Classes have finally started at Fundacao Getulio Vargas (FGV). FGV is one of the premier business schools in South America, and some have even compared it to Harvard in the United States. Looks like I may have my work cut out for me this semester. My program is an International Program in Management, and it is divided into two modules. Each module lasts seven weeks and consists of four courses (plus a Portuguese class on the side), so we will be cramming a lot of material into a very short period of time. For the first module I will be taking:
Government and Civil Society in the Local Setting
BRICs
Brazilian Economy
and Negotiation (so far this is my favorite course)
Aside from classes, FGV also has a great international network program, and the Brazilian students in charge of this program have been putting on a reception week for all of the exchange students and Bixos (freshmen). Welcoming events are a little different here, as most every night there is a new bar or party for us to go to. And even more shocking than that is that hazing of freshmen is encouraged.
The first day of classes, all the freshmen and exchange students participated in some community service projects (I planted trees around the streets of Sao Paulo), and afterwards FGV sponsored a party during which upperclassmen threw paint, eggs, olive olive, and beer at all of the Bixos. Oh and did I mention the school purchased hundreds of cases of beer that were given away for free. What a welcome!
Some other highlights of the first week of classes have been:
Capoeira – We watched and participated in this form of Brasilian dancing. It actually looks like a form of martial arts, but the participants never make contact.
Voleibol – I joined the men’s volleyball team at FGV. So far it has been a great time, and the team is not fantastic, which means I fit in pretty well, thanks to all my practice with Lou Mae in the garage.
Rua Augusta – This is the hipster street where you can find all types of people. It is a great place to hang out for a night and meet Brasilians
Things have been going very well for me so far. There are a lot of really nice and fun exchange student from all over the world, and we have all clicked very well. Unfortunately, almost everyone in FGV speaks English fairly well, so I haven’t been able to learn Portuguese as well as I would have liked so far, but the pursuit of understanding the locals continues, and I’d like to hope I’m getting better at it. Also, believe it or not, I have been losing weight. I was shocked when I had to move from the fourth belt loop to the fifth. I guess it’s a combination of walking about a mile and a half to class (partly up hill) and the fact that I am eating healthier than ever, thanks to my host mother. Oh well, I guess I shouldn’t complain about it.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment