Route J-1

By Luana Garcia De Carvalho, J-1 Au Pair from Brazil

Luana [middle] discussing Brazil and her experience learning about environmental
issues during dinner with fellow J-1 Our Ocean participants Helen Luo (China, Research Scholar) and Nathan Apiri (Ghana, SWT)

My name is Luana and I’m an Au Pair from Brazil. I’ve been in the United States for one year and I have some exciting news!

On September 15-16 I had the amazing opportunity to attend the “Our Ocean, One Future Conference.” In its third year, this was the second time the conference was held in Washington, D.C. This year, the goal of this international conference was to “catalyze actions to protect our ocean from threats and to empower a new generation to lead the way toward a healthy and sustainable ocean.”

As a biologist, I was thrilled by this opportunity. Having graduated in 2012, I was a teacher’s assistant for one year before I came to the U.S. My goal is to teach science when I return to Brazil.

Luana with Our Ocean sign at the front entrance of Georgetown University

Attending this conference was an amazing opportunity to see how people are engaged in a diverse range of environmental issues, including marine protected areas, climate change, sustainable fisheries and marine pollution. Thanks to the engaging speakers and interactive exhibits, I discovered new ways I can teach and engage my future students about the ocean’s importance. Some of my favorites included:

• Learning about the first sanctuary for sharks and rays in the Philippine seas created by Anna Oposa, Co-Founder of Save Philippine Seas.

• Interacting with Conservation International’s Virtual Reality booth called “Valen’s Reef”, which was about reefs in Indonesia.

• And listening to a lecture by Dr. Sylvia Earle, a marine biologist, explorer, author, and a National Geographic Society Explorer in Residence, who discussed how she navigates submarines and has spent more than 7,000 hours underwater.

Materials provided during the Our Ocean, One Future Summit

The Summit was also a great opportunity to improve my English vocabulary in the field of biology, enabling me to speak on ocean issues and conservation with greater authority.

After the second day of the conference, those of us with J-1 visas were invited to a dinner with the Office of Private Sector Exchange. It was enriching to meet State Department staff and other exchange visitors while learning of the similarities and differences between our programs.

Having encountered people from all over the world, it was wonderful to see how people can achieve the same goals despite coming from different places. This conference has fueled my dream of becoming a science teacher.

Categories: Program Spotlight