In March 2017, Ms. Pamela Gemmer was able to take advantage of a Partners of the Americas travel grant to present about world language in Argentina and Brazil. While visiting Brazil, she was hosted by Roberta Pegoraro in Nova Brazil, Brazil. Roberta very much wanted to bring her children to Indiana to see many places and to experience a new culture. Pamela connected Roberta with Jill Woerner, an Indiana educator who had similar aged children in her home. Jill and her family welcomed Roberta and her two children for the month of January 2018. All of them visited schools and learned to live the life of Americans from the midwestern part of the United States.

One evening after dinner, Jill and Roberta began to chat about their hopes and dreams. It was at that moment, that the Bilateral Educator Exchange was born. Roberta and Jill wanted to expand the hearts and minds of teachers in both of their states/countries so they could better understand diverse students and begin to globalize the ways that they teach in their classrooms.

The plans began immediately. Jill and Roberta established dates and began looking at costs and airfare to make sure that the program was very affordable for teachers. Although the "package" looks slightly different for the teachers of the two countries, the relationships that are being established and the memories that are being made are equally rewarding and long-lasting. The 2019 Bilateral Educator Exchange (BEE) Program was the first exchange and it was met with tremendous success. The 2020 exchange including hosting, but the traveling did not take place yet due to the pandemic. The 2020 Hoosier teachers are planning to join the 2022 cohort and finally travel to see their Brazilian counterparts. We hope you'll join us for the post-pandemic experience!