Wrapping Up My Time at PUC in Rio de Janeiro: Final Thoughts

I think it's almost always sad to leave the place you are studying abroad in.

However, when leaving Brazil, I was more happy than upset because I know that I established as many connections as I could to be able to possible come back. You also have to remind yourself that every single thing you faced abroad-- good or bad-- was meant to teach you a lesson. It's all a learning experience.

So, when it comes to Brazil and Rio de Janeiro and particular, here are my tips and take-aways:

1. Don't be flashy. In other words, don't carry around your iPhone or go-pro or beats headphones in your hands or anywhere visible.

2. Be open to learning Portuguese and actually trying to adapt. Many I knew stuck to their crowd of foreigners or people from their home countries, so all they spoke was English or Spanish or French etc. but never Portuguese. Brazilians appreciate it when you at least try, especially since English isn't widely spoken.

3. It's easier to get scared especially by what others say, but don't be. Any where in the world can be dangerous. It's easy to see through the media that Brazil appears to have lots of politically and racially charged violence. Though this obviously exists, you just have to take the necessary precautions such as talking to people from school, going to the ATM with others and not at night, don't walk alone at night especially in unfamiliar places, etc.

4. It's very hard to upkeep a vegan diet here. There are places in Rio de Janeiro that cater to vegans and vegetarians, however, at the buffets (which are the most common there) the options are limited and often still have meat products in them. This goes back to learning Portuguese so that you can communicate that you are a vegan/vegetarian. Rice and beans are a go to here (although sometimes beans contain ham so beware)!

5. Be open and talk about things that make you uncomfortable. I'm not saying to be okay with things that you do not morally agree with or make you feel uneasy-- but to reach out to someone who can help. I often found myself uncomfortable with the machismo that plagues Brazil (and most of South America). I always kept those feelings bottled in until I was back home. Looking back, I think it would have helped to tell my Brazilian friends or people at my school so that I could have overcome some of my subconscious fears about simply going to the store or beach alone without being worried that I would receive unwanted and menacing attention from men. Identify your resources and use them.