Ryan Horn reflects on Brazil
My journey to Ubatuba, Brazil, started in little Edwardsburg.
I grew up relatively simple, in a noisy farmhouse on two acres with a white picket fence and my beautiful lug of a dog, Pacer.
My parents taught my brother and me at an early age to dream big, to have bold ideas and that happiness is more important than status. We did not have much for material possessions, but as children we were oblivious to this fact. We knew we had a bunch of land, some big sticks and a really cool dog. We were set.
Upon graduating from Michigan State University, I took a job teaching English in Sao Paulo, Brazil. This was the opportunity of lifetime, and I was prepared to take advantage of it. For two years, I had studied Brazilian history and culture in addition to Portuguese.
My Brazilian apartment did not fit the description I was given prior to my arrival. Instead of having an off-campus apartment, I lived on the school grounds. The television was bolted into the wall of the school reception center and I had one window, which gave a clear view of the exterior wall. Staff and students alike shared my kitchen; my pay was insufficient (and irregular) and the school provided little teaching support. Needless to say, my first month had not been the tropical euphoria I imagined. Realizing how much I did not want to be in the city of Sao Paulo, I spoke with some friends and proceeded to plan a trip.
Bruno, my first Brazilian friend, taught English for the same school as me. We had become great friends in a short period, and I was relieved to have made a connection with someone. Until then, I simply experienced Sao Paulo by myself and had no one with whom to share the excitement. Bruno was a large man — he stood 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighed about 300 pounds. As our friendship developed, he introduced me to people and events around the city. Amongst the people I befriended were Aline (“A-leen-y”) and Leia. Aline is a beautiful, tall woman, who is incredibly sweet. Her friend, Leia, is a flirtatious woman who wanted to come along for an adventure. These two ladies were my companions on the trip to Ubatuba.
The natural beauty surrounding Ubatuba is apparent immediately. You enter the city as you exit the tropical mountains and come into the city center via the gorgeous coastline. Located across the street from a distinct black sand beach is a shopping center equipped with restaurants, bars and nightlife. The same beach sits in a picturesque cove with low-lying rain clouds that provide the perfect amount of shade during the daytime.
My first night in Ubatuba is one of the most unforgettable nights of my life. The bus trip from Sao Paulo was long and exhausting. We planned to arrive late in the evening, but we were not expecting nor were we prepared for the phenomenal experience we would share. As we stepped off the bus around 1 a.m., it struck us.
Lighting lit up the sky so bright you would have thought angels were descending on Earth. The thunder, so loud you could only hear your heart beat. Rain so thick it seemed it would never cease. And yet, as I stood on the beach overlooking the graceful thrashing of the Atlantic Ocean, I arrived at a moment of peace.
Walking in the warm vivacious surf, I paused and soaked in a symphony of Mother Nature as elements of the storm seemed to dance and move in harmony. And, as I submerged myself further into the arms of the ocean, the more a part of the dance I became. This is what I thirsted for; this is where I wanted to get lost: Ubatuba, Brazil.
Amongst the booming urban centers and vast vegetation of southeastern Brazil, four and half hours south of Rio de Janeiro, lies Ubatuba in the state of Sao Paulo. The stunning coastline is dotted with tropical islands, easily accessible by boat. Tropical jungle coats the salient mountainous terrain, which nearly extends to the waterfront. White, pearly, sand beaches reach out from the sea in a calm and alluring way. The waters are clear blue with gentle, soft, white-capped waves that are reminiscent of a fresh scoop of vanilla ice cream. Hikers, undeterred by the thick vegetation, have pounded trails into the earth weaving through the jungle, leading to waterfalls, rivers and other places of natural beauty. Colonial ruins are tangled amongst the jungle overgrowth. Boisterous vines varying in shades of green ornament the crumbling walls of structures that once stood proud, seemingly choking off the dreadful history of the slave trade the walls formerly housed.
Although my experience in Ubatuba was four years ago, I still find myself revisiting those beaches and jungle trails almost daily. Since returning home, I have spoken about this experience many times, but feel as if I am not quite able to encompass all the natural wonderment of this tropical hideaway.
That means you will all have to check it out for yourselves.
Good traveling.