Sniffing Success: How a Flea Market Aromatherapy Project Turned Into a Fun Business Lesson.

 

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy

Sniffing Success: How a Flea Market Aromatherapy Project Turned Into a Fun Business Lesson. (Sort Of)

Picture this: it's a lazy Saturday morning, birds are chirping, my bed feels like heaven, and I'm deep in my REM cycle dreaming of tacos. Suddenly—ding!—a message from an old university friend shatters the peace.

"Hey! Wanna join our school project today?"

Now, did I read that message when she sent it? Of course not. I saw it one hour later while still wrapped in my blanket like a human burrito. Luckily, fate was on my side—she hadn’t left yet, and within 30 minutes, I was showered, dressed, and ready to plunge into... the mysterious world of aromatherapy.

Plot Twist (#1) : This wasn't just sniffing flowers and chanting in a circle. It was a full-blown business project in the wild terrain of a downtown flea market. Picture the scene: ancient coins, questionable antiques, jade dragons, and amidst it all, our stall selling elegant little bags filled with dried flowers that smell better than your grandma's perfume drawer.

I was hooked. I hung out at the stall, made conversation, and then wandered around the market pretending to be a treasure hunter. I even bought a bunch of old coins to impress my family back in Brazil (they'll think I’m now Indiana Jones).

The first time we did it, things went okay—some people bought our flower pouches, some just sniffed and walked away like they were judging a perfume competition. Still, I had a spark of hope: “We could totally sell more... with a few tweaks.”

So, naturally, I pitched my genius ideas to the group like a startup CEO:

FREE eBook Alert! We create a mini guide to aromatherapy (with gorgeous pictures) and slap a QR code on our table. Customers scan it, boom—instant value.

Bonus Bonanza: Buy anything from us and get two more eBooks (written by yours truly, of course) absolutely free. It's like a flower-scented book buffet!

book 1 - The key to Learn English

book 2 - The World in your Hands

Conversation Starter: The free eBook? Just an excuse to talk to anyone who walks by. "Hey, want a free book?" Boom—ice broken, sale incoming.

Super Bargain: Our dried flower bags were cheap enough to make your wallet smile, and the added book bonus made the deal irresistible (in theory).

We even convinced the responsible teacher for this project to let us run the stall a second time just so we could implement our master plan. I was feeling like a marketing genius.

And then... plot twist (#2): Labor Day.
The market was basically a ghost town. I think I saw more pigeons than people. We sold three bags. Total. Not exactly the million-dollar day I envisioned.

But hey—was it a failure? Not at all.

We chatted with strangers (in English!),laughed with friends, and got to experience real-life business in action. Plus, we learned the most important entrepreneurial lesson of all:

Sometimes you win. Sometimes there’s a national holiday that ruins your sales. Either way—keep going.

So, dear student reader:
DO the weird project. / JOIN the market stall. / SELL the dried flowers.

You’ll practice English, learn real business tricks, build confidence, and maybe—just maybe—sell some flowery magic along the way.

And if all else fails... buy some coins and call yourself a collector.

#1 plot - youku

#2 Plot - YouKu - YouTube

My certificate for participating on this project

Article by Marcelo Gameiro

Published 02 May 2025

Recommendation Letters: Why Showing Up (and Speaking Up) Matters!

recommendation letter

🎓 Recommendation Letters: Why Showing Up (and Speaking Up) Matters! 📣

So... you need a recommendation letter. Maybe you're applying for a scholarship, a fancy internship, or even grad school. That’s great! But wait—cue dramatic music—what if your teacher doesn’t remember who you are?

“Uh-oh.”

Yep. That’s a real problem.

You see, when students ask for recommendation letters, we teachers go on a little mental journey. We ask ourselves:

“Who is this person?”

“Were they in my class?”

“Did they ever say anything during the semester besides 'Good morning, teacher' and ‘Can we finish early today?'”

If the answer is “no,” or even worse, “I have no clue who this student is,” then guess what? That letter might never get written.

Or it gets written like this:

“This student took my class. That’s all I remember. Best of luck!” 😬

💡 Why Does It Matter?

