Internship

Callie Starkey, student from UK

Mauro Munhoz Arquitetura
3 months of paid internship

From June to September 2008

"I am Callie Starkey and my internship has been incredible. I chose Brazil because it is somewhere that not a lot of English people know too much about. Iwanted to discover a totally new environment to force myself to face theunknown to build my confidence in new situations.

Now I realise there is nothing too difficult or scary in this world to face. São Paulo is fun and full of life and not as dangerous as my research suggested. Though my lungs arefinding it difficult to get used to the smoke and pollution.

My biggest love is the food here. "Por kilo" especially is so fresh and healthy,my body is thanking me for not eating English junk food. Learning about 35% of portuguese, a language I never heard before was at first very difficult, but in only 2 months and a half and a lot of effort I can´t believe how much I understand and can speak! It is a big reward to join in with a conversation. The people are some of the friendliest people I have ever met and I would gladly live here. I have never felt lonely here. I will be taking back the warmth of "Gringa" to England with me.

My company "Mauro Munhoz Arquitectura" is brilliant. I have been on 2 site visits, getting a peek into the Pacembu museum de futebol and Estudios Quantos(television studios) in construction. After working in only a small company in England, this is a big leap up the ladder. I have also visited Foz de Iguaçu, São Sebastion, Praia Guaica, Paraty and Ouro Preto. To me these are places in paradise and saving all my money has been so worth it now that I can keep these memories of a lifetime."