By: João Guilherme B. Henriques
A Different Mr. Benzie
He’s a different person outside of the classroom.
These are just some wonderful facts about an amazing person. A never seen
before Mr. Benzie. Very different but the same.
First Encounters with Mr. B
It was the third of August 2013, my first day in year
four omega. I walked inside the classroom and saw a lean, medium sized man. He
had green eyes and was about 42 years old. He looked at me and asked my name,
but class had already started and we had an amazing year together.
Childhood in Luton
Mr. Benzie at that time David was born on the 25th of November
1971 in Luton, England. He was a boy like all (or most) others, went to school
and was part of a boys’ brigade, the English scouts. However he was a bit
different, he had a sister and played the electronic organ. It is a different
kind of piano but with many keyboards. I don’t know why but he went to three
different schools when he was child.
When he was a teenager he went to Lee Manor.
Razors
He was about two years old, he was at his house and in
his parents room. He saw something shiny, it was his dad’s razor! He was going
to get it when …
His mom came in and stopped him.
An Arsenal Story
When Mr. Benzie was six he got his first football kit,
but it wasn’t any football kit, it was a Arsenal1976 away kit. His uncle Ed
gave it to him. There a beautiful story between boy and team was born.
On the register in Manchester
It was 1992 and a letter got to the Benzie’s house, it
said that he’s been accepted in the Manchester university! Four years later he
graduated! Then he had to find a job. Where?
First Job
Opportunities
Some years later
Mr. Benzie
got a job! He started
teaching disabled children and adults. He even got published in a book, it’s
called “Doing disability research”.
Konnichiwa,
Japan
Around 2002 a new
opportunity apperaed in Mr. Benzie’s life. To
be an English teacher in Japan.
He accepted it right
away and goes to Japan! Hello Japan, Konnichiwa!
Back
To England
After three years
in Japan Mr. Benzie thought “Humm… I want to be a primary teacher!” So he went
back to England he went to a course for primary school teaching.
A
Twist To Brazil
Suddenly in the
middle of 2011 Mr. Benzie had a twist in his life, he came to a beautiful
little country called Brazil. More specifically to a polluted little city
called Sao Paulo.
A
Mrs. Benzie
Here in Brazil he
met many new people, made new friends and work-friends. He also met a woman
called Sinthia from Porto Alegre. This
is a city in the southern state of Rio Grande Do Sul. Now Mr. Benzie and
Sinthia live together for more than three years. In Brazil it is considered an
unofficial marriage.
St.
Francis
While he was here in Brazil Mr. Benzie had to find a job, then in the beginning
of 2012 an opportunity at an international IB school appeared! He accepted it
and is in St. Francis until today.
My
Opinion
Mr. Benzie was my
class teacher and influenced very much in me, he had a special way of teaching
that I like, he would have interactive lessons that were easier to learn and memorize
for tests. He even impacted the team I cheer for, Arsenal. He is a very
dedicated teacher, has a lot of sense of humour and is extremely friendly. The
many twists in his life gave him experiences to share and advices to give.
