Hello!

I've been here for 6 months now and it seems like it's only been three. Time really has been flying by, it's like I blinked and now it's almost time to go back to California. It's a bittersweet feeling knowing that time is almost near.

This journey has been filled with laughter, tears, joy, pain, and confusion. 

Being here has filled me with so much love. It's given me a gift of knowing myself more each and every day, it's given me so many life tools, and it's given me irreplaceable friends from around the world.

My time here definitely hasn't been perfect. It's been one long roller coaster of emotions. There's been times I wanted to give up because things weren't going right with my apprenticeship, host family, language learning, etc.

This is all normal. Most of the fellows in the cohort have gone through these emotions if not all. What keeps me going is a drive that's deep within my heart and soul. I know this journey I've been going through was meant for me to sculpt me into the future me. Whoever she may be.

I came here with the intentions of finding Chloe. Not what my next step in life will be, but who will I be? This might sound strange but I look at it like this. If you have a sense of self and a confidence in knowing who you're, you will know the next step for yourself. I'm not saying you won't still have moments of confusion, but you will have a sense of direction. You will be a leader no matter what road you may go.

Brazil and it's seven month journey will forever be instilled in my heart. Not just because I came to Brazil to learn about the culture, language, environment, etc., but because its changed me to be who I've always wanted to be. My inner self that I hid for years is coming forth, she's ready to growl and shout to the world I'm here and I'm here to stay!