Nothing can quite capture the feeling of stepping off a plane in a foreign country and realizing this unfamiliar place is about to be your home. To be honest with you, I did almost zero research before landing in Brazil, let alone São Paulo, because deciding to study abroad was literally a last-minute impulse. I took a leap of faith into the unknown and just prayed for the best.
When I arrived, I didn’t know a single soul in my CIEE program. Waiting for my bags, I was already spiraling. “What if I don’t make any friends? What if I am the odd one out?” Anxiety was hitting hard. Orientation lasted two days, full of icebreakers, group activities, and forced smiles, but that’s when I realized something important, connections can’t be rushed. They take time. And honestly? I have more in common with my fellows than I thought. Now the friendships I have formed here already feel like family and I’ll forever be grateful for that.
Brazil’s official language is Portuguese, and let me remind you, I was so unprepared. English isn’t widely spoken here, and that language barrier hit me hard. Honestly, one of my biggest pre-arrival regrets? Not learning Portuguese, but hey, we live and we learn. The silver lining though was that no one else in my group spoke Portuguese either, so suddenly my fear of standing out definitely felt less intimidating.
Slowly, over the weeks, the panic about being lost or misunderstood faded, replaced by curiosity, laughter, and joy. Amid all the doubt and insecurity, São Paulo has completely swept me off my feet. This city is nothing like the small, rural town I grew up in back in Alabama. People are everywhere, traffic is insane, but it’s alive in a way I’ve never experienced before. Every corner has something new, a street performer, a market, a café, a hidden park. The cultural variety is endless, and I’ve found myself constantly amazed.
Being here has pushed me way out of my comfort zone and to be honest, it’s kind of addictive. Food, for example, I’ve gone from picky eater to someone willing to try just about anything. I’ve tried Brazilian, Bahian, Indian, Japanese, and African dishes, you name it. Everywhere you go, there’s a new dish calling your name. At the moment, I’m obsessed with Pão de Queijo (cheese bread) and Pastel (thin-crust, deep-fried pastries stuffed with cheese, meat, or other ingredients). It’s fun to surprise myself with things I’d never eat back home.
In just a month, I’ve realized it’s okay not to have it all together. Studying abroad isn’t easy, it pushes you to adapt, unlearn old habits, and rethink perspectives. Those initial moments of fear and anxiety? They’ve slowly transformed into independence and confidence. I’m proud of how far I’ve come. Don’t get me wrong, yes, it’s scary and messy, but the growth you experience is worth every moment of uncertainty. Keep an open heart, embrace your own experiences, and take the leap, just study abroad!