Merideth Oister, Electrical Engineering
For the first half of our visit, we spent time in São Leopoldo and Porto Alegre. Porto Alegre is the capital and largest city of the Brazilian state Rio Grande do Sul, while São Leopoldo is a smaller city located about 30 minutes outside of Porto Alegre, this is where we stayed. São Leopoldo is also home to UNISINOS, the partner university we collaborated with throughout our visit. During our time there, we had the opportunity to tour several university facilities and concluded our stay with a farewell barbeque hosted by Professor Paulo, the professor we worked with at UNISINOS.
In addition to meeting with a variety of energy production companies, we also participated in several planned cultural experiences. These included a tour of Porto Alegre, a Capoeira class, and a visit to the street market. The street market was very unique; it featured many local artists and craftsman selling handmade pieces unlike anything I had seen before; every seller was extremely talented. The market also offered local food and even had a puppy adoption set up.
My favorite cultural activity was the Capoeira class; Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance, acrobatics, and music; originating from the struggles of enslaved Africans in Brazil. During the class, we learned about the history and cultural significance of Capoeira while practicing movements at an official Capoeira gym led by highly trained masters.
My favorite unplanned experience in São Leopaldo was attending a soccer game between Grêmio, the home team, and Flamengo. This is a huge rivalry in Brazil, and we were able to experience the energy and excitement firsthand. I really enjoyed time in São Leopoldo and appreciated the opportunity to participate in local cultural activities and meet many friendly dogs along the way.
Swanson School of Engineering 