Brasil: A beautiful yet jarring experience. Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The classes were both challenging and rewarding. I took a survival portuguese class with the Brasilian liaison. I learned so much from this class and I was practically having conversations in portuguese from what I learned in this class. The Peoples and cultures of latin america course was very interesting. It covered the history of brasil from indigenous arrival to the continent to the European invasion of the country. The anthropology class was also interesting. It discussed the African, Indigenous and European influences on Brasilian culture. It also talked about race, gender, economics, poverty and music of Brasil. Quizzes for these classes required essay form responses which were not difficult if you listened and took notes during lectures. There was no difference in the educational system because we were taught by an American professor at a Language learning school.

On-site administration of your program

The onsite administration was very helpful in solving any problems that we had. I felt very comfortable taking any problems or concerns to the onsite administration.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Aside from bugs and heat the home itself was very comfortable and spacious. The neighborhood was gated and guarded so safety was not a concern. The homestay was a bit far from nightlife and class so taxis and buses were an unexpected big expense. I spent around $150 on transportation alone. At first, the homestay mother was very warm and welcoming. Maybe 2 weeks into the stay it all changed. I hardly ever had a conversation with my homestay. The home owner and her family were also very mean to the maid. The maid confided in me and I often consoled her when she cried. The home owner assumed that I could not speak or understand Portuguese so she would make comments concerning black skin and black people to the maid not knowing that me and the maid had conversations in Portuguese all the time. This created tension in the home for me and the other african American female student. We would stay in our rooms when we were in the home and tried to avoid her and her family as much as possible. This still did not put a huge damper on my time in Brasil. Minus the racism it was still a wonderful experience and I see myself returning in the very near future.

The first 2 weeks the food was very good and fresh. The last two weeks the I ate out often. The food was not stored properly sometimes and I refused to eat it.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The Christ Statue and LAPA nightlife were some of the most memorable highlights of my stay in Brasil.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The administration was paranoid so I guess that made us safer. Vaccines in Brasil were free so if I needed one I could receive one no charge. I remained healthy throughout my entire stay in Brasil so I have knowledge of how the health care system works.

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

We practiced Portuguese with the Brasilian correspondent, Odirene. She taught school for 40 years so I was very comfortable being in here class. They divided the students up into three different language categories. The students who were familiar with Spanish were basically doing the same course work as the students who were studying Portuguese for college credit. Before this course, I had no knowledge of Portuguese but after this class I can hold conversations, give directions and understand Portuguese much better. Most people in Brasil spoke no English. The middle and upper class Brasilians are the only people who spoke english. I had plenty of practice in Portuguese because the maid at my homestay spoke no english but she always talked to me. This greatly increased my Portuguese language skills.

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• Hotel
• Host Family

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• Host Family
• Americans

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• Americans