Very hard and frustrating but I am proud of myself and it was very rewarding. Past Review
By Britta O (Indiana University - Bloomington) - abroad from 02/01/2012 to 06/29/2012 with
Universidad Estadual De Campinas: Campinas - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Confidence, different view on dance, Portuguese, grasp on Brazilian people and culture. Yes it was worthwhile!
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | Only University of Campinas (UNICAMP) |
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I wasn't able to take as many credits as I usually take and all of the courses were at a much lower academic level than in the US. However the Portuguese was extremely hard (not included in class). |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Everything was very confusing and very difficult to figure out any administrative tasks. Even toward the end when I knew more Portuguese, everything in Brazil is very unorganized. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I loved my Brazilian roommates, I learned so much from them. |
| * Food: |
The food at the university was very cheap and fresh and delicious, however it was very difficult getting used to eating rice and beans every day. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Not knowing Portuguese when I started was very difficult. I felt like an outsider, even though the Brazilians were very warm and welcoming, there was a huge language barrier. After I started picking up the language things got much more easier and fun. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I never had anything serious. However if I was sick from a cold I had multiple offers from students and faculty that said they would take me to the hospital or anything else I needed. Health care is pretty good in Brazil, they are especially known for having excellent dentistry. |
| * Safety: |
I felt safe because I knew what I should do and shouldn't do. However Brazil is much more dangerous than the US and I felt unsafe a few times. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* 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) |
The food was really cheap for students, however everything in Brazil is at least 3X as expensive as in the US and much worse quality. |
| * Was housing included in your program cost? | No |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | No |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $150 |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
All of my classes were in Portuguese and I was basically only allowed to speak in Portuguese. |
| 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? | Intermediate |
| 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? | Study the language before you go! Especially a hard language like Portuguese! |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 10+ |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Portuguese |
