I'm a student studying economics, politics and history. The difficulty I'm facing is what to do when the academic year ends. I've been accepted to study Portuguese and management at the University of Leeds, but am no longer sure this is the right choice for me. My ambition is to live and work in Brazil, however my knowledge of Portuguese is limited. I understand a great deal of the language, but am not confident about my communication skills. What should I do?
If your dream is to live and work in Brazil, it might be prudent for you to learn the native language before moving there. It will make landing a job much easier. Since you've been accepted to a university to study Portuguese, you may want to consider following through on this plan. Not only will you become better equipped to find the kind of job you want, but your education will hold you in good stead, which can open doors for you later.
If you find that your heart is set on moving to Brazil right away, there are several language schools in major cities that you can attend to bring your communication skills up to speed. The Cidade Universitária of São Paulo for example, offers an intensive course from March to June, and similar programs are about six to 12 weeks long.
If you attend the university, we suggest that you visit Brazil for several weeks during one of your breaks. You'll see firsthand if you really want to live there. Additionally, you'll be able to gauge how well you communicate in Portuguese and how much more study you'll need to undertake.