After 3 weeks of fun and sun in Brazil, our Activities & Student Services Coordinator Cassie is back in school today, re-energised and ready to lead some great activities over the coming weeks…
Having spent three weeks in Brazil, a country where she only speaks and understands a little bit of the language, Cassie is now planning to take Portuguese lessons.
Being in this position really helped her to understand some of the challenges facing GV Noosa’s students from Brazil and, in fact, from everywhere else too:
“It was so strange for me to be in a country where I had to really work hard to make myself understood. I’m so used to being able to walk into a coffee shop and for the staff to understand me that it was a real readjustment being in Rio. To begin with I was a bit nervous of making mistakes, but after a few days I realised that it’s best just to jump in and try to communicate with people.
“In my role here at GV Noosa I am usually one of the first people that newly-arrived students speak to and I can now totally understand how they might be nervous. Hopefully the experience of being in a similar situation to them will help me to put our new students at ease and make them feel at home right away.
Although she has travelled a lot and has lived in Italy for a time, Cass was totally blown away by the beauty of Rio:
“I think it is definitely the most beautiful city in the world and I just loved the food, the caipirinhas, the friendly people, the relaxed atmosphere, the scenery and of course…the beaches!”
And that from a girl from Noosa, where we know a thing or two about great beaches – good to have you back, Cassie!
PS A very big thank you to David and everyone else who helped to run such great activities in Cassie’s absence.
