Floripa is one of my favorite places on the planet! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I found that the academic experience was great...for the language and to meet people. Academically, classes were simple and the workload was incredibly light. Other than having a few readings (American students were really the only ones who did the readings), and a few graded assignments, the way it worked was to show up and see how it went. Each course and professor has its own grading scale within the 1-10 grading system, and because of that, there really is no set average. That was frustrating, especially when we had to use the Middlebury conversion rate. Overall, I did learn a lot, and I learned about a lot of different, through provoking things - but not necessarily due to the academic experience.

On-site administration of your program

I loved the program administration; the two directors (one for Brazil and the other for Latin America) were enthusiastic. That being said, the on-site director wasn't necessarily helpful with figuring out the bus system, or classes, or general university ... stuff. She was so great otherwise, always wanting to meet us and we went out a lot. But it sometimes felt like I got dropped at my host family and told to "figure it out".

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived with a woman and her son in a house that had a few extra rooms for girls only. I had a space in the kitchen to make my own food, and my own room. It was such a great experience because I could go in and out as I pleased, make my own food, but also bond and speak with the family. It was a great balance!

Brazilian food is delicious! Floripa has very few restaurants, and it isn't too diverse with the food, but it's overall delicious.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I made it my goal to really integrate. I went to dance classes, some cooking classes, and even studied at some nearby lunch and cafe spots. It was so great because Floripa is small enough to not feel lost in, but big enough to explore new things every weekend. And everyone is so friendly!

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I needed a yellow fever shot to go into the Amazon, and the local healthcare system was great (I went to the University public hospital and got it for free). The only thing is...it's Brazilian healthcare. It's not exactly top notch, and privately it can be expensive (I needed new contacts, and I also had an allergic reaction). They prefer cash payments.

Floripa is incredibly safe. As a woman, the catcalls and machismo were a bit overwhelming at times. I happen to blend into the crowd: Floripa is primarily white due to Italian immigrants, and I'm tan with dark hair. I felt incredibly safe, but I'd always take taxis at night and avoid late night buses if I was alone.

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

At the time, the exchange rate was 2:1. I spent an average of $50.00 per week on groceries, and the buses were pretty cheap (about $.75) due to the student cards. Students get discounts everywhere - at the movie theatre, at concerts, etc. That part is great.

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

The language pledge is a serious thing for Middlebury. I made sure to dedicate to it, but of course it's just easier to speak in English sometimes. I almost always spoke in Portuguese, though. We were always encouraged to only speak in Portuguese (and read and write, of course).

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• International Students
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• Local Students

• Commitment to language
• Location
• People

• Leadership from directors
• Academics
• Extracurricular access

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