Introduce yourself a bit.
My name is Yana. I’m 25. I graduated from the University in 2008 (in Ukraine, Mariupol). My specialization is Information Technology. I went to my Traineeship in 2 years after my graduation. I was working for 3,5 years in local ISP in system/ networks administration direction before. I decided to change my direction to development, to improve my English, to get an experience in foreign company and of course to travel a little (I’ve never been abroad before). So it was my chance to change my life. The one difficult thing was – I'm married and had to leave my husband during the traineeship. I went to Brazil, Brasilia for 7months.
Some stories about my traineeship you can read on my blog http://temposys.blogspot.com/ (unfortunately it’s only in Russian).
How comes that you choose Brazil?
I didn’t choose Brazil, Brazil chose me. I was trying to find my traineeship for 1 month. And it was my first and last interview. I did a test-program and passed the interview. I didn’t have spoken English experience, so decided to not wait and look for traineeships anymore. It did my chose!
What did you know about the country and expected before coming here?
I knew almost nothing. Just: Rio, monkeys, Amazon, carnival, samba.
What are the stereotypes about Brazil in your country?
Most people know about Brail the same like I did. During all my stay in Brazil almost all my mates asked the same “did u see a lot of monkeys there?” NOPE!!! I saw monkeys maybe 3 times and only when I traveled. And it’s not that kind of monkey as we usually see in TV.
Share your first impression after landing here?
I didn’t feel a lot, I just experienced it. The most difficult things for me was I didn’t know English well. It was difficult to understand people. And most of people don’t know English there.
What was is shocking to you during your stay in the country?
Nothing was shocking me. It’s very different country, different people, but I got it very easy.
Professional Experience
What exactly you were doing in Brazil?
I was a programmer in a medium-size company in Brazil, Brasilia. We created some specific software for this company.
What can you say about the work culture in Brazil comparing to the country of your origin
I cannot say anything about work culture in Brazil. As Brazil is big and different as all companies are not the same. I saw only one of them and it was not the best example. My department consisted just of 6 people. And it was not software development company. So our department worked separate from all company. I didn’t communicate a lot with the other colleagues, only with my department cause only a few people spoke English.
How did XP in Brazil influenced on your growth as professional?
I cannot say I got that XP I wanted as professional. But I started to grow in software development myself with my own projects in my free time. The company just pushed me in a right direction.
What would you like to suggest to the people who plan to have their work experience in Brazil?
About professional XP – it depends of company where you will work. But no one of all trainees I saw came to Brazil to get a professional experience. They enjoyed their life there.
Personal
What is the value of your international XP for you as a person?
I became more self-confident and resolute. I changed my view to a lot of things in my life, changed my tastes, me inside and my appearance.
What have you learned from the local people?
How to enjoy your life. All their life is a TV serial. It’s very emotional and full.
Share the stories of the challenges; you’ve faced during your stay in Brazil.
The biggest problem was to find a place to live. I was living for a month in different places. It was even like this: I came back from work and knew I will move today, one time I moved to another place at 2am!!! But I was so happy to find finally my permanent room.
What would you like to suggest to our readers who wants to have international XP in Brazil?
Brazil is an amazing country, but it’s not easy country to live there. It’s a dangerous country in some areas. Be careful with new friends and unknown people there. Don’t trust to anybody. Just be careful and Brazil can be the best place in the world for you.
Country
What can you say about the people? Likes and dislikes
People are more open and like foreigners.
They are very unorganized (you have to remind them something a lot of times; if you decide to meet at 8 p.m. – be sure it will be not earlier then 10p.m.; if you planed to do something you cannot trust their answer about participation in it till the last moment). BUT!!! Not all people like it but a lot of.
Their life is a TV serial. All you can watch in Brazilian TV serial is real. They live exactly like there.
Half of their lives is a soccer J
What are the main differences between culture of your country and Brazil?
It was impossible for me to sense Brazilian cultural in full. I lived in Brasilia. It’s a new modern city so it doesn’t have so a lot of history and culture like other regions of Brazil. But anyway it’s not right to compere all Brazil with another country. Each state has its own culture.
What do you think about the role of Brazil in the global market?
Brazil is a progressively developing country now.
How did you find Brazilian cuisine? Can you cook something? Share your story of the relationship with Brazilian food.
I liked Brazilian cuisine. Every region of Brazil has own specific typical food. It’s impossible to write about in two lines. Only about fruits it’s necessary to write a separate article. But the things you will find in any places are rise and beans. But even beans they cook in a way I’ve never tried. I loved so much all sweet in Brazil. It’s very delicious. You can try maybe a million kinds of ice-cream. If you are traveling near the ocean – don’t go by sea food. In any bakery you can buy cheese-bread (pão de queijo). Who is interested in it you can see my photo album “Food” in my facebook profile: http://www.facebook.com/TemposYS
What are the places, which have impressed you the most and you would suggest other people to visit?
Brasilia – formal capitol of Brazil.
Rio de Janeiro (Corcovado, Pão de Açúcar, Botanical garden, Ipanema and Copacabana beaches)
Foz do Iguaçu (Cataratas waterfall, Bird Park, ITAIPU BINACIONAL)
Salvador – the largest city on the northeast coast of Brazil with own culture, history and specific cuisine.
There are those places where I was. Brazil is very big and different. I hope to come back and visit more places to suggest it for you. The first places I wanna see are San Paulo and Florianopolis. I want to visit Amazon too but I guess it will be not so soon. But let’s see. J
What are the stereotypes that locals have about your country? How do you think, why?
I didn’t ask a lot about it. But I guess they didn’t hear so much about Ukraine, probably they know something about Russia or Soviet Union. Oh, yes – they know VODKA )))). I presented to them Nemiroff. J
I asked just now 2 my friends about Ukraine – what did they know about before met me:
1. I knew that Kiev is the capital of Ukraine. Ukraine is located in Europe and has some soccer teams.
2. I knew that Ukraine was part of USSR. That had a nuclear incident in past. That some Brazilians went to Shatar team.
P.S. I’m very grateful to my Brazilian and one Taiwanese friends for the best time in my life.
