Staff Spotlight: Andreia Ribeiro

Watch/Listen to the interview here.

Welcome, Andrea, to the Staff Spotlight. How are you?

I’m good! It’s a beautiful day here in São Paulo, and I’m excited to talk to you.

What is the weather like right now in April?

We are in the fall, actually. So we have beautiful sunny days, but today is a little bit cloudy. Still, there’s a nice wind, so it’s not really warm, and it’s not cold yet. It’s a good, good time of the year.

Would you like to tell us maybe first about your background, both cultural, professional?

Sure. I’m Brazilian. I’m from the beautiful city of Natal, which is known as the City of the Sun. It’s in the northeast part of Brazil—sometimes I say it’s the most beautiful part of the country. It’s closer to the equator line, so it’s always summer. That’s why it’s called the City of the Sun.

I was born there, I was raised there, and until I was 19, summer was the only season I knew, the only one I experienced. So I lived in summer for 19 years until I went abroad to Ireland. I had traveled before, but it was also summer in the U.S., so Ireland—Dublin—was different.

I went for an exchange program, and it was summer, but it was 18 degrees, which for me was freezing cold. So it was very interesting to experience something different. It completely opened my mind to the world and changed everything about my life and my journey.

At the time, I was studying law. I wanted to work as a chief in police operations at borders, dealing with heavy situations and serious crimes. Then I thought, maybe I don’t want to do that. I realized I really liked international law, different cultures—I had learned English by myself when I was younger.

When I did this exchange program, it completely shifted my career. When I went back to Brazil, after a while I started to study international relations, did internships, and just followed that path. I was invited to work in the international office at the university I graduated from.

I worked there for five years and a bit more. It wasn’t my plan to work in education, but I fell in love with it because I learned that education is the only way someone can really, really, really change their life.

I don’t think changing the color of our hair, the haircut, or even the country necessarily changes our life for the better. But understanding the world, learning, experiencing things, trying different foods, different colors—that really changes our lives.

I’ve been working in education for over 13 years now, always in an international context. I’ve worked with international law, contracts, partnerships between universities and schools, and a lot with exchange programs—sending students abroad from Brazil and receiving students from all around the world.

I’ve taken students to the U.S., to other countries—I’m really passionate about the change that it brings to people’s lives.

I’m also part of a family of four. I’m a very proud aunt—the fun one—to four beautiful nieces and nephews. I live far from them, so there’s a word in Portuguese that doesn’t really have a translation: saudade. I say I’m made of saudade, because I’ve met so many people working internationally—people come and go.

Even if they are Brazilian students going abroad or international students coming here, we experience things together for a while, and then they’re gone. So I feel saudade from my city, my family, my friends, and all the people I’ve met along the way.

Do you have a favorite memory from your work in education the past years, or a defining moment that changed your path?

Yes, I do have many, but I’ll point out a few. I think one of the first was when I started working. I had been in the office for about a month, and I did my first international trip representing an institution.

I went to Spain and Portugal for a conference, and when I got there, it was nighttime on a weekend. I arrived at the hotel, looked out the window at the countryside near Madrid, and it was not snowing, but you know when there is that ice falling right before snow? It was the first time I saw that.

I remember thinking about when I was younger, lying in bed and imagining how amazing it would be if one day I worked abroad, experienced new things, met people, and put into practice what I had learned. And in that moment, I thought: Oh my God, it’s happening. I had dreamed about it, and now I was living it.

It was amazing.

Another thing is that I worked a lot with first-generation students—students who were the first in their family to go to university. They had the opportunity to start higher education and also go abroad. For many of them, it was the first time on a plane, going to another country, learning a new language.

Preparing those students was amazing, because in every student, every parent, every school I talk to, I see a bit of myself. Every time I present a new opportunity, it’s like that younger, dreaming version of me is there listening as well.

That feeling is incredible. So those moments—being able to present a new pathway to a student, a family, or a school—are my favorites.

Can you tell us a little bit about your position and how it contributes also to the Hudson Global Scholars mission and values?

Sure. Right now, I am an Account Manager in Brazil with my colleagues Sidine and Talita, and I also work in Bolivia.

My job is to present the opportunity of the dual diploma and other programs to schools. After that, we build relationships with the schools, families, and students to make sure they actually join the program.

