It's the capital of the state of Parana and it has been a wonderful experience. My favorite thing has been the relationship I have gotten to build with my students, living in a metropolitan area with lots of arts/culture/nature and being involved in university life here. Usually, I wake up, get ready to teach my classes, hang out around the university before and after classes so that I can talk to my students, get lunch at the university, take a yoga class after teaching and take the bus around the city because Curitiba has a great public transportation system. On holidays or weekends, I travel to other cities. There are lots of beaches close by, so I will hop on a bus and explore a new area with friends.
What interested you about Brazil?
My interest in Brazil was piqued when I visited Bahia in the Northeast in 2018 for an anthropology study abroad. It was funded by the Gilman Scholarship, which I will touch on later. I ended up in Brazil by accident because I was supposed to do a program in Nicaragua, but it was canceled! Going to Bahia opened me up to Brazil because the people made me fascinated with the country. There are so many comparisons to be made to the United States which made me feel very connected to the country. I knew that I wanted to take a Fulbright position in Latin America, but after being in Brazil, I realized that I wanted to do my grant in Brazil. In my master's program, I took many classes about the society and politics of the country, which just interested me more.
Where have you traveled and what have you loved most about it?
When I first traveled to Brazil, I went to the Northeast, which is still my favorite region. I saw so many beautiful things and went on some great hikes.
