Rotary Exchange Student - Jess Mokrzycki's March report from Brazil

From one thing to another there are many aspects that are recognized and the worldly known Carnival may be one of them, in Brazil every year Carnival is celebrated. From some out of the box costumes to the endless move and sound of Samba, lucky o’l me got to experience it all first-hand! For Carnival at the end of February, beginning of March, I got the opportunity to go to Rio de Janeiro. Not only did I get to go to this ‘go to’ place from my long list of musts, I got to go with my good friend Beatriz Dias who I met last year in Canada when she did her exchange in my Rotary District 5040. (This is the second time I got to travel with her as the last time was in December when I went to her beach house in Ubatuba). There I was, given yet another awesome opportunity, I got to spend three marvelous days in Rio. My experience was definitely a unique one as majority of the main streets were closed due to little parades on the street. From samba on the street to the Metro, I’d almost have to call Rio the city of smiles. From walks on the famous Copacabana and Ipanema beach, which ‘beautiful’ doesn’t even begin to fully describe, to the breath taking views from both the Sugarloaf Mountain and the Christ the Redeemer, which both left me absolutely speechless. I visited the neatest and most jaw dropping places like the Lapa Neighborhood (‘colorful steps’), I managed to find Canada stones on my way down the beautifully multi-colored stairs. From a couple fun packed days of sightseeing and touristy things, as well as a handful of uphill walking, my carnival experience was left to be an unforgettable memory. One huge once in a lifetime highlight was getting to go to the line ups of the samba schools. Did you happen to see me on global? (haha) I happened to have my Canada flag along with me, eager to be viewed. I’ll tell you that I was standing watching the line ups from 7 pm until about 6 am. It was sure a long night but the hype and excitement of the crowd was pushing me to keep my shrinking eyes wide open. This was surely an experience I will never forget along with a billion others, which leaves me with the whole ‘pinch me I’m dreaming’ feeling. 

After my 3 day trip to Rio, I spent a few days in Sao Jose Rio Pardo at the house of Beatriz. I must share with you a ‘fun’ fact. In the city of Beatriz, is the 3rd biggest statue of the Cristo in South America. After a fun-packed two weeks of travel, I returned home just in time for my birthday…my 19th birthday!! I spent my first Brazilian birthday with my host family and their friends. It was very sweet and the best Brazilian birthday I have ever had (haha). 

For my birthday I wanted to do something very special and I managed to do just that. (What did I do?) I started a little ‘campaign’. I had put up signs at my gym and handed posters to several neighbors and spread the word on the handy dandy cyber world, asking for donations of necessities like food and hygienic products. It has gone over very well as I had a gathering at my house on the 22nd where many products were collected and I am still collecting and plan to put boxes together for various locations right before Easter. It’s said, you got to start out small and that’s exactly what I’ve done. This is just a small step I’ve made now however, for the future I want nothing more than to make more, yet bigger. I feel so lucky, everything for me is going so great, I am so happy and so very thankful! Bare with me everyone as the greatness of my month of March includes much more than the above.

With everything going super well and leaving me to be one lucky bee! I got yet another ‘got to grab’ kind of opportunity come my way. Did someone say travel? Say no more! As my motto of saying YES to basically everything lead me to be on a plane on 22nd of March taking me to a place that has always been way on top of my bucket list … PERU!! Where do I begin? From the warm culture, to the rich history and tasty food, I was left extremely fascinated. From stop points of Lima to Nasca to Cusco. Each place was different and left to be discovered by me. I must say this trip was so educational, I absolutely loved learning about the history of Peru and the Inca’s. It is absolutely amazing! From the hot and dry Nasca where I discovered the Nasca lines first hand overlooking them in a tiny bouncy airplane, an experience I’ll always remember. A really rewarding feeling was to stay in the exact hotel where the German women Maria Reich, who discovered and studied the Nasca Lines, once lived. (Talk about first hand experience) 

After a couple days in desert like Nasca, I headed on a good o’l 15 hour bus to Cusco which, dare I say, was THE BEST THING EVER. As it was the best way to get adjusted to the high altitude in Cusco, what a thing it is to see how high altitude has effect on your body. I was sure lucky as I was able to get accustomed quite quickly due to the way of transport as we gradually eased in to it. As for the weather, dare I say it was cold, YES that’s right, the Rupertite is telling you that 10 degrees was surprisingly mildly freezing. I was in need to purchase some cover ups like a scarf and a hat. (MADE OUT OF LAMA--LAMAS EVERYWHERE). 