So my role is to make Hudson Global Scholars known, bring people into the program, and help them enjoy the experience as well.

I also think that after the pandemic, it became very clear that you don’t need to be physically somewhere to experience international education.

It was a very hard and complex time—we lost many people—but we can take something positive from it. One important lesson is that online education works. Digital experiences are possible and can be just as impactful. They’re not less meaningful just because they’re virtual—they can still open minds and create real change.

If you could design any new school subject, what would it be and why?

I thought about that. I think it would be something related to real-world skills or a global mindset.

We learn a lot of theory and technical knowledge, but sometimes we don’t know how to connect those things. I remember my niece saying, “Why am I learning this in math? When will I use it?” And I remember thinking the same when I was younger.

So I think a good subject would help students connect what they learn—to understand how to apply it in real life. For example, how to approach people at an event, how to start conversations, or how to use knowledge in meaningful ways.

Something that helps you put into practice what you learn across subjects—that’s what I would design.

What was your favorite subject at school, and why did you enjoy it?

I really enjoyed the humanities. I’m from the social sciences area, so I liked history, geography, and languages.

I learned English by myself, then Spanish, and now I’m learning French. So I’ve always been connected to those areas.

And of course, physical education—sports were always amazing too.

What’s a skill that you have, or an interest that might surprise people?

I’m really good at navigating complex situations—crisis or risk situations.

It’s a skill I’ve used in moments I wish I didn’t have to, but I’m able to stay calm, see the bigger picture, understand who to contact, and think step by step about what needs to be done.

I’ve used this a lot when working with international students—during the pandemic, or even in crisis situations in different countries.

I also had training through a Brazilian civil-military collaboration center, which helped develop that ability. I never thought I would need it, but I ended up using it a lot.

If you had a superpower, what would it be, and how would you use it?

I would definitely like the ability to travel anywhere, anytime.

Where would you travel tomorrow if you could go anywhere in the world?

I would go home. Tomorrow, I would go home, hug my nieces and nephews and my family. Then, maybe I would go to Paris.

But it’s been a while since I’ve been to my hometown, and I miss my family very much. I have two new babies in the family that I haven’t met yet, so I would really want to go home first.

What hobbies and activities do you do at the end of a working day?

I really enjoy relaxing. I have a hammock, which I love.

I like sports—I do boxing, go to the gym, and I enjoy a bit of more adventurous activities. I surf, and sometimes I go skydiving when I can.

I also like spending time with the people I love—my friends and family. Since São Paulo doesn’t have the ocean nearby, I go to the park often to enjoy nature.

I like reading a bit, and I love music. If I’m not in a meeting, I probably have music playing. And I also enjoy cooking.

What would be your dream guest to have over for coffee?

I thought a lot about that. Honestly, I think I would invite my grandparents.

They’re no longer here, and I would love to have coffee with them again. I miss them.

My grandfather gave me the opportunity to study abroad—he asked me where I wanted to go and made it possible for me. That completely changed my life.

Because of that experience, I’ve visited almost 20 countries, working, representing institutions, and connecting with people all over the world.

I would love to have coffee with them and show them everything I’ve experienced because of that gift.

Why do you think community, especially student community, is important?

We are not alone, and learning is not an individual process.

We transform information into learning individually, but we don’t do it alone—we do it as a society, as a community.

When we participate and contribute, we learn more, collaborate, and grow—not only ourselves, but others as well.

I’m involved in a leadership program in Latin America (LALA), where I mentor students. We share knowledge, experiences, and ideas. I learn just as much as they do.

That exchange is how we build society. We learn from each other, and that’s essential to both learning and living.

What advice would you like to give to students?

I would say be curious, be open, and be brave.

Be brave to be yourselves, to understand yourselves.
Be curious about yourselves and the world.

And be open. Sometimes, as we grow older, we think things become clearer, but society often tells us that we should have certain things by a certain point. And we need to understand if we actually want that as well.

It’s okay to be open to something different. Maybe I don’t want to follow the same path that someone else followed. Maybe I want to try something different. I want to experience.

So I would say: be curious, be open, and be brave—to everything that is going to happen.

✨ Andreia’s story is a powerful reminder that one opportunity can change everything—and that curiosity, openness, and courage can take you anywhere.