ACBX’s First Brazil Cultural Exchange Trip was an incredible experience for our students! Thank you to all who donated to our Teen Travel Fundraiser and made Josue “Bufalo” Marquez trip possible. Josue, along 
with other teen and adult students had an amazing experience training Capoeira with people from around the world and experiencing the richness of Brazilian culture and society.
Josue “Bufalo” Marquez Reflects on His Trip to Brazil 2013
ACBX’s First Teen Travel Fund Scholarship Recipient
September 13, 2013
The 2013 ACBX trip to Brazil was an amazing experience for me that I will 
never forget. This was my first time going to Brazil to go see the ABADA-Capoeira world games, where the best capoeiristas in the world compete, it was a once in a life time experience to see the high level of capoeira that was being played in the games and to see all the instrutores, graduados and professores compete was incredible. This trip was very special for two reasons, one because ABADA-Capoeira would be celebrating 25 years since its founding in 1988, the other reason was that for the first time two Mestras would be recognized by ABADA. The trip also allowed me to train with people from around the world, and it opened my eyes and made me realize how BIG the organization of ABADA-Capoeira truly was. This was not only a training trip, there were also times that we would go out to experience Brazilian culture, there was dancing, singing, playing, sight-seeing, etc. My favorite part of the trip was when we trained at CEMB, Mestre Camisa’s farm in Rio de Janeiro. I also really liked to see the amount of enthusiasm the people had, especially in Curitiba, the kids there were amazing, their Capoeira even better. During this trip my classmates and I grew closer for those weeks we were together and we made so many new friendships that we could’ve not made if we had not gone on that trip. I hope one day we can return and train again with all the friends we made and also compete in the world games.
Click here for complete winners list of the IX World Games ABADA-Capoeira.
ABOUT ACBX’S TEEN TRAVEL FUND
BRAZIL FOR A CHANGE: FROM THE BRONX TO RIO is ABADA-Capoeira Bronx’s fundraising initiative to grant one teenage student a life-time experience; a trip to Brazil to participate in the International Congress and World Games of Capoeira hosted by the ABADA-Capoeira association in Rio de Janeiro, August 2013.
This international event brings thousands of people from around the world to Rio de Janeiro for a week of workshops, educational seminars and cultural events with the top ABADA masters. It is the premiere event in the Capoeira community and a one-of-a kind cultural exchange with people from all walks of life.
Along with fellow capoeiristas from NY, the teen student will embark in a three-week trip visiting the cities of Curitiba and Rio de Janeiro, to experience the art of Capoeira at its best and the richness of Brazilian culture first-hand.
Approximately 15 ACBX students will be traveling to Brazil for the first time, including the teenager recipient of these funds. Other ABADA NY schools will be traveling this summer as well, making a combined approximate number of 50 New Yorkers traveling to Rio.
This year it is particularly special because there are historical events taking place:
- Commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the international ABADA-Capoeira
- ABADA-Capoeira will recognize its first-ever female masters; NY’s own Mestranda Edna Lima and Mestranda Marcia Cigarra from CA. And one new master, Mestrando Canguru.
- Five Professores will become Mestrandos – the second highest rank attainable in the ABADA ranking system – Professores Bode (Curitiba), Tigre (Israel), Cascão (Portugual), Eberson (Brasilia), Sabiá (Goiania).
Female masters are not common in the Capoeira community, therefore, the recognition of ABADA’s Mestrandas as Mestras will be one of the biggest highlights of the event.
ACBX & ABADA New York are overwhelmingly excited to be part of this upcoming magnificent event…so help us make it an even more memorable trip by making it possible for a teen from the Bronx to be a part of it!
Set up your coin jar, exhort friends, family and local businesses you frequent to do the same and help us reach our $3,500 goal.