Rio and the Return Home
Miriam Adeney once said, “You will never be completely at home again because part of your heart will always be elsewhere, that’s the price you pay for the richness of loving and knowing people in more than one place.”
It has been nearly a month and a half since I have returned to the United States after an incredible month abroad in Brazil. I have been thinking about what to write in this post, and honestly, putting it off for some time because these final reflections truly indicate that my adventure is over.
Not a day has gone by since I returned home that I felt the same as I did before I left the U.S. in the first place, and furthermore, not a day has gone by since I returned that I did not think back on my trip and wish that I was back in that beautiful world. I am still amazed at how much I learned in such a short amount of time. In my everyday conversations about sustainability or about pretty much any aspect of my life, I always find myself saying, “That reminds me of this time/thing in Brazil that…”
But before I get into all that, let me talk briefly about my last destination.
City #5: Rio de Janeiro
After the study abroad class officially ended, I spent an extra five days in Rio to visit one of my closest friends, Igor. I met Igor when he was on a yearlong study abroad at my undergraduate university. Since he is also a science scholar who has lived in both the United States and Brazil, we were always having an interesting conversation related to sustainability and the differences between the two countries. It was a great experience to talk about some of the sustainability challenges and successes, in depth, from a typical Brazilian college student… all while having some fun exploring and getting to know this incredible city.
The Return Home
I have been thinking about a lot of things since my return home. Thinking about my changed perspective of sustainability and of my life and the world. Basically, I thought to myself “what do I do?” After this amazing month abroad and seeing the sadness along with the determination to do better, I realized that there were some things I had to change in my own life.
First, I must always keep an open mind, an open heart, and an open perspective. Perspective, power, and privilege are three things that matter so much, and we must be cognizant of.
Most importantly, I realized that there is something I can easily do and use my power to encourage others… consume less! I consider myself as a minimalist, but everywhere I look, I realize that there are things that I could easily cut out of my life. I have started making these changes and I can see these changes resonating in my friends and family. This small victory, making a few people conscious of their behaviors and the changes they make, gives me great hope and motivation. One mural that still inspires me is: “A única luta que se perde é aquela que se abandona” or “the only fight you lose is that which you abandon.”
Now I am sitting here, the day before fall classes begin. This will be my last semester as a graduate student, and most likely my last semester ever. Soon I will be a sustainability professional, looking for a real job in the real world to make some real change. I hope that I will have the ability to travel the world, and take my education and experiences in sustainability to make the world a better place.