Relaxing and Learning in the Amazing Afro-Cultural City of Salvador, Brazil Past Review
By Iris L (psychology, Harvard University) for
CIEE: Salvador - Summer Intensive Language and Culture
Yes! My portuguese improved drastically and I learned so much from the lens of people living a completely different life than the one I know in the United States. The best part is that locals were open and welcoming to me and my desire to learn. Salvador in general, despite cited safety issues, made me feel so welcome and warm that I definitely wish I had spent more time there
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The workload was very manageable and the grading system seemed fair. The educational system is very different from back home. The best universities in Brazil are public whereas the opposite is true in the United States. However, entrance into these universities is very difficult and almost requires that a student have a privation school education whereas in the United States, the disparity between public and private school education is not as drastic as Brazil's |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
A weakness was internet access. Students were for the most part left to their own devices when dealing with technology. There was a computer lab in one of the class sites but depending on a student's schedule, it did not help much with completing assignments. A strength of the program were its extra-curricular activities outside the classroom that were both fun and sometimes very informative of the culture there. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
It seems very difficult for vegetarians to eat well in Salvador. However, the quality of the food tends to be great and I would suggest students try the different "salgados" that most street vendors sell. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We went to a religious ceremony that has strong African roots. We also went to a drum and capoeira lesson. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
The most common type of crime is theft so its best to talk with locals or your host family to know what places to avoid at night. You always want to be in groups. The best advice is to not carry anything extremely valuable on your person. I was personally robbed so I would say as long as your smart about it, you should be fine. The healthcare is extremely accesible. The doctor showed up to my host family's house on the weekend and wrote the prescriptions I needed. I needed the typhoid vaccine for this program. |
| 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I spend on average $120 a week. Most of these costs were from transportation, both during the day and at night. The rest is from going out which ranged from eating, to dances, and to bars. Some portion of it was buying food during the day or getting groceries. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I wish I had known how much transportation costs add up. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Portuguese for Spanish Speakers II |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I practiced in class, with my host family, and Brazilian friends I made during my stay. Most people did not speak English. |
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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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? | Speak with locals as much as you can to really improve your portuguese |
