Um idioma, duas nacionalidades, muitas semelhanças e diferenças: viva a diversidade!

The Brazilian community in Portugal has grown significantly in recent years and is currently the largest in this country: legally, there are approximately 250 thousand, but it is estimated that there is a total of 500 thousand Brazilians. Although some have a dignified life of study, work, and leisure, many are in situations of poverty, seeking government assistance to return to Brazil. This exponential increase in Brazilians is due to unemployment and economic instability in the country of origin, the search for security, and the influence of Brazilian YouTubers living in Portugal who "sell" the country as if it were one of Walt Disney's magical kingdoms. Portugal is a country with many qualities in various aspects such as gastronomy, climate, landscapes, culture, and people. However, the fanciful scenario that many influencers assign to Portugal is questionable in any country. The objective of this study is to understand how Brazilians living in Portugal live. What were the influences and motivations for immigrating to the country? Under what conditions do they live: do they study, work, or have leisure? What is the relationship with the Portuguese? What are the cultural and linguistic difficulties encountered? How do Brazilians perceive and experience the similarities and differences between the two nationalities? How does the principle of interculturality work? Is the discourse of respect for diversity real or merely folkloric? (Cabecinhas and Cunha, 2008). For this purpose, a qualitative methodology will be adopted, with an interpretative perspective seeking to understand the phenomenon from the participants' point of view and from professionals (from entities and/or associations) related to Luso-Brazilian issues through in-depth semi-structured interviews. A small sample of Brazilians who have relocated since 2016, marking the beginning of this significant growth, will be interviewed. The method for choosing interviewees will be the snowball method. The phenomenon will be studied interdisciplinary in light of Cultural Studies and Communication, through theories of Social Identity and Intercultural Communication. This exploratory research aims to familiarize with the current context of coexistence between Brazilians and Portuguese with the purpose of further investigation in the doctoral thesis. Its relevance to academia will focus on the area of Studies of Peoples and Cultures of Portuguese Expression, as it studies the interaction between two peoples of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries - CPLP. It is proposed, therefore, that this same study may be carried out from the point of view and perception of the Portuguese about coexistence with Brazilians living in Portugal, as well as the perception of both about the Portuguese community in Brazil and the interrelationships among the other component countries of the CPLP. Their significance lies in contributing to improving relations, the visibility of their peoples, and the representativeness of the Portuguese language in the world.