Nature here in Campo Grande MS Brazil is around every corner of the city. In the Parque das Nações Indígenas you can see some of the world’s most ‘chillest’ animal: the capybara. Capybaras are some of the world’s largest rodents and they can be typically found here lounging by the park lake while soaking up the sun. They are not aggressive by nature but they sometimes carry fleas and ticks so they are best viewed from a small distance.
Birds are at the heart of Campo Grande. They are a symbol of happiness, freedom, and the people’s warm found in this city. Here you can see macaws and toucans fly around the assortment of buildings and towers. Many of them having colors of electric blue, golden sunset yellows, and bright vibrant greens, reds, and oranges; the most famous of these birds being the blue araras. In fact many of making sounds like ‘raa! raa! raa!’ which can be problematic if you want a good night’s rest. You can also see the city’s appreciation for these birds through the many murals downtown.
Araras also signify much to the indigenous communities that also call this city as home. After receiving the chance to talk and listen to community leaders in the aldeias, they told me that these birds symbolize guardians and protection especially for the Terena. Our program also was able to attend the grand opening of an art exhibition put together by the indigenous communities in the local area. The artists presenting their artwork here come from indigenous background and want their voices and culture not only to be heard and be visible locally but also internationally as well. It was interesting to see the araras as well as other local birds be echoed in the artwork. Here is one that caught my attention:
Finally I would like to thank the University of Washington Seattle & Bothell for making this trip possible. This was a very unique experience and I felt like I learned a lot, get out of my comfort zone, and made a lot of friends abroad. I want to make clear that if you are a STEM major here at UWB, there is a plethora of programs from all three campuses that want your perspective. When applying for a study abroad trips, I thought that me being a physics major would prevent me from participating in programs that have an emphasis on art, culture, or the environment. I found that this is not true. Also if you are worried about finances UW Bothell’s study abroad office has many scholarships that you can apply for as well. I believe that our university wants more STEM majors to not be afraid to travel abroad and experience subjects outside the curriculum of a major. I understand that especially for physics majors at UW Bothell that it is difficult to find time to apply to a study abroad program but I want to say it is worth it. Also it is a great way to satisfy A&H credits too. So for STEM students at UW Bothell I say: try something new, try something exciting, and most importantly try something fun!
See you all soon! / Até mais!
Alex Kennedy, UW Bothell, Senior, Physics
