NGSE Update: Bia heads back to Brazil

Bia heads home

After 10 very productive weeks in Medicine Hat, Bia will be back in her home city of Belo Horizonte in Brazil (RI District 4760) by the time this 5360 Events Digest is published!
To wrap up the vocational side of her program, Bia presented to Prairie Rose and Medicine Hat School Division Superintendents and a principal and teacher from two of the
hree schools where she spent four mornings per week during her 10 weeks. Her presentation focused, among other things, on what she had done in the schools and interesting
similarities and differences between education in Alberta and in Brazil.
 
Bia has opened up the opportunity for future NGSE participants from other countries to experience education in Canada, Medicine Hat specifically, for which we are most grateful!
 
A highlight of the humanitarian service part of her program were the Thursday afternoons she spent at Redcliff Youth Centre. Bia thoroughly enjoyed helping tutor the teens, organize activities, teach crafts, participate in planned activities, prepare snacks, chat with the teens, and help where and when necessary. Thank you, ED Janae, staff and teens!
 
The Saamis Immigration Association in Medicine Hat was happy to receive Bia on Mondays, to assist, particularly in the language centre where she helped teach English (as a second language), as she does in Brazil. Thank you, Mihaela, staff and newcomers!
Five Rotarian families hosted Bia for two weeks each and enjoyed her company very much indeed. They took Bia to visit many key places in our District during her 10 weeks – including Red Rock Coulee, Writing-on-Stone, Dinosaur Provincial Park. Banff, Brooks, and Lethbridge. Locally she visited the Teepee, Echodale, Police Point, the Esplanade, the Medicine Hat College, and many other spots. We, the D5360 NGSE team, are most grateful to these five families for their kindness, generosity, and warm hospitality: Nadia & Maarten, Ian & Phyllis, Mihaela & Carl, Peter & Gwen, and Dan & Cheryl.
Bia was given a surprise party by her host families on her last Sunday in Medicine Hat. It was such fun – and really was a surprise!
Gratitude to the Rotary Club of Medicine Hat for being Bia’s host club, and to Saamis, Sunrise and Brooks Clubs, for welcoming Bia to meetings and giving her the space and the warm support to make presentations on Brazil, herself, and her NGSE experience.
 
Peter Mueller drove Bia to Strathmore on 20 November, where Rick Istead connected with them and took Bia back to Calgary, where she spent the night with Rick and Pat before being dropped off early morning at YYC. Bia returns to Brazil via Montreal.
 
 

To all who contributed to the success of Beatrice (Bia) Murari Souza’s NGSE program, many, many thanks! And a big thank you to Bia for being such a great participant! You have set a very high standard and will remain in our memories and hearts.

 
NEXT WEEK
An update on Tabitha’s NGSE experience in Italy (D2060).
An update on how the Calgary 3 have settled in back home.