Brazil Study Abroad - a fantastic learning experience! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

In the pre-departure work, I found the book too generic and broad - and we didn't discuss it in class or on the trip. In the future, it should be eliminated and more time spent on the articles (they were very interesting). Also, it was difficult to juggle the work. First, the pre-departure period spanned the winter and summer semesters (I didn't expect it to start until the summer semester, the semester when the travel was). Also, we did not get a firm list at the beginning of when things were due. It was difficult to juggle this workload with unknown deadlines sprinkled across two semesters.

On-site administration of your program

The guides were excellent as was the program organization. The Austral group clearly understood the American culture and could identify for us similarities and differences in the places we visited. Certainly there were things that happenned late or were in flux, but that was more a function of the Brazilian culture - and our guides handled the uncertainties well.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Because of language barriers, occasionally I got food that was different from what I thought I ordered. However, it was all delicious! You just have to be a bit flexible. :)

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The openning dinner was really fantastic. It was great to try all the local dishes and get to know the people in our group. I also especially appreciated the tour of the favella (slum) - that was an incredible learning experience. It was something I added on my "free day" and it was a fantastic way to understand the people and culture better. Definately a highlight of the program.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I would have liked clearer information from the university about the vacinations to take and where and when to get them. I had to go to a separate clinic which was somewhat challenging since they didn't know all the places I was going. I also found out too late that one of my vaccines had 3 doses over a 6 month period. I was only able to take 2 doses before leaving. More advance notice about this would have been especially helpful. I found Rio de Janeiro a bit difficult because of personal safety concerns. You always had to be with a buddy which could be difficult if you wanted to go somewhere or see something that no one else was interested in. I realized late in the program that if I left my camera and money locked at the hotel I was fine wandering around by myself in the daytime. (The biggest concern is getting mugged, so if you just have $10 in your pocket and no camera, purse, or bag, you'll be fine.) I wish I had realized this earlier.

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

We were told that all our guides would speak English so we did not need any Portugese language skills. It was true that our guides spoke English, but when we went out for dinners, took taxis, or in any other way spoke with locals, it was sometimes difficult to find people who spoke English. Some introductory lessons in Portugese and bringing a phrase book are highly recommended.

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• Hotel

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• Americans