Erika’s Journals

October 30, 2024

Time Flies.

I can’t believe I’ve already been in Brazil for three whole months! It feels like just yesterday I was saying goodbye to my family and getting on the plane, ready for all the new experiences ahead. September and October have been so busy, and I have so many stories to share!

School has been such a great experience for me. At first, I felt like people only wanted to be my friend because I’m American or because I’m not from Brazil. It felt a bit weird, honestly. But slowly, I’ve found friends who are genuinely there for me, and it feels amazing. Just last week, I finished test week and wow, it was so hard. I had tests in math, Portuguese, English, and art history. Some of the questions didn't make any sense to me, but I ended up scoring pretty well so I was really proud of myself. Every day in school, I learn something new. Even if I don’t understand everything they’re saying, I pick up little bits about the culture and the people that surprise me.

In the past couple of months, I’ve also been to three concerts, which has been so cool! Back in the U.S., I don’t go to concerts that often so this has been an amazing experience. First, I went to The Weeknd concert, and it was so fun. One thing that’s different here is that you don’t buy a specific seat, you buy a spot in a section. So, you have to get there super early and wait in line for a long time to get a good spot. For all the concerts, I arrived at the stadium around 4 PM, and the shows didn’t start until 9! It was so much waiting around but in the end totally worth it. The next concert was Travis Scott, and that one was the best. I was on the floor instead of in the seats, and the atmosphere was just so fun. Everyone around us was so nice, and some of them even tried talking to me in english. Finally, I saw Bruno Mars with five of my exchange friends, and we screamed so much that by the end, our voices were totally gone.

Something that my local friends and I love to do is hang out at the mall. It’s super convenient because everything in my city is so close together, and everyone seems to know each other. At the mall, we talk about everything, eat amazing food like coxinha and pastel, and just enjoy whatever’s going on. Just last week, there was an escape room opening in the mall that was free for the first week, so of course we had to check it out. It was really fun, and we managed to escape.

I also recently went to my best friend's birthday party, and it was held at this awesome pinball place. We all got ready together, and the excitement for it was like nothing I've ever seen (Brazilians really love their birthdays). There were so many people there, friends from school, local friends, and family. We played games, talked a ton, and danced to music. I met so many new people that night, which was such a fun way to connect. The vibe was amazing. I loved just hanging out, trying the pinball machines (which I was horrible at), and having fun with everyone.

And then there was the Halloween party! This past weekend, my exchange friends and I dressed up as characters from Inside Out. It was hilarious. I ended up getting the last pick for the characters, so I had to go as Sadness, but honestly I didn’t mind at all. When we were getting ready, we hadn’t even planned on painting our faces, but one of my friends just went for it, and it was so funny. She said she wouldn’t do it alone, so we ended up doing it together. I’m so glad we did because we ended up winning the group costume contest. The party was really great, I got to see all my exchange friends from different cities, and it was great to catch up since we all live so far apart.

Overall, these past three months have been such an incredible journey. I’m learning so much, making amazing friends, and creating unforgettable memories. I can’t wait to see what else Brazil has in store for me. I’m just loving every moment of it!