I’m in love.

Yep. In love; but not quite how you would think. Its with a far away place. A dream that I’ve had for a while now.

It's Brazil.

With an open and vibrate culture, what's not to love? I’ve decided to go head first into Brazilian culture and find ways to use my creative mind to be a part of it.

While I probably don’t need to convince you why someone should go to Brazil, I’d like to talk about the ways that Brazilian culture has impacted my life, and why Brazil should be an important country to keep up with.

First, the basics.

Brazil is the 5th largest country by both population and size with just over 205 million people and 8.5 million square kilometers. Its gross domestic product is 7th in the world with just over $3 trillion. Brazil is the powerhouse of South America.

Now, similar to the U.S., due to its size it has many different geographical and cultural differences according to each region. The Portuguese that I learned is from the region of Rio de Janeiro; probably the most recognizable city to Americans. With its pristine beaches, tropical climate and hectic night life, its a major tourist destination, and recently the center of global attention after hosting the 2016 Summer Olympics.

So just as the U.S. is more than New York or L.A., Brazil is more than just Rio or São Paulo. It's about the people. For me, I'm crazy relational and will almost always take friendship over finances. To me, my Brazilian friends are some of the most fun dudes I’ve talked to.

Did I mention that we’re all musicians too?

Let's get to the point.

My passion is for people, and as I’ve learned Brazilian Portuguese, I have a passion for Brazilian people specifically. There is so much that we can learn about the world through the hospitality and friendliness of the Brazilian culture. Plus, who doesn’t enjoy solid high fives day after day?

This article is a mix of me celebrating Brazil and encouraging others to get out of their comfort zones and experience a new culture. Go dance a little arrocha, eat some feijão and watch Brazil defeat Argentina in soccer with some friends.

Don’t know how to get plugged in to another culture? Here are some options:

1. Learn a new language that interests you. (verbling.com, italki.com, duolingo.com, memrise.com)
2. Take a walk around your city and find people who live differently than yourself. (A friend from out of state, from a different region, someone international who recently moved into your neighborhood. Check out meetup.com as well!)
3. YouTube it. There are so many countries and cultures all with videos in their language and unique culture lens. For me, I watch a ton of Brazilian videos every day. Some great ones are: Amigo Gringo, Small Advantages, Cade a Chave, Cosia De Nerd, Andre Pilli, Damon and Jo (videos in english, french and spanish as well) and Vitor Liberato to name a few.

So be different. Learn. Absorb. Dream of paradises far and wide. I’m doing it, and I love it. So much so that I’m creating a YouTube channel in Brazilian Portuguese aimed at Brazilians who want to learn more about the U.S. and what its like to visit/live here.

Yes you read that right. If you need me, I’ll be blogging my life to people on the other side of the planet.

Tchau!