On Saturday, we boarded the tour bus to go to Lençoís. On the way, we picked up Clara Ramos who is the coordinator of all things cultural (and perhaps all things…) for our program. When she stepped onto the bus, her shirt said “Keep Calm and Let Clara Handle It”. It had a crown on the top to symbolize a queen. She showed the group her shirt and told the group that another study abroad program director sent it to her. The phrase is a perfect description of what she does for our program here in Salvador. Clara has an ability to coordinate logistics, solve problems, make everyone feel at home and provide a signature experience for those that come through her programs. It is life changing and as a matter of fact, it changed my life.
I was a student who came through a program coordinated by Clara in 2003. The experience was wonderful and when I came back in 2014, I spent one afternoon right before I left talking to Clara about starting a program with her. I was so impressed with the services she offers and the passion she has for the activity, we formed a wonderful program. I feel very lucky to have this person in my life and in our students lives because she really does take care of everything. Yesterday, she loaned her shoes to a student so the student wouldn’t have to wear her tennis shoes walking around town. Tonight she took an exhausting bus ride home so she could spend the entire day with our group and two others here in Lençoís. The dedication she has in her programs and with her students is endless. She is a wonderful ambassador for her city and country and we are all a little bit better after meeting her.