Welcome. We look forward to giving you the 5 cent tour of AVA and the area around the school you will be working at.

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1 Welcome We look forward to giving you the 5 cent tour of AVA and the area around the school you will be working at. We are excited you re interested in a teaching posi on at our interna onal Chris an school in Brazil. The first step is to tell you about AVA and the area you will work in. The next step is for us to get to know each other be er. The informa on you fill out will help us be er know if we are a good fit for each other. We encourage you to take your me reviewing the informa on and filling out the documents. The idea of living abroad while doing what you love (teaching in this case) calls to our adventurous spirit and a desire to do something different. We want to encourage you through the process by looking at all angles. Most likely you ll have conflic ng emo ons, which is quite normal. But through it all, by prayer and communica on, we know God will direct your steps. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:6

2 INTRODUCTION So you ve decided to teach abroad. Whatever your reasons are for wan ng to teach overseas, the steps to obtain this kind of ministry can be daun ng. We hope the following informa on will provide you with the answers and resources necessary to get there. The recrui ng and visa process for an interna onal school can be challenging and me consuming. Do not let this discourage you, but rather see it as part of a character building process. With that in mind, AVA is ministry focused first, then academic second. This is not to say we don t value quality educa on. On the contrary, it is important our teachers and staff be knowledgeable and qualified in their areas. But even I Corinthians 13 reminds us that without love, we are nothing. So let s get started! Q AND A Is Amazon Valley Academy (AVA) an accredited school? Yes. We are accredited by ACSI and MSA. What are the demographics of AVA s student body? About 75% are Brazilians. The rest of the students come from other na onali es, including but not limited to USA, Chile, Mexico, Japan, Angola, and more. AVA is the only interna onal school in the area that has na ve English-speaking teachers and uses the North American style of educa on. Many of the students come from wealthy homes. Because of this, many do not come from Chris an families. (Note: this has given AVA a unique opportunity to reach the largest unreached people group in the region.) What kind of environment can I expect in the classrooms? Chances are your classroom at AVA will not be like the one you went to or even within a context with which you are familiar. Expect differences in discipline procedures, a endance, grading regula ons, and teacher expecta ons. However, we do try to create as much of an American school environment as we can. Some similar things: deten ons, grading scale, recess /lunch breaks, and classes are taught in English. But because most students are Brazilian, we have an integrated cultural environment with English as their second language. How do I get around? For the daring, there is a car available when not being used for school ac vi es or business. A lot of our seasoned teachers take taxis on a regular basis. And our adventurous staff take the bus. 1

3 Q AND A Con nued What is the area like? AVA is located about 80 miles south of the Equator, on roughly 7 acres that includes a soccer field, 3 separate school buildings, and several teacher housing op ons on campus. The climate is what you would expect for a rain forest; high humidity and about 114 inches of rain per year. The majority of the people are very poor, with a small wealthy majority who mainly live in the city. Regardless of the economical differences, most Brazilians are a very welcoming and hospitable people. There are restaurants, grocery stores, hardware stores, malls, banks, and the like close by, many within walking distance. Be aware, they may not operate the same or with the efficiency and speed of the stores you are used to. It is common to have to wait or even return several mes to a business to finish a process. But with some common sense, pa ence, and awareness things come together. Do I need a visa? Yes, unless you are a Brazilian ci zen. The visa applicant process can be me consuming and challenging. Staff/Teachers typically get one of the following: Work, Volunteer, Religious (missionary) or re rement visa. Our experienced staff will assist you in the visa applica on process. What things could be expected of me? Besides normal teaching expecta ons, some things that are expected include: arrive early on campus for daily devo ons and prayer; a end a weekly church service of your choice (an English service is offered at AVA on Sundays); honest and open communica on with leadership about your work and adjus ng to life in Brazil. Be flexible. As with any developing country, not everything works 100% of the me. Power outages, slow or no Internet access, city water outages (or dirty water) are just part of ministering in Northern Brazil. What can I expect for accommoda ons? Teacher housing units have basic items including: Bed, couch, stove, table and chairs, dishes, dresser, cooking utensils, etc. You should plan on bringing your own bed sheets, pillows, towels, household decora ons, etc. Washing machines are available but there are a limited number of dryers. Many people hang their clothes to dry. What compensa on can I expect? It depends on the type of capacity you are serving in. Typically there are three categories of teacher/ staff serving at AVA: Missionary, Volunteer and Paid Staff/Teacher. Some of the benefits that may be available for you are: Base salary, housing, internet, travel to and from AVA (two year contract required), con nuing educa on (Masters/Doctorate), tui on discounts for children, and more. Also, if you serve through Believer s Bridge at AVA, it is possible to raise tax-deduc ble support. 2

4 Q AND A Con nued How difficult will it be to communicate with the Brazilian parents? We have a teacher available to teach you Portuguese once you arrive at AVA. Our office staff will translate le ers and s to the parents and community for you. When needed, they will also assist with parent mee ngs or accompany your class on field trips. Many of the Brazilian parents know some English and are very understanding of the language barrier. What is the rela onship between Believer s Bridge (BB) and AVA? BB is the managing or umbrella mission/sending agency for AVA. BB facilitates the hiring of staff, teachers, faculty, maintenance, etc. for AVA. BB also manages cri cal decisions for the school, such as, but not limited to, decisions for new structures, how to handle security, and working with the school board and principal/director as needed on management decisions. OTHER NOTES OF IMPORTANCE Community Life AVA is a community within itself. We tend to watch out for each other since most of us do not have family in the area. Communica on is very important in knowing how we can help one another. Many celebrate special events together and encourage each other during hard mes. Medical Facili es Although Brazil is a developing country, there is an excellent hospital close by. Most prescrip ons are available and the cost is minimal. For example, Clobetasol topical cream which is around $180 in the USA is under $10 in Belem (2015). What Money is used Brazil uses the Brazilian Real. Dollars or other currencies are not accepted for purchases. Over the last few years the value of the Real has fallen significantly, which means the dollar is worth more. However, as a teacher you will be paid in Reais, since that is the currency the parents pay in. State Side Debt Almost any interna onal school posi on will pay you in local currency, not US Dollars. If you have student loans, credit card, or other types of debt and are planning on using your salary to pay these, be aware that the exchange rate can fluctuate significantly over me. In the last two years Brazil s Real has lost 50% of its value against the US Dollar. One dollar used to cost two Reais in In 2015 one dollar costs four Reais. There will also be a cost to exchange and transfer money to your financial ins tu on. 3

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