It’s strange coming home after such a life-altering trip. I view things so differently now, and it makes me see how much we take life for granite and don’t understand how blessed we are. In this time of reflection I am still taking in all that I saw and experienced in Brazil—still finding it hard to grasp. I feel like I’ve changed a great deal emotionally and spiritually, and my eyes have been opened to what is most important in life. Everything about Brazil is beautiful—the people, the culture, and the land. However, there is so much suffering and despair that goes unnoticed. These people certainly live in a paradoxical world. Yet, while they endure so much toil to survive, they remain the most loving and giving people I’ve ever met.
This trip was an experience of a lifetime, and I am so lucky to have spent it with my best friends and teammates. I know we are going to be so much closer now, if that’s even possible, and we will always have this great memory we can share. So many great things have come out of this trip and I am so fortunate to have been given the chance to go and experience a different culture.
It’s difficult summing up this trip in just a few words, because I feel like it’s something you have to experience for yourself to fully understand. However, if I can pass on any words of wisdom, it is to love your friends, love your family, and have faith. It may seem cliché, but when you have nothing left, it is what is most important in life—love and faith.
