(2) It all began in Salvador, between the sky and the sea

In my department at the Federal University of Bahia, Brazil, I was scheduled to go on a leave for our post-doctorate as part of our professional development. I had several plans in mind, but nothing oficially decided yet. Lisbon? Athens? Vienna? London? Just ideas. Then, while here in Salvador, I came across an "edital" of this CAPES-Fulbright Program in the US for professors who had gotten their PhD title up to eight years at the moment of application. I looked at that and simply jumped in. Constructed a project inspired by my future supervisor, Dr. Graham Crookes, and invited three superb professionals to support me with recommendation letters. They are Dr. Maria Manuela Guilherme (University of Coimbra/Universidade Lusófona, Portugal), Dr. Kanavillil Rajagopalan (UNICAMP, Brazil), and Dr. Maria Luisa Pérez Cañado (University of Jaén, Spain). Backed up by these astounding and fantastic friends and researchers, I had this feeling that I stood a great chance. I just had to wait. Graham agreed immediately to be my supervisor, and then the project was born: "The practicality of English as a lingua franca critical intercultural pedagogy". I have so much to thank these colleagues. And the story goes.