TAB in Brazil: Q&A with Courtney Taylor

What do you hope to gain personally and professionally from this experience?

Traveling to Brazil for 11 weeks has me feeling both excited and nervous. I hope this experience pushes me out of my comfort zone and helps me grow both professionally and personally. I hope to gain a new perspective on teaching and learning and to integrate what I learn into my future teaching. I haven’t done a lot of traveling and grew up in a small town so this experience will be pushing me in every aspect. I love a challenge and I think this just that – a new country, culture, and language on top of online classes and the TAB program.

I think you can learn so much from the people around you and by having an open mind the possibilities are endless. I really see this an opportunity to learn from people whose background and educational values may be different from my own.

What do you hope people in your host country will gain from your involvement in TAB?

Through my involvement in TAB, I hope to share with the people in Brazil as much about Canada as I can. I hope I can pass on some of the language and culture and what it means to be Canadian along to those I meet through the TAB program. I am a caring person who loves helping others. I am excited to share my passion for learning and education and help others learn. I hope that those I interact with through TAB in Brazil will learn as much from me as I do from them.

What are you doing/ have you done to prepare either personally or professionally for this experience?

I have been working on my Portuguese and although I am nowhere near fluent, I think I will be able to manage. I have a journalism diploma and communication degree and I hope the skills I acquired during those years of schooling will be helpful as I embark on this journey. I have a curiosity about life, I like to ask questions and tell stories.

I think my ability to adapt and be flexible will be useful skills. I moved from a small town to Calgary when I was 20 and then back to the small town and then back again. And I have a determination to succeed and meet the challenges I am faced with. I think all these skills will be useful in tackling what may be frustrating at times adjustment to life in Brazil.

Why did you choose the country you will be travelling to?

I wanted to somewhere I never really thought about going before. Brazil seems like such an adventure and it so far past my comfort zone. I love the outdoors and I am looking forward to getting some hiking in and around Rio and Goiania. I don’t know very much about Brazil, its culture or people and I am so excited to learn more about this amazing country. I also love summer so going somewhere warm is a bonus.