I remember pacing around my dormitory room in the summer of 2014 at the University of Michigan. I needed to study a language for the following semester. I had no idea which one to choose! If I ever found myself in East Africa, maybe I would take Swahili! Or perhaps Korean! I had several Korean friends encouraging me to register with them. How would you decide what language to study?
At the time, the World Cup was going on. As I watched Brazil play, one Brazilian caught my eye. I saw Neymar dancing around players of the opposing team. This immediately reminded me of my childhood dreams of wanting to be a professional soccer player. Suddenly, I knew which language I was going to choose! Portuguese, the main language of Brazil!
Almost two years later, I arrived in Rio de Janeiro. I was there with a study abroad program that gave pre-medical students an all-expense-paid research internship abroad. I remember standing on the Copacabana beach of Rio de Janeiro in awe. At the same time, I was starving because I hadn't eaten in 18 hours! I was also a little nervous to try out my my Portuguese for the first time.
I took a deep breath and walked up to a food stand. I ordered my first Brazilian dish of arroz, feijão, e carne assada (rice, beans, and roast beef).
