Hello! this is the first blog in the series of blogs outlining my trip to Brazil. I wanted to begin by talking about how I prepared for this trip, and what has helped me the most in what I’ve initially learned.
First, understanding Portuguese is a must. Before the spring semester preceding my study abroad, I had no experience with the language. However, when I started learning the language, I realized the substantial similarities it had to Spanish, which I have had many years of experience with. This foundation helped propel me Into being a better speaker of a language that I only recently learned. Additionally, the information about basic greetings and phrases presented in the pre-departure meeting were incredibly helpful throughout the process of learning the language.
Furthermore, since this global experience is mainly engineering focused, having an understand of electric power and, in general, basic electrical engineering concepts has helped me become more excited to our various tours – including the Itaipu Dam and HT Micron Semiconductores, both of which are deeply tied to my major: electrical engineering.
Overall, I am excited to start my journey to Brazil. It will be an experience that will give me incredible insight into what my future career looks like in other parts of the world, and what unique solutions they create to problems the whole world faces. I can’t wait to learn more about both the technology and the culture Brazil has to offer.
Swanson School of Engineering 