Studying in such a diverse, international institution like Queen Mary opened my mind to different perspectives, cultures, and points of view. I had access to great professors, high-quality debates, and classmates from every continent. That exchange of ideas with people from all sorts of backgrounds is priceless.
Why did you decide to select Queen Mary University for your postgraduate degree in International Relations?
Around 2011, I decided to study in London, and I started looking for the best universities and courses for me. I knew I wanted to study at the University of London, so it was just a matter of finding the most suitable college. I liked the modules offered by Queen Mary and the University had a great reputation for academic research. Queen Mary also had a few top professors in refugee law, which was a topic I was passionate about. Thus, I ended up choosing Queen Mary.
What would you say helped you to adjust to the teaching and learning in Queen Mary as an international student?
I wasn't used to the British education system when I started studying at Queen Mary. There were several differences from Brazilian universities regarding how one should structure essays or presentations, for instance. It was pretty helpful that we had a short module on how to write essays following UK standards, how to do research more efficiently, how to present our ideas better, etc. Having access to an excellent library was also great because I had a peaceful space to study, write, and do my research.
Would you say the modules you took during your postgraduate degree adequately prepared you for your career journey?
I think most of them did help me with my career. I just wish we had back in 2013/2014 more exchange with other faculties/departments. I wish I had had the opportunity, for instance, to attend a module about refugee law at the Law School.
Looking back and for the benefit of prospective students, what do you wish you would have done better or differently during your time at Queen Mary?
It’s always easy to look back and see things you could have done differently. I’d probably interact more with my professors, study a few more hours a day, go through more non-mandatory readings, and start working on my thesis a month earlier. However, I think I did well for that period of my life, and I enjoyed my stay in London and Queen Mary.
Please can you talk us through your career path since you graduated from Queen Mary?
Since graduating from Queen Mary, I've worked in a few countries. I lived in Sarajevo for a few months in 2015, where I conducted research on refugees in the Balkans. I also worked on journalistic projects about the 20th anniversary of the end of the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
By October 2015, I moved to Thessaloniki, Greece, during the peak of the refugee crisis in Europe. I worked in the makeshift camp of Idomeni, near the border with North Macedonia, where I studied the social mobilization of civilians to help refugees and fill the assistance gaps left by the authorities. While in Idomeni, I also volunteered with some groups that provided food and clothes to refugees.
By 2017, I was running my own project in Thessaloniki preparing refugees for their asylum interviews with the authorities in Greece, The Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, amongst other countries.
Before leaving Greece in 2018, I published a book about my experiences in Idomeni, which was selected by the Brazilian Minister for Education as a recommended reading for high school students in public schools all over the country.
I've been living in Berlin, Germany, since February 2018. Here, I work as a freelance journalist for several publications, including BBC News and Deutsche Welle, where I mostly write about international politics, German history, WWII, and refugees. My work has been published in English, German, Spanish, and Portuguese. I also work with consulting, helping companies gather detailed information that will help them make investment decisions.
What is the best career advice you have received and would want to pass on to prospective students who plan to study your course and follow a similar career path to yours?
Try doing what you love but know that this isn’t always possible. So, when you are doing something you’re not so passionate about, prepare yourself for your “dream” job. Get qualifications, experience, contacts. Have patience, and things will eventually work out.
How has your degree and career shaped your personality and perspective about life?
If you would like to get in touch with Gabriel or engage him in your work, please contact Nathalie Grey at n.grey@qmul.ac.uk.