Florianopolis Cultural Activities

Capoeira

CEA students will have the opportunity to take three free lessons of this traditional mix of martial arts and dance. Brought by African slaves to Brazil in the early years of the Portuguese colonization, Capoeira has spread all over the country and today is a very popular sport practiced in schools, gyms and public places. The music is normally played live by experienced musicians of drums, tambourines, a-go-go bells and the most important instrument, the berimbau. Capoeira classes for CEA students will run two days per week for the first month and will be held in a sports center near the university. If a student would like to continue the experience further, they can sign-up for additional monthly lessons for a small fee.

“Barco na Vila dos Pescadores” - Trail/Boat trip to Costa da Lagoa

Students will have the choice to either walk or take a boat to visit one of the island’s fishermen’s villages. Once in the village, they will visit a cascading waterfall, offering a magnificent view of Lagoa, and experience local cuisine while eating lunch at a neighborhood seafood restaurant. Along the way, students can observe the intriguing scenery while spotting ruins of old sugarcane mills, dense forests, beautiful birds and other animals.

Brazilian Movie Nights

Watch a local flick with your friends and participate in monthly Brazilian movie nights organized by our on-site staff. Sit back, relax, enjoy a film or two and observe how this Latin American culture expresses itself on the big screen! Be sure to indulge in traditional snacks along with the other Brazilian locals for a complete movie experience.

“Pesca da Tainha” Artisanal Fishing

Students are welcome to join local fishermen in artisanal Tainha (common fish of the region) fishing. A large crowd gathers at the beach to wait for boats that bring the nets to the shore to be pulled. Sometimes more than 4,000 fish are caught in one amazing pull! Traditionally, the fishermen divide the fish among the local families and normally give one or two to the visitors who helped. Experience firsthand how locals work to provide food within this coastal city. 

Volunteer Opportunities (available only to students enrolled in the Cultural Studies & Volunteering in Brazil program)

Gain firsthand experience of Brazilian culture and society by engaging in a volunteer opportunity! Complement your study abroad program with a service component by contributing to the amazing, yet significantly impoverished community in Florianópolis. Dedicating a portion of your time during your program abroad to give back to the local underprivileged community is a great way of achieving a deeper understanding of the local culture, people and Portuguese language. CEA offers great volunteer opportunities with several non-governmental and independent organizations that we’ve established relationships with on the island. No language requirement exists for students wanting to participate.

Students must complete a Volunteering Application form to be considered for an opportunity. To match students to the best volunteer organization possible, each opportunity will be selected based on the volunteer profile of the student. Volunteer hours will be scheduled around student classes. All organizations are located within close proximity to the city center, in safe neighborhoods and easy to reach by foot or public transportation.

These local organizations are very excited about our help and value the contributions our students will make to their programs and clients. Students who partake in a volunteer opportunity should be committed for the full term of their placement. Positions are unpaid and not for credit, though students may pursue the possibility to pursue credit through their home university.

You will gain so much from your experience abroad. This is your opportunity to give back to the host country and make a difference during your program in Florianópolis!

Organizations include:

Casa Lar Emaus

• This project started in 1993 in the town of Rancho Queimado, 40km away from Florianópolis, but moved to the city in 1998. The main goal of this project is to provide shelter, food, medical and pedagogical assistance, dentistry