My Brazilian Family
An Encounter that changed my perspective
A sea of expectant young, smiling faces looks out at me as I prepare to meet the class of Brazilian students that are learning English seated before me. The night before, Lucas my Brazilian friend and host in the small town of Barra do Pirai, Brazil had asked me to come as a guest to the school where his mother works to meet the local children. The English teacher is having difficulty motivating her students to learn English and figured that meeting me may be just the cure she needs.
Most of the children seated in the room come from Favelas - local slums and poor places in the surrounding town and have never set eyes on a foreign person. The town is so small locals can remember each foreign visitor the town has ever had over the years. None of the children have ever heard a foreigner speak to them in a class room. The children in this class range from fourteen to seventeen and I will be visiting two classes today, the older children and a group of young children.
So with a shaky start, I begin by telling them about my homeland - Australia. I have with me a flag and a stuffed koala, props I quickly grabbed as an after thought. I speak with them about our climate, our national sport, our flag and excited hands raise to inundate me with questions. They want to know if we dance, if we like soccer, if we eat food - concepts that seem so different to them but are some how the same. As each child asks me in English the teacher and Lucas translate for those that are having trouble keeping up. Smiles shine back at me as nervousness gives way to intrigue and excitement and with some of them the hope that one day they will be able to visit this far away land of Australia and come to meet a real koala.
Excited children offer me bracelets and trinkets as presents, one wants to teach me to Samba and a tall dark seventeen year old develops a teen crush on me, shyly asking for a hug as I leave to go to the next class room of students. All of them want to stay in contact with me and I leave them with the hope of a brighter future where learning English can lead to traveling to far off places that most of them have never dreamed of.
The next class room is full of children aged from seven to ten years old and like a group of little monkeys, they virtually jump out of their seats in excitement. Like the previous class they too have never met a foreigner and have no concept of this far away place called Australia. They all have gifts, drawings and trinkets to share with me as a sign of their appreciation and so I in turn will remember them when I leave.
I tell them of my homeland and as their English skills are not as developed as the older children in the previous class, we pause to translate for them my words into Portuguese. Their enthusiasm is infectious, many of them have never dreamed of meeting some one from Australia, and they will remember this encounter for years to come.
Towards the end of the visit a small shy child with dark skin and wide eyes like saucers approaches me and asks if I can write a personal message in English in his school book so that he might remember this day long after it has occurred, and have a small memento of my visit. I write for him a message that encourages him to study hard to learn English and visit far away places. My friend Lucas translates it to Portuguese for him and he beams a wide toothy grin at me in appreciation.
Soon there is a long line of children all requesting a message in their school books and I write a different personal message in each one, Lucas translating for me each child's message into Portuguese. A huge smile my reward for each note that I write. At times I feel like a rock star must feel, signing autographs for a legion of fans. Even Lucas is amazed by the enthusiasm of the children that surround us.
The time comes for us to depart as the school day has drawn to a close and the teacher and students thank me. I receive a drawing from one child as a thank you and hugs ensue. Small faces beam up at me in appreciation and touch my heart.
I am humbled by the excitement and generosity of the children before me and joy overwhelms me as I look into the smiling faces of children that previously could see no point in learning another language or the opportunities that await them in life. This encounter today has taught me that small deeds can mean so much to those that have little and that a group of small children can make me realise how lucky I am to live the life I do.
As I leave the class room and the excited children, I hear a small voice call out
" Good bye Amanda, we'll miss you, we'll never forget you" it is then that I realise that I will never forget them.
