Livia Brandao, one of the volunteers with Love Thy Neighbor, is an exchange student from Brazil. Brandao just completed her junior year of high school in Salem and is preparing to return to Brazil soon. She said she got involved with Love Thy Neighbor to give back to the community that she says welcomed her with open arms.
“I saw it with my church. My church was saying ‘volunteer for Love Thy Neighbor’. I kind of wanted to help the community here. The community was really open. They opened their arms for me, and I kind of wanted to do something back for them and help the community. I feel like here, they have a really strong sense of community; helping each other and working for each other. I wanted to be part of that, and part of the culture as a way of saying thank you for what they’ve done for me this year,” she said.
Brandao, who attends First Baptist Church in Salem, spoke about her experience with Love Thy Neighbor. She said she had learned a lot.
“I don’t know a lot about construction. This is my first experience with doing that and helping with creating things. I would say everybody here is being so patient, and so kind, actually trying to help other people. Especially, they’re helping me a lot. They try to teach me how to do the stuff, instead of just saying ‘Oh, get the trash’. They’re actually teaching me. So, it’s been really good learning. There are nice people here from different places, all together for one purpose,” she said.
Brandao said the year she has spent in the United States involved a lot of adjustment.
“It was a crazy year, like the craziest year of my life. You have everything new. New language, new culture, you’re living with a new family, you have to adapt to a new school. You’re the new kid, and you don’t even look like them, you don’t speak like them,” she said. “My first language is Portuguese. I already knew a little bit of English before coming here. You have to know at least a little to go to school and understand. It was kind of hard in the beginning. People speaking fast, like what are they saying?” she laughed.
Brandao said at the time of her interview that she is set to return to Brazil in a little over two weeks. She said she hasn’t struggled with homesickness, and wishes she had a little more time in Salem, which she has grown to call home.
“I’m fine. I already call Salem home. It’s been a really good year. I actually don’t feel ready to go back yet. I want to have a little more time! Maybe, who knows about college?” she said. “I’ll graduate in three months and a half, because our school year is different in Brazil. My friends are already doing their senior year, so I’ll just go back and graduate.”
When asked if she plans to attend college in the U.S., Brandao said she has some big decisions to make.
“I don’t know for sure. I’m thinking. It’s a lot of decisions to make, being a teenager and getting out of school,” she said.
