Growing up I often visited Brazil, my mom’s home country. I knew a good amount of Portuguese because my maternal grandma had lived with us for many years. Then, Going there to study meant leaving the United States behind at age 13, to experience the unknown. I left behind the only school I had attended since Kindergarten and all my friends. It also meant becoming proficient in Portuguese, so I could keep up with school work in Brazil. At the time, I felt I was failing because I could not understand the language and saw myself as an outsider of that culture. I did not feel included and had to force myself out of my shell to accept challenges and risks. I was immersed in a completely different culture, away from the world as I knew up until that point, and at a very young age. That was scary and challenging. But, with the love and support of my family, that was such an amazing and rich experience. I gained exposure to different ways of life, ideologies, backgrounds, and perspectives. I gained a cultural awareness unlike any other. I learned all about my roots and spent time with my Brazilian extended family, whom I love. I developed my ability to adapt to new situations and overcome challenges. I learned to be flexible and overcome obstacles. I enhanced my problem-solving skills. I made new friends, some of whom are my best friends to this day. This was a big step towards who I am today and who I would like to continue to grow into. I came back from Brazil just as high school started and once again, I saw myself having to adapt to a different reality. Except that, this time, I had already learned to do so because I had taken full advantage of this extraordinary opportunity of living in Brazil. I took advantage of an opportunity I was given, and it taught me a whole new world of appreciation. I learned a new language, met people I can never forget, worked to overcome the hardships that surrounded me, and took a key step to becoming the person I am today and who I know I will grow into with similar opportunities. I think this opportunity allowed me to make connections and learn from people with different beliefs and life perspectives; it allowed me to understand the important of inclusion and diversity. Those are values I will carry for my entire life.

My grandma, who is very faithful, has always been like a third parent to me; she taught me how to cook, how to sew, how to “be a lady”, and so much more. She studied music as a higher education, therefore having a profound knowledge of musical instruments and classical music. I believe this to be the reason of my passion for music; she would constantly show me all the good classic Brazilian rhythms and tell me the stories of all of these amazing Brazilian musicians in history, such as Adoniran Barbosa, a Brazilian classic, and so many others that I came to love and learn the beautiful language of Portuguese with. She had a strong faith that passed on to me. After I was born, my maternal grandmother came from Brazil to help my parents, who worked many hours to be able to give me a better life. My grandma started coming every year and staying for as long as her tourist VISA allowed her to stay. She did not know any English and had to adjust to a completely different culture, just to be able to support my parents. Through time she ended up pursuing her Legal Permanent Status and eventually her American citizenship. And with this, my grandma taught me a lot more than music; most importantly, she taught me to be who I am. She taught me values and the importance of family as a foundation, she showed me the beauty in other cultures and the world around me; she taught me arts like sewing, cooking, threading, and music; without her I would not be who I am today. I often visited Brazil with her and, in December of 2021, during my 8th grade year, I moved to Brazil and lived with her, away from my parents, for 8 months. I immersed myself in Brazilian culture, learned all about my roots, which I love, and of course, became fully fluent in Portuguese. Through her and my supportive family, I gained a cultural awareness unlike any other. It inspired me to want to know even more about the world and explore ll that I can with my time. There is so much beauty in the world, and studying in Brazil was one big step towards who I am` and who I would like to grow into. It is hard for me to find words to describe how grateful and privileged I feel for having my grandma in my life. This experience opened my perspective, and gave me life-long friends, as well as a strong bond with my Brazilian family, despite being a continent apart. My family has always inspired me to want more than what is around me; they inspire me to be the best person I can be and pursue all my dreams. Their unconditional love and support have given me such a strong foundation and moral character, and my grandma is a big part of that.