Case Study: Sabi goes to Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro
Sunset over Sugarloaf Mountain, Rio de Janeiro
by Chris Phillips
This article was written by Sabi Johnson-Radcliffe, published on 22nd July 2010 and has been read 30385 times.
Sabi Johnson-Radcliffe spent her year abroad in Brazil, Argentina and Colombia. Teaching English in Rio, she teamed up with the CIACAC organisation, working in favelas and around the city. She took a CELTA course as well as its equivalent to teach Spanish at the International House World Organisation, Buenos Aires.
Where did you go?I went to Brazil, Argentina and Colombia.
Was your trip organised by your university?
The year out was obligatory but I organised everything. It's part of the degree when you’re studying foreign languages.Did you have any problems whilst you were out there?
I had a number of problems whilst I was out there. I had some serious health problems, which was a challenge in a different country. I also experienced robberies and assaults. But this is not the case with everyone, I was just very unlucky.
Did you struggle at first with the language?
I had problems with Portuguese more than Spanish as it was a language I had only been studying for 2 years.
How do you think your time abroad has benefited you for the future?
It has improved my languages and my resilience. I am very independent now; more so than I thought I would have needed to be.
Would you recommend going abroad to other students?
I would highly recommend going abroad to other students. It changes you greatly, opens doors to other possibilities you hadn’t even thought of and makes you stronger as a person as a result.
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