Last Stop - Parada Brasil! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The things that I learned about in Brasil were not so much academic as they were social. From living and navigating in a country as a minority to understanding social issues while advocating for the informal waste management sector that is undervalued in more countries than just Brasil, I was able to experiencing the dynamic culture of Sao Paulo from a very raw and, thankfully, realistic perspective that most "tourist" may not get to participate in.

On-site administration of your program

Although the pre-departure web meetings did an excellent job of introducing Marcio (an Intern Brazil representative) and myself, it was really nice that he was able to get lunch with the interns in Sao Paulo during our time there. Unfortunately, I was not able to visit Curitiba and the rest of the Intern Brazil team.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I believe that my experience was greatly enhanced by the fact that I was able to stay with a friend outside of Sao Paulo. Although it lengthen my commute to work, I would argue that it only gave me a better understanding of life in/near Sao Paulo.

Arroz e feijao, arroz e feijao, e arroz e feijao! I have never eaten so much rice and beans in my life. Feijoada is a delicious Brazilian staple that is typically topped with farofa (some kind of semi-crunchy flour bread crumbs that do not have significant flavor but is really fun to sprinkle all over your food). My favorites consisted of churrasco (grilled meat!), coxinhas, acai (EU AMO ACAI!), fruit of all sorts and the juices from them (aka. Suco de melancia). Pasteis, sugar cane juice, escondidinho, and esfihas (salty or sweet, mini Arabic pizzas most popularly bought at fast food restaurant, Habib’s) were other foods that I enjoyed. Pao de queijo is a Brazilian favorite but if you are comfortable with your Portuguese you should let someone else order it—same thing goes for the incredibly refreshing agua de coco or coconut water. I realized how much I like ricotta cheese after eating it with crackers for breakfast many mornings; and, for lunch, some of my co-workers were amused at my guava and mortadella sandwiches that I brought for a few weeks. (Guava; think jelly in jello form. It is combined with white cheese to make a dessert called Romeu e Julieta) Moving on to desserts, they are overwhelming sweet! From hot or cold bridgadeiro (basically a bowl of fudge) to even the sweetest little kisses you’ll probably ever get (bejinho), or dulce de leche served on just about anything, Brazilian desserts can certain satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth. And finally, if you or anyone you know has a birthday celebration in Brazil (and chances are that someone will), there will be cake and juice. In all of the 20 plus birthdays that I help celebrate during my two months, there were a couple things that proved to be tradition: a five minute birthday song followed by a few two minute birthday songs, which were very exciting and energetic but often felt never-ending, and bolo e suco. (This list is not all inclusive as I most likely forgot to mention some of the incredible food that I had in Brazil like temaki, a Brazilian- Japanese sushi wrap)

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I love Brazilian culture so much that I want to live there for at least a year and visit frequently throughout my life. I come from the great state of South Carolina and I was shocked by how friendly Brazilians are--it's in their DNA or at least apart of their culture! (Once again, from my experience) As someone who loves dancing, I could not get enough sertanejo, funk, and, my favorite, forro! It was surprising to see very little sambe, or people who even liked like, let alone knew how to dance to it. In my mind, it is strictly a Carnival thing. Being from a very small town in a small state, Sao Paulo had another factor of culture shock to me--living in an enormous city. With that said, I never really felt that I was in the second largest city in the Americas (I think that statement is true). Outside of the IMPRESSIVE number of people, it didn't feel that big to me. Just to mention some of the upsetting things: the mindset of those living in Sao Paulo was forced to be that of the "living to work" mentality. People commute for hours to work and then the same back home, just to (most likely) make enough money to pay for the necessities plus the cost of transportation. The other thing that upset me was Brazilian's nationalism... (Ironic, right?) No, I mean there nationalism for other nations. I saw significantly more American flags, British flags, and Eiffel Towers than I ever saw Brazilian flags. My friend and I went to countless stores looking for a Brazilian soccer jersey; most of them had NFL and NBA teams instead. Not only this, it seem like everyone wanted to get out. Brazil has the talent and resources to be a top notch country but the corruption is prohibiting it as well as pushing the people away. With all that said, I would like to reiterate that I loved Brazil and the culture there. If I am afford the opportunity to go back I will sure take it; however, Sao Paulo and Rio would simply be visits for me as I wish to experience the Nordeste!

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

N/A

Sao Paulo: As a 6' 2" (188 centimeters) tall, 200 lbs (90 kg) male I felt safe walking around at night and taking public transportation in Sao Paulo. Even getting lost a few times, I was able to get home safely. My experience is that Brazilians are willing to take time to help even they don't speak English and you don't (really) speak Portuguese. My advice: learn Portuguese, have a phone (with data), and learn your routes. If I had ever done these things, perhaps I would not have gotten lost at all. Rio de Janeiro - If you look like a gringo, whatsoever, find a Brazilian friend or someone who knows the area to show you around. If you do not have access to either; (I repeat) learn Portuguese or at least the phrase "Nao brigado" and keep walking--you will be approached. A hint from my friends was "if you get lost, walk down hill." I wouldn't say I felt unsafe in Brazil but if you are alone in another country or even just unfamiliar, it's best to be aware of your surroundings.

Even considering the program consuming a large portion of my finances and my ability to stay with friends in Brazil, I am still thankful for Intern Brazil for connecting me with an incredible company, Giral! Getting to work there and meet the people definitely outweighed the cost of the program and, I believe, will only do so further.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Brazil is pretty cheap. There was a 3 to 1 exchange rate in my favor while I was there. With that said, paying for the program and my flight all but drained my account, and with no incoming money for that summer, it was the "poorest" I have ever lived. My tip: get, save, borrow, steal (kidding) money! The exchange rate is fantastic but if you don't have money to exchange, it doesn't really help. Also... figure out your banking situation: transfers, withdraws, all of that good stuff.

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

I would say every time we spoke Intern Brazil encouraged me to improve my Portuguese

Select all that apply

• Host Family

Select all that apply

• Host Family

Select all that apply

• Other

• Company connections
• Employees enthusiasm and care
• Companies pre-departure resources

• Perhaps scholarships
• A group orientation with the other interns at the headquarters
• More activities between nearby interns. I had a solid friend group in Brazil but I could see it being difficult for those who did not.

The Outright Urbanite