Salvador, Brasil at ACBEU Past Review
By Peter G (Spanish Language and Literature., The University of Texas at Austin) for
Study Abroad Programs in Brazil
Yes, my study abroad experience was definitely worthwhile! This experience has strengthened my desire to continue learning Portuguese and pursuing academic pursuits in languages, because I see how useful learning languages really is.
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. |
I felt like in one class it was the same as if we were in an American classroom. One of my professors was from the University of Texas and so she did things as if we were in America. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administrators and the teachers were very knowledgeable about everything and were extremely helpful. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My apartment was a good fit for me. I lived with a man and his partner in a nice apartment. It was in the Campo Grande neighborhood of Salvador, which is right by the ACBEU (school). It was a 7 minute walk on most days, which was really close. <br /><br /> I was treated very well by my host family. They loved me as if I were their own son. |
| * Food: |
I didn't like the food too much. My stomach was not accustomed to Brazilian food, I think, and so I didn't like it. However, I was open to new foods and tried lots of new things, new experiences for me. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I feel like some of the field trips, lectures and tours were a bit long, repetitive and sometimes boring. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
The city was generally safe during the day. However, I would advise students not to walk alone at night. And girls should generally walk with a male friend especially at night. |
| 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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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | No, I would not eliminate any aspects of the program to lower the cost. I feel like it is better to pay a little more at the beginning than to have lots of costs later. |
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? | POR 312L, second-year Portuguese II |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I could practice language with my teachers and administrators. No, I didn't need to use the host country language in the school for the most part because most of the teachers and the administrators spoke 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 do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I would suggest to him or her to take as much Portuguese at UT as he or she can. For example, the more Portuguese one already knows, the more he or she can concentrate on other parts of Brazilian society. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Advanced Composition and Grammar |
| Course Department: | POR 362 |
| Instructor: | Vivian Flanzer |
| Instruction Language: | Portuguese |
| Comments: | The course was not really challenging. Every class we were supposed to write a composition in Portuguese. I didn't feel as if I improved that much in my Portuguese writing skills because we didn't explore any styles of composition, just correct grammar. The teacher made use of our surroundings as we wrote about things we saw in Salvador. Yes, the teacher was knowledgeable and well-prepared. I probably participated about the same amount than I would have at the University of Texas. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | No, I didn't have any credit transfer issues. |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Afro-Brazilian Identity and Culture |
| Course Department: | POR 341 |
| Instructor: | Fernando Conceição |
| Instruction Language: | Portuguese |
| Comments: | The course was not challenging for the most part. The teacher talked about history and culture but we didn't do any interactive activities. It was hard to pay attention for that long every day. The teacher was well-prepared and knowledgeable, but sometimes he gave out too much information for us to process. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | No, I didn't have any credit transfer issues. |
