Brazilian Bittersweet Experience with my FIPSE grant Past Review
By Cassandra B (Biology, University of Northern Iowa) for
Universidade Federal de Goiás: Goiana - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Yes
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Workload was less, teaching methods were different in that classes were more interactive and less lecture-based in general. Grading was on a 1-10 scale, both for individual tests and overall. There were no letter grades or "gpa." |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Program was slightly weak because there was little interaction among administrators at UFG so I was never sure who to go to for help. The same was true at UNI between the study abroad office and the FIPSE exchange coordinator. There was not really a solid source of help or information, so that was problematic. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
We were not given a meal plan, so I bought my own meals/groceries. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I visited all five regions of the country throughout my six months. I became very familiar with the culture (music, dance, customs, slangs). All these were independent initiatives and not arranged by the program. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Healthcare was accessible, espcially with the help of my local friends. The city was safe as long as the person was smart and did not subject themselves to dangerous situations. I did need vaccinations prior to arrival in Brazil, which I acquired from the SHC. |
| 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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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I practiced with people I lived with and with friends. I used Portuguese everyday and hardly ever was able to use English because there were few English-speakers. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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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? | A very independent and self-supporting student is necessary for this program. |
