A Tale of 3 Cities

A TALE OF 3 CITIES

In July of this year, I had the opportunity to travel to Brazil for a month. My first week was spent in Sao Paulo, followed by 2 weeks in Belo Horizonte attending UFMG summer school and then finishing my trip in Bahia.

Sao Paulo

From the moment my plane landed to the moment I arrived at my Airbnb; all I could hear was the city. The music, the culture, and the vibrant nightlife, all of it just rushed at me as I sat in my Uber. Even though it was late at night, and I was jet lagged, I could already tell I was going to have a great time here. And I did. Sao Paulo had a lot of touristy things to do. Museums, Art galleries, exploring Avenida Paulista on a Sunday etc. But what I really enjoyed was the days I spent talking to locals, visiting different neighbourhoods, and absorbing my surroundings.

One thing I loved about the city was how alive it was. I was always surrounded by people and had access to so much stuff in ways you wouldn’t find in Australia. I could stroll down the street and buy a range of different food from barbeque, Pipoca, hot dogs (not the ones you’re used to in Aus) and Acai!!. The best way I can describe Sao Paulo is as a Tropical urban city.

Belo Horizonte

Now onto the main event. On July 16, I arrived in Belo Horizonte and was greeted by green hills, houses in the distance and what first felt like a quiet mining city. I took an Uber from the airport to my student accommodation, where I was greeted by Pedro (shoutout to Pedro), a Brazilian student who helped me settle into my room. From there on, the rest of the day was spent finding out how wrong I was about the city being quiet. I met other international students, explored the neighbourhood, attended a street market, and ended the night off at a bar socialising.

The next morning, I got right into my program. The daily routine was simple. One lecture in the morning and a Portuguese class after lunch. Outside of this, the University organised a plethora of activities, from field trips, dance classes, movie club and even a Secret Santa. The activities didn’t stop there; during our free time, Brazilian students took us out to clubs, samba parties, markets, festivals, local events and even my first Tranquillo. 

One of my favourite activities organised by the University was a field trip to Inhotim an Art Gallery and Botanical Garden in Brumadinho, Mines Gerais. It started with a 2-hour drive to the location, and I spent most of that catching up on my morning sleep.  When we arrived, we were greeted by what looked like a 1-hour wait line. Jokes. The University had actually already pre-booked our group in, so we got to skip the line and get right into our tour session, which gave us a quick rundown of the place.

And this place was breathtaking. The Art Gallery wasn’t one building but multiple stops spread out across nature. Some locations were indoor art galleries, while others were artworks in the open. Unfortunately, I couldn’t explore all the different parts of the place due to being super tired from an event I attended the night before, but even the time I spent lying in the sun watching the view was pure bliss.

Needless to say, my final day in Belo Horizonte was definitely bittersweet. While I was excited to be going to Bahia. I was also saying Goodbye to the city and all the beautiful people I had met.

Bahia

Bahia, Bahia, Bahia. One thing you’ve probably already heard about travelling outside of your country is how much you miss it. By this time, I had already spent 3 weeks in Brazil, and one thing I was missing for sure was the beaches in Australia. And I know what you’re thinking, how can you be in Brazil and be missing beaches. This is because, due to its location, Sao Paulo and Belo Horizonte had no beaches. So yes, after three weeks, I was still waiting for my Brazilian beach experience, and Bahia did not disappoint. Imagine sitting under the warm sun, fresh coconut in your hand, spicy Acarajé by your side, and a view of the golden sunset across the ocean. No worries and no cares in mind. 

Outside of the beaches, Bahia had so much to offer. It truly is the country’s soul; it has a rich culture, striking African influence and a soulful Candomblé religion. But that’s all a story for another day. For now, I’ll recommend that if you visit, make sure to try out the different foods, explore the old town of Pelourinho and go to at least one Samba party.

Mamu Dukuly
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Summer school on Brazilian Studies, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil
Global Short Programs Travel Scholarship recipient