My name is Salim Kassam. I have just finished my A-levels studying Mathematics, Economics, and Classics. After my gap year in which I plan to travel the world I intend to read Economics and Arabic at SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies). With my qualification I hope to then go on to become a journalist.

Being a keen sportsman and a qualified coach, I have always been fascinated by the Brazilians ability in the field of sports. Not only are they the five times world champions in football, but they have just about managed to win every medal at the Olympics, specializing in volleyball as well.

With all this in mind I departed from Heathrow airport almost expecting to see a football or a volleyball in the hands of every pedestrian. Upon my arrival in Rio my expectations were close to being met…

As we boarded our coach at 8 am on a sunny Saturday, it was outstanding to see fenced up football pitches every few hundred metres full of youths playing football. The scene was much the same on the beaches of Niterói where our hotel was located. The beach was littered with games of football, with people of all ages joining in.

After dropping our baggage off at our hotel we attended a reception at the British Council office in Rio. During our briefing of our trip and a warm welcome by Graeme Hodgson of the British Council, my mind was elsewhere. I was itching to play ´the beautiful game´ in the country that may not have created football but managed to almost perfect it. Following on from this reception we had lunch and still I was made to wait before I could fulfill my dream of scoring a goal on a beach in Rio.

Finally night came and we were given time to relax at our hotel and catch up on some much needed sleep. I figured that I would play football on my second day as I was still very jetlagged. So I lay on my bed and shut my eyes. Twenty minutes must have past and I was still not asleep. Something was bugging me. I got up and took a few of the other global fellows with me to the beach. With my Lonely Planet Portuguese book in hand we approached some Brazilian kids, half expecting to be turned away, and asked, ´Posso entrar (can I join in?)´. Much to my surprise they did not only let us play but were very welcoming. Despite the very apparent language barrier, we managed to converse and build up respect for one another on the pitch.

I feel at this point I should throw in that I did manage to fulfill my dream and scored a goal that made the score 1-1 in our very first match against Brazilians.

After the game was over we experienced more of the Brazilian culture and instead of the traditional English handshake following a football game, we all embraced. Although the game was a draw, the winner was determined by a round of ´Rock, paper scissors´, which clearly, like football, knows no language barriers. Although they lost, only showing a rock to our superior paper, the Brazilians were not bitter. They even invited us to have a drink with them. By this time we were already drunk off the euphoria of the victory so we politely turned down the offer and returned to our hotel where sleep swiftly befell us all.

A couple of days later whilst walking to Cultura Inglesa, our Portuguese language school, I saw one of the Brazilian boys we had played with across the road. As soon as he saw us, he left his friends and ran across the road to greet us. He hugged us all and asked if we wanted to play with him and his friends again that evening. Unfortunately we had other commitments that evening, but the hospitality which we were received with was outstanding, and this experience is one that will remain with me for as long as I live.

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