Luis's account, who completed the 4-week exchange program in Winnipeg with our partner school, Heartland
I believe the exchange program has rekindled my desire to explore more countries around the world! At various moments, I've thought about how this experience represents a turning point in my career expectations. It's about more than just a good salary; I've been considering how I can incorporate the exchange into my daily life—not just as an incredible memory, but as a possibility to achieve dreams that I never thought I could realize.
The farewell was difficult... In a way, I tried to hold back my emotions and give back a little of what Heartland, and especially the people who make Heartland what it is every day, gave me. I wrote a letter to each teacher and staff member at Heartland with whom I had the most contact, as a way of thanking them for all the support and assistance during these 4 weeks
These 4 weeks were very intense, with lots of studying, conversations, laughter, and in this last week, tears. Even though I spent only 4 weeks in Winnipeg, I adapted as if I were a native! The experience provided by Soul Bilíngue, in partnership with Heartland, made me realize that I have many places to visit and a lot still to learn. I don't want to settle in my comfort zone; I want to be challenged to show my potential and achieve everything that I—and so many other public school students—have the capacity to reach! Furthermore, getting to know Canadian culture and the places in Winnipeg allowed me to understand that it’s not just the positive aspects of a big city, but also the challenges we have to learn to deal with, just like in Brazil.
It was difficult to say goodbye to my colleagues and teachers because, as a teacher myself, I understand the daily challenges they face. That's why I believe that expressing gratitude and, above all, recognizing their work is almost a mandatory act for me. They have been my inspiration since I was 8 or 9 years old and dreamed of teaching. At Heartland, I was exposed to new methodologies and teaching methods that I plan to put into practice. And, of course, there are the amazing teachers whom I will miss greatly.
I would also like to give a special thanks to Douglas from Heartland's marketing team. I can't begin to mention all the ways he helped me, so I’ll just leave a heartfelt thank you.
I hope we can meet again soon!
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