Latest Cultural Café Brings Brazil to HSE
On April 6, another Cultural Café took place at HSE. Organized by International Students Support, the Cultural Café is intended to give local and international students at HSE the opportunity to come together to discuss cultural and academic matters related to various countries. Previous events last December and February focused on African countries, Indonesia, China and France. This time, the Cultural Café was devoted to Brazil.
Two Brazilian students currently studying at HSE engaged attendees with an interactive presentation where they shared what it’s like to be a student in Brazil, as well as some of the differences between Russian and Brazilian students. Freya Horn, a first-year student in the Master’s programme ‘Politics. Economics. Philosophy.’, and Lara Siqueira Oliveira, an exchange student from the University of Campinas, shared an abundance of trivia and recommendations for those interested in traveling to or studying in Brazil. Study Abroad opportunities were among the topics they covered with the predominantly Russian student audience.
They also covered a number of other topics, including the cultural mind-set of Brazilians, the importance of body language in Brazilian culture, and Brazilians’ admiration for visitors who attempt to speak Portuguese, regardless of how proficient they are. The event also illuminated the many similarities between Russia and Brazil, including the fact that both are culturally and religiously diverse, both have complicated bureaucracies, and both have a similar level of political and economic development.
Attendees also saw common stereotype about Brazil debunked, which is that the country’s population lacks racial and ethnic diversity; in fact, Brazilians have roots around the world – not only in Portugal and African countries as is commonly assumed – but also in Italy, Germany, Spain, Poland and even Japan. Brazil is actually home to the largest community of Japanese people outside Japan.
Both the practical and academic side of university and student life were emphasized. Lara described the University of Campinas as an immense campus the size of a small city that is home for upwards of 60,000 students and is complete with shops, restaurants, buses, banks, libraries, hospitals and its own private security. Unlike in Russia, the academic year in Brazil begins in January and ends in December, which can make it difficult for students from both countries to accommodate their schedules and study plans. There are no modules, and courses last for the duration of the semester. Furthermore, very few courses in Brazilian universities are taught in English, so sufficient knowledge of Portuguese is essential for those interested in studying there.
Attendees also learned some travel tips for Brazil’s tropical climate and how to safely navigate the country’s major cities of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. They also learned that feijoada is the top Brazilian meal – one that’s both delicious and affordable. Lara and Freya insisted that to truly know Brazil travellers should visit its different regions in order witness the full variety the country offers.
After the presentation, Ana Shandrovskaya, a second-year student in the Business Informatics undergraduate programme and an amateur dancer, was joined by a specially invited guest participant and capoeira expert, Ronaldu Duarte da Silva, to give a surprise workshop on Brazilian dancing.
Following the event, Lara Siqueira Oliveira shared her impressions
‘It was a pleasure to participate. An event like this – which establishes a close connection between HSE students who want to take part in an exchange programme in a certain country, and international students who come from this country – is a great opportunity not only to demystify some important issues about the university and country being presented, but also because it builds a friendly and comfortable environment that allows us to be honest about what awaits people there. I’ve only heard good things about this Cultural Café, and I am keeping in contact with some of the students. It also helped me find people with common interests, with whom I can exchange language classes and so on."
The next Cultural Café will focus on the Baltic countries and will be held jointly with the HSE International Students Association.