Belo Horizonte, Brasil

"Beautiful Horizon" the city that received my classmates and I with open arms. The city that reminded me how beautifully large all other cities in the world are. I learned that a busy city life is common, but that sometimes it is necessary to let loose and enjoy what a busy city has to offer. 

Besides the time change, which wasn't so drastic it was difficult to adjust for the few couple hours, but then I understood that this country was slightly different than Mexico, my homeland. The language which I believed was going to be a huge barrier turned out to be my biggest accomplishment, and because of such I have decided that I want to learn Portuguese. 

Spanish and Portuguese aren't that different, some words vary some pronunciations are different but if you are willing to listen and comprehend it is easy to get by.

I grew up in a very traditional Mexican home, but with that said I was aware of the various cultures around me. I grew up with a dominate Caucasian and Asian community, that has helped me integrate myself better and better express myself when it came to talk about cultures. 

In Belo Horizonte I felt the same. I felt like I was back in 1st grade, a 6 year old who didn't have an idea that a new language was about to take over her life. A little girl who didn't have bilingual teachers or classmates, a little girl who had to interpret the best she could when visiting the local grocery store or doctor's office. I felt this way the moment I stepped into the airport, I was brought back to this moment of my childhood where I knew my life was about to change. But I didn't turn this into a negative challenge, I made it a positive challenge that I was willing to surpass. If I was able to interpret for my parents at 6 years old, what was going to stop me from learning and comprehending a third language at 22. I was mortified, but I was ready, and that is why Belo Horizonte brought out the fearless 6 year old that arrived in the USA in 1999 without an idea that "English" existed.