When I got to my host mom's house, I was welcomed with a plate of food called feijoada. This is the most popular dish in Brazil and was a great introduction to my time here. My first meal in the country gave me an idea of what to expect during my four months here.
Feijoada was actually the first meal I had here in Brazil. It was prepared by my host mom.
When I tried it, I was a bit nervous because I had just arrived in the country, fresh off the plane, and immediately into this immersive experience. I had just gotten to my host mom's house, and I was feeling hungry after over 15 hours of traveling. I had none of the options I would typically eat and was presented with an unfamiliar plate of food. Using my basic Spanish skills from the year prior and my five weeks of Portuguese class, I tried to ask what it was. After a little back and forth with pointing, hand gestures and Google translate, I found out it was called feijoada.
It consists of ingredients I am familiar with, like meat, rice, beans and vegetables. but it tasted like something I never had before. Initially I thought the food was okay, but it was not something I would eat again.