International Camp experience, thus away from home has an impact on every teen but it is so much more important for our children to go abroad. To be in a surrounding far away from the violence, the dirt, the unhealthy conditions they face daily to be in a safe and natural environment. It shows them a different culture, another world, a different reality, a different way of communicating, making new friends, having fun and learning that even working at a camp can be really fun.

There is Franciele, 16 years old, sitting across from us. Just back from four weeks at Camp Hazen in the USA. Camp Hazen is a child-centered community. It was her second time, last year she was in the camp this year she was in the leadership program of Camp Hazen. And we can say that she is again more than excited about the whole program. Where we give the basis in social and emotional development, the camp gives a boost to the students who go. Her confidence, self-esteem, resilience, English and all the new skills she developed in the leadership program show off she proudly confirms. All of her classmates notice it. She smiles more, she leads, speaks more up and knows what she wants; she wants to volunteer with EduMais. The camp gives students as Franciele a kick in the right direction.

As it was her second time, she got to work in the kitchen, in the camp store and to guide a group of children. “Sometimes it is hard, they don’t want to do something and I needed to convince them. I managed to do that and in the end they had fun!” A smile appears on her face.

As little as these few weeks seem, it changed her. She had the experience of a lifetime. As EduMais tries to make a lasting impact we are striving for a growing number of our students going abroad every year. We believe that it enlarges their view on what is possible in life and how a different and more organized approach can make life easier, greater, that your talents can shine and your dreams can come true.

Franciele is continuing to study at our partner school Solar and at EduMais. And during the current summer break, she will be one of the teachers at the EduMais English Summer Camp in January 2018.

For us this is the joy of creating opportunities for students who are ready and willing to go the extra mile and step in the place of courage and expanding their comfort zone. We hope that Francielle will have the opportunity to become an assistant-counselor at Camp Hazen but we already happy to announce that our student Thais Margues will have the opportunity to get this life-changing experience. We are very happy and grateful to be able to make this possible.