Saudades de Santarém

Even with time at home to reflect on the experiences I had in Brazil, I still don’t think I can process just how incredible this experience has been for me. It’s an experience that will only come once in my life. I initially went to develop a research project on urban green spaces, but this…

Stories from Santarém

Boa noite a todos! I apologize for the late post; I have been having some technical difficulties regarding accessing my Pitt account during this trip. I’ve been having an incredible time in Brazil so far, and I would not trade this trip for the world. Santarém’s community, despite being population-wise about that of Pittsburgh, is…

The Brazilian Adventure of a Lifetime

Florianopolis is a must for any trip to Brazil. It’s hard to believe that this stop was an improvisation, as it was one of the most breathtaking stops on our journey. The island of Florianopolis is large with a big hill separating the side closest to the landmass of Brazil and the side closest to…

Trouble Abroad!

While we were on our way to the Osorio Wind Farm, our site visit got cancelled. It was a three-hour journey, and we were halfway there when we got the news. Due to the heavy, enduring rains, there had been a lot of infrastructural damage all around the state of Rio Grande do Sul. At…

Welcome to Brazil!

Everybody says traveling is fun, and it is, but getting to your destination is certainly its own journey. 3 flights. That is how many flights it took to get to Brazil, with a total travel time of 22 hours, the Saturday after finals week. However, traveling with 2 of your close friends, with an additional…

Kushal is ecstatic for Brazil!

Hi! My name is Kushal Parekh, I just finished my third year in SSOE, pursuing a major in Electrical Engineering with a minor in Computer Science. I am very interested in sustainability along with all facets of technology, especially wireless communication and interaction, robotics, and renewable energy. During the fall and spring terms, I worked…

Gabi’s Global Experience: Wrapup

As my study abroad trip to Brazil came to an end, I was filled with a lot of different emotions – I was both happy to be going home and also sad that my time in a new and exciting country was ending. The biggest surprises that came out of this experience were the richness…

Braving Brazil: Navigating a Global Space

Before coming to Brazil, I thought about some of the challenges I would face in the new country that would be different to the social and cultural norms I was used to in the United States. As a foreign traveler in a new place, I knew it was vital to be open-minded when it came…

Gabi’s in Brazil!

Hi! I’m Gabi Fernandes, a rising junior in the Swanson School of Engineering. I am majoring in chemical engineering and computer science and I’m getting a minor in chemistry. I am from the Philadelphia area (the suburb of West Chester, to be specific) so my commute to Pitt is about 5 hours. As a chemical…