There is a lot to be said about switching up one’s milieu to get a different perspective on life. A change in physical environment is one way to achieve this and, when it involves relocating to somewhere 9800+ km away, it is a surefire way to guarantee a change in scenery on many levels - geographical, topographical, work and social. Going to Brazil brought about a radical change of physical environment that afforded me an opportunity to explore different new sights, hear different sounds, and explore new cultural and geographical horizons. This alone was refreshing to me as the topography in Florianópolis and along Brazil’s coast, alone, was simply stunning and so different than what we have in Canada. And after teaching three straight semesters in Winnipeg, I needed a change of scenery; having lived on both coasts and 18 years in Vancouver I seem to need (or, at least crave) changes in landscape that includes rugged terrain, lush greenery, and open water.
For me, there is something about these physical changes that fulfills an internal need to move, keeps me from feeling boxed in, and often inspires my creative thinking. I have to wonder if the first two points in this list are related to feeling trapped in my early years, particularly when on the farm (a dairy farm is a 24/7 operation with few breaks) and with respect to my upbringing. It could also be the Leo in me - a requirement of perpetual movement punctuated with short periods of rest, much like a cat. I have always loved the outdoors with both the visual and auditory stimulation that comes with nature. And the areas of Brazil I visited certainly filled this need, whether through walks on the beaches with the sound of the surf or the cacophony of birds ringing in the early morning or the vibrant colours and sounds of carnaval.
It was particularly on the beach walks, my many early morning jaunts around Floripa, and the one long hike where I benefited from both the solitude of nature and that sense of spirituality that comes from being in the great outdoors. I find that the combination of fresh air, exercise, and connections to the environment with all the visual and auditory stimuli brings me to that more spiritual level, whether I am on my own or with a small group of close friends. I am not at all a religious person and never have found a sense of belonging within an organized belief system. Part of that is due to the hypocrisy of the "Word of God" being used in persecution of people in my 2SLGBTQA+ community and between faith groups, and part of it is that I believe religions and their dogma are simply socially constructed belief systems. I do believe that faith and community are incredibly important and I fundamentally respect a person's choice to follow a belief system...so long as it is not used as a weapon on others or not forced upon me. And for me, my belief and sense of spirituality comes from nature around me.
It was on these walks, jaunts, and hikes that I did my best thinking - the time and space where I was active and stimulated by the environment to deeper levels of reflection. It was where I could be lost in deep thought, problem solve academic or personal issues, or just aimlessly wander in my head. The neat thing about being in a different environment is how it influences one's headspace. First, it forces a different routine and exploration of new pathways - walking the river trail in Winnipeg is nice but gets pretty monotonous over time and the geese all look the same. Second, one sees different things, whether animals, art, or landscapes, that lends a new and fresh perspective... sometimes just a different angle on things. And, as a morning person, there is nothing more spiritual and serene as being one of the few out and about to greet the dawn - to me, it is absolutely the best part of the day.
The other thing that really brings me a lot of fulfillment when I have a dramatic change of physical environment is when there is something to be experienced and learned about history. And Brazil offered much insight to its colonial origins through some fascinating architecture, fortifications, and other heritage sites. As I have previously blogged, Brazil shares a dark legacy of colonial history somewhat parallel to that of Canada with the main difference being impacts of slavery in Brazil. However, the well-preserved public buildings, churches, and other facades do highlight more positive attributes of the engineering, construction, and artistic side of the historical society here. Similar to my trips to Rome and other European capitals, I was captivated by the beauty of the structures and the vibrancy of the colours. And having been to Portugal and the Azores, seeing the ties to the historical roots through the masonry, styles, colours, and even the ceramic tiles was intriguing and inspiring. As a history buff, my mind becomes quite engaged in understanding how cultural influences were brought on here through colonization and how it changed or adapted through politics and distance from the original powers; for Brazil, a Portuguese residual of an imperial power, adaptation and survival also occurred through wars with the Spanish imperial powers and, then, with territorial disputes as South American countries defined themselves. Much of this would not have become top-of-mind had it not been for my journey to this part of the world - personal growth through experience and physical environment is quite different to merely reading about it in a book.
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