Oi! My name is Ashaki “Nzingha” Hall and I am a MPH alumna of Morehouse School of Medicine. I am so excited to tell you about my second day in Salvador, Bahia!

The word of the day is: GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!

Today my classmates and I watched the Brazil vs. Mexico game at a place called Porto de Barra.  Porto de Barra is a very popular, lively area of Salvador.  It is next to many shops and restaurants overlooking the sea.  It is absolutely stunning.

Today, our host moms walked us to our meeting spot where we met Dr. Stauber and Dr. Ramsey-White.  We went to some local shops and our host moms graciously helped us bargain for some Brazil jerseys for the futbol game.

My classmates and I walked towards the venue where they were showing the game on a jumbo screen and we got stuck in the rain! We were soaked! We stopped at a local restaurant and watched the first half of the game.

The rain subsided, and we finally made it to the venue.  It was so crowded! We made our way through the crowd just in time and we saw Brazil score their first goal.  Exhilarating! What a rush!  We were lucky enough to see the second goal as well. 

After the game, we made our way to our home stays and took some pictures near the beach.  It was a long walk back to our homestays and it was a great time for bonding and cohort fellowship.

Today, July 2 is Bahian Independence day.  The day celebrates the victory, specifically the battle of Pirajá of native and Afro-Brazilians against Portuguese rule.  Many gathered in Campo Grande to celebrate.  I joined my two classmates Shanila and Sujay at a local park.  There were vendors selling snacks and drinks, bands, and even a children’s choir performing.  Music and singing could be heard throughout the night. Truly an exciting day in Salvador.

I am looking forward to more adventures!

Beijos!

Nzingha