Universidade de São Paulo/FZEA from July 2012 to December 2012

“Coming to Brazil has been the experience of a lifetime for me! I have learned so much down here, it is incredible! I am really thankful for being given this opportunity to expand my horizons and be introduced to a new culture! I have learned and experienced a lot of things down here that I did not think I would get to do.  I learned a lot in the classes that I took as well as the experiments that I have helped with. In my swine production class, I was allowed to castrate a piglet as well as give injections. In an experiment I helped with I was allowed to draw blood for sampling as well as assist in the slaughtering process.  I have also made many lifelong friends in only this short period of time. I believe that this alone made the trip worth everything. Also I was able to travel with friends to various cities and experience a few things that I could not do in the United States. For example, I participated in a free Artificial Insemination course and I had a CPF (this is kind of like a social security number) I could have received a certificate saying that I am authorized to perform artificial insemination. I hope maybe one day I can return here and do an internship!”