Brasil, Meu Brasil Brasileiro!

This year completes 10 years since I arrived, to live, here in Brasil.

When I think about this I simply cannot believe it as the years have gone by so fast! And when I look back and remember all the experiences and situations that I have gone through here in this wonderful, beautiful and amazing country I can see how much I really have changed, in fact looking at me 10 years ago seems like another person and in many ways it was another person.

I came here in 1998 without knowing a single word in Portuguêse (that's Brasil's language for anyone who doesn't know) but I knew instantly that I would settle in very well here and wanted to stay, however the road has been an uneven one as the language is a very difficult one to learn but I have succeeded.
In the beginning I would be in a shop or walking along the street and not understand a single thing that anybody was saying, I couldn't ask for things that I wanted and I couldn't express myself to anyone, which is a very frustrating thing to experience as you know exactly in your mind what you want to say in your own language but you can't open your mouth to speak English because nobody understands you! So most of the time you just keep quiet without any choice.
Some people are amazed at this and think that everybody must speak English here, but believe me it isn't the case... very few people speak English, only those that learn it in an English language school.
My friends and family in the U.K. used to say to me in the beginning "Ahh but people like waiters in restaurants and people that deal with the public must speak English there!" - not true! and my Dad, Sister, Aunt and Uncle were all surprised about this when they came here... to survive here you really must know some words or phrases in Portuguêse, even if you are travelling here for a 2 week holiday.

Now, 10 years later, I am a fluent speaker, I understand everything that I hear and read very well in Portuguêse too.
I have a permanent visa to work and live here as long as I choose to and in another 4 years I am able to apply for a Brazilian passport so that I can be dual-nationality, of which I am very excited about. Yes things have changed a lot for me!

When I set foot here I felt instantly that I "belonged", it's a weird feeling when obviously it's not my birth-country and I don't know how to explain it fully but I felt, and still feel, like I am really Brazilian...
Maybe I was Brazilian in a past life and my original country has been "calling me" until I finally arrived here, who knows?!
People here tell me that I am "very Brazilian", with Brazilian ways and not at all like an English guy! and a friend (that's you Isabella!) calls me "O Inglês Mais Carioca Do Mundo" which means: The English Guy Who Is More "Carioca" than any other in the world! - a "Carioca" is somebody who was born and lives in Rio de Janeiro, so for me to be told this is a great honour as you can visit many countries/cities in the world and never find people who are as friendly, outgoing, helpful, happy and hospitable like Cariocas are!! You would never, ever feel unwelcome should you ever visit Rio de Janeiro! I have never been to a place where foreigners are made to feel so welcome!

The first time my Sister visited me in Brasil (I had been living here for about 18 months) she said to me "You've changed" and I said "How have I changed?" to which she replied "I don't know... but you've changed, you seem very different" and at that time I remember thinking "My God is this a bad thing? have I changed for the worse?" but no I hadn't, I simply changed like everyone has to when you adapt to living in a very different country to your own. It's a completely different life and you simply couldn't survive without changing and adapting and you also get stronger as a person through all of this.
Not many people can adapt in this way, which also means giving up many things or customs that you were used to in your birth country, in fact I have seen quite a few people come to Brasil to live only to return to their country a couple of years later because they couldn't adapt or fit in.

My Father said something to me (when he visited here for the first time) that made me smile and look much closer at myself.
He said "I'm very proud of you! You've done something that I know I could never have done myself, you are a much stronger person than me" It was a strange feeling being told this from a parent that I have always looked up to in life, someone who, along with my Mum, taught me everything and prepared me for all of life's lessons.
I now understand myself much more than I used to...

I have been back to England a few times over the years for visits and every time I arrive there it doesn't feel like home anymore, I don't feel English and I don't feel like I belong there... or maybe I never did belong there...
And my Father always laughs at me because all the time I am there I feel so cold and wear lots of clothes, even when it has been Spring or Summer!
"Ahh put the central heating on Dad! It's freezing!!!!!!"

Yes I've changed... I'm stronger, happier, healthier, wiser... I love my life so much and I am more "awake" than I have ever been!
I love walking along the sand, swimming in the sea, feeling the sun on my skin, looking at nature all around me, knowing in my heart that I belong in this beautiful land... and I owe it all to Brasil, my country that lives eternally in my heart and soul!
Brasil! Meu Brasil brasileiro!