While being in Cucso, we stayed in a few little towns nearby while making our way closer to Machu Picchu. One place we stayed was Aguascalientes, which is a little town surrounded by enormous mountains just outside Machu Picchu. While being there we did numerous activities. We went to Aguascalientes which means ‘hot waters’, (the name of the city for a reason due to the outdoor hot pools). It was truly amazing and relaxing hot springs surrounded by gigantic mountains that you can’t possibly tire of admiring. A very fascinating thing is that many of the mountains have an old trail of the Incas up them that used to be used for specific things, there are many and some are more known than others. I climbed an extremely long ladder and hiked for about one hour and a half to get to the top of a mountain called ‘Pisak’ which is translated to be ‘Happy Peak’. This mountain was once used to be a watch point. Alonso, the Rotarian who organized the trip to Peru, joined me as no one else was very eager to go due to the rain. (As a Canadian, I can truly say that at a young age I surely learned I’m not made out of sugar – Thanks mom). I can tell you one thing, that from being drenched and extremely beat tired, I couldn’t have been more happy or feel more satisfied as my dream was being lived! As this mountain had a view of everything, even Machu Picchu itself, it was spectacular!! This is just one out of many unforgettable moments that got added to my jar on this trip. One thing that really shocks me now when I say it…Is…I went to Machu Picchu! I can barely believe it as it has ALWAYS has been on the top of that bucket list of mine. I was in complete AW my entire day up there. Talk about being lucky? I almost forgot to mention two more fun facts: 1. Spanish is surprisingly quite similar to Portuguese which left me quite happy as I could understand maybe just a handful of words, but hey!! That’s sure something!! 2. Being in Peru of course, there are different traditions. Let’s think about food. Never have to ask me twice to try something new. I’ll gladly jump in and say, I tried for the first time Ginny-Pig and Lama and I’ll tell you they are both traditional dishes in Peru and of course absolutely delicious and definitely worth trying. 

SORRY EVERYONE, IT'S A TAD BIT LATE, JUST GOT BACK FROM MY TRIP & ALSO SORRY ABOUT THE APRIL FOOLS JOKE! Hope all is beyond well with you guys. Here’s my month 8 report. (sorry its so long) Talk to you all very soon.

March seemed to just fly by with my travels to Rio during Carnival, my 19th Birthday, work on my little project and last but not least, my unforgettable trip to Peru. I will pause for a second and state yet again, How am I so lucky? I can’t even begin to describe how thankful I am for all this. My year is really far beyond what I imagined it could be. I don’t mean to toot my own horn but I have to say my exchange year is just about perfect, from the never ending opportunities and experiences coming my way. Great host families, becoming capable of making conversation in Portuguese and so on. 

As my Eight Month mark has swept by…I am left shocked that I’m starting my 9th, which leaves me with more time behind me than ahead. All the doors in front of me seem to be wide open and always leading to one new thing after another. I’m left with the never ending question of time. Never will there ever be enough thank yous said. Thank you everyone so much for making this all possible for me, I want nothing more than to give back. I am beyond words thankful. If I could stop and press rewind I’d be doing my exchange all over again, in a heartbeat. I have hopes to inspire others to have the desire to do Exchange in the future. I can’t stress enough to tell you that the things you learn and get out of exchange can’t be learned from books or from word of mouth, it needs to be experienced. You just got to do it! 

The clock’s ticking with only 4 months left to go! What lays ahead of me for the next few months are unknown but whatever it may be, I’m ready!! I hope everyone had a terrific March and that your April is just as great. Happy early Easter folks, I’m sending big hugs your way!! Oh and did I forget to say Thank you!? MUITO OBRIGADA TODO MUNDO!! Till my next monthly update – lots of love: Jess 

P.S: I’d like to apologize again for the startle with my April Fools joke. Hehe, but c’mon…you gotta agree, I got ya … :o)