Marina is a cheerful brunette, of 47 years old. She was born and raised in Sao Paulo, Brazil. However, Marina has been living in Australia for the last 18 years.
Her ancestors were originally from a beautiful Italian town called San Giacomo degli Schiavoni. Her great grandfather Domenicantonio Lafratta and great grandmother Maria Tereza Nicola valentini immigrated to Brasil in 1894 with two young children: Angelo Andre (Marina's grandfather) and Rosa Lafratta.
Marina's family tree can be seen in the web address:
www.lafratta.com.br
Then click on the link:
Family tree -1-
Marina has successfully completed a four years Bachelor of Arts Degree specializing in Portuguese and English Languages with Primary School Teaching Practice, from a Brazilian university.
She has also graduated from a second university degree in Australia. Her Australian degree is a Bachelor of Arts and she majored in Natural Resources Management and Sociology.
Marina has had the opportunity to work in a variety of professional fields and for a variety of companies and organisations in Brazil as well as in Australia. She has worked as a teacher, tutor, translator and interpreter. She has also worked in office administration, and as a support worker for people with disabilities and the elderly.
Click here to read an article published in the Brazilian newspaper about her work as an interpreter for the Brazilian troop sent to East Timor in 1999 (in Portuguese).
For many years Marina worked for a government department, in the field of Quality Assurance IS9002 and ISO14001 for Environmental Management Systems and auditing in Australia. She has also worked as a volunteer for various organisations in Australia, writing articles, coordinating the production of newsletters, assisting in administration duties. In her most recent volunteer work she prepared a web page for a Non-Government-Organisation (NGO).
Marina loves traveling, and she has travelled to Canada, United States, Brazil, New Zealand and Australia.
She says "It is being great to be able to travel, study, work and apply what I have learnt all these years. I am very happy and proud of my achievements. God is very good to me and He is always by my side giving me strength, direction and courage. I am very fortunate and grateful."
"I thank my beloved parents who were always there for me, educating, teaching, supporting, guiding me, providing me all the best they could afford, not only on the financial side but most important on the emotional aspect, giving me affection, love, caring and support. I am very proud of you, mum and dad, and I thank God that I have you as my parents. You are always on my mind and prayers. God bless you always".
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