CET Brazil

I took part in the 6-week Summer in Brazil program in 2023. I was staying in an apartment with 4 US students and one local Brazilian student in a well-located area. The program consisted of two 4-unit classes—Portuguese language and Contemporary Social Issues of Brazil—taught at the CET center by Brazilian professors. The courses were intensive but extremely rewarding. Everyone at CET was welcoming and helpful; there was a great sense of community. In addition to classes, there were extracurricular activities several times a week, including museums and city tours, that provided structure and plenty to do. The summer program is definitely intensive and group-oriented, but I found there was also plenty of time to explore the city on my own. Overall, I would highly recommend this program.

Overall the CET Brazil program was a wonderful opportunity. I think this program is unique because of the focus on social justice. The content and teaching of the courses offered by CET were incredible and I learned so much during my time. PUC also has a ton of great courses students can take, and I highly recommend enrolling if you can! I also recommend that students do some work on their own before they arrive, confronting their biases and studying power structures and privilege within their home and globally. CET provides co- and extra-curricular activities that go hand-in-hand with the course materials. It is important to know that things can happen slowly and then all of a sudden, so be understanding and prepared for that. I would recommend that students be self-sufficient but also recognize that they have to work within the rules and structures of the program. Also important to note is that there are some courses that are mandatory to take at CET and there is an emphasis on group activities, so if you are looking for a more independent program this may not be it, but there is room for doing things on your own, you'll just have to make some of those opportunities for yourself. I think that if you're considering studying abroad this is a great option to consider!

I was part of the Spring 2022 cohort, the first group after (but really during) covid. Although our group only had six people and we were not able to take direct enrollment classes, the program was still very fun and I learned so much from my experiences not only in the classroom, but outside the classroom as well. During the week we had excursions to different places, but the highlight for me was the traveling seminar to Salvador, Bahia. It allowed me to see different cultural similarities and differences between regions in Brazil, and put into perspective specific topics we learned in class about social inequality and racial democracy in Brazil. Since the program, I’ve been back to Brazil three or four times just to visit the friends I made and revisit my favorite places. I definitely recommend this program, you won’t regret it :)

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.