Come to Brazil is something I had never imagined and when I realized I was already here! Despite the language barrier, my family does not speak English and I do not speak Portuguese, the relationship with my family is being built every day. In one way or another we are able to understand each other. The class period was wonderful. Sarah, our teacher gave us an excellent basis for understanding and learning the language. Our classes were not only in the classroom…. We had classes in supermarkets, fairs, restaurants and tours that we did. We lived the language in its day-by-day application. I am very anxious to start volunteering. I love being around children and today when they sang for us, I felt very excited. I really want to learn more about the lives of these children and help them what is necessary and which I’m able to.

When I planned my trip to Brazil, I confess that I didn’t create a lot of expectations about anything. Today, after 1 month living in “Wonderful city” (Rio de Janeiro) I m sure the location is perfect! The relationship with the family is great. Dani is a sister to me and Tati, who is just a little older than me, is like a mother. The 4 weeks I spent in school were wonderful. The teacher and the school were excellent and now I have a very clear sense of the language despite the short time. This week I start the volunteer work at the project. I m sure it will be a great opportunity not only to continue learning Portuguese but also for my self-growth and knowledge.

“…I have never traveled out of Ireland on my own before let alone to the other side of the world for 2 months but Brazilian Experience made me feel safe and at ease. They arranged the accommodation, travel from the airport and my Portuguese classes. I was nervous at first but after meeting the family I felt very much at home. My month in Rio was spent trying to learn Portuguese, exploring the wonderful city and the surrounding areas and going out meeting local people.The best part about living with a local family is that they will advise you on the places to go, the places not to go, they bring you to social events, bars with their friends, speak with local people, things that would not be possible if I had travelled as a tourist. After my month in Rio, I made my way to Belo Horizonte by bus. The first thing I noticed was how friendly and welcoming everyone was. They all wanted to meet me and say hello and even though I knew very little of the language they all tried to speak English and made me feel part of the family straight away. A week into my time in Belo Horizonte I started my volunteer work in the local tennis club which catered for players in wheelchairs. These players came from local underprivileged areas and they came here 3 times a week where the volunteers helped improve their tennis. It was so rewarding seeing the players improve in the weeks I was there. Although Belo Horizonte does not have as many tourists as Rio, I found the people the friendliest, nicest, most welcoming people I have ever met. The family made me feel like I was one of them, throwing a surprise birthday for me, inviting me for dinner in friends houses, bringing me to sports clubs to meet friends and play tennis and bringing me out for dinner and drinks with family and friends. I really do have to thank the people of Belo Horizonte and Rio De Janeiro for making my stay in Brazil a life changing experience and one I will never regret, change or forget”.