When you are a student, the moment the clock hits 3:30, you’re done. You leave school, go live your life, and don’t really think twice about it. But have you ever stopped to consider that teachers also have a life after school? I talked to two high school teachers to understand what their routine looks like once they leave Graded: Marcello Bugarelli (Bulga), a Portuguese teacher, and Jennifer Gagner (Ms. Gagner), an English teacher. Hearing from both of them made it clear how their lives outside school are shaped by different cultures and habits, and how living in Brazil affects each of them in very different ways.
Ms. Gagner
Graduating with a major in Latin, only she knows what her life could have looked like if it weren’t for an injury. Ms. Gagner originally planned to major in dance, but a serious knee injury changed everything. She had fallen in love with dance when she was only three years old, doing jazz, contemporary, and tap. Even so, she also liked Latin and eventually built her career as an English teacher. Before moving to Brazil, Ms. Gagner lived in many places: she grew up in North Carolina, lived in NYC and New Jersey, and even spent time in England and Madagascar.
Even though her path shifted, she always found her way back to dance. Here in Brazil, she takes adult ballet classes in her free time. She says it is challenging, but her passion keeps getting stronger. Besides ballet, she likes going to parks near her home in São Paulo because being in nature relaxes her. Dancing, though, is what truly makes her feel at home, even when she’s far away from it. It gives her a kind of family outside of work and keeps her connected to the happiest parts of her childhood.
Marcello Bulgarelli
For a paulista, learning Chinese is already impressive, but have you ever heard of someone singing in Chinese? Born and raised in São Paulo, and having lived here his whole life, Bulga has collected all kinds of hobbies. For him, the city is not just where he works, it is where he has always felt at home. He takes care of his family, sees his friends, and still finds space for the things he truly loves. Since he has known São Paulo forever, he has been exploring it since before he could talk. He still loves concerts and restaurants, but what really matters to him happens inside his own home.
Reading is not only a hobby for Bulga, it is part of his daily rhythm. He even says the only way he can relax is by reading a certain number of pages before bed. If he wakes up in the middle of the night, he has to read again to fall asleep. And when he wants something more exciting, he works on learning Mandarin. Besides studying the language, he enjoys singing along to songs in Chinese and finds this fun in his free time.
Graded is an international school in São Paulo, which means it brings together kids and teachers from everywhere. While one student might be paulista at heart, the person sitting next to them might be spending their first day in Brazil. That mix is what makes our community feel so unique. Everyone’s afternoon looks a little different, but having a hobby or a sport you care about, whether you are new to it or not, can help you feel at home anywhere.
