The Journey Begins
It is December, 29th, 2018, at the end of the first day of our trip. It began on December, 28th, 2018, when we boarded our flight with Copa Airlines. While on the plane, we expressed various expectations and goals that we had for our trip to Brazil. Upon arriving in Panama City, we sprinted to our connecting flight for Sao Paulo, Brazil. After six hours and forty-five minutes of flying, we had arrived at our destination.
Our first day in Brazil entailed meeting our guides Georgia and Talita, who immediately immersed us in Brazilian customs. While we were in Sao Paulo, the lifestyle differences between Brazil and the United States were immediately apparent. During our orientation, our guides informed us that Sao Paulo’s infrastructure was not nearly as developed as the infrastructure in the United States. One major drawback of this disparity, is the inability of the city’s sewage system to properly dispose of toilet paper, meaning that we were advised to dispose of it using the bathroom trash cans.
After we were debriefed about safety protocols and trip scheduling, we began to explore the surrounding area, before departing for the Sao Paulo Municipal Market in Farol Santander. While exploring the Sao Paulo Municipal Market, we found a wide array of food products, including tropical fruits, meats, seafood’s, and cheeses. Whenever we asked questions about the food products, we were immediately greeted and offered free samples. At that point, we were overcome by the warmth and generosity of the Brazilian People. Despite us not being fluent in Portuguese, Talita proactively sought to overcome the language barriers. Once we had completed our trip to the Sao Paulo Municipal Market, we attended dinner at a traditional Brazilian Steak House, called Churrascaria Steak House.
Once we had arrived at the restaurant, we were flabbergasted by the huge portions of meat. We were also surprised by the variety of cuts of beef that were offered to us throughout our evening meal, as well as the richness and diversity of other Brazilian delicacies. Several of these delicacies, such as frog legs, hearts of palm, squid and quail eggs, reflected the mixed nature of Brazilian cuisine. Over the course of our dinner, we were made aware of a practice that is generally unknown in the United States. In Brazil, regardless of party size or the formality of the restaurant, tips are automatically included as service charges in customer’s restaurant bill.
While the first day of our trip tested our mental and physical endurance, we thoroughly enjoyed our first day in Brazil, and we are grateful to our guides, the team leaders, local vendors and the Churrascaria Steak House Staff for ensuring that the start of our trip was a success. In the coming days, we look forward to the many adventures that await.