We all know how international experience is important in our resumes nowadays, and our students are constantly asking for tips as to where they should go and how they could do it, so we decided to ask teacher Nicole, from Tijuca, for advice on the matter. She worked at Disney World in Orlando, Florida, for three months, and kindly agreed to tell us a little bit about her experience. Check out our mini interview with her:

 

Working at one of the biggest entertainment companies in the world has always been a dream. Ironically enough, Disney is known for making dreams come true, right? So, why not make my own a reality? I read all about the work experience program and saw that I could meet people from all over the world there and that gave me one extra reason to give it a try!

 

 

STB, which is a very famous company responsible for exchange programs, was the one in charge of the approval process. The requirements were: Being over 18, speaking English fluently and being enrolled at a University in Brazil. I had to go through a couple of interviews in English and the last one was with Americans that work at Disney.

 

 

I stayed there for 3 months. It is a special program that allows Brazilians to do it in their summer vacation so it doesn’t get in the way of their classes at college. I went at the end of November and came back at the end of February. I always recommend this program to other people because I simply loved it and until this day I cannot think of one reason not to do it.

 

 

It is difficult to think of one best part. It was great working at a company as big as Disney. They are extremely professional, hard working, punctual and I can say I learned a LOT there. And I also had the chance of working and meeting people from so many different places and getting to know a little bit more about their culture and habits. That was very enriching and I believe it to be the best part. The people that I have met, they were the best part. As Walt Disney himself used to say: “You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality.”

 

 

 

At first the cultural shock was big. I do think we Brazilians are very friendly and warm, and not all Americans are like that. But, honestly, the strangest thing for me was being away from my family and friends for so long. I had to spend Christmas, New year's Eve and my birthday there, so that was very difficult because I am very close to them. However, in the end, the whole experience and everything I learned was so amazing that I do not regret anything. Every second of it was worth it.

 

 

As you know, living abroad can not only help you improve your English, but also add a lot to your personal growth. You can meet many amazing people, and create unforgettable memories.

If you want to give it a try, we think Disney is the perfect place to go!