Why Brazil

Well, the short version is that it seemed like it was the right fit and that God wanted me there.

The slightly longer version is this:
I have lived in Anchorage for the past three and a half years working for Camp Fire Alaska mostly doing before and after school programs for K-6th grade. For the past two years I was in middle management, working more with the college-aged staff than the kids. I know that I learned a lot through my time there, but I also had a deep longing to do something more meaningful and more in line with my faith in Jesus. So I started looking into teaching again (I graduated with my Masters in Teaching in 2011).
Let me back up a little... In March of 2015 I went to visit my friend, Karen, in Seoul, Korea. She was working at the time as the elementary librarian at an international Christian school. I came back from that trip and felt like I needed a change from Alaska and felt that I wanted to go abroad. I started seriously considering teaching and living abroad. After a few months of loving Alaska but dreading my work days, I decided that I would apply to work with the same organization that Karen works for. There are 18 schools in 14 countries, so I knew we wouldn't be in the same place, but I also knew that I trusted the organization, and that meant a lot. I applied in November and jumped through a number of hoops, which a) strengthened my resolve that I wanted to do this and b) confirmed for me that God wanted me to do this too. By the end of January, I was talking with the placement specialist who recommended me to the school in Brasilia and in Caracas, Venezuela. I heard from the director of the school in Brazil almost immediately. After talking with him, I knew that it was where I wanted to be. I got back in touch with him a few days later and told him that it felt to me like my random background of everything Alaska made it feel like a really good fit to work at a small school where I would get to know the kids well and be encouraged to reach more broadly than just teaching American History, which is what I would want to do if I taught in the states.
I'll be teaching secondary social studies at a school of about 180 kids. I have a 6th grade class, 7/8 World History, 9/10 World History, 11/12 civics and government, and yearbook. It should be an interesting year.