The air in the small, windowless room felt heavy as I stood before my committee in 2019. Outside, a warm Waterloo summer was in full swing, a season I’d come to love, but a world away from the warmth of the Brazil I had left behind four years earlier. This was it—the culmination of countless hours, endless cups of coffee, and a journey that had reshaped my entire life.

Arriving in 2015 felt like stepping onto a different planet. The first few months were a blur of navigating a new language, a new culture, and the feeling of being an outsider. But I was here for the knowledge, for the opportunity, and for the hopes of a better life.

My world became the university. The days were a whirlwind of deep dives into research papers, grappling with complex theories, and the rewarding challenge of teaching. In those classrooms, sharing my passion with students, I found a piece of myself. For a while, the lab became my second home.

It was when I was preparing to start this journey that I found my passion for gamification. The idea of using gameful design to solve real-world problems captivated me. Suddenly, my research wasn't just a requirement; it was a mission. I poured my energy into it, and slowly, the world started to notice. Each accepted paper was a celebration. Presenting my work at a conference, standing before the very experts whose papers I had studied, was exhilarating. Collaborating with them, seeing my name cited, I realized I wasn't just a student from Brazil anymore; I was a recognized voice in my field.

Standing in that defence room, looking at the faces of my supervisors, I saw not just examiners, but mentors. I answered their questions with a confidence that had been forged over four years of struggle and growth. When they finally smiled and said, "Congratulations, Doctor," the weight of it all lifted.

A few months later, walking across the stage at graduation, diploma in hand, I thought about the scared, uncertain person who had arrived in 2015. The journey had been harder than I could have ever imagined, but it had given me more than just a degree. It gave me a new home, a new community, and a future brimming with possibilities I had once only dreamed of. My time in Waterloo so far had been my own gameful journey, and I had levelled up, ready for the next chapter!