Rodrigues Week VI

  Samuel M. Rodrigues                                 AP Language & Composition                                         23 February 2021

São Miguel Island

    Each summer with the exception for the summer of 2020, my family and I have traveled to the island of São Miguel. Like most, we travel to get away from normal life and spend some time with close family. I know it seems unfathomable, but I actually have grandparents and aunts who live on that small atlantic island and have lived there for their entire lives. Each year, I spend about four months on the island. If you were to add it up, the time would probably equate to about three and a half years -that's a lot of time! When I travel there, I am forced to speak Portuguese which is the main reason why I can speak to this day. In this blog post, I will share a little bit about the culture and explain some of the stories I have from the island of São Miguel.

 The culture on the island of São Miguel is extreemly rich. Family, friends, and tradition are among the most important aspects to the island culture. Many festivals are held to celebrate traditions of the island throughout the year but mainly in the summer time. These festivals include music, food, and traditional clothing. The traditional music that is played is known as fado. The main foods eaten are fish, beef, and an assortment of fruits and vegistables. Although the choice fish on an island might seem obvious to most outsiders, beef is also very common because of the abundance of cows raised on the island. Some of the traditional clothing that can be found at these festivals include dresses that entail complex patterns and button down shirts that contain a variety of colors, patterns, and textures. The only main festival that I truly get to experience during my time on the island is the festival of Capellas. Through this Festival, the islanders are able to connect traditions with the emerging technologies of today's world.

    Now, a little bit about some of my experiences. One of my most memorable experiences include going swimming in the pashina (pool) da lagoa (of the lagoon). This is not a typical lagoon however, but rather a portion of the ocean that is open and has a small bay area free from large waves. Although they've made it safer over the years oh, I remember a time where there were no safeguards and you could dive off of the rocks from anywhere. It might seem unsafe, but it sure was fun. I also enjoy staying at my mom's parents'  house not only because of the fantastic food, but also because of the pool in backyard. I can't tell you how much time I've spent in that pool. Well, thats the skinny of it anyway. I hope that this little recollection of events you can get a little insight into what life is like on the island of São Miguel.

A lagoa de Sete Cidades.