First-Time Brazilian Visitor Shares Aviation Passion at IVT

July 25, 2018 - Daniel Henrique de Araujo found out about EAA AirVenture Oshkosh while browsing the internet and he immediately knew it was a place he needed to visit.

“I had to come because of the passion and love,” said Araujo, of Brazil, who is volunteering as a Portuguese interpreter in the International Visitors Tent. “My love for the aviation field brought me here. This has been a dream come true.”

Before he was even here, he reached out to the chair of the International Visitors Tent and asked if he could volunteer. To his surprise, she said yes. “I like to deal with people, and I love language,” Araujo said. He volunteers every day, occasionally taking off to look around or go see things.

One of his favorite things to see at AirVenture are the fighter jets, particularly because you can get so close to them. “Brazil has smaller events, but you can’t get close to the aircraft,” he said. “Here, it is totally different. You can even touch some things and that’s totally awesome.”’

Araujo isn’t a pilot, although he hopes to be one someday. He said he also enjoys the AirVenture air shows and “gets the goose bumps” from any aircraft that passes overhead.

He is staying the week in Camp Scholler, despite only camping once before. “The Camp Scholler people are so kind,” he said. “I’ve met people from all over the country.”

An elementary school science teacher, Araujo said he planned and saved for this trip for more than a year and a half, and said it is also his first trip to the U.S. He arrived in Oshkosh on Sunday, and he will be staying until the end of AirVenture. He’ll then drive back to Chicago for a few days before returning to Brazil on August 2.

And while he doesn’t know when, he does know he will be back. “I’m pretty sure, I have no doubt,” Araujo said. “I really want to come back.”