English from Brasil #59 | They Call Us Brave
Previously on English from Brasil: #58 | Fear of Four
Hello, hello!
Um causo
O que ninguém fala sobre ser estrangeiro é que muitas vezes, nos sentimos estranhos. Somos os estranhos no novo lugar; e voltar para o lugar de origem também causa tamanho estranhamento.
No início, nos chamam de “muito corajosos”. Depois, é a gente que passa a achar que corajosos são eles, que nunca partiram.
A quote
“Every refugee has a story. And every story deserves to be heard.”
— Inspired by UNHCR
A lesson
World Refugee Day is an international day observed every year on 20 June (tomorrow!) by the United Nations. It’s a moment to celebrate and honour refugees from around the world.
Many of us live abroad, and in some places, just being a foreigner can lead to sensitive conversations or situations. Being a foreigner might also bring us into contact with people who are refugees. This is a short lesson (with a film trailer) to help us raise awareness of what it might be like to be one.
I watched The Swimmers a couple of years ago, and it profoundly touched me. I hope you find it moving too
After watching:
Choose the best response:
What is The Swimmers mainly about?
A) A competitive swimming race
B) A risky journey across the sea by Syrian sisters
C) A comedy about siblings
2. What difficult decision do the sisters make during the boat journey?
A) They decide to jump in the sea and swim to save the others.
B) They turn the boat around and return to Syria.
C) They wait quietly and hope someone will rescue them.
What does this story teach us about refugees?
A) They’re all athletes
B) They face unimaginable courage and strength
C) They only travel by boat
Now, write:
Imagine you are writing a message to one of the sisters in the story.
It can be a short note or letter (3 to 5 sentences).
What would you say to encourage or support her?
Tip: Start with something like “I admire you because…” or “Thank you for…”
A question
What would you take with you if you had to leave your country suddenly and could only carry one small bag? Why?
FIVE Random Things
🧥 It is almost like this for me, too [link]
🗺️ A girl from Iran and a girl from New Zealand in Australia [link]
🩲 I had such a laugh when my student told me that she saw this in London last Saturday [link]
🛀🏽 Up until now, I was washing my towel once a week or so. This article [link] and episode [link] disturbed me greatly
🌱I would like to try all of these (even after killing some in the past) [link]
Se você gostou dessa edição, encaminha para os amigos?
See you next week! 👋🏽
Karen Rito
English from Brasil 🌎✨
