A couple of months ago I finally got to visit Brazil and it was great. I stayed with friends and presented at my first conference since I started my business Weekes Enterprise, LLC.

The AMISA Educators Conference took place in Sao Paolo at the Graded School. The grounds of the school is massive, nicely decorated and full of green spaces, benches, and even hammocks. Like my school in Abidjan it is an outdoor campus where all classrooms lead to outside and have windows to allow for ventilation. At this conference I presented two different presentations on two days. It was an amazing experience for me to present in person on Mental Health Awareness and Consent lessons. The response was positive from the educators who attended my sessions. I got to spend time with old friends, and make new connections with educators from all over Brazil and South America. Because of this conference I became more visible as a Workshop Facilitator and Consultant. I look forward to the new projects in the fall of 2022.

The neighborhood where my friend Laura lives in Sao Paolo was easy to navigate and it was inexpensive to use uber to get around. While there I relaxed, and drank caipirinhas the local cocktail I took lots of photos in the artistic Batman Alley that is filled with street art murals. Because I enjoy learning the history of the countries, I visited the Museu Afro Brazil and  São Paulo Museum of Modern Art. Both museums were well curated and offered glimpses into the life of Brazilian history and culture.

I took the overnight bus to Rio de Janeiro which took several hours but because I could lay my seat down flat I was able to sleep. During my short vist in Rio I visited the beach, ate too much fried food and visited the Selaron steps and the Christ the Redeemer statue. Both places were crowded but the Christ the Redeemer area was especially crowded meaning there was no way to get a photo without a stranger in your shot. The views were phenomenal and the trolley ride up to the top was nice.

I have always wanted to visit Brazil but I’m happy that I got to spend some much needed time with friends. I ate at lots of nice restaurants and visited some tourist sites. Sao Paolo and Rio de Janeiro are definitely worth the visit, I would definitely return. #Brazil #SaoPaolo #Rio #travelismytherapy