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Is This Where I’m Meant to Be?
Meet Rebeca Carvalho da Silveira Pinto. When she thinks of home, her mind often drifts to the cobblestone streets of Porto, Portugal. Every June, the city of Porto comes alive with music, fireworks, and festivities. Why? Well, it’s a celebration of the Saints. Where families fill the streets long before sunset, friends laughing as they playfully tap one another on the head with colorful plastic hammers, and hundreds of glowing lanterns rise into the night sky. It is a tradition known as São João, one of Portugal's most beloved festivals, and one she misses deeply now that she lives thousands of miles away in Austin, Texas.
Even though she was born in Lisbon, Rebeca spent most of her childhood in Porto. Her upbringing was shaped by strong family values, rich cultural traditions, and a growing appreciation for languages. Portuguese was naturally her first language, but when she was seven years old, her parents enrolled her in a private school with an intensive English curriculum and a Spanish requirement. They had already begun planning a future in the United States and wanted to prepare their children for the opportunities that lay ahead.
A few years later, Rebeca began learning Spanish in school. Because of the similarities between Spanish and Portuguese, the language quickly became another part of her everyday life. Today, she speaks Portuguese, English, and Spanish fluently, a skill she considers one of the greatest gifts she has received.
"Speaking multiple languages opens so many doors," she explained. "You experience different cultures in a completely different way when you can speak with people in their own language."
That ability has followed her everywhere she has lived. Whether traveling or working, she has found that speaking someone's native language instantly creates trust and connection. In her current job as a restaurant server, she regularly helps customers who feel more comfortable ordering in Spanish or Portuguese. What might seem like a small exchange often turns into an intimate interaction with customers.
After graduating from college, Rebeca settled with her family in San Diego, California. While she loved the city, the rising cost of living and limited career opportunities eventually convinced her it was time for another fresh start. One year ago, she and her mother packed their belongings and moved to Austin in search of greater opportunities.
Rebeca's journey to Texas was anything but ordinary. When she was thirteen years old, her family made the life-changing decision to move to the United States. There were moments when classmates teased her because of her accent, making her feel like she did not belong. Instead of allowing those experiences to define her, Rebeca used them as motivation.
The transition came with adjustments. Austin's summer heat felt very different from the coastal breeze that San Diego had to offer, and the missing beaches were impossible to ignore. Still, she discovered something else to love about her new home.
"The people here are incredibly kind," she said. "Austin has so many job opportunities with the amount of startups."
Though working in the restaurant industry is temporary, serving tables has taught her patience, empathy, and adaptability. Every customer brings a unique personality, and every interaction requires understanding.
"People sometimes think servers are just there to clean up," she explained. "But being a server is really about taking care of people. Kindness and empathy makes all the difference."
Those skills, she believes, will continue serving her well as she pursues her true passion in sports marketing.
Soccer has always held a special place in her heart, and her dream is to work within the sports industry. She hopes to begin her corporate career in tech sales before eventually moving into sports marketing, ideally working for a professional soccer organization. If everything goes according to plan, she would one day love to return to Europe and work for the soccer club she grew up supporting.
Behind every achievement in Rebeca's life stands one person she credits above anyone else which is her mother.
Following her parents' separation, her mother made the difficult decision to leave behind her own career, family, and familiar life in Portugal. To give her children greater opportunities in the United States and to make sure her children have a connection with their father. Starting over in another country required extraordinary courage, but her sacrifices created opportunities that shaped Rebeca's future.
"My mom is my biggest inspiration," Rebeca shared. "She gave up so much so we could have a better life."
Reflecting on her own journey, Rebeca admits there is one thing she wishes she had understood sooner. As a teenager, she spent years hoping to return to Portugal, believing happiness could only be found there. Today, she sees things differently.
"I would tell my younger self to enjoy where you are," she said. "Don't spend so much time wishing you were somewhere else."
That perspective has transformed the way she views Austin.
Rather than comparing it to the places she once lived, she now embraces it as a city filled with possibility. At twenty-four years old, Austin represents a new chapter, one where she can build the career she has imagined, create lasting friendships, and continue growing into the person she wants to become.
Although an ocean separates her from Portugal, Rebeca carries pieces of home wherever she goes. She carries them in the languages she speaks, the traditions she remembers, and the values her family instilled in her. Her story is not simply about moving from one country to another. It is about resilience, identity, and discovering that home is not always a place left behind. Sometimes, it is something you build with every new beginning.
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