Our lunch celebrating the successful end to our program.
Lunch with our mães.
In 2015, we started our study abroad program on Collective Health in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. It is a city that I studied in as a PhD student and one that has a special place in my heart. Since the start, we can list the following accomplishments:
-77 students have come through Georgia State University programs in Salvador
-60 students have come with our program on Collective Health, Race and Culture
-11 faculty members from Georgia State University have visited Salvador
-3 faculty members and partners from both the Federal University of Bahia (our academic partner) and our cultural program partner ICR-Brasil have visited Atlanta and Georgia State
-2 alumni of our study abroad program received Fulbright scholarships (this past year) and will return to Brazil in 2020
-1 Brazilian doctoral student received a scholarship from the Brazilian government to study in Atlanta for three months
-1 research grant was funded by the National Institutes of Health as a result of the partnership formed.
I feel proud of this list of items that we have accomplished since 2015. It is a list we can easily quantify. However, it is the things that are difficult to count, difficult to quantify, that make this program so transformative and the reason we return year after year despite the intense amount of work it takes to do study abroad. The students on these trips form long-lasting friendships, they confront and overcome major challenges, they become more confident in their ability to tackle difficult situations, and they make life-long connections to people and places that once seemed so far away and different. It almost feels like magic is taking place during our trip as the groups grows in ways that seem impossible in another setting, especially in such a short amount of time. While I know that study abroad is life-changing experience no matter where it happens, I honestly believe that Salvador is especially unique in the world for this. So, I say obrigada Salvador da Bahia for your warmth, your magic, your challenges, your diversity, and your people, who are always there to help us out. Until next time….
Enjoying a futebol game with Gleide.