Odette School of Business students seeking in-depth understanding of Brazil’s business environment visited the country on a study-abroad course trip April 23 to May 7.

Working in partnership with Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), the group included both Canadian and Brazilian students, led by Odette professor Francine Schlosser and UNIFESP professor Marcia Carvalho de Azevedo.

Dr. Schlosser said the trip was an opportunity for students to learn more about a significant global trade partner.

“By collaborating with UNIFESP students and faculty, Odette students learned more about Brazil’s language and culture, and had the chance to build their own long-lasting international relationships,” she said.

The visit included technical tours of UNIFESP, healthcare facilities, Carnival samba school Acadêmicos do Tatuapé, Sao Paulo football museum Museu do Futebol, a business accelerator, coffee and sugar cane plantations, a sugar mill and ethanol processing facility, the Canadian consulate in Sao Paulo, and wrapped up with a barbecue featuring churrasco and a Brazilian band.

Afnan Alhussainawi and Jack Gesuale, two of the nine Odette students on the trip, said the experience expanded their understanding of global business.

“Having the opportunity to have exclusive visits to different Brazilian organizations provided phenomenal and highly educational insights,” said Alhussainawi.

“It was an unforgettable experience that I would recommend to all students,” added Gesuale.

—Sienna Ducharme