Jonathan Wu

New Zealand

 

"My name is Jonny and I am from a land far far away called New Zealand. In April 2013, having just graduated, I embarked on my very own overseas experience. My destination of choice is a little know city in Brazil called Sorocaba, about 1.5 hours away from the megapolis of Sao Paulo.

Being a city that has virtually no tourist attractions, I got to experience life like a real Brazilian. Since most Brazilians do not speak English, I was forced to learn Portuguese at a rate like never before just so I can buy food and survive. Along with the language, I also experienced different aspects of Brazilian culture like great music, delicious food, human warmth, and amazing parties.

My project was a collaboration between AIESEC and the city hall to provide English education in community youth centres. I was teaching young people, often from poor families, the basics of English and showing them the opportunities that knowing English can open for them. The most rewarding experience for me was when a student messaged me on facebook and told me in English how much I have changed his life and that I am not only his teacher, but also his friend as well.

Beside from the above, I also met other volunteers from all over the world and made friendships that will last long past our experiences together in Brazil. Going on exchange in Sorocaba has been one of the best choices I made in my life and I would recommend anyone that would like to explore different cultures to participate in an AIESEC exchange"