Community Corner

McLean Student Back Home After Awesome Year in Brazil

A year of living, learning, growing

Carlyle Howard, a rising senior at McLean High School, spent her junior year in Brazil, attending school and learning Portuguese as an exchange student and writing of her adventure in McLean Patch. She was on a Rotary International Scholarship and  has returned home.

Saturday, June 4, 2011

This will be one of my last blog posts (I might post one after I get home). Today is Saturday, my bags are packed, and my plane leaves tomorrow at 1pm.

Find out what's happening in McLeanwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

I literally cannot believe it. I don't want to go. The last few months have been a blur, but an amazing blur. It passed by so fast. I felt like this city is my real home, and these friends are the friends I've had since I was little. I didn't feel out of place at all.

But now it's time to go back to my real home. I know I'm in for a big "reverse culture shock" when I get home. Everything is probably going to be great when I land. Everything will be new again, and I'll get to see my friends again. But then it'll settle in.

Find out what's happening in McLeanwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

 The normality will start to sink in, and nothing will be exciting anymore. Things that are exciting here, just a simple trip to the supermarket or a walk around town, will now be just the boring old things that I'm used to.

 I also don't want to go back to speaking English. Everything here is more exciting in Portuguese, and beautiful, and I learn new words every day. I'm fluent, but I wish I could have more time to make it perfect. Then there's the fact that here I'm this different person who's so outgoing and ready to meet new people and do new things, and when I get home I don't know if that will change.

 I know that Brazil has changed me a lot, I can't pick out specific things, just everything. They way I dress, think, speak, feel. All of that has changed. I don't think I'm the same person anymore, and I'm scared that I won't belong in my city back home anymore. But I know I'll be fine, eventually.

In a few years I'll look back and say that this year was the best year of my life, and be happy with it. I'll miss this life. But just because this life is amazing and has to end now, doesn't mean that the years to come won't be great too, just different.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here