Nearing the Half Way Point

     As I sat down earlier today to reflect upon my last two weeks in Curitiba, I came to the stark realization that I am nearly half way done with my semester in Brazil.  To be honest, writing this blog helps to put events and time in perspective while abroad.  I have got so accustomed to my schedule that time is nearly going as fast as it would back in the states.  During both of my study abroad experiences in Argentina and Brazil, I have realized that time goes by much slower then usual the first couple weeks after entering a new country and a totally different culture.  However, after getting accustomed to a new schedule and being relatively comfortable in your knowledge of the area and language, time begins to accelerate rapidly back to the pace you are accustomed to back home.

          

     My internship continues to be a learning experience each and every day.  Over the past couple weeks, I have been focusing my time and attention on promoting our financial education seminars.  In addition, I have been aiding my colleagues in the research of new developments within their individual presentations on various financial instruments within the Brazilian capital market.  Last week, we had a lecture on graphical analysis, i.e. how to analyze financial graphs and statements to guide your investment strategies.  We had a relatively good turn out and as a result we were able to secure a couple of new clients.  This week, we have a lecture on Brazilian real estate funds and we will be showcasing our top picks for 2013.  As part of my daily tasks, I am charged with advertising and marketing for the firm, which at the moment constitutes promoting our financial education seminars on Facebook.  My goal is to continuously increase interest in our lectures to the point at which we will need to schedule more in order to facilitate our growing list of prospective investors.

     Furthermore, my knowledge of the Portuguese language continues to expand on a daily basis.  Despite the fact that I only have class once a week, I still continue to add to my vocabulary through every day experiences.  Whether that is by interacting with someone at a bus stop, a client at my internship or a conversation at dinner, I am picking up a part of the language I didn’t know previously on a daily basis.  One of my greatest initial challenges was learning the different local accents and vocabulary that Brazilians use.  Much like any other language, the way people speak in practice does not exactly mimic how a textbook suggests it should. 

     This past weekend, I was invited to my second graduation commencement ceremony.  The ceremony was for my host mother’s nephew, who recently graduated from law school.  It was a great learning experience to watch a Brazilian graduation ceremony, especially in terms of observing how the crowd reacted to the various segments.  As an American, it was only natural for me to compare the ceremony to a traditional graduation ceremony in the U.S.  Graduation ceremonies in the U.S. are formal, sentimental and to the point.  On the other hand, Brazilian ceremonies are formatted so that they represent a celebration of accomplishment.  After each graduate was presented with their diploma, each family let out an exclamation of joy, naturally accompanied by loud horns, signs, and confetti that you would usually find at a New Years Eve party.  It was truly an experience I will never forget.  In addition, I was invited to the formal dinner party following the ceremony and the formal dance the next day.  I had a great time getting to know my host family’s extended family and partaking in a wonderful and joyous celebration of hard work and accomplishment.