Over the years, I’ve seen many students arrive at SEDA with the same look: that of someone carrying a dream in their suitcase and the courage to start from scratch in another country.
But, every now and then, a story emerges that reminds me, with renewed force, why education and sport go so well together.
Eric’s story is one of them.
Eric arrived in Ireland without speaking English—like so many other Brazilians who decide to take the first step in search of a better life.
Initially, he faced the same difficulties I know well: the language barrier, the cold, the distance from home, the fear of not adapting.
But he also brought with him something I’ve always admired in those who succeed: discipline and purpose.
It was this combination that led him to find in SEDA the space to develop confidence and autonomy.
English ceased to be merely a communication tool and became the key to a new path—a path that led him to become a Jiu-Jitsu instructor and mentor to young athletes.
Recently, Eric was honored by the Brazilian Embassy in Ireland for his work with a group of children during the European No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
The project he led combined sport, discipline, and cultural integration, becoming a true example of social impact.
The children, prepared with dedication and respect, proudly represented Brazil and showed that the mat can be much more than a space for fighting—it can be a space for development.
When I received the news of the honor, I felt the same pride as a coach seeing his athlete reach the podium.
Not because SEDA sought recognition, but because this is the essence of what we do: creating real opportunities for transformation.
Eric used the language, the learning, and the values he cultivated in Ireland to multiply good, to inspire young people, to represent Brazil with dignity.
Stories like his prove that education and sports share the same principle: both teach you to fall and get back up, to respect others, to persevere when everything seems difficult.
And, above all, both create stronger, more aware human beings, better prepared for the world.
The Embassy’s recognition is just a reflection of something much bigger—the power that is born when someone decides to reinvent themselves with purpose.
And that’s why, every time I see a student crossing the doors of SEDA, I remember that we are not just teaching English.
We are, in some way, helping to write stories like Eric’s—stories that start small but end up inspiring the world.
