Foreign exchange student Ingrid Reis left her hometown of Salvador, Bahia in Brazil with a population of 2.9 million people and moved to her new hometown of Smackover, population 1,758.
Her two hometowns couldn’t be more different. But, Reis did find one thing they had in common - volleyball.
Smackover started its first-ever volleyball program in the spring and is in the middle of a junior varsity schedule. Reis has played volleyball since she was 12-years-old.
The 5-4 senior is the starting setter for the Lady Bucks.
“I think it’s a good team. We start really good. We don’t have experience so for our first year, we are really good. I love to play here,” said Reis, who arrived in Smackover on Aug. 10 to live with host family Chauna and Steven Edney.
“I’m loving staying in United States now. I didn’t expect to play volleyball here. It was not my plans. But, now there’s a team here. I have friends here on the team.”
Reis’ native language is Portuguese but her English is surprisingly fluent. She had a few minor struggles in a telephone interview with a reporter’s mumbling Arkansas accent but she clearly had studied English in Brazil.
“It’s mandatory. I have English classes at the school in Brazil but I learned my English watching Netflix,” she giggled.
“The system in Brazil is different. We copy some words and we learn the rules but we don’t practice. Coming to America is helping me with my speak and listening to. In Brazil, we don’t practice this a lot.”
“She is really outgoing,” said Smackover coach Dennis Steele. “She doesn’t like to be overpowering in telling girls what to do. She does talk to the other girls and she speaks English very well. She’s a good kid.”
As for other languages, Reis said, “It’s not fluent but I know a little bit of Spanish.”
She also knows volleyball. Reis is actually more fluent in the sport than even her coach. Playing with beginners could be more challenging than any language barrier would’ve been.
“When Coach Steele asks me about something I answer but I’m not trying to teach anyone because, I don’t know, some people don’t like it. Some people don’t see that with a good eye so I don’t try to teach anyone. But, if some people need help or something, I help,” said Reis, who understands volleyball is brand new to Smackover.
“I’m not frustrated because they don’t know, because I know they’re learning it.”
The Lady Bucks have one victory this season. Steele tries to give everyone on the team playing time as they all learn the game. Wins aren’t as important as learning how to play. Reis’ arrival has been a godsend.
“She is really a setter. She does it the best on the team,” said Steele. “I moved her around a lot trying to set up other kids. She’s always happy, always smiling. She serves well but her setting and bumping and digging is really good.”
In addition to volleyball, Reis’ other favorite sport is soccer, which isn’t offered at Smackover. That’s not the only Brazilian thing she misses.
Ask her about the food.
“No, no, no, so much different,” she said. “I’m so happy because here we have spicy food. My city is recognized about the peppers. My pepper in Brazil is more spicy than here.”
And, of course, her new hometown is very small, which has been an adjustment.
“My city in Brazil is a huge city. It’s a capital. It’s really different,” she said. “In my city we have three million people. Here it’s like so little. It’s different. I like the experience. All the people know all the people and know where all the people live. It’s so nice. I like this experience.”
For fun in Brazil, she said, “I hang out with my boyfriend and friends. We like to go to the beach. And, we go to the parties, too.”
In Smackover, “I hang out with my other exchange student friends. I hang out, too, with my parents. I like to play volleyball and talk with my friends at the school.”
For Reis, the food in Smackover has been different. Some of the classes, she said are easier because she’s already taken the courses in Portuguese.
Overall, though, Reis couldn’t be happier in her new hometown.
“The people are so receptive. In Brazil we have one vision about America. We see people like serious and not so much receptive,” she said. “But, it’s different, so much different than I think. The people here are so receiving and so cool, really interested in learning about Brazil. It’s really nice.”