Published January 29, 2026
BY TULLAH McCOLL
Waking up to the sound of birds chirping, roadside capybaras and regional specialties like Açaí and Pão de Queijo, sophomore Alissa Abma’s fall 2025 semester looked different from that of the average CHS student.
Inspired to bond with her mother’s side of the family, improve her Portuguese and experience playing soccer outside of the U.S., Abma joined her grandparents in São Paulo, the largest city in Brazil, where she made lasting memories before returning to Carmel in late December.
CHS sophomore Alissa Abma (rear center) visited her family’s sítio, or little farm, in Porto Feliz during her semester in Brazil. Courtesy of ALISSA ABMA
“I learned how to be more independent,” the sophomore says. “I have a hard time being away from my [immediate] family, so it was nice to see that I wouldn’t be entirely helpless if I were living alone or far away from them.”
With a 14-hour flight, Abma was accustomed to month-long summer visits to Brazil with her mom, Renata, dad, Eric, and younger brother, Owen, but she had never spent six months without them.
But friendliness was not hard to come by, and easy-going conversations with locals made for a welcoming environment as she got settled. As a new student at Avenues São Paulo, an international school, Abma quickly connected with others and made close friends.
“The more I was surrounded by the language, the easier it was to practice,” she shares. “My grandparents speak very little English, so even at home I was speaking a lot more Portuguese than I was used to.”
Raised on the Monterey Peninsula, Alissa Abma has found a community in competitive soccer since seventh grade and was surprised by the challenge in finding somewhere to play while abroad.
“Soccer is obviously incredibly popular there, but it still feels like boys play more than girls,” says the athlete, who plays wing for the CHS girls’ varsity team.
Abma’s uncle David, her mother’s brother, visits his hometown for his niece’s 16th birthday during her time in São Paulo. courtesy of ALISSA ABMA
As planned, in addition to playing more informally at Avenues SP, Abma joined PSG Academy, a club soccer team where she was the only girl, save for one other who rarely showed for practice.
“It definitely helped my footwork the most,” explains the 5-foot-2 athlete, who felt strange training with young men much bigger. “We played on a much smaller field, and the guys were huge, fast and had really good ball control.”
Ready to implement the skills developed during her time in Brazil, Abma shares her excitement being back at Carmel for the 2026 soccer season.
“This experience has made me want to travel everywhere,” says Abma. “I was sad to leave my family there and the friends I had made, but excited to return to everything I had missed here.”
