Encounters and Farewells (2019)
My parents left Brazil for the US when they were 18 years old. Due to this, I was born in America with a connection to Brazil, specifically the town of Poços de Caldas where my parents both grew up. More than 30 years later they’ve never been back for more than a month at a time, a few years apart. Since my first trip at age 11, once my parents finally got their green cards, my feelings towards Brazil and what it means to me, have changed.
I’ve realized whenever I say hello to Brazil, I am always saying goodbye to the US and vice versa. It will never be possible to be in both places at once. There will always be sacrifice usually showing itself in my absence to loved ones in trying times, growing more and more prevalent as my family ages and changes.
This is an exploration of the effects of time and identity in what for me is a familiar yet foreign place.
