rediscovering home

Returning to Brazil for the first time since coming out was a completely different experience. Instead of visiting family in Goiás, I explored Salvador, Bahia, and Rio de Janeiro, seeing parts of the country I’d never experienced before. It was cathartic—peeling back layers of trauma and rediscovering my connection to my culture.

For the first time in years, my Portuguese felt natural again, and my thoughts shifted fluidly between languages. I saw Brazil with new eyes, not just as the place I came from but as a part of who I am. This trip was about more than exploration—it was about reclaiming and reconnecting with the pieces of myself I didn’t realize I’d been missing.

These photos are my way of sharing that experience.

*Photos of me by Matheus Moraes