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IICA No Certificate Summary
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fragganika



Joined: 12 Dec 2004
Posts: 60
Location: North American

PostPosted: Thu Jan 27, 2005 10:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's ironic - I have a lot of Portuguese study books and cd's that I never used. My Portuguese teacher at Wizard turned out to be so awful, that I ended up learning through speaking and making friends in a small town, where no one spoke conversational English. It might be likely that you end up in a similar situation. In a big city like Rio or S�o Paulo you'll find one or two places for foreigners to study Portuguese. At your school, and especially in a small town, you'll find a lot of people who speak Portuguese but can't teach it to you. Just like we can't always teach English just cause we speak it!

Here, in the U.S., I'd suggest you get a Brazilian friend to teach you or take a class at a university. They're not so rare, just not as ubiquitous as Spanish. I would not recommend learning Portuguese alone because you can easily learn a bad pronunciation that you'll never let go of (for example, a lot of people taught themselves to pronounce "n�o" as "now," but, a more authentic pronunciation would be a nasal, french-like "non"... Brazilians laugh a lot when foreigners say "now" to mean no, niet, neine, etc Wink

Once in Brazil, I'd say spend AS MUCH time as possible being social, goofing up, misunderstanding yourself and others, chatting about the weather, how a sandwich tastes, all kinds of stupid things at first, cause that's the only way you'll learn to speak well. Don't be shy!!! People will laugh at your pronunciation at first, just let it slide off your back and treat them as friends... they mean you no harm. Talk to them about your favorite foods, how they're prepared, what your shoes size is, I mean, anything... Just be insanely social...

Oh, but be careful not to use your STUDENTS for Portuguese practice, cause that'll make you a bad teacher...yet it's so easy to speak Portuguese to them when they're not understanding you in English Wink
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fragganika



Joined: 12 Dec 2004
Posts: 60
Location: North American

PostPosted: Thu Jan 27, 2005 10:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

P.S. There ARE other org's that send English teachers to Brazil... They're more expensive to you, the teacher, but they might be worth it to avoid the hassle...?
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JZer



Joined: 16 Jan 2005
Posts: 3898
Location: Pittsburgh

PostPosted: Fri Jan 28, 2005 1:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
They're not so rare, just not as ubiquitous as Spanish.


I would consider taking Portuguese at a university in the U.S. but I do not really have the money or time for that. I am currently working on my Master's degree in German. During my first year I studied Spanish. The Spanish program at my university is very good!! You have to have class 5 days a week, which is quite helpful, I think. Not many students would consciously choose to do that but I think it is very practical for learning a foreign language. My university does not offer Portuguese and considering I have to TA German and study German Literature I do not have time to drive to another university to learn Portuguese.

Anyways my question was that if I am placed in a small town with IICA would I be able to take Portuguese classes. I am not talking about whether the teacher is good!!! Are the classes part of the program?

Furthermore if the grammar is similar to Spanish which I think it is I could probably just get a beginners text book and learn on my own and then practice the pronunciations with people I talk to. I already can speak fluent German and know basic Spanish.
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fragganika



Joined: 12 Dec 2004
Posts: 60
Location: North American

PostPosted: Fri Jan 28, 2005 2:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, the verb conjugations are similar to Spanish... but I was honestly more confused by knowing high-school Spanish at first than if I'd come as a blank slate.

If you're really intent on self study, then, I'd recommend a little but powerful book called Essential Portuguese Grammar, by Alexander Da R. Prista. It's the best of all my 5 or 6 books on the topic, and it's so small and not overwhelming that you might fall in love Wink Go to Amazon.com to get it for about $5.

oh, and here's something cute: if you go to www.globo.com and go to the Globo Media Center, you can get Real Player streams of brazilian tv shows... its a paid channel, except that there's always a bunch of streams marked "Passe Livre" that are free. So you can listen to some Portuguese and maybe pick some up like that!
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fragganika



Joined: 12 Dec 2004
Posts: 60
Location: North American

PostPosted: Fri Jan 28, 2005 2:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Some schools, even though you're an employee, will make you pay to take classes with someone who'll moonlight as yr Portuguese teacher. I think that's unfair. That's what I meant by being careful of bad teachers... i.e. becoming a source of extra cash at yr school for someone who isn't a real Portuguese teacher.

On the other hand, some school owners are sweethearts and they'll teach you for free, if you just strike up an amiable relationship with them.

Bottom line, Portuguese classes will be on you. They're not included in the program, even though part of the visa and invitation letter mentions you studying language.

Here's another thing though - if you stay the full year, IICA will pay for university classes in your 9th month... There are some things you should know about how to maneuver that, in terms of deadlines they don't say upfront... so if you're interested, let me know.
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JZer



Joined: 16 Jan 2005
Posts: 3898
Location: Pittsburgh

PostPosted: Fri Jan 28, 2005 8:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sure, I am interested but how can I take university classes when I do not know any Portuguese!!!
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fragganika



Joined: 12 Dec 2004
Posts: 60
Location: North American

PostPosted: Sat Jan 29, 2005 10:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry... about yr beginning study I can't offer much advice beyond to see what the climate and how good the teachers at the school are once you arrive. But don't worry! I just have my own experience to go on, but, I arrived knowing zero Portuguese, no exaggeration. After 3 months (and only about one nearly-useless tutoring session a month!), I was speaking very easily, and after 8 months I was completely conversational.

