Studying Geology in Brazil Past Review

By (Earth Science, Anthropology, University of Maine at Orono) - abroad from 03/05/2012 to 07/12/2013 with

Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS): Porto Alegre - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Definitely worthwhile. I learned how to overcome many of my own insecurities in order to interact with people in a foreign language, which was a huge step.

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.

As rigorous an academic experience as you want. I took high-caliber classes at the best institute in the country for my field of study.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Very complicated, unorganized and generally chaotic.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

No University housing, so you will need to find your own

* Food:

Be wary if you're a vegetarian, everything is made with meat!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I was taking classes in a Brazilian University, living in a Brazilian house with a great family. Nothing could have been better!

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Emergency room waits are extremely long, but overall pretty good health care system.

* Safety:

Porto Alegre is a very large city with a high poverty rate. Violent crime is, unfortunately, a common occurrence.

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)

* 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? 3,000

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

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Beginner
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Advanced
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? Beginner Portuguese
How many hours per day did you use the language? 10+

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
  • Other
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
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?
  • Able to take my own classes
  • Interacting with local Brazilian students
  • Academic Rigor
* What could be improved?
  • Organization of host institution
  • Housing being available to international students
  • Connection between Brazilian and international studens
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That nothing, ever, works correctly the first time in Brazil. The bureaucracy in the country is frustrating and stressful to international students.

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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!