Brazilian runner who has jogged on nearly every street in Chicago faces departure as student visa expires

After moving to Chicago, Joabe Barbosa made it a priority to immerse himself in his new home.

But now Barbosa, who has gained attention for running through almost every street in Chicago wearing the city's flag as a cape, may not be able to stay.

Barbosa moved to Chicago in 2022, enrolling at Roosevelt University to pursue a doctorate degree in clinical psychology. He’s on track to finish his degree in 2027, but after he went unmatched for an internship in his final year, the 25-year-old, in the U.S. on an F-1 visa, is at risk of being forced to leave the country and return to his native Brazil.

“It’s been frustrating,” said Barbosa. “We spend so much money to study and it’s frustrating knowing there aren't a lot of options for international students to stay and finish their degrees.”

Barbosa, who grew up in London, said his family has taken on debt to help cover the cost of his education, and returning to Brazil would only add to their financial strain. His father has started a GoFundMe to help Barbosa cover the travel cost. The page has raised more than $5,300.

He said he will have 60 days after the school year ends to leave the country, requiring him to return to Brazil and wait until next year to reapply for an internship and come back to the U.S.

The internship match process for psychology students can be “incredibly intense for all students,” according to Courtney Kibble, director of the Psychology Program at Roosevelt University.

There are simply not enough internships for all doctoral candidates, and Kibble said roughly 600 students went unmatched.

Kimble said the shortage was due to a growing number of doctoral students and limited funding for internship programs. She said despite maintaining a strong GPA, Barbosa’s case was made difficult because a third of the internships are not available to international students.

“[Joabe] is a phenomenal student in our Doctor of Psychology program,” said Kimble. “For him, it became a numbers game in which the discrepancy of [internship] availability and complication of being an international student impacted him in a negative way. This is in no way a reflection on his preparation or readiness to complete an internship and obtain his doctorate."

Barbosa took to his Instagram account, which has amassed a large following, and got emotional as he announced the news while running through the city. He said his followers have been extremely supportive and some have reached out to try to help him.

However, the likelihood Barbosa will be able to stay in his adopted city is slim.

“People here have treated me like a true Chicagoan,” said Barbosa. “I don't have a Chicago accent and I haven't lived here for more than five years, but people in Chicago have treated me like I've been here my whole life."

“I may have to go home, but I’m bringing Chicago with me. I love this city,” he added.

Barbosa said he wishes there were more opportunities for immigrants in the U.S. and urged other international students in situations similar to his own to stay hopeful.

“More opportunities will come,” said Barbosa. “It may not seem like it now but they will. I'm going to do things right and I won’t burn any bridges.”

After suffering a mountain hiking accident in August 2024, Barbosa started running as a way to recover.

That is what inspired him to become the first person to run through every single street in Chicago. He’s completed just over 85% of Chicago’s map, according to the tracking app City Strides.

“It’s been amazing,” said Barbosa, who goes on his runs with a Chicago flag tied around him like a cape. “I haven’t been here that long but I’ve loved getting to know each neighborhood and getting to know people.”

He’s on track to complete the map in a few weeks and is planning a final run June 14 at 10 a.m. He’s inviting all Chicagoans to join him for a run down Michigan Avenue from Oak Street to Ida B Wells Drive.

Barbosa also holds the Guinness World Record for the fastest known time to visit every CTA station, an endeavor he took on with his friend and brother. They completed it in just under 9 hours.