I have always been interested in living abroad and learning foreign languages. During my undergraduate studies, I majored in Global Affairs, with concentrations in both Global Governance and Latin American studies. Given my interest in learning Portuguese and my desire to obtain experience in international business, I decided to apply to study abroad in Curitiba through the Brazilian Experience program. The program was brand new for my university (George Mason) when I had applied, and myself along with another student were the first from Mason to go to Curitiba as part of the program.

For housing, I was placed with two brothers (Everson and Helerton) in their 20s who lived in an apartment in a nice neighborhood, about a 20 minutes bus ride from the city center. I got along very well with both host brothers, and they showed me around the neighborhood and how the bus system works to get around the city. One of the host brothers spoke English, so getting settled was very easy, and after a few weeks, I was able to practice Portuguese with them.

The program began with a two-week intensive Portuguese class, and given that there were only two of us doing the program at the time, we received a very hands-on learning experience. Our professor, Dani, did a great job of preparing us before our internships started! After our internships began, we would meet once a week. The language school was in the downtown area and only about a 15 minute bus ride from my host brothers’ apartment. I was placed into an internship with Hraifa Logistica, a small international import/export business. The placement was exactly what I was looking for when I had applied, and I really enjoyed interning with Hraifa. I had not had any professional work experience prior to the internship, so I wanted a placement that would give me a chance to try out a form of international business and see how I liked it.

The head of the program, Rafaela did a great job of making sure I was settled in both my homestay and the internship. No one in the office spoke English, so at first the task was a bit intimidating; however, the experience really pushed me to develop my Portuguese skills, and in the end was much more rewarding for that reason. My supervisor, Ailton was extremely welcoming and would always take the time to explain different aspects of the business, show me around the area, and would always get lunch with me each day, to make sure I was enjoying my time there and getting the most out of the internship.

Following the completion of my undergraduate studies, I began looking for jobs where I could utilize my Portuguese language skills and gain more experience in the private sector. I ended up applying for a research analyst position for the Brazilian financial markets in New York City. I was interviewed for the position in both English and Portuguese and received an offer from the company. I spent 2.5 years working there, and on a daily basis, I was required to read, write, and speak Portuguese. I decided to relocate to the Washington, D.C. area, and obtained a position working as a Corporate Governance Research Associate for the Brazilian and Latin American Markets, where I utilize my Portuguese language skills on a daily basis as well.

Without the experience and knowledge obtained through the Brazilian Experience program, I would have never been able to achieve the success that I have been able to in my career. I highly recommend their internship program. I could not have imagined a better experience!