CET Brazil

CET Brazil was a phenomenal program. I didn't really know what to expect before I arrived, but as soon as I landed in Brazil I was welcomed with warmth and love. These feelings carried over into every aspect of my time abroad. My Brazilian roommate has become one my best friends; we still talk every week. I have heard of some students struggling to connect with people on their abroad programs, but I don't think anyone on my program would say they experienced that. We became a family; all of the international students, the Brazilian students, and even the faculty and staff. It quickly became a second home. Outside of this, however, CET Brazil provides you with ample opportunity and freedom to really get to know São Paulo. They provide workshops for you to attend and set up events for the first few weeks to get you comfortable with traveling around alone. And with the help of the Brazilian roommates, you are emerged into the culture much faster. They are there for you every step of the way, from registering your passport to navigating grocery stores to finding fun activities that are suited for you. The classes are also created for you. They have Portuguese classes for every level, I've made friends who spoke no Portuguese when they arrived and left being able to have full conversation both in and out of the classroom. CET works closely with the University, so you fully supported if you decide to take classes at PUC. The professors both at PUC and CET try to help you take course that interest you. I went to Brazil to further research I was doing for my honors thesis, and even though my program got cut short, all my professors continuously checked in with me and introduced me to people they believed would help me. All the Brazilian students I met at university were so excited and supportive of my taking classes fully in Portuguese. They were so welcoming and even after the first day of meeting them invited me to go out with them. Night live in São Paulo is incredible. The music and dancing carry themselves out into the streets, you fall in love with everything so quickly. Public transportation is easy to navigate and the city is crawling with hotspots and pop-up shops. Amazing graffiti and site-seeing. And for those who are not big city people, it is easy to bus over to beaches, other cities and beautiful nature sites. Throughout the program, you are also reminded of your position staying in the neighborhood of Perdizes. CET Brazil has mandatory classes that focus on the inequities that exist in Brazil, and create the space for students to connect what they are learning back into their own countries. I truly cannot express how amazing my experience was and how incredible of a program CET is. And even with its flaws, all staff members were open to always hearing from students on what would make the program better, and would always find ways to implement those suggested improvements.

My expereince in Brazil through CET was unfortunately horrible, because of the mistreatment I received from CET staff and students (both the Americans and local Brazilians). I didn't feel at home and clearly felt like I was NOT part of the CET family. I was left out a lot throughout my trip. I felt discriminated. The only thing I really liked about my time in Brazil through CET was the fact that I got to visit different places. This was not what I initially anticipated when I decided to study abroad.

I did not know much about São Paulo or Brazil before deciding to participate in the CET Brazil program. I did not speak a word of Português, but I was very interested in the Social Justice thematic as well as living with other Brazilian students. All of my expectations for this program were exceeded. Academically, I was challenged both inside and outside of the classroom. All of my classes were incredibly experiential and incorporated the interests of the students. I was able to take advantage of all of the amazing artistic opportunities in São Paulo and travel throughout Brazil through the program and after the program ended. I fell in love with Brazil so much that I decided to return for 3 more months before returning to University in the US. I felt incredibly welcome and made lifelong friends.

The CET Brazil program was really amazing. The best part, for me, was staying with a Brazilian roommate. This is different than most study abroad programs, where you stay with a host family, but for me it was ideal. I was able to connect with my roommate as a peer and friend, and we were able to share so many experiences and support each other in so many ways. It was amazing to be able to share the experience with someone who was also young and a student, to be able to see São Paulo and talk about São Paulo with other young people.

The school, PUC, is a really unique place. Lots of interesting and radical young people, a lot of really cool seminars happening, with art everywhere. I was repeatedly surprised and impressed with the conversations happening at/facilitated by the school.

It was definitely a big city, which is an environment I was not used to living in, and I loved it. If you are looking for a more rural, nature-focused program, this one won't be for you. But the city has so much to offer and so many amazing sights, places to eat, places to see, people to meet, free events, museums, music, and more. (These are the things that you sometimes have to go out there and find - facebook was a great resource for cool events happening around the city, and museums almost always had something going on, exhibits and seminars and special events. And almost always free!) And at certain points in the program, such as our trip to Salvador de Bahía and Paraty, we were able to get a sense of the more scenic and green parts of Brazil, which was amazing, but an exception to the everyday routine of the program. The program also has a lot of built in excursions which, if you take full advantage, can really give you a great picture of the city and show you things you probably wouldn't have been able to find on your own. The program was very structured, which for me was helpful, but if you are looking for more independence, this probably wouldn't be for you. There was a lot of independence, especially since we live with roommates rather than families, but the structure made a big difference (in a good way) for me.

The social justice focus of the program was prominent in almost every aspect. We were constantly having critical conversations about what we were experiencing and certain power dynamics in every situation. It was really great to have a staff and a peer group of students to prepare and reflect with, and I always felt supported.

I cannot describe how much I enjoyed my time in São Paulo! Of course, the food and scenery were all great, but one of my favorite parts was the chance to meet so many amazing people. The PUC students that stayed with us made getting to know Brazilian culture a lot easier and the CET staff was always so friendly and helpful. I also bonded a lot with the other American students. Most of this was probably possible because we were forced to spend a lot of time together, and not in a bad way! There were many excursions and other activities to keep us busy that were really fun. I believe that when you experience something exciting with someone else, it helps grow relationships.
I've done one other study abroad trip and I did not keep in touch with the students from that program nearly as much as I do with this one. I will always remember the things I experienced while studying in São Paulo, but the relationships I made will definitely have the greatest lasting impact.

