The fragrance and taste of lemon verbena tea brings memories of time spent in Brasil flooding back. The tea was an integral part of breakfast every morning. We would find it all laid out in the small patio off the kitchen in the back of our hosts’ home. A simple meal with fruit often picked from one of the many trees in the yard, fresh warm bread, cheese, tea and coffee all served up under sunshine and blue skies. This was paradise and a trip that changed my life at the core.

The desire to travel to Brasil began when I was studying Latin America in university. Around the same time the studies began my life was to be forever transformed and enriched by a Brasilian Canadian entering my life. As I shared what I was learning, she brought it alive with stories of her home. The dream of visiting Brasil became a reality the Spring of 2011 and developed into the trip of a lifetime when my daughter, son-in-law, and grandson were able to accompany me.

Travel is one of my passions and privileges; however, this was the first time vacationing with a large group of people – growing from the original six Canadians (my family of four plus my friend and her daughter) to a group of twelve for a one week beach vacation. It was also the first time staying with a host family (my friend’s parents graciously opened their home to us) so we lived as they live and not as tourists venturing out from a hotel or resort. The Brasilians opened not only their home to us but their lives and hearts. Perhaps the warmth of the country brings out the warmth in the people but I continually experienced an openness rarely found.

Days were filled with friends, food and fun around the swimming pool, at the table, in the marketplace, on the beach or shopping. A bit of sightseeing was squeezed in; however, this was a cultural experience with the Brasilians welcoming and sharing their lives. My son-in-law left one morning at 7 am to join a group of young men for their regular Saturday morning soccer game and male bonding time following. The men he met provided him with great memories, insight and inspiration.

It was wonderful to watch my daughter relax and have fun times with her son and husband around the pool or at the beach. Sand and water provide some of the best entertainment for small children and they can be kept busy for hours leaving time for parents to relax by visiting, reading a good book or just lying in the sun. It is wonderful to be able to be away from daily responsibilities and make memories catching and riding the waves as a family unit, with friends or by yourself.

Their outspoken character and our openness challenged us to re-examine North American views of beauty, body and life. We were offered the opportunity to celebrate ourselves, our lives and our bodies as they are. It was a chance to step away from the ethnocentricity and value systems that we had grown up with. Both scary and liberating, we chose to bridge some walls we had surrounded ourselves with and live life with the Brasilians.

Dancing is another way the Brasilians express their love and passion for life. The joy and freedom expressed in the dances originating here are a reflection of the people and cultures that have merged together in this vast and diverse land. It was wonderful to watch the expertise and energy of the dancers enjoying themselves both in the city and in the village by the ocean.

My host informed me that “On the beach all Brasilians are equal.” It was at the beach where I experienced something far different than in any other country I have been to. The vendors not only shared their goods and services, they shared their families and lives and the vacationers were open to this. More than once, a vendor took out their cell phone and shared pictures of their family. When a Brasilian met someone they were a friend. The trust of others extended to the purchasing of goods. Walking down the beach, my daughter met a vendor with a cangas (wrap) that she wanted to purchase; however, she had no money with her. He gave her the cangas and said he would collect the money “later” when he came past our table. It turned out that “later” was the next day. Other times, we were told the vendors didn’t have change but they would bring it to us “later” and true to their word, even if it was the next day, they returned with the change.

Returning home from our beach holiday, we discovered the jabuticaba was ready and although we had been travelling for 5 hours since 2:30 am, we surrounded the tree and feasted on the Brasilian grape, which my friend had not enjoyed since leaving home 22 years ago. Her sister, who had been waiting all night for our arrival after a week’s absence, laughed at our focus and captured the moment for us all.

In addition to its wonderful climate (I was 11 days in paradise before it rained and then just for one hour), Brasil is full of history from the indigenous population to its discovery by the Portuguese in 1500. This vast country that has welcomed many immigrants has the largest Japanese population outside of Japan. The rich cultural cross fertilization is captured in unique architecture throughout the country from colonial buildings to modernist work by Oscar Niemeyer.

With so much to offer, my first trip to Brasil provided me with only a glimpse and a taste of a few places, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, and Arrail d’Ajuda, Bahia, just outside of Porto Seguro, Bahia, where the history of Brasil began leaving so much still unexplored and undiscovered. What I did uncover was that the warmth and candour of the Brasilians gave me a sense of connection my heart longed for. I found that piece of me that I know completes the unfolding journey of my life. I look forward with anticipation to returning.