SALVADOR!!!

SALVADOR!!!

Last week, all of our mentors were out of town so they permitted all of us living in Floripa to take a trip up to Salvador, Bahia. We stayed for 4.5 days and had a great time!! Here are some of my favorite photos:

Enjoy!

This is one of my housemates, Norman! We had just arrived in Salvador the day before and were exploring the historic district of Pelourinho. The weather was perfect for wandering down the streets and experiencing all the authentic Afro-Brazilian culture Pelourinho has to offer.

I took this photo inside the Mercy Museum. This was once a mansion/hospital built by enslaved Africans and commissioned by rich men who wanted to gain mercy from Jesus. They thought that helping poor and sick people would excuse any sinful behavior and send them to heaven. This intricate design was apart of the mini-chapel built next to the hospital. Very beautiful!

Luckily I was able to link with my capoeira mestre while he was home in north Salvador. I met him 2 years ago when he came to Nashville for my first induction ceremony into the capoeira school he founded. This was a full circle moment for me because meeting Mestre Valu in 2017 is what sparked my interest in Portuguese and Afro-Brazilian culture. Truly life-changing!

Pictured: me, my 3 housemates, and some other exchange students from New York. On our last night in Salvador, we visited the “hipster” neighborhood of Rio Vermelho. We stumbled upon this group of young English speakers and made friends! A great way to end a great weekend excursion. Axé!