Student Exchange?

Question

Oi!

I'm going on a one year student exchange to northeastern Brazil, leaving in exactly a month today.

I was wondering if anyone had anything they could share with me - things I should know, things I should and shouldn't do or say, how it differs from Canadian/American culture, etc

I've been studying Portuguese too!! I can't wait to learn more :)

Thanks for tuning in,

Christine

Answer 1

Ola Christine!

You'll learn lots of new things here.

People here usually have more physical contact when they're are talking with other people and when they meet friends.

There's a site called Gringoes with more information about Brazil: http://www.gringoes.com/categoria.asp?ID_categoria=2

Avoid hithhiking. Always ask if it's safe to drink tap water.

Buy a travel guide like Lonely Planet or Let's Go.

Buy a digital camera and take lots of pictures !!!

Boa sorte!

Answer 2

Hi Christine,
both our kids have been on student exchanges; one to Russia, the other to Sweden. It's the best thing that ever happened to them, for different reasons. They've got different personalities and different genders. Both are fluent in their respective languages. You've started right, by learning some of the language. The first few weeks will be tough, but it will get much better. You'll be homesick at first, but you'll quickly make friends and get over that. It gets better because very soon you'll start to understand the language well enough to hold conversations. I've only ever spent a few days in Brazil, so I can't tell you much about the culture. But the other important thing to do before you leave, besides studying Portuguese, is to learn as much as possible about your own history and culture. They'll all expect you to know everything about your own country. Traditional dishes, sport, history, current affairs, music, literature etc. And take lots of cheap trinkets to give away, like fridge magnets, souvenir pens, badges, with a theme about your country on them. You'll never regret your decision to go there, I promise. All the students I've dealt with who've been on an exchange, not just our kids, say it was the smartest thing they ever did. Oh yeah, and take a digital camera and email home millions of photos, or alternatively just take lots of photos.

Answer 3

* the most important meal of the day in Brazil is lunch, and we never have pizza for lunch...

* people will try to communicate with you even if they don't know how to speak in English, they love to learn about other cultures.

* a lot of people will ask you about Bush, be prepared...

* do not trow your toilet paper in the toilet, we always trow it in the garbage basket... it might seem weird to you now, but that how we do in Brazil... hehehe

anyway, you are going to have a great time, I am sure!
=)

Answer 4

You know the OK sign with your index and thumb fingers in circle. Don't do it! It meant something else in Brazil, not OK.

Answer 5

People will call you FEZ.

Answer 6

send photos!