moving to highschool in brazil from california???

swimgurl805 · 12-03-2007, 07:44 PM

i live in california and im in my 3rd year of highschool and iv decided to go and take this school year in Brazil where my mom was born so we have family and we have a house there too. i dont speak any portuguese. iv been there 4 or 5 times but the longest iv stayed there was 2 weeks and this time ill be there for about 5 months and itll be the first time ill be going on my own.
im leaving in january.

its defnatly gonna be tough.
does anyone have any advice?
how should i prepare for this?

nikkicfox · 12-03-2007, 08:09 PM

The major thing to keep in mind is that you're going to a different country. I'm sure you've observed the different clothes, language, food, customs, behaviors, kissing, etc. The social rules are different for teens there than here. You'll have a lot more fun, but remember to be responsible. The games between girls and boys are different when it comes to boyfriend-girlfriend relationships. It's more complex and not as straight-forward as it is in America. But you'll be a hit down there! Brazilians love Americans.

Don't worry about the language thing. I was an exchange student studying arts at a college for a year. I knew ONE word when I left the States and came back fluent. You'll probably have a constant headache for a month getting used to this foreign language. It will probably make you tired too from all the thinking. But eventually there will be a point where your brains just starts making sense of all the words. And the first time you dream in Portuguese is a night you'll never forget! It will all come with time.

From female to female... bring a lot of tampons to use. They are VERY expensive in Brasil. The same goes with deodorant. But it will be easier to just adapt to the Brazilian customs anyway: just shower several times a day and use their cheap perfume on your underarms. If you love rootbeer, you may want to bring a litter or two, maybe some candy because it doesn't exist down there.

Another thing to be prepared for. You return to the U.S. Things will not appear the same, ever again. You'll grow up a lot, see things most Americans will never see and you will change into a woman. Old friends still doing the same things before you left will not be your friends anymore. Trying to relive the past will be a nightmare for you. Be prepared for this... people mature, people change and people live. You'll just be doing a lot more of it when in a different country.

That's all I can think of for now.
Have fun e ate mais!
Beijos....

12-03-2007, 07:44 PM	#1 (permalink)
swimgurl805 Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 1	moving to highschool in brazil from california??? i live in california and im in my 3rd year of highschool and iv decided to go and take this school year in Brazil where my mom was born so we have family and we have a house there too. i dont speak any portuguese. iv been there 4 or 5 times but the longest iv stayed there was 2 weeks and this time ill be there for about 5 months and itll be the first time ill be going on my own. im leaving in january. its defnatly gonna be tough. does anyone have any advice? how should i prepare for this?

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12-03-2007, 08:09 PM	#2 (permalink)
nikkicfox Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 1	The major thing to keep in mind is that you're going to a different country. I'm sure you've observed the different clothes, language, food, customs, behaviors, kissing, etc. The social rules are different for teens there than here. You'll have a lot more fun, but remember to be responsible. The games between girls and boys are different when it comes to boyfriend-girlfriend relationships. It's more complex and not as straight-forward as it is in America. But you'll be a hit down there! Brazilians love Americans. Don't worry about the language thing. I was an exchange student studying arts at a college for a year. I knew ONE word when I left the States and came back fluent. You'll probably have a constant headache for a month getting used to this foreign language. It will probably make you tired too from all the thinking. But eventually there will be a point where your brains just starts making sense of all the words. And the first time you dream in Portuguese is a night you'll never forget! It will all come with time. From female to female... bring a lot of tampons to use. They are VERY expensive in Brasil. The same goes with deodorant. But it will be easier to just adapt to the Brazilian customs anyway: just shower several times a day and use their cheap perfume on your underarms. If you love rootbeer, you may want to bring a litter or two, maybe some candy because it doesn't exist down there. Another thing to be prepared for. You return to the U.S. Things will not appear the same, ever again. You'll grow up a lot, see things most Americans will never see and you will change into a woman. Old friends still doing the same things before you left will not be your friends anymore. Trying to relive the past will be a nightmare for you. Be prepared for this... people mature, people change and people live. You'll just be doing a lot more of it when in a different country. That's all I can think of for now. Have fun e ate mais! Beijos....