Brazil was amazing, my program wasn't. Brazil: Social Justice & Sustainable Development Past Review
By A student (Peace And Justice Studies, Wellesley College) - abroad from 03/04/2012 to 06/17/2012 with
SIT Study Abroad: Reviews from Former Locations
I gained so much from this experience and again do not regret it. It was extremely valuable. The administration could have been different, but that does not change the fact that my experience in Brazil was more than worthwhile.
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. |
We were provided with all of the resources to have an academically strong semester, but academics did not seem to be taken as seriously. Things just seemed like formalities. That said, our excursion activities were excellent and were the perfect academic setting. But, the lectures and assignments could be reformed. Less lectures in general, less time in the classroom, and more excursion related activities. |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Our academic director was not very good. He did not value our opinions as students and did not take necessary time to get to know us and our needs on this program. His postion remains out of seniority, but I believe there needs to be a lot of reforms in this program, including his position. |
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I had an excellent experience in my homestay! They really grew to be my family. |
| * Food: |
Food is always provided for. Of course in the homestay it will depend on your family no matter what country you are in, but SIT does a good job of providing students with food. To me, Brazilian food seemed pretty bland, but other than that there were never any issues with food. |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The homestay experience and the excursions were the primary reasons why I felt very immersed in the culture. However, this program spends a lot of time in the classroom and conducting busy work that I felt our integration with the culture could be improved. |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Healthcare in a city in Brazil is accessible and perfectly sufficient. My only complaint is that SIT never reimbursed me, as they said they would, on healthcare costs and it was not cheap. There were lots of problems with dengue fever, dehydration, traveler's diarreah in general during our time in Brazil. There were necessary vaccines to travel there, but I already received them before going to Ghana. |
| * Safety: |
I always felt safe and I would like to think that is because I was smart, but in reality there is a lot of fear of danger in Brazil and I do believe it was rooted in reality, but I never experienced or witnessed an unsafe situation. I felt SIT could have done a better job helping us stay smart, by supporting us earlier on with the language and structuring the program so that it wasn't necessary for some of us to travel at night time, alone, to get back home. My advice is that students just do not take risks and always follow safety instructions and your own instincts and of course try not to be alone too often. |
| 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) |
SIT payed for our lunch and our host families provided us with breakfast and dinner. SIT also provided us with transportation money. If I had any expenses it was on personal things that I wanted to buy. Brazil is a lot more expensive than the U.S. so that is the only reason why I think it was harder to budget there. |
| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | Yes |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | about 80 dollars |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Don't eat out too often, it adds up. Take advantage of your homestay families food and be ware that souveniers aren't cheap. Brazil is more expensive than the U.S. |
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 |
There was always a lot of encouragement to use the language, but whenever we were together as a program we spoke nearly only in English and all of lectures were translated. Our program did not provide us with necessary language support when we really needed it, in the very beginning, during orientation. |
| 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? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 101, the first beginners course in Portuguese |
| 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? | The language is what you make it. If you want to learn it, you are going to have to make sure you are always putting yourself in uncomfortable situations and spending more time with your Brazilian friends rather than your American classmates. Nobody, not SIT, is going to improve your language skills but yourself. And considering the necessity of being capable in the language for the independent study, you are going to have to be very strict with yourself. |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
| 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? |
|
| * What could be improved? |
|
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I said I would not have gone on the same program, but I also don't regret my experience. We did a lot of amazing things, that were slightly overshadowed by the negative aspects of the program. I would definitely have gone to Brazil, definitely stayed with my host family, definitely participated in the experiential aspects of the program, but definitely would not have done it under the same administration. There was no way to know it would have been like that, though. |
