Victoria Baron is an American Student of Environment, Economy, Development, and Sustainability (EEDS) that is interested in how nonprofit organizations work towards ensuring a viable future. She participated of our Environmental Program in Rio and volunteered for a few weeks in the project.

Now that she finished her experience here in Brazil, we interviewed her to know more about the time she spent here. Check it out:

How is your relationship with your host family/co-workers?

My host family was amazing! Renata was so helpful and friendly and truly made me feel at home. Her daughters were also such a help to have around as they made me so happy!

Can you tell me a little bit about the activities you have done on your project?

I went into the forest 4 days a week and assisted in invasive species removal and replanting of native species. I also hiked a lot when my supervisor did not give us a lot of work to do or we finished early.

What did you learn with this experience?

I learned more about ecological restoration as well as what it takes to maintain a park. I learned how to be more open to new experiences and the importance of being flexible in day to day activities.

Describe the changes you noticed on yourself?

I noticed myself becoming better at directions (because I could not use the GPS on my phone) and more confident in my ability to get around by myself.

What did you like most about your project?

Getting to see different parts of the forest and meeting so many new types of people! Also my host family was awesome.

Would you come back to Brazil? What motivates you?

Yes! I would love to come back to visit Renata and her family and hike more of the forest.

What was the highlight of your experience in Brazil? Tell us about it.

The highlight of my experience was when my sister came to visit the second week I was there any I got to show her all that I had been experiencing. The weather was not great when she came but we got to hike a lot and see the city!

Would you recommend this program/experience? Which advice would you give for students willing to join the same experience?

Yes I would definitely recommend this program. I would advise other students to go in with an open mind and not expect the culture to conform to your expectations!

A word or a sentence in Portuguese to summarize your experience.

O Brasil é um belo país que é abençoado com pessoas incríveis.

“Brazil is a beautiful country that is blessed with amazing people”