Visit of Brenda

Hey everyone!

We had a special class today!

We had the privilege of welcoming Brenda from Bogotá. For those of you who have been following us closely, her name might ring a bell! Yes, Brenda volunteered at our festival last year, cooking delicious Colombian food such as chicharrón and arepas!

Brenda was awarded a scholarship that gave her the opportunity to study for a Master’s degree at Ghent University. During her visit to our foundation, she gave an inspiring presentation about her scholarship applications to various universities. She spoke about the importance of obtaining an English diploma and shared how she prepared herself to successfully achieve it.

She also shared honestly about her time in Belgium, the good and the challenging parts,  from adapting to the climate to the difficulties of making friends.

Here are a few quotes from her visit:

“The weather is hard to cope with, more than the cold, the lack of sunshine was very difficult for me!”

“It was an amazing feeling to walk alone at night in the city centre. In Bogotá, this isn’t possible. During my time in Belgium, I never felt insecure.”

“When I was in Belgium, I thought Belgian fries were a bit overhyped and not that good…, that was only until I got back to Bogotá!”

One important question she answered was:

“Do you need to speak English perfectly to apply for a scholarship or study abroad?”“No, absolutely not. Even native speakers make a lot of mistakes!” “The most important thing is being able to express yourself and understanding one other”

Part of the visit was about motivation, showing students the opportunities that English can bring. The other part was about speaking, having fun, and sharing ideas, dreams, and motivations for coming three times a week to class!

Thank you so much, Brenda!

And we’re happy to say that Brenda will stay connected to the project.

To be continued!

Alexander