1. Na Serra [ In the Countryside] by Nidia Vaz-Correia

2. “ Serra,” literally translated, means countryside in Portuguese. But that definition just doesn’t do it justice. It means so much more…

3. It means young women dreaming of a bigger world.

4. It means young men planning for a better future than their father’s.

5. It means new families at the beginning of a long journey.

6. It means crawling around on grandma’s bed.

7. It means running everywhere, picking flowers, and lots of giggles.

8. It means climbing rocks, jumping in rivers, and swatting at bees.

9. It means spontaneous gatherings of family and friends who happened to stop by.

10. It’s where the animals outnumber the neighbors.

11. It’s where days lazily go by and walks go on forever.

12. It’s where kitchen floors cool you down on hot days.

13. It’s where generations gather and talk of days gone by.

14. It’s where burning wood crackles amidst long conversations.

15. It’s where food tastes as fresh as the sea it came out of.

16. It’s where the biggest obstacle you’ll face are the goats crossing the road.

17. It’s where people come together and dance their cares away.

18. It’s where the sun sets below the hills and the sky fills with stars.

19. A Serra It’s not just a place, but a feeling. A feeling of family, of history, of home.