“If we don’t want study abroad programs to be tourism, we have to do all in our power to make students involved with culture and people,” said Kim Jones, assistant professor of anthropology. She incorporates this belief into Elon’s annual summer study abroad program in Brazil.

“The course consisted of a focus on service learning in Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil,” junior Jessica Piazza said of her term during the summer of 2007. “Before we left for the trip, we did pre-course work, which entailed readings that helped prepare us for our trip, along with language quizzes to give us a taste of Portuguese.”

Classes aren’t the only part of the program. Service learning is another important aspect of this study abroad program. Students this past summer worked at Laborearte and Hospital Universitario Clemente de Faria with hospitalized children who had limited outdoor playing space. Students rebuilt the playground and painted colorful garden pictures on the walls. Incorporated throughout the large mural are 10 small acorns, which represent the number of participants from Elon.

“It didn’t take long for the ideas to begin flowing out of all of us,” senior Kenda Honeycutt said. “By the end of our time in Montes Claros, our visions for the playground became a reality that all of us had imagined. The fence was stretched, painted and decorated with our flowers. The walls were fixed and painted into an amazing mural that included a rainbow, sun, a tree of life, and innumerous flowers.”

The trip became a meaningful adventure for the participants.

“Although I am still on a path to finding where I can be most beneficial and be most satisfied in my future,” sophomore Ellen Davies said. “Traveling to Brazil truly gave me the spark to light up a passion for human service and global issues that I never knew existed.”

Working with the children, nurses and doctors at Hospital Universitario Clemente de Faria teaches American students about culture in Brazil, allows them to practice their Portuguese and allows for the Brazilians to understand more about American culture, as well.

“We have to constantly bring [service learning] back to students’ learning,” said Jones. “We have to make that connection.”

Students noticed cultural differences while studying and living in Brazil.

“Brazilian culture is far less materialistic than the United States,” sophomore Samantha Stone said. “People visibly care more about each other than any material part of life.”

The overall purpose of the summer term in Brazil was to open students’ eyes to another culture and help them relate it to their own.

Junior Michael Patrick proved this worked.

“From the first day of the trip to the last I can remember saying how much I loved Brazilians,” he said. “I have never felt so welcomed in a foreign country. They are by far the kindest, most accepting and most beautiful people I have ever met.”

Jones hopes to find another group of students for the summer 2008 term.

Reporter: Emily Silva - 10/03/07