Overview
Join Global Leadership Adventures on the northeastern coast of Brazil this summer for high school study abroad!
Live on the GLA campus in Fortaleza, Brazil, a region known for its unique Nordestino culture. Immerse yourself in the culture of one of the most diverse nations in the world during this unique community service trip for teens.
Although Brazil is best known for its stunning beaches, it also suffers from one of the widest economic divides in the world and is an engaging environment for teen community service trips. South America has pockets of poverty, and the GLA-based region is in a community where more than 80% of families receive government welfare, almost half of the children are involved in child labor, and many have been abused and exploited.
You’ll volunteer with other high school students to help in giving these children a chance at childhood — by playing sports, making arts and crafts, and teaching English.
Over the course of this high school study abroad program, you will meet leaders who are working to defend children’s rights. This is an unforgettable teen community service trip in South America.
Highlights Include:
- Visit a non-profit organization that gets kids off the streets through the art of hip-hop dance
- Meeting dynamic women who are working to improve the lives of poor women in the favelas-the Brazilian shanty towns
- Sandboarding on dunes next to the majestic ocean
- Hiking through the rural countryside
- Learning capoeira, the Afro-Brazilian martial arts dance, on the beach
- Visiting a micro-credit organization that has helped individuals fight poverty and start their own small business
Community Service
Northeast Brazil is one of the poorest regions of the country. It is here that you will engage in community service by volunteering at “polos” or centers to keep at-risk youth off the streets. The centers strive to help kids reclaim their childhood by providing them a safe environment to play, do homework, make arts and crafts, and learn new skills.
Your community service project may include developing educational games, teaching arts and crafts, painting murals of hope to beautify the neighborhood, or teaching conversational English. You will receive 40 hours of community service during the program.
Learning
It is important to understand the local social, political, and cultural context in order to having a meaningful community service trip. You’ll participate in fun, interactive Portuguese language classes a few times a week, meet leaders fighting for children’s rights, learn about the effects of globalization on Brazilian culture, and even learn the local dances, such as samba and forro.
All students will receive Portuguese language instruction with an emphasis on acquiring a basic knowledge of conversational phrases and idioms.
Some examples of seminars include:
- Brazilian culture, including local dances, such as samba and forro
- Globalization’s effect on contemporary Brazilian culture
- Learning about the history of capoeira—an Afro-Brazilian art form coming martial arts and dance—and its cultural significance today, as well as a hands-on workshop in which you will learn some basic moves
- Discussions with social leaders who work with youth living on the street and who train young adolescents to become peer educators
Excursions
We will explore the area by visiting social service organizations and also engaging in cultural immersion activities. Fortaleza is an enriching place to experience Brazil’s breathtaking natural beauty through some of Brazil’s most beautiful beaches. We will visit beaches where you will have the chance to sandboard down massive dunes next to the ocean or hike along red sand cliffs.
Each year’s specific excursions vary, however, any of the following and numerous other options may be included in the coming year’s programming:
Outdoor Adventures
- Sandboarding on dunes next to the majestic ocean
- Hiking through the rural countryside
Cultural Immersion
- Learning capoeira, the Afro-Brazilian martial arts dance, on the beach
- Visiting traditional community leaders, who are protecting their native way of life
Leadership-in-Action
- Visiting a micro-credit organization that has helped individuals start their own small business
- Meet dynamic women who are working to improve the lives of poor women in the favelas
Lodging
The GLA campus is headquartered at the Colegio 7 de Setembro, a campus located on the outskirts of Fortaleza. Students and staff live on campus in shared rooms. Students live in gender-segregated living quarters. The conference center has a swimming pool, classrooms, an open-air cafeteria, and a soccer field.
