I’m not a good writer. Even though I’m a teacher, writing is really tough for me. However, I decided to give it a try and I’ll do my best.
I left Brazil in 1995 when I was 23 years old. I went backpacking with my great friend Jacki from Rio. We traveled around Europe for one month. After that, she came back to Brazil and I stayed in London for a year. I studied English there and worked as a waitress. I made friends and had a wonderful time! Then I decided to go to Australia. Everybody used to ask me: Why Australia? I didn’t know how to answer that question, but I had always wanted to go there.
I flew from London do Bali and spent a few days there. One day it was raining and I decided not to go to Kuta Beach. Instead, I went to another beach called Padang Padang to see the surfers riding some perfect waves. Coincidently, I met some Brazilian people there and we became friends right away.
Do you believe in coincidences? Well, I do.
My new Brazilian friends were called Sergio and Ricardo. After a few days hanging out together in Bali, I found out we were going to travel to Sydney on the same flight. Isn’t it a coincidence?
Apart from that, they were looking for a roommate and I was looking for a place to live. Moreover, they were looking for a waitress to work with them in an Intalian restaurant and I was looking for a job. Just a coincidence?
To sum up, I arrived in Sydney with them and they gave me a home, friends and a job. How can I not believe in coincidences? If it hadn’t been raining on that day in Bali, I wouldn’t have gone to Padang Padang beach and I wouldn’t have met them. Consequently, I would have arrived in Sydney alone without a place to live and without a job. Things would have been much harder if I hadn’t met them. I know for sure that I would have found a place to live and a job, but it wouldn’t have been that easy.
I came back to Brazil in 1997 and started teaching English. I fell in love with teaching and I can’t believe that 25 years have passed. Teaching English has changed me. I found my purpose in life. I’m passionate about it and I feel fulfilled. I’m such a lucky person to have had the opportunity to travel abroad and to have found my purpose in life. I’ve heard that luck is when preparation meets hard work and I totally agree with it. I’ve always prepared myself for whatever would come my way and I’ve always worked hard.
Now, after 25 years, I’m going back to Australia with my family to stay there for a year in order to take a Master in Education. 25 years ago, I was young and single. Now I’m 49, married with 2 children. Some people say that I’m brave to make this decision. Some might say I’m crazy. The only thing I know is that I need to do that before it is too late.
I’ll write again soon!