R Dan introduced Eloisa. He commented on her excitement at experiencing her first real snow fall back in November making her a real Canadian.
Eloisa used pictures and brief video to let us know a little more about her.
She stressed that her home Country of Brazil is more than soccer, carnival and samba:
She shared again the letter read to us at her first Brighton Rotary meeting in August 2018. Her goal while here is 'Service Above Self'. She wants to help and be of service. Some of what she has been doing is:
Volunteering at the Brighton Clothing Depot on Fridays.
Part of the Youth Council at Trenton Memorial Hospital Foundation.
Special Olympics at ENSS.
Creating hand made Christmas cards to sell and raise funds for Mrs. Warren's Threads program at ENSS.
She shared philosophy from book she read, 'Sophie's World' which says: Children look at world with astonishment and wonder. As adults, we lose the 'awe' and wonder of life and just accept the world as a matter of course.
As an exchange student, it is helping her keep the astonishment and wonder of life and the world in her life.
Brazil - is Portuguese, NOT a spanish speaking country.
She introduced us to her family; mother Marcia, father David and younger sister Julia (13). They are very close. Her dad is a pilot and she wants to fly even though not many female pilots in Brazil.
She showed us their lake house (cottage) and friends (the squad).
She showed us brief video of her passion for Brazilian martial arts Krav Mega. It was her test to advance.
In Brazil, she volunteers to help other children. She teaches them english because only private school learn english, kids in public system don't.
Brazilians are very expressive and hug a lot. Soccer is important, but they don't all play. She doesn't live in the ran forest and her Carnival is much more subdued than the fancy colourful dresses many attribute to Brazil.
She puts ketchup on pizza? and eats it with fork and knife.
Condensed milk is their sweetner.
Lunch is most important meal of the day. Rice and beans are eaten every day.
Brazil in ways is behind Canada in terms of equality for women. She finds things in Canada more liberating than in Brazil.
She shared philosophy from Edmund Husserl: 'Our world and beliefs are questionable'. This exchange is reinforcing that to her.