Daisy finds life’s not always a party in Brazil –
until they lift the World Cup
(From The Orcadian dated October 10, 2002)

Daisy helps out at APAE Ð a school for disabled children in Currais Novos in the Rio Grand De Norte region of Brazil.

Daisy Giles visited Brazil recently, when she became the first Orkney person to take part in the International Volunteer Programme, run by registered charity, American Field Service (AFS). She talked to Ian Johnston about her experience...

An Orkney girl became a bit of a TV celebrity when she went on an educational trip to Brazil.

Daisy Giles, from Ness of Redland in Stromness, was taking part in a six-month intercultural education programme in the South American country.

She spent her time in the town of Currais Novos in the Rio Grand De Norte region of Brazil, during which she helped out at APAE – a school for disabled children.

And the fact that Daisy (19) was the only British citizen in the Brazilian town was obviously of great importance to the Brazilians, as she was interviewed live on television four times during her stay.

“It was quite nerve-wracking the first time. It was done in a studio, and of course it was broadcast live and done in Portuguese,” she explained.

“I had people coming up to me on the street afterwards and asking me if I was the British girl off the TV. I did feel kind of like a celebrity for a while,” she added.

Daisy was the first person from Orkney to take part in the International Volunteer Programme, run by registered charity, American Field Service (AFS).

Daisy is pictured giving physiotherapy treatment to Enyo, one of the children from APAE.

She explained that, although she knew working in the Brazilian school would be an entirely different experience to working in an Orkney school, she did some volunteer work at the Papdale Schools Out Club to get some experience of looking after youngsters.

Daisy said that at first she wanted to travel to the country to learn about the culture and continue her interest in languages.

“Now I’ve been there I’d quite like to take up a career in social services in the future,” she explained.

The experience, she added, will be a huge help to the MA course she is now undertaking at Glasgow University – Hispanic Studies.

She said she thoroughly enjoyed her time in Brazil was an excellent experience and well worth the effort, adding that her host family were extremely hospitable.

The Brazilian AFS Counsellor, Ronaldo, who regularly checked up on her to see how she was getting on with the programme, was also extremely helpful, she said.

Although she was on the other side of the world, Daisy was still able to contact her family and friends back home on a fairly regular basis.

“There was a university in the town and I was allowed to use the Internet in there. There was an Internet cafe nearby too, so I was able to send e-mails quite often. Phone calls cost a bit more though, so I saved them for special occasions,” she said.

She also celebrated her 19th birthday in Brazil, and received a Brazil football shirt from her host family.

Daisy said that she would jump at the chance to return to Brazil, although she could do without the hassle she experienced on her way there that forced her to miss over a month of her programme time.

A delay in the issue of her Brazilian visa forced Daisy to endure an unscheduled three-week break in London.

After leaving Orkney on February 25, Daisy hoped to pick up her passport from the Brazilian Embassy, to allow her to join seven fellow volunteers on the final part of her journey to Brazil.

Daisy (pictured third from the left in the front row) poses for a picture with her 11 host family members, and some friends at a leaving party they put on for her.

But administrative delays meant that the group’s visas were not ready for them when they arrived.

“It wasn’t altogether a huge disaster,” she said. “I know some people in London so I was able to stay with them until it was sorted out. We have some family down there as well so it gave me the opportunity to see them as well,” she said.

Daisy explained that Currais Novos reminded her of Orkney, although the temperature bared no resemblance as it rarely dropped below 35 degrees centigrade.

“I think there were around 25,000 people in the town in total, and everybody knew each other. It was quite similar to Orkney in a way, but obviously a completely different culture,” she explained.

While in Currais Novos, Daisy also had the chance to make friends with two exchange students who were at the school, Kristin, from Germany, and Megan from New Zealand.

As far as the lifestyle in Brazil is concerned, she feels that there is a misconception surrounding the culture of the country.

“I think a lot of people think of Brazil as a fun-loving place where the parties never stop. Fair enough I did see a few carnivals and parties, but people there generally do not have as leisurely a lifestyle as people think they do,” she said.

She explained that the majority of the Brazilians in her area led fairly basic lives, with little time for leisure and relaxation.

Taking time out from working at APAE, Daisy (third from left) enjoys some sunshine with exchange students Megan, pictured far left, from New Zealand, Kristin, pictured far right, from Germany, and her AFS Counsellor, Ronaldo.

“I was in quite a poor area, where people had to work only with what they have, which generally wasn’t that much.

“It was quite relieving coming back home to what people don’t realise is quite a comfortable life. A lot of people complain about their quality of life, but a lot of people in Brazil have to put up with a lot worse,” she said.

But to say that Daisy never saw any colourful celebrations during her time in the country would be a complete lie – she was there when the national football team lifted the World Cup.

“It was madness. The whole place was football mad. There were a lot of parties and scenes when they actually won the cup,” she explained.

She explained that football fever took over the town’s daily schedule, and was even more important that work.

“The games were sometimes on very early, like 3.30 in the morning. But people didn’t seem to care. A lot of them just stayed up all night to watch the match,” she said.

Daisy even said that the school where she was working occasionally opened a couple of hours later than usual on a few occasions so they could catch the morning fixtures.

She concluded that the trip to Brazil was certainly an experience she will never forget.

“It was definitely worthwhile. I’m really really glad I decided to do it. I was a little home sick for the first couple of weeks, but it was excellent when I settled in. I made a lot of good friends. I always wanted to take a year out between school and university, and do something as rewarding as the volunteer programme,” she said.

Daisy added that she would like to thank everyone that made her trip to Brazil possible.