Studying abroad in Brazil with CET was such an unforgettable experience. CET really emphasizes immersion which they do primarily by placing students in apartments with Brazilian roommates. I lived with both American students and Brazilian students and made amazing bonds with them. Living with Brazilians really helped strengthen my Portuguese, in that I was able to learn more informal language, was introduced to Brazilian popular culture, and music. My Brazilian roommates also invited me to their families' homes where I got to see other neighborhoods and suburbs of São Paulo, and experience Brazilian home life.

Academic-wise, CET offers a broad set of courses. I took a required Portuguese course, in which the professor was adamant about providing support for those of us who took direct enroll classes. This professor gave us activities and writing assignments similar to those that we would expect in direct enroll courses. I took one direct enroll course in Economics at PUC São Paulo and was surprised and relieved at how quickly I made friends in that class. Students at PUC are generally nice and I'd encourage future CET students to direct enroll as it will be an opportunity for you to make friends outside of CET and truly experience the Brazilian university education system.

I'm so grateful that CET does this program in São Paulo. I definitely enjoy urban spaces more so São Paulo was perfect for me! There was always an opportunity for me to go to various events throughout the city, explore different neighborhoods, and public transportation was pretty convenient and easy to navigate! In terms of safety, I didn't run into any danger; like any place, just be mindful of your surroundings and possessions. Try to speak Portuguese as much as possible--you're in Brazil after all!

CET does a great job in immersing students in the diversity of culture in Brazil. We did a one week trip to Salvador to learn more about Afro-Brazilian culture, a weekend trip to Paraty where we were able to interact with a caiçara community, and for the Poverty and Inequality class we also spent a weekend in community with an indigenous community in an urban village. I really valued these immersive trips as they broadened my view of Brazil beyond the hustle and bustle of São Paulo.

There are opportunities for students to volunteer while on this program and the program coordinators were very open to reaching out to your organization of interest on your behalf. I ended up volunteering at a tech services company founded and run by queer Afro-Brazilian women and it was one of the most impactful parts of my experience in São Paulo because I was able to be in community with and connect with other black women over technology.

Overall, I really enjoyed my experience in Brazil and would definitely go back! The bonds I built with other study abroad students, my Brazilian roommates, and Brazilian locals are priceless. Your study abroad experience definitely is what you make of it-- don't feel like you have to stick with the social circles of CET students. Don't be afraid to branch out and make friends with students at PUC, or people you meet at events throughout the city!

My overall experience in Brazil through CET was extraordinary. Although I already learned and knew quite a lot about Brazil, its culture, its society and also the Portuguese language prior to my trip in Spring 2018, the CET/PUC courses that I took, the different activities I took part in, as well as the trips that I made, both through CET and independently have really helped me gain great wealth of knowledge about the country and the people, as well as better my conversational skills. I have also made a lot of friends throughout my program, especially with those outside of the CET Brazil program. Since my return to the United States, I feel more Brazilian. In other words, I can say that Brazil is in me. I would highly recommend this program.

I had the experience of a lifetime studying in São Paulo, Brazil. The program is designed so that you live off, but near campus with Brazilian students who attend PUC. At PUC, depending on your Portuguese fluency, you will either direct enroll in two courses of your choice or take two courses previously designated by CET. Additionally, at CET's hub, you will take an immersive Portuguese language course and Poverty and Inequality. The CET staff is incredibly involved, fun, and supportive. The staff plan excursions and trips that complement what is being learned in class and fuel the program's fun. Altogether, these elements coalesced into one of the most beautiful and unforgettable experiences of my life. I came from a non-traditional background: my parents are immigrants and I am a first generation student. Study abroad felt like a stretch and leaving what was comfortable was scary, but perhaps more than any other program could have, CET Brazil really touched my soul. I am Afro-Latino and at its heart, Brazil is too. This made adjusting to many of the changes easy because they felt distantly familiar. I immediately connected with my roommate, other Brazilian students, and the CET staff because their hospitality and warmth felt like my family's. From Day 1, the staff was on board to answer all our concerns and questions. My roommates were always willing to take us around and within a week the students on the program had already planned our own excursion. We became a family quickly and I'm still in touch with almost all of the students and staff involved. The professors were similar, particularly the ones for Portuguese and Poverty and Inequality. They were very involved and present and interested in our personal lives. This was instrumental in making the work truly immersive because the coursework was tweaked to fit our experiences in Brazil more meaningful. With these two classes, there were tons of excursions - such as one to an indigenous village and a week-long trip to Bahia, which I really enjoyed, because I got to learn about a unique region of Brazil that is very different from São Paulo. All the courses contextualized what we saw day-to-day, particularly socially (i.e. race, sexuality and gender issue) very well. Finally, there are many fun things to do in São Paulo regarding food and nightlife. Compared to the US, going out is cheap...like $1 Uber cheap. So, I highly recommend this program and actually cannot wait to go back to Brazil and perhaps even pursue a master's degree or job there. Too often we get wrapped up in what America can offer us, but the reality is the whole world is your oyster and you should take advantage of all the traveling you can do because you never know what you'll learn or who you'll meet.