An Amazing Place to Fall in Love Past Review
By Amanda B (Ecology, Evolution Biology, Berea College) - abroad from 08/24/2015 to 12/11/2015 with
USAC Brazil: Florianópolis - International Business, Environmental/Conservation Management, and Latin American Studies
Oh, way too much to put here. But yes, it was definitely worthwhile. Extraordinarily challenging, entertaining, and educational (life-wise).
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
They were all AMAZING! I really don't think they could have been better. Everybody is really helpful and also very personable. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Housing was great as well. Living with a host family is a bit of a gamble but from what I've seen, most families were very clean and very kind. My family was super kind, super clean, but did not seem interested in forming a relationship. I also lived in an apartment and that was really nice as well. The landlord was super kind but living with boys can be a bit messy |
| * Food: |
I loved the food. My host mom was an amazing cook so I really enjoyed it. Others complained of the food being bland, but I just loved it. Be careful though, there is a lot of bread and goodies. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
It was very hard at first because I did not speak any Portuguese. I highly recommend studying as much as possible before hand. I know how intimidating it can be to practice your broken Portuguese but it is so worth it. I stayed an additional 4 weeks after the program though and that's when I feel like I really fully submerged myself into the culture. The food, the music, the people, the dancing, and the language--all fabulous. Also the Brazilian Culture & Anthropology course made a lot of things I was experiencing in Brazil understandable. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Marielle was on top of all the healthcare business with Laura and Mariana being a great help as well. |
| * Safety: |
I felt very safe in Floripa---most parts anyhow. I often walked home by myself at night--but I didn't live too far away (0.8 miles from campus) and the road was well lit. However, do take precautions. Electronics are very valuable there so if you aren't careful and you flash your phone a lot, you will get robbed. |
| 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) |
I don't know if I'm answering this question well. I spent a TON of money while abroad, but that was my choice. I could have saved a lot more, but I chose not to. But if you have to, it is very possible in Brazil. Food is cheap, drinks are cheap (at most bars--clubs not so much), but clothes and electronics are pricey. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | It really varied on that weeks activities. $100 on average but definitely could have spent $50 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Bring electronics and backups from the state. If something breaks or gets stolen, you will lose hundreds of dollars replacing it. But live it up with the money you have. You're there for the experience, right? Unfortunately, money buys you a lot even though often times the most valuable experiences don't cost anything. |
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 |
They did encourage it but also always spoke it English--which is comforting, but it would be nice if they made you a but uncomfortable and pushed you a little more. I do realize this isn't totally possible because everybody is on such different levels. But what you expect of students is what you get, so I see no harm in pushing a bit more. |
| 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? | French 102 |
| 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? | Talk to people. Meet people. Use your conversation exchange partners. Get an account on conversationexchange.com beforehand and meet people in the area before you go. Go to dance places and meet people, practice your portuguese, and learn how to dance. Win-win-win! |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| 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? |
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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 and Brazilian music |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
