Flavia Hungaro has come a long way, both in terms of miles and the process, towards opening one of the first retail marijuana shops in Taunton.

She’s now at the finish line, hoping to open LMCC — short for Local Motion Cannabis Company — as soon as March or April of this year.

Her story begins in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where she was born and raised.

Hungaro, 35, moved to the U.S. in 2003, originally settling in Michigan, as part of an exchange program.

She planned to move back to Brazil, using her newly improved English skills to get a better job, but instead she began working at a resort and decided to stay.