Study Abroad and Domestic Study Away

Between the beautiful nature just outside the city, expansive neighborhoods, and lively celebrations, one thing I've appreciated most is how accessible and active São Paulo can be. Being the largest city in the Americas, people come here to chase opportunity and work hard, but this city also offers so much free and affordable entertainment, culture, and community. I found my favorite museum, Instituto Moreira Salles, with its rotating photography exhibitions, saw Marina Sena and Seu Jorge, two nationally famous singers, for free during the city wide culture festival, and had the joy of learning to dance forró, both in classes and on the street. 

But this accessibility and energy is not just about what the city offers, it's also about the people who fill it with life despite many things working against them. Brazilians face many deeply serious social and structural issues day to day and still, this city and its people are beaming with light and compassion. What I appreciated most is that Brazilians are very willing to discuss, educate, and work toward change on realities like poverty and racism; most don't look away from these issues, but still hold onto an outlook of celebration and adaptation. Brazilians are consistently some of the kindest, most thoughtful, engaged people I've encountered, sharing their delicious food, rhythms of music and dance, and always encouraging with my attempts at Portuguese. 

Speaking of that, during this time I aimed to stretch my comfort zone, and one of the main forms was learning Portuguese. There were plenty of ups and downs- I almost failed my first exam and still there were times I was sure I was fluent…but then that vision would crumble the moment I had to settle for expressing myself more simply than I could in English. It's been harder than I imagined, but I am proud to say I am now conversational! I am endlessly grateful for this experience as it has taught me to be tenacious and not take myself too seriously. Really though, I owe it all to my incredible professors and every single patient Portuguese speaker I have encountered, from strangers striking up conversation in the supermarket, children kind enough to actually correct my broken grammar, classmates sharing resources, and friends supportively sitting through longwinded sentences, I have been blessed! This is some of the most meaningful growth I'm bringing home, and I can’t wait to return to keep practicing. 

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