Brazil: Amazon Resource Management and Human Ecology

Homestays

Student with host father at end of semester celebration

Students have a four-week homestay in Belém and two shorter homestays in rural areas. Living with different Brazilian families provides in-depth cultural and language-learning experiences.

The first rural homestay is in the western Amazon in the Rio Negro region. Students live for a few days with a family of a riverine caboclo/ribeirinho community inside conservation units in the Amazon. During the stay, students learn how the community makes its livelihood from traditional resource extraction.

The second rural homestay is in the south of Pará near Parauapebas. Students live with colono families, generally in an MST settlement (the Landless People's Movement—the largest direct action social movement in Latin America).

Other accommodations during the program include small hotels and a short stay on a riverboat.

Credits: 16

Duration: 15 weeks

Program Base: Brazil, Belem

Language Study: Portuguese

Prerequisites: Previous college-level coursework and/or other preparation in environmental studies, ecology, development studies, or other related fields is strongly recommended but not required. Although there is no language prerequisite, a background in Portugues Read more...