International News

We start 2010 with 10 new International Students, bringing the total to 19. The students come from a wide range of countries such as Korea, Japan, Thailand, Brazil, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Mexico, Tuvalu and China, bringing with them a host of different experiences, cultures and traditions.

Our students in 2009 had a very successful academic year. All year 13 leavers have gone onto tertiary education either within New Zealand or overseas. Also of note was Yui Yokoyama (Williams House) from Japan being selected for representative rugby. Well done, Yui.

by Gabriel Itagiba

In schools there are many “guys” – the nerd guy, funny guy, strange guy, arty guy and all bunches of other guys. Well since I arrived at St Paul's I became the “Brazilian guy”. Every time I was introduced to someone they would be like ”Yes! So you are the new Brazilian guy!” Yes. and they were right , I’m the guy, but that wasn’t all for my “guy classification” . I was in fact the NEW Brazilian guy, because I wasn’t the first and I think that I also won’t be the last.

I am in class and all these strange people are asking these strange questions like “Do you eat dogs? You speak Spanish right? Oh, I mean Brazilian”. Trying to answer these questions would be impossible to me because I’m too confused, and I probably already forgot what language I actually speak. But these were the not so weird moments. I mean they were 10x times better than when people would come out of doors screaming random stuff, like GINGA! Or RONALDINHO!!

Yes living in another country is really weird, and things didn’t get any less complicated when I discovered I would have to go through some challenges like the good old English spelling test, which I know that my class mates can record how good I am, or people just understanding what I’m trying to say, but all of that was okay because if something went really terrible I could just say “I’m from Brazil”.

So what I’m trying to say today is simple:

• I’m not good in spelling tests
• Yes I’m from Brazil    
• No I don’t speak Spanish or Brazilian
• And yes I know  “GINGA and Ronaldinho”

Good morning ladies & gentlemen, an important announcement!
Bom dia senhoras e Sehores um comunicado importante
I speak Portuguese, quite easy right? And this is my Brazilian life.

I’m the youngest of five children. My mom comes from an Italian family and my dad from a Russian family, so that makes me kind of a child from the UN, but I must say that I was born a Brazilian, in the crowded city of Sao Paulo, that would be St Paul's in English for you kiwis, ironic maybe? Not happy enough in Sao Paulo or St Paul’s, I went to the British school named St Paul’s too. I wasn’t really happy having all those St Paul’s places in my life and it was then I decided to study in St Paul's Collegiate School in NZ.

I have never had to work in my life, because in Brazil, unfortunately there are heaps of poor people, who have scored the students’ jobs. I would like to work here but I can’t because my visa does not allow me, and that makes me feel like an illegal Mexican crossing the border to America.