I have been in Brazil for a few weeks now! Despite beginning to settle into a more familiar routine, I am still experiencing many “firsts” on a daily basis. I couldn’t be happier about the consistency of new things entering my life, and I am truly awed at how many beautiful and inspiring opportunities are right around the corner! As I begin to settle into daily life here in Goiânia, I am reminded of the things that scared me, and seemed so unfamiliar that I could never imagine them holding a meaningful place in my daily life.
Truthfully, when I first arrived, Brazil was an intimidating place. The traffic is very busy, Portuguese is a much more challenging language than I anticipated, and my main method of payment was being declined — despite my bank insisting that everything was fine. I was told not to walk around at night, and since the sun sets at 6pm here, my first dinner in Brazil was leftover subway from the airport and an orange I had managed to buy at a small grocery store near my apartment. On top of that, my phone wasn’t working, so I couldn’t call my family to let them know I had arrived and was settling in. That was definitely a first I will never forget. Although I was overwhelmed, overheating, and overtired, I went to bed that first night knowing that I was about to begin a difficult, but beautiful chapter of my life that would have many memorable firsts, and I was entirely correct!
Over the next few days, I got to try my first taste of real açai, made my first Brazilian friends, and visited my first Brazilian schools! Not to brag, but, I have been able to pick up some phrases in Portuguese, as well! I can (fairly) successfully order from menus now, can introduce myself to students (although they all call me Julie for some reason), and (most importantly) can confidently tell people that I “do not speak Portuguese!” I have experienced many other firsts already as well, most of them connected to some of the most delicious foods I’ve ever eaten! Brazilian food definitely deserves its own dedicated blog post, but for now, some of my favourites have been churrasco, pastel, açai (of course), and maracujá.
All of the challenges I faced on my first day here are memories I look back fondly on already — they remind me of how far I have been able to grow as a result of the kindness and hospitality I’ve encountered here in Brazil. I am becoming quite fond of the routines I have managed to create for myself as I get to know my surroundings more, and am eagerly looking forward to the many more firsts I am able to experience here!