We have begun! I am starting Portuguese. Perhaps beginning with a “for Dummies” book isn’t the best place to start, but it is a start. This book is written by a Brazilian woman, which is slightly problematic because the program I have found is in Portugal.
The language is more or less the same, but there are definite differences that Portuguese speakers can notice, and often make fun of. However, Portuguese is Portuguese, no?
Portuguese arguably isn’t as useful as its linguistic sister, Spanish or fancy cousin, French, but it sounds just so pretty. My notion for learning languages is that someone should learn one for practicality, so personally, my opinion that Portuguese is “pretty” is just not a good enough reason. That’s why I also plan to use it when I do research in Brazil (or Angola) for National Geographic: That’s the dream!
I’ll be sure to keep you updated about this Portuguese endeavour. Will it be a difficult road? Probably, but that hasn’t stopped me before. Also, I will keep y’all notified about an upcoming trip to the Northwest (it’s not abroad, but that’s OK), my next semester away, and the Portuguese program I have found in Faro. We have a lot to discuss. I am excited at least.