Experience of a lifetime! Past Review

By Zachary C (International Business, Texas A&M University - College Station) - abroad from 12/27/2014 to 01/20/2015 with

Summit Global Education: Brazil - Study Abroad Tour of Brazil

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

I gained experience in a culture very unlike my own. Brazil is home of lots of adventure and excitement. This trip was very worthwhile, I would do it all over again in a heartbeat!

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	They do a great job hooking the students up with some incredible housing!
* Food:	Lots and lots of delicious food! So many amazing options and fun things to try. If food is important to you, Brazil is the place to go!
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:	You are in a foreign country, so don't do anything stupid and you will be fine. The staff does a great job preparing you for the culture change and making sure everyone is safe.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes

Finances

* 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)	Nothing was outrageously expensive, but there will be a lot of things you will want to spend money on. The exchange rate makes it much easier, because costs are generally lower than they would be in the US. All of it is worth every penny though!
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	roughly $200 USD
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Save as much as possible. It is an incredible experience and you do not want finances to jeopardize that!

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language? 0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language	We were trying to communicate and learn new things in Portuguese the entire time.
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program?	None
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program?	Beginner
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure?	none
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?	Practice, practice, practice!

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Apartment Hotel
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Americans
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Local Students Americans
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?	Adventure Culture Food
* What could be improved?	Organization
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	Just go with the flow, don't hold anything back!

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 Networker An active student leader, it was important for you to network abroad as well. Once overseas, you sought out student clubs, volunteered with local organizations, or attended community events. You encouraged your friends join you, and often considered how you could reflect your international experiences in a resume.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Intro to Portuguese
Course Department:	Foreign Language
Instructor:	Fernanda Velloso
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	The class was a lot of fun. It was exciting using the things we were learning in our day to day activities. The exams were fair, but you definitely had to pay attention in class. The instructor used a lot of out of the box teaching techniques to make it exciting.
Credit Transfer Issues: