Surfing the huge tourism wave with the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and the desire to bring an old idea to life, I opened a hostel with my brother in the house where we grew up, in Santa Teresa. Initially, I wasn't very convinced. I was graduating in Graphic Design—loving it!—and interning in product design at Globo.com. However, the opportunity to create a brand for my family's business using the design methodologies and mindset I learned during my four years in college proved to be very challenging and stimulating. It was from this creative, affectionate, and design-driven place that Santê Hostel was born.