a super-remote or underdeveloped area – I have plenty of internet and phone access in São …

It’s been over ten months since my college commencement. It’s really hard to believe that it’s been that long since graduation – kinda seems like yesterday – and yet …

There is a persistent myth, widely believed among foreign capoeiristas, that Brazil is this magical capoeira paradise where people train all day and ginga down the street to the …