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She was one of eight student representatives from New Zealand chosen to travel to the South American city to learn more about the country and culture.

“It was an amazing experience,” Rebecca said.

“We got to see their culture and how they view business and approach life.”

Rebecca is a member of the YES National Excellence Award-winning Gisborne Girls’ High team Project Ataahua, whose project commissioned public artworks to beautify Gisborne city, so she had a particular interest in Sao Paulo’s street art.

“We went to an alleyway called Batman Alley where the street art constantly changes,” she said.

The travelling group was chosen because they all wanted to develop their own cities in New Zealand and help those around them.

One thing she learned from the experience was the number of opportunities there are in business worldwide.

The group visited the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise office in Brazil and Rebecca said it was amazing to see what the Government had been doing over the last couple of years to help Kiwi entrepreneurs.

“I thought that was incredible. It is so easy to start up a business in New Zealand. I think it takes you an hour.

“In Brazil it will take you three months. There is so much bureaucracy.”

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