For all students, studying abroad provides the opportunity to explore a different part of the world, deepen their academic studies, and grow their global connections. For the lucky few, it’s also a chance to reconnect with loved ones.
Anna Gonçalves’ parents moved to the United States from Brazil 30 years ago. They carried with them Brazilian traditions and customs that were woven into Anna’s upbringing, and she grew up speaking both English and Portuguese. This instilled in Anna a global interest, and from a young age, she was determined to study abroad one day.
Notre Dame brought that opportunity. When the time came to apply to a program, Brazil was the obvious option as a study abroad destination, but her reasons for choosing the São Paulo program went beyond her familial ties. As a junior studying accounting and international economics with a French concentration and a Portuguese minor, Brazil also brought an excellent opportunity to pursue her studies more seriously, as Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV), the university where she would study, is regularly ranked as the top business school in Latin America.
The semester has been everything she’d hoped it would be and more. “I wanted to come here for myself, see the people, see the culture, and it truly has been a rewarding experience,” she shares. While this is technically her second time visiting, she was too young to remember much of her first trip. Her parents have shared stories of their lives in Brazil, but their memories of Brazil are now 30 years old, and much has changed.
“It's been really nice to see everything for myself and connect with younger Brazilian people here and talk about their experiences and their culture. All I know is from what my parents grew up in, so I came in talking slang that nobody uses. It's been really cool to learn new things.”
The city of São Paulo itself was also a new experience for Anna. Between South Bend and the small town she grew up in in Florida, she hadn’t had much exposure to big cities—and São Paulo isn’t just big, it’s the biggest city in Latin America. She describes it as “organized chaos,” and one of her favorite parts of her semester has been the 30-minute walk from ULiving, the apartment complex where many international and local students live, to FGV.
“It's just so nice being able to see all the greenery, even though it's such a big city and I walk on a street right behind Avenue Paulista, which is super packed,” she says. Despite the busyness one street over, she describes her walk as serene. “I’m just grateful that I'm able to do this and walk through the streets of São Paulo and feel like the local.”
The walks also give her a chance to interact with others, another one of her favorite parts of her time in Brazil so far. When asked what she will miss the most, Anna was quick to reply: the people. “I'm going to miss my family, of course, and also just everyone that you run into on your day-to-day. People here are so nice and welcoming, and you can create conversation with anybody over anything. Even if it's a stranger, they really try to make sure that you feel heard and seen.” The diversity of the city is part of what makes it feel so welcoming. Anna found this to be true both on a larger scale, throughout the city and country, and on a smaller scale, right at FGV.
“There are 80 international students for this semester alone, and not only that, but they're from all over”—with Americans making up just 10% of those numbers. “It’s been really nice to hear about other people and their experiences, but then also for us to come together in these groups, talk about real-world issues, and create ideas together and collaborate.”
Being at FGV has given her not just a chance to study at a prestigious business school, but also to connect her studies to the world around her. This is particularly helpful for Anna as she’s interested in becoming an international tax lawyer, so learning how businesses operate in a global context is an especially important part of her education.
Her education has also gone beyond the walls of FGV. When she and the other Notre Dame student first arrived, the Notre Dame São Paulo team, Thaïs Burmeister de Campos Pires and Rafaella Bonaccorsi Dantas, were there to welcome them and get them acclimated to São Paulo life. They showed them around can’t-miss spots in the city, such as Ibirapuera Park and Pinacoteca de São Paulo. They were also there as an on-call support system throughout the semester. “They have such kind hearts and open arms,” Anna shares. “I know I can always come to them, and it's just nice to know that there are people here in São Paulo that you can reach out to if you need them.”
Fortunately, Anna’s also had her family to lean on during her time here. Connecting with them, many of whom she hasn’t seen in over 10 years, has been the most meaningful part of her semester. She even got to celebrate a milestone with them. “I had a huge birthday celebration with all my family…I've never been able to see all these relatives in the same space at the same time. And so for all of them to come together and celebrate, it was such a rewarding experience.” This time has also healed a fractured part of her identity, uniting her with her Brazilian roots.
Anna speaks to the challenge: “Growing up in the States, I always felt American, but you feel a little in the middle because your whole family is from this other place that you don't really know very well, but then also you're growing up learning some of their customs, but also trying to incorporate the new American customs.” Spending these months in Brazil has given her the best of both worlds and allowed her to deeply connect with her family and her Brazilian identity.
But you don’t have to have family here to reap the rewards that Brazil has to offer. From the widespread diversity to exciting cultural events like Carnival to how welcoming the locals are, Anna would recommend the São Paulo program for any student. “You need to put yourself out there,” she says, “But if you do, Brazil is definitely going to welcome you in.”
Originally published by at saopaulo.nd.edu on June 01, 2026.