Have you ever stumbled upon something unexpectedly, only to find it captivating and irresistible?

This is a story about how unexpected things happen in life. How life can lead us to something, connect us with someone, or even teach us something, all by accident.

I don’t believe in coincidences. No, I’m not talking about that.

Isn’t it beautiful though, to accidentally discover something, to acquire something precious in the liveliness and spirit of life?

That’s exactly what happened to me with Portuguese. Let me take you on a journey through my serendipitous encounter with this beautiful language.

When I was a kid, I used to hear a lot of Spanish because telenovelas were popular, and I grew up in an environment familiar with the Spanish language.

Yet, one day on TV, I heard something incredibly attractive, incredibly exotic… Brazilian Portuguese! And not just any Portuguese, but Brazilian, and not just any Brazilian, but “Carioca” (from Rio de Janeiro).

It was love at first sound, even though I couldn’t quite identify the language. It sounded similar to Spanish but had its own unique charm.

Years went by, and I didn’t continue exploring this language, letting the memory fade into the background. 

I was still a kid. 

In the meantime, I was learning English and French in school.

I kind of forgot about it all.

Then, one day, my mom bought us a Barbie cartoon. We watched it on TV, and for some reason, this cartoon was dubbed in… Portuguese. And not just any Portuguese, but European Portuguese.

It sounded so… oddly exotic, not like the exoticism of Rio de Janeiro, but the strangely beautiful sounds of Portugal. I loved it!

These sporadic encounters with Portuguese continued throughout my childhood, planting seeds of curiosity in my mind. It wasn’t until university, when I had to choose a second language, that I decided to give Portuguese a proper chance.

I was lucky to have the best teacher ever – a teacher who truly reinvented the art of teaching a language. The teacher who delved so much into culture, history, and the spirit of the language in all its facets. I was incredibly lucky to have had that experience. And let me tell you, I happened to talk to a Brazilian author and learned so much about the literary language and the culture of Brazil. I am now madly in love with Brazilian culture, forever and ever. I believe it’s something a lifetime is not enough to explore.

I then spent six months in the north of Portugal, working on different cross-cultural projects and interacting with Portuguese and quite a lot of Brazilian culture. I discovered more and more of the language and realized that a lifetime is not enough to master it, but passion is surely enough to acquire it.

One aspect that truly struck me was the humility and warmth of the Portuguese people. I was moved by their genuine happiness when encountering a foreigner speaking their language. In fact, I fondly recall a gracious lady gifting me free pasteis de nada simply because I spoke her language.

However, I also encountered instances where some people expressed unease or even judgment towards the Brazilian accent. 

Once, I went to the doctor in Portugal, and he noticed my accent sounded somewhat Brazilian. “Why did you learn Brazilian Portuguese?” he asked, noticing my tendency to pronounce vowels with a more open sound. “It just happened,” I replied. “Okay,” he responded, “I prefer to use broken English rather than Brazilian Portuguese,” and switched to English.

Nevertheless, I found solace in realizing that such attitudes were not representative of the majority. Instead, most people understand and appreciate the beauty of language in all its diverse forms. The richness of language lies in its variations, each contributing to its depth and complexity.

It’s worth noting that many overlook the significance of learning Portuguese, dismissing it as less “useful” compared to other languages. However, this is far from accurate. Portuguese is spoken by over 200 million people across Brazil, Africa, Portugal, one part of India (Goa), and Macao. Its widespread presence signifies a remarkable cultural diversity that deserves recognition and appreciation.

As I reflect on my journey with Portuguese, I’m reminded of the countless moments of discovery, the unexpected twists of fate, and the enduring passion that fuels my love for this beautiful language.

Next—I’d love to hear from you! What’s your language story? Have you ever experienced a serendipitous encounter with a language that left a lasting impression on you?

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