Alchemizing Discomfort into Comfort January 07, 2026
By A student (Psychology, Wellesley College) - abroad from 07/24/2025 to 11/29/2025 with
CET Brazil
I learned how to push through socially uncomfortable, unfamiliar, and sometimes scary situations. I learned how important full language immersion is to expedited advancement. I learned about the importance of protecting, platforming, and discussing Indigenous knowledge.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Very easy academic rigor compared to my home institution. Accessible and available academic advisor + professors. Repetitive at times in some classes. Overall learned a lot that I definitely would not have been able to learn at my home institution. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
So wonderful, helpful, kind, and empathetic to many of the hardships I encountered during the semester. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Very satisfied! Felt very privileged and it was a lot more spacious and nicer than the dorms at my home institution. |
| * Food: |
Food wasn't regularly provided. But in regards to the local Paulista food, I wasn't the biggest fan due to the lack of seasonings/flavor in the standard Paulista dish. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I went out of my way to connect with locals from the very beginning and I felt very welcomed by Brazilians of all kinds and cultures. The locals themselves never felt like a barrier towards fulfilling my ed of the cultural integration! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
VERY well. The housing coordinator literally sat down for an hour with me calling different hospitals and other health professionals to help me make appointments and make the most of my insurance. I felt better taken care of there than I did in the US, healthcare wise! |
| * Safety: |
It's safe if you choose to be smart. I never felt like I was at risk of receiving physical harm, but I know multiple people in my program that had their phones stolen during the semester. Some areas are higher risk than others. But one's perception is safety is mostly controlled by their own actions, lack of actions, and situational awareness + use of smart decision making. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I truly think this is the best Brazil study abroad program out of all of the options out there. |
Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
Very very easy due to a scholarship from my home institution and money I had saved up the summer before. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Cook meals together! Meal prep. Go to the local market to get produce instead of the grocery store. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
We were encouraged in every aspect possible! |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Intensive Intermediate |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Start by greeting everyone in Portuguese! Ask simple questions that garner simple answers. Try to speak to your cohort in Portuguese despite English feeling easier. Order in restaurants in Portuguese. Don't be afraid to mess up! |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Nothing! |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
