The Company You Keep

I'm not the biggest fan of blog writing and I'd rather just post some pictures of my experience so I'll keep this one short and sweet. It was about one in the morning on the shore of Copacabana Beach when I realized I had to keep traveling the world. It wasn't because of the jaw-dropping views that I saw from the top of Pão de Açúcar or the screaming in the middle of fifteen thousand fans in the FIFA Fan Fest during the USA v. Portugal game. It wasn't because I got to take selfies with Christ the Redeemer himself or because I found myself inadvertently walking through the infamous favelas of Río. It was because I found myself sipping Brahma (a famous Brazilian beer) and staring at the endless ebb and flow of the ocean while I listened to the stories of the cultures of the 4 other AIESECers in my project. I learned about the difference between Hong Kong and mainland China, the difference in education between the USA and Mexico, and the struggles with Puerto Rico being just a territory. It was then that I confessed to these people that I came into the internship not expecting much, and not really caring whether I kept in contact with anyone. That was followed by remarks such as "Classic American." But I ended my rare sentimental confession with a promise that I would actually try to keep in touch with these new friends and hopefully meet up with them somewhere along the road. That night on Copacabana Beach helped me realize that the people you meet along the way will have a greater impact on you than the experience itself. Now, don't get me wrong. I will always remember the time when the crowded bus in Río erupted into chants from six different countries simultaneously to support their soccer team. But in two years when I return (hopefully), it will be my new Brazilian friends that I seek out to continue our conversations that we've had the past six weeks. I hope that my new AIESEC friends will travel with me back to the quiet bars and small food shacks where so many of our nights began. Every time we came across a scenic view, everyone would scream "Selfie!" and try to get everyone in the picture with the scenic view in the background. At first I thought this was stupid and incredibly obnoxious as I just wanted a nice picture of the view, but I came to realize that these "selfies" could be viewed as less of a vain attempt to get yourself in every picture you take, and more of a way to make sure that everyone you had this experience with is frozen in time with you. My experience with these people that I've only known for six weeks has helped me reflect on the relationships I have with people back home and I hope that I will be better at keeping in touch with everyone that has had a significant impact on my life - especially the new graduates. And while I'll probably post on this blog the pictures of all of the cool places I've been to, I know that the pictures I will cherish the most are the group photos that seem to get taken everywhere I go. Muito obrigado, Brasil