Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Challenging, maturing, and humbling Past Review

By (Spanish and Portuguese, The University of Texas at Austin) - abroad from 02/02/2013 to 07/18/2013 with

Pontificia Universidade Catolica Do Rio De Janiero: Rio de Janeiro - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained proficiency in Portuguese and self-reliance. I've learned to live comfortably with little resources and now I have friends all over the world!

Review Photos

Pontificia Universidade Catolica Do Rio De Janiero: Rio de Janeiro - Direct Enrollment & Exchange Photo Pontificia Universidade Catolica Do Rio De Janiero: Rio de Janeiro - Direct Enrollment & Exchange Photo Pontificia Universidade Catolica Do Rio De Janiero: Rio de Janeiro - Direct Enrollment & Exchange Photo Pontificia Universidade Catolica Do Rio De Janiero: Rio de Janeiro - Direct Enrollment & Exchange Photo Pontificia Universidade Catolica Do Rio De Janiero: Rio de Janeiro - Direct Enrollment & Exchange Photo

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.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The study abroad office seems a bit in over its head, which is understandable with over 300 international students per semester, but they often wouldn't return emails. One of my friends was coming late to the program and had been trying to contact them for months, but they didn't even respond to her until I walked in and asked them if they had heard from her, to which they replied they had seen her emails but never attended to them... which is quite a big deal for a student who needed special accommodations. Several times I would walk into the office and they would ask me why I felt like I had to talk to them, as if I were heavily inconveniencing them by asking for advice about classes, which is literally their job.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Honestly, I had really terrible living arrangements. AirBNB and easyquarto.com are helpful sites to find housing if you are patient and persistent. I would highly recommend moving in with other international students in a shared apartment.

* Food:

The food in Rio is pricey for the quality.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Cariocas are generally pretty friendly and open and it was easy to get along with locals.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I was hospitalized for a kidney infection during my study abroad experience and stayed at Clínica São Vicente. They were, for the most part, very attentive and spoke English, and I definitely recommend their services if you have International SOS student insurance.

* Safety:

While nothing too serious happened to myself or my friends, my wallet was stolen twice and my phone once. I knew several girls robbed at knifepoint, even in the nicer neighborhoods. The most horrific incident was of one girl from my program that was gang-raped and beaten along with her French boyfriend. I would heavily advise taxis at night and walking in groups with guys.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

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)

Transportation costs quite a bit since buses are essential to and from school (depending on your neighborhood) and taxis start to add up.

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
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? Intermediate
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? Upper division literature courses in Spanish and Portuguese
How many hours per day did you use the language?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Other
  • Apartment
  • Hostel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
  • Other
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International 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?
  • How easy it was to make friends
  • The Portuguese for foreigners class is so fun!
* What could be improved?
  • Study abroad office attentiveness
  • More help with finding student housing
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? How difficult it is to find comfortable housing on your own. I wish I had immediately moved in with international students, even if I didn't know them that well at the time.

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!