What a week!
“Teaching requires understanding that education is a form of intervention in the world”
-Paulo Friere
We finished up our time in Brazil with the obligatory visit to Christ the Redeemer, a cultural icon of Rio de Janeiro and Brazil and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. The statue sits atop Mount Corcovado, and towers over the city. We caught our first glimpse of the statue as we flew into Rio earlier in the week, but being atop the mountain under the Christ was awe inspiring, even as we shared the view with hundreds of other visitors.
The students spent their free time on Saturday afternoon on the beach, soaking up the sunshine and everything that Copacabana Beach has to offer!
Our time in Brazil exceeded our expectations in so many ways. It was such a tumultuous semester, as we spent most of the semester wondering if we’d even travel to Brazil at all, it felt like an emotional rollercoaster! We held on to our optimism and it definitely paid off! With each school visit, we engaged with students and teachers and discussed pedagogies and practices while also considering the cultural, political, social, and environmental issues in various spaces as students reflected upon their study abroad experience. Every day, students participated in critical dialogue concerning education, globalization, and childhood and together reflected on the experiences of childhood and education across the different educational institutions we visited. They made connections to their own educational and childhood experiences, and whether we were in schools, on the bus, or having lunch, students were challenging each other to consider the local context and make connections to their own experiences.
None of these experiences would have been possible without our support from UIC Study Abroad and our amazing partners in Brazil–Campus b. It was a short week–but we collaborated with Campus b to develop a program that really embraced the power of place to create focused learning experiences, connections and collaborations with other students abroad, and opportunities for ongoing critical reflection and discussion that went well beyond being a tourist in Brazil. Lucky for us, our local program coordinator, the invaluable João, was our guide in the city all week offering his expertise in history, culture, and international relations, and ongoing translation support. The program wouldn’t have been the same without him!
For many of these students, it was their first trip abroad and/or their first trip away from their families in Chicago. It has been such an amazing experience to share this study abroad opportunity with them and get to know them better. Each and every one of these twelve students is such a unique and beautiful individual--and the past week was such an amazing learning experience for all of us. I was continually impressed with their level of engagement, thoughtfulness as we engaged in school visits, and the ways in which they were thinking about educational experiences across different contexts.
This past week, these students learned so much, became leaders, developed friendships, and challenged themselves daily. Research suggests that study abroad experiences can improve your intercultural awareness and foster independence and maturity. I can definitely say that was true of this group, and it was a pleasure to learn alongside them this past week!
