Throughout this trip, we have been blessed as a class to learn through many different methods and in many different places. As an education major, this has been something I have really enjoyed observing and being a part of. Today, the five education majors from our group were able to take a trip together to one of the local private schools, Mater Dei. Private schools are more common in Brazil as they provide a higher quality of education than most public schools, especially in São Paulo. This school spans from early childhood through the third grade of the high school level, which is the equivalent of a senior in the United States education system. This reminded me of my own experience in my K-12 public school, and how an environment that represents all ages allows students to learn not just from the curriculum, but from each other.

We had the opportunity to meet students from a fifth-grade science class, observe some of the gym class, and be given a tour of the school by two of the senior girls. As they showed us their school, the five of us felt so grateful to see how learning and knowledge are cultivated in a foreign country. Engaging with the students through a panel-like discussion and being able to find similarities in our cultures and systems gave us a glimpse into what life genuinely looks like for students and teachers in Brazil. Throughout our time there, I was overwhelmed by the familiar feel of the school, even though none of us had ever been there before. I believe this is because there is something so special and unique about different schools, but the way that people learn and connect is the same across cultures. It is beautiful to see how people interact with others and with the knowledge they are receiving at an institution. We were able to see how education impacts real life, a prime example of that being the two teenage girls who were able to guide and teach us in a completely different language from their native language.