Last year, three students from Onda Solidária in Brazil hopped on a plane for the first time and visited SEED DC and SEED Maryland. This summer, it was the SEED students' turn to enjoy Onda Solidária's hospitality in Brazil! From digging their fingers in the dirt at an organic community garden to a spontaneous dance competition, our students gained international perspective and had a ton of fun. We're proud of these young travelers for embodying the spirit of SEED Summer Learning!
Our hosts at Onda Solidária wasted no time on introductions; as soon as SEED students arrived, the kids were trading lessons on the finer points of futebol vs. football and breaking the ice with a few pickup games. Despite the language barrier, there were plenty of jokes and smiles all around. After the warm-up, SEED students participated in a dance clinic on the Samba. Of course, our students returned the favor and showed our hosts some moves of their own! The SEED students made sure to hit all the tourist spots before heading to their next destination, leaving some time at the beach to catch a few of Rio's famous rays.
After exploring the sights and sounds of Rio de Janeiro, our students (and chaperones!) were excited to get out of the city and see some of Brazil's natural wonders. Only a few hours away, in Ibitipoca State Park, the students spent a full day hiking up hilltop trails and splashing in streams fed by waterfalls. Students also explored the grounds at Vila do Sonhos, an educational center, organic garden, and food kitchen managed by Onda Solidária. There, SEED students harvested heirloom crops such as cassava and learned traditional Brazilian cooking techniques.
We are incredibly grateful to Onda Solidária for opening their doors to SEED, and we look forward to hosting--and visiting--them again soon!
“Special thanks to every member of The SEED Community that got behind this dream and made it happen, to the chaperones that touched our hearts, and to the youth who became great new friends and acted as true ambassadors.”