Brazil became one of the most important chapters in my relationship with languages. I had already spent years learning and using Spanish, but Portuguese opened up another part of the world. In 2019, I made two extended journeys through Brazil, spending roughly four months in the country altogether. What began as an interest in a new language became a much larger experience of discovering different places and ways of life.

Florianópolis and the first immersion

I spent much of my first journey in Florianópolis, including time around Barra da Lagoa. This was not simply a quick visit to tick Brazil off a list. Spending substantial time in one place gave me the opportunity to study Portuguese while making it part of everyday life. Blumenau is another stop from that period that I want to revisit in my photographs.

A country that cannot fit into one story

My later Brazilian travels took me to João Pessoa, Porto de Galinhas and Maceió, while Salvador and Foz do Iguaçu are also part of my wider Brazil experience. Those places deserve their own stories. A country of Brazil’s scale cannot be reduced to a single impression, and I don’t want to pretend that visiting several regions means I understand all of it.

Languages change the experience of travel

Learning a language changes what travel makes possible. It changes the conversations you can have, the details you notice, and how comfortable you become navigating everyday situations. Brazil is inseparable from that experience for me. I will keep adding the photographs, places and stories from these journeys as I work through my collection.

Explore the Brazil country page in my World Project.