So, after 9 months, you will have picked up a lot of Portuguese. The stupid part is that you have to think about the classes really soon after you get there initially. Here's the logistics - You gotta be in a town that has a university nearby to take advantage of this. And you've got to have it written into your school schedule before you even set foot in your second semester of school. Chances are, you might be in a small town near a bigger city. You'll need a whole morning and early afternoon to travel there, take yr class, and come back. That takes well thought out scheduling beforehand, on the part of your managers at the school, since after the semester starts and all the students are informed of the hours, you'll be stuck unable to change.

I lost out on the classes because of this. Bottom line is, you gotta already set it up something like 4 months ahead, and you have to have all the above logistics in place earlier than we would normally think needed... and neither IICA nor the school tell you this.
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JZer



Joined: 16 Jan 2005
Posts: 3898
Location: Pittsburgh

PostPosted: Sun Jan 30, 2005 1:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Sorry... about yr beginning study I can't offer much advice beyond to see what the climate and how good the teachers at the school are once you arrive. But don't worry! I just have my own experience to go on, but, I arrived knowing zero Portuguese, no exaggeration. After 3 months (and only about one nearly-useless tutoring session a month!), I was speaking very easily, and after 8 months I was completely conversational.


I am sure that if someone has already been exposed to languages that they can learn to speak at a conversational level in 8 months (I mean that if it is a european language) Of course this is probably quit easy in Brazil because for the most part you will not be able to talk to many people in english!!! My experience is that many people do not even finish high school. In reality they probably cannot even speak a high level of portuguese.

I actually met a Brazilian girl last night and she only began studying German three months before coming to germany and we had a decent conversation. she has only been in germany for 5 months. I have twice studied in Germany!!!!
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fragganika



Joined: 12 Dec 2004
Posts: 60
Location: North American

PostPosted: Sun Jan 30, 2005 4:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, I'd say that foreigners in Brazil and Brazilians abroad are exceptionally predisposed to learning languages because of Brazilians' natural tendency to be uber-social (that's all I know of German!) I think that's really the only secret to your friend's language capabilities and it'll be your secret too.

Brazilians are awesome on this account.

Just don't let their bureacratic inefficacy (which may or may not, depending on chance, cause you a million headaches) taint your view of them Wink
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JZer



Joined: 16 Jan 2005
Posts: 3898
Location: Pittsburgh

PostPosted: Mon Jan 31, 2005 12:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Is the money enough to live on? I think that you receive 750 Reals per month!! Can you live on this comfortable or will I need to bring a lot of money of my own? I mean if I want to go out on weekend will I be OK. I am going to Brazil because I love the people. I want to party with them and enjoy life!! After I finish my Master's degree I will not have so much money!
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fragganika



Joined: 12 Dec 2004
Posts: 60
Location: North American

PostPosted: Tue Feb 01, 2005 2:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Look into my post under the guy asking for advice going from Canada. My salary was just fine because I didn't pay rent and, after a few months, I switched to a generous host family.

One thing... I dunno how much this'll apply to you... About traveling around the coast of SP and such... weekends or whatever... I spent 1000 USD total in 8 months on various weekend trips to beaches, nature parks, cities, fazendas... and I had a ball... On the other hand, another American who lived in SP city made some shady Brazilian friends who took him on a single weekend trip that cost him 300 USD... he had a really bad time in Brazil Idea
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JZer



Joined: 16 Jan 2005
Posts: 3898
Location: Pittsburgh

PostPosted: Tue Feb 01, 2005 9:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am not against spending a $1000 in 8 months to see Brazil. I just need to have enough money when I am done to be able to fly off to Asia since I will have to start paying my student loans back!!! Secondly, how much did the insurance cost you or were you under your parents insurances. I read in the contract about having to pay for insurance. If you could tell me about your experience in this regard I would appreciate it.
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fragganika



Joined: 12 Dec 2004
Posts: 60
Location: North American

PostPosted: Tue Feb 01, 2005 1:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Have yr host school help you shop around for brazilian health insurance. I had Mediplan for 70RS a month.
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JZer



Joined: 16 Jan 2005
Posts: 3898
Location: Pittsburgh

PostPosted: Sat Feb 05, 2005 3:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you for all your help. I will be applying for the February 2006 intake!!!
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fragganika



Joined: 12 Dec 2004
Posts: 60
Location: North American

PostPosted: Sun Feb 06, 2005 6:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm glad you're doing it! Brazil's so amazing, fun, and intellectually satisfying...

And if you don't get a big city the first time, at least you'll have 6 months of Portuguese learning done, after which IICA can let you arrange your own placement in a big city. I almost did that, but got too home sick.
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