Tale of Celeste de Jesus
Celeste de Jesus, born in 2008, has had an extraordinary life journey that spans across three continents. Raised in the USA and Brazil, Celeste now calls Portugal her home.
In 2015, Celeste's parents made the decision to move her to Portugal, seeking a better education and a safer environment for their daughter. This marked the beginning of a new chapter in Celeste's life. After three years of living just with her mother, Celeste's father was able to return to Portugal.
The change of countries was not easy for Celeste. Leaving behind friends was the hardest part, but she soon found comfort in her new school. A new student named Soraia joined Celeste's school, who was South African and shy due to not knowing Portuguese. Despite the language barrier, Celeste and Soraia started communicating through Teams, using Google Translate to help them understand each other.
As they spent more time together, Soraia and Celeste became each other's best friends. Soraia also played a significant role in helping Celeste improve her English skills without making her feel judged.
Celeste's obsession with getting good grades dates back to her early years. She remembers crying once when she received an 8.8 in a test. This dedication to her studies has paid off, as Celeste is now doing well in school in Portugal.
Due to COVID-19, Celeste and her classmates spent the rest of 6th grade and the beginning of 7th grade learning at home. Despite the challenges, Celeste has adapted well and has an amazing friend group in Portugal.
Celeste's parents met in a unique way. They met while Celeste's mother was studying for her driving license test, and Celeste's father was helping her. Despite falling in love and getting married, the first time her dad tried to marry her mom, she asked him to take a shower and put on nice clothes. They only got married on paper due to a lack of family in the country.
Celeste's life has been a series of moves. After living in the north of Brazil, her parents moved again to the south, where Celeste's father's family lived. Celeste also spent some time in the state of Piauí due to her father's job.
Celeste's dream is to graduate in Economics and Finance and travel to different countries, meeting new people and experiencing new cultures. With her determination and resilience, there's no doubt that Celeste will achieve her dreams.
During Celeste's time in Portugal, the country was updating its nationality law. In 2025, Portugal increased the residency requirement for citizenship from 5 years to 10 years for general applicants and 7 years for CPLP (Portuguese-speaking countries) nationals, representing one of the biggest changes to the nationality legislation in recent decades.
Celeste de Jesus's journey is a testament to her strength and adaptability. Born and raised in different countries, Celeste has embraced her multicultural upbringing and is thriving in Portugal. Her story serves as an inspiration to many, proving that with determination and resilience, one can overcome any obstacle and achieve their dreams.
- Celeste de Jesus, now residing in Portugal, pursued a better education and safer environment, relocating from the USA and Brazil as a result of her parents' decision in 2015.
- In her new school in Portugal, Celeste found solace and formed a close friendship with Soraia, who was South African and initially struggled with Portuguese.
- Despite the language barrier, Celeste and Soraia communicated using Teams and Google Translate, strengthening their bond over time.
- Concurrent with her pursuit of excellent grades, Celeste's English skills improved under Soraia's guidance, all without any sense of judgment.
- As a result of school closures due to COVID-19, Celeste and her classmates transitioned to online learning, but managed to form a wonderful group of friends throughout her experience in Portugal.
- Motivated by her goal to graduate in Economics and Finance, Celeste dreams of traveling to diverse cultures, leveraging her personal growth and adaptability to achieve her aspirations.
