Name: Falicia Ferreira Arruda

Where you were born: San Jose, Ca

Where do you reside: San Lorenzo, Ca

If different, when did you move and why?:

Moved in May 2024. Just temporarily, though.

Where were your parents from?

Dad: Altares, Terceira Açores

Mom: Angra, Terceira Açores

What do you do for a living or for our Portuguese community?

For a living, I am a Customer service rep in the moving industry (currently)

Do you have any hobbies or “side-hustles”?

Yes! Writing, hair, makeup. All three have been side hustles for me as well!

What is your favorite song? Show? Movie?: song: that’s so hard! Id say “a million years ago” by Adele // Show: Virgin River (Netflix) // Movie: The Notebook

What is your favorite quote or saying?

“A vida são dois dias. Ontem e hoje. Amanhã não sabemos se chega.”

What is one of your dreams?

Becoming a cosmetologist.

What is one of your fears?

Dying before fulfilling my purpose

What is an interesting fact about you?

That I can write/rhyme in three languages.

What is your favorite Portuguese dish and or dessert?

Alcatra with homemade mashed potatoes and bread.

I don’t like dessert much.

What is your favorite Portuguese saying or word?

“Aprende hoje, os velinhos não duram pra sempre.” (So true)

What is the best part of being Portuguese to you?

There is so much talent in our community and culture. I think it is so cool that if we are at a function and we look around, almost everyone is so talented. We have it all, whether it be sound, playing music, singing, choreographing, making clothes, baking sweetbread, or comedians.

Three of your favorite places you have visited?

Niagara falls, Crater Lake in Oregon, Catalina island.

Is there anywhere you’d like to travel to?

Greece! Santorini Greece.

Name something off of your bucket list:

Travel all of Europe

What advice do you give someone going through a hard time?:

Please talk to someone. This, too, shall pass. One day at a time. Where there is dark, light shines on the other side.

This is a weekly segment on Novidades- the islands and the diaspora- by Bruma Publications from PBBI-Fresno State.