South Africa Exchange
Manuela Bacellar, 19, and Luan Goulart, 17, who graduated from high school at Solar Meninos de Luz in 2011, have been chosen to participate in an exchange program in Capetown, South Africa, where they will spend three months. Both students stood out and showed great potential for fluency in the English language during the first Edupro-Raízes Culturais seminar, co-founded by Maria Galbier and coordinated by Letícia Portella, held at Solar from the 4th of July to the 18th of August.
The young people won a scholarship for an intensive English course at the EC Cape Town Course, in Cape Town, from January to March 2012, thus implementing the program’s second phase. The students will be hosted by local families and will therefore be able to practice their English by living closely with the South African people.
The main goal of Edupro-Raízes Culturais seminars is to teach fluency in English, with a cultural approach, to high school students in underprivileged communities so as to prepare them personally and professionally for higher education and the job market. Sixteen high school students participated in the program, as well as three monitors from the United States, three students from Greenwich, one high school teacher from Woodstock, Connecticut, three recent graduates from Princeton University and a recent graduate from England, all under the leadership of lawyer Maria Aparecida Galbier, an experienced coordinator in teaching English fluency and in implementing language and culture programs.
The seminar was held during the school vacations so that the young people from abroad could interact with Brazilian students and inspire them to develop their English fluency. There was an exchange of information and culture, dealing with the most diverse subjects, and this motivated Solar students to use their English during the whole duration of the seminar and to keep using and studying the language after the program was finished.
The group met four times a week at the Meninos de Luz Community Library, where an English immersion environment was created. Nelson Mandela’s life story was also a source of inspiration for the exchange program.
Letícia and Maria believe that the activities developed at the meetings show that the course is not just about language but also culture and entertainment. “Due to the boom in the export and import, oil, gas, tourism, hospitality and finance industries and other activities connected with oil exploration and with the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics, there are a lot of jobs on the market, but a shortage of skilled candidates”, said Maria.
The students were chosen to take part in the exchange because of their good participation in class, dedication, willpower and enthusiasm. Luan explained that he joined the course for the learning itself, but when he realized there was a possibility for travel, he began studying at home and applying himself more to the lessons. “I couldn’t believe it when they said my name! There were other good students on the course too. But I’m really happy and I’m going to enjoy it a lot. I want to be fluent in English when I get back, I want to see Cape Town, the culture there, and make friends!” said Luan.
As for Manuela, she said the experience will also make her value her own country and family more. “The time I spend in South Africa will help me mature. I’m sure it’s going to be an excellent experience for Luan and me. It will be worth starting college only in the second semester of 2012!” she added.
