Postcard from Brazil: International student continues Scecina studies

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Lorenzo Bender (center) at a 2019 Crusaders football game with classmates Kaylee Spears (left) and Karenda Adams.

International student with family

Lorenzo Bender (second from left) with family members in Brazil.

By Lorenzo Bender ’21

I left Indianapolis almost eight months ago, leaving my heart there with my friends, but bringing my mind full of fears with me back to Brazil. Since I wrote last wrote for Scecina’s summer magazine, I thought it would be good to update my situation for those who still remember me.

No one believed or even thought the present situation would extend to such a long period when we first heard about COVID-19, but here we are, and our world still turned upside-down. However, I am still trying to make the most out of it.

Related: Scecina’s International Program carries on during pandemic

I’ve been having a lot of time for myself due to the lack of social activities, and I’ve been using it for the good. Books and movies have been my best friends for the past couple of months. I don’t spend a single day without Scecina’s laptop, using it for essays or other homework (a special thank you to Mademoiselle El-Murr and Mr. Schmoll!). As I said, lack of time has not been an issue for me.

Scecina’s online learning model is the best I’ve seen so far in the world. Most schools, teachers, and parents around the planet were worried with online school, believing students wouldn’t learn as much as in normal classes, but our high school managed to fix that problem.

With a camera on top of a desk, pointed to the white board where the teacher lectures, Scecina’s teachers have been livestreaming every class on Microsoft Teams, a computer app. Obviously, I can’t chat during class with anyone as I used to, to the joy of my teachers, but aside from that, it feels for me as if I was in the first row of my classroom, having the same learning as I used to exactly one year ago.

Scecina’s education has been great for me during this pandemic time, and I am happy to be part of the Crusader community another year, even if it is just online for the time moment.

I look forward to going back to the school’s classrooms and to the United States once my entrance is allowed. Until then, I’ll make sure to keep giving my little extra and making the best out of everything as I can.

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