Fluent English, a love of reading and lots of happy memories – that’s what alumna Camila Dantas took back with her to Brazil when she returned in 1994. This summer we were delighted to welcome her back to re-visit her old haunts and show her family the school she remembers so fondly.
Camila is now a State Attorney in Rio de Janeiro and the visit was part of an extended holiday in the UK with her husband Rodrigo and daughters, Julia (9) and Clara (7). The family were shown around by Alumnae Manager Ros Roberts, with plenty of time en-route for photo opportunities!
Said Camila: “We were really impressed with the new technological facilities and the way the school caters for modern needs without losing its history and tradition. The girls absolutely loved it and want us to move to England so they can come!”
Camila, who was ten when she and her sister Carla arrived in 1992, has particularly fond memories of her teachers: “Notre Dame was such a happy chapter in my life. My sister and I adored all the clubs and facilities and although we couldn’t speak English well when we arrived, we soon improved and began studying German and French as well. My years at Notre Dame also left me with a lifelong love of reading, thanks to the time we spent in the library and reading aloud to the class.”
After returning to Rio de Janeiro in 1994, Camila completed her education and pursued a career in law. A State Attorney in the city since 2008, she is also a member of the profession’s Promotion of Gender Equity Commission and is passionate about improving women’s rights and working conditions.
Thanks to the wonders of social media, she is still in touch with former schoolfriends some of whom are in this photograph, taken in 1994 when she was in Year 9. Camila is standing third from the right.
On the tour, we took a photo of Camila in the same classroom, 29 years later!
It was an absolute pleasure to host Camila and her family and, if she and her husband (who works for Shell) can engineer a move to England, we would be delighted to welcome Julia and Clara to the Notre Dame family!
