‘Part of our family’: Bond forged during exchange program remains strong between Brazil native, Hope resident

TEXARKANA — A former exchange student from Brazil said “oi” Monday as she and her family paid a visit to the Twin Cities.

Ruth Rangel, husband Pedro and children Benjamin and Alice, of Rio de Janeiro, were in town with Sandra May, of Hope, Arkansas.

Twenty-four years ago, May hosted Ruth, a then-15-year-old, as an exchange student to Hope High School. Ruth was a junior.

The two have remained close. May has been to Brazil six times, and Ruth has returned to the States three times.

“She is part of our family,” Ruth said of May.

Ruth last visited in 2014, before her children were born.

“I come with the kids for them to know the family, the house, the culture,” said Ruth, a public defender.

The culture is something that especially appeals to Ruth.

During the exchange, she embraced student life at Hope High — from the Sadie Hawkins and other dances to extracurricular activities. It was a far cry from what she knew in Brazil, where students “mostly study,” she said.

“We don’t have the kind of stuff that brings students together,” Ruth said. “To be a part of it was neat for me.”

She and Pedro also cited a sense of togetherness in small-town USA that they say is not present in the bustling coastal city of Rio, which has a population closing in on 7 million.

Pedro, a psychologist and writer with books on Amazon, called Hope a united community.

“They really care for each other,” said Ruth, noting how May’s neighbors regularly check in on her.

The Rangels said the culture and community connectedness are something they wanted their children to see on their visit, and possibly even participate in one day as exchange students.

“It’s not just for English. It’s a life experience,” Ruth said of studying abroad.

But the benefits of the exchange are two-way, according to May.

Through the Rangels and her visits to Brazil (her last one was in 2022), May has come to appreciate Brazilian culture, especially the cuisine. This time around, she prepared a Brazilian staple as a welcome meal for the Rangels — black beans and rice.

“She’s more Brazilian than North American,” Pedro said.

The Rangels were scheduled to depart for Rio on an afternoon flight from Texarkana Regional Airport, which drew their praise for the aesthetics of its new terminal. Before leaving, they and May visited photographer’s island in front of the downtown federal building for a photo with Mayor Bob Bruggeman of Texarkana, Texas, and Mayor Allen Brown of the Arkansas side.

May is the aunt of Jackie Bruggeman, who is married to the mayor.

Since Ruth, May has not hosted another exchange student. Her reason is simple.

“When you get the perfect one …” she said, her voice trailing as Ruth embraced her.