At 19, I left my home in Brazil and moved to the United States alone, driven by hope and curiosity for a better future. Everything was new — the language, the culture, even the way people connected. I lived with strangers who soon became part of my journey, learning to adapt and find my place in an unfamiliar world. There were moments of deep homesickness, when I longed for the warmth, sounds, and flavors of home, yet something inside me kept pushing forward — a quiet belief that this experience would help me grow. Every challenge taught me resilience, independence, and the beauty of embracing change. Over time, what once felt foreign began to feel like a new version of home, shaped by courage and self-discovery. My journey as an immigrant became a path of transformation — learning not only a new language and culture, but also who I truly am and what I’m capable of becoming.