From waking up to the sight of Porto’s vintage cobblestone terraces to Paris’s gothic Haussmen structures, or from the placid streets of Montreux to the bustling metropolis of Sao Paulo, it’s clear that Luis Fontes De Castro (10) has experienced numerous walks of life. However, his day-to-day extends beyond the trivial juxtaposition of window-views, broadened to a lifetime of relocation and most pointedly, adjustment.
Fontes De Castro was born and raised in Porto, Portugal, before moving to Paris, France, where he lived for five years. He then moved to Montreux, Switzerland where he would reside for two years prior to settling in Sao Paulo, Brazil for another five. In January of this year, he moved to St. Louis.
“I move a lot because of my mother’s work,” Fontes De Castro said. “She works at Nestle Purina [as] a factory manager, and we came because she changed positions to the [United States].”
Moving from place to place — let alone country to country — is difficult enough. At age 4, Fontes De Castro was subject to a new location, a completely foreign language and a fresh set of customs to learn after making the transition from Portugal to France.
“My most challenging move was when I moved to France since I didn’t speak another language, and nobody really spoke Portuguese,” Fontes De Castro said. “It was hard to learn, but other times, for example, in Brazil, which is the same language as in Portugal, it was less problematic.”
After his move from France to Switzerland, Fontes De Castro prepared to start this process a second time and get acquainted with a third language — English.
“When I was 9 years old I moved to a British school, and they had a program for non-English speakers, [which is how] I learned,” Fontes De Castro said.
In total, Fontes De Castro is fluent in four languages: English, French, Portuguese and Spanish. French teacher Elise Dale, who has worked with numerous exchange students and native speakers in the past, finds his situation particularly special.
“He’s very modest about [his skills],” Dale said. “Most other native speakers I have are highly proficient in two, maybe three [languages], but he’s lived in so many places which makes his situation rather unique.”
Becoming familiar with several languages, especially at a young age, certainly has its perks.
“It’s definitely beneficial in terms of traveling,” Fontes De Castro said. “It’s good to meet new people, communicate and it’s good for your career.”
Besides the initial language barriers that came with each move, there was culture shock for him to overcome.
“The most shocking [transition] I had was from Switzerland to Brazil because they’re polar opposites,” Fontes De Castro said. “Switzerland was very much a quiet place, meanwhile Brazil was a mega city [with] way more traffic, and people are more outgoing.”
Despite never living in the U.S., Fontes De Castro has been successful in familiarizing himself with his new environment. He always puts his best foot forward with a strong work ethic and motivated approach to learning.
“When I ask questions, I notice that he takes his time and he gives really thoughtful answers to things,” Dale said. “He’s thinking about it, applying what he knows and what he’s trying to learn.”
When it comes to building relationships, Fontes De Castro finds common interests that have led him to bond with new peers.
“Since I always need to build new friendships, that’s another way [moving has] impacted me,” Fontes De Castro said. “I’ve just been talking to people [and] trying to do stuff outside of school with people I’ve met, [like] playing soccer.”
Amidst the adjustments and challenges, Fontes De Castro looks forward to what life in the U.S. has to offer him.
“It was a bit sad [moving again] because I had to leave behind a lot of great friends,” Fontes De Castro said. “But overall, I was excited to come here, and I’ve been enjoying it.”