Here’s the deal: writing a recommendation letter is like vouching for someone’s future. It’s putting our name and reputation on the line. If we say you're a superstar and you turn out to be a shooting star (fast and gone),it reflects badly on us too. That’s why most responsible teachers won’t write glowing letters for students who didn’t make any effort in class.

But don’t worry—it’s not about being the smartest, or having perfect English, or sitting in the front row wearing a suit and tie. What really matters is engagement.

🧑‍🏫 What Teachers Remember

We remember students who:

Ask questions, even if they’re not perfect.

Show up on time and regularly.

Join discussions (even when they're shy).

Volunteer for presentations or help others.

Join campus events or clubs (like English corner).

Smile, say hello, or even just make us laugh!

Trust me, we don’t bite. We want to help. We want you to succeed. But we can’t write about your brilliance if we never saw it in action.

Let me tell you a story...

🌟 The Girl Who Wasn’t My Student

Today, I wrote a recommendation letter for a truly amazing student. But here’s the twist—she was never in any of my classes! 😮

So why did I write one for her?

Simple: I met her multiple times at our English Corner events. While some students just show up, write their name for attendance, and vanish faster than you can say “vocabulary,” she actually stayed, spoke, laughed, and practiced her English every time. I could see her passion and progress. She left a positive impression without ever being in my classroom.

She was in this picture below, from a blogpost about English Corner.

That’s the magic of participation. You don’t need to be the loudest or the best—you just need to show up and make an effort. Be someone your teacher will naturally remember.

✨ How to Stand Out (In a Good Way!)

If you want to be someone your teacher feels proud to recommend, try this:

Be visible: Attend regularly. Cameras on in Zoom classes if possible. Eye contact in person.

Be vocal: Ask questions. Share ideas. Show interest.

Be curious: Join extra events, clubs, or academic activities.

Be helpful: Offer to help classmates or the teacher when you can.

Be real: A genuine “thank you” or short conversation can go a long way.

🎁 Final Thought

One day, you might need someone to say something great about you. Start building that relationship now. You don’t need to be perfect—just present, proactive, and polite.

So… do you need a recommendation letter?

If not now, maybe someday.

And when that day comes, make sure your teacher's first thought is:
“Oh yes! I’d be happy to write one for that student!” ✍️💙

Article by Marcelo Gameiro

Published 10 Apr 2025

 

The Ultimate Crazy University Adventure! Camping without a tent ?

 

Camping

🔥 The Ultimate Crazy University Adventure! 🔥

Camping without a tent ?

Hey everyone! University isn’t just about getting a degree—it’s about making unforgettable memories, meeting awesome people, and doing things that will make you laugh (or question your life choices) years from now! 😆

So… who’s up for a wild night in the University Forest? 🌲🌙

Here’s the plan:
1)🎲 Play games all night
2)🗣 Improve your English skills (without realizing it)
3)🍿 Munch on snacks and drinks all night!
4)💡 Sit in the dark like legends (bring a lamp, a power bank, seriously)
5)📸 Record it all for posting at YouTube fame or YouKu (or blackmail material)

6)📅 When? Saturday night (so you can recover on Sunday - you probably don't have classes on Sunday, right?) from saturday 22:00 pm until sunday sunrise. 
7)👥 Who? 5-7 brave souls plus myself. (enough for safety, but not enough for total chaos). You don't want to be with someone alone in the dark, specially if they will accuse you and you don´t have anyone to vouch for you. That is why minimum 5 people 
8)🎒 What to bring? Snacks, drinks, a power bank, games, and anything that makes the night more fun

We’ll borrow (totally return in the morning) some chairs and a table from Building 7, set up camp in the forest, and let the madness unfold! 🤪

If you’re in for an epic, hilarious, and absolutely crazy night, message me on WeChat! Let’s make this happen! 🚀🔥

 

UPDATE (2025 march 03)

I have  talked to my assistant and supervisor, and I am sorry to say that this activity was not approved. I am sure those 7 students who where waiting below for the approval would be disappointed, and I supposed if we could do it such activity, we would never forget about it…

Article by Marcelo Gameiro

Published 01 Apr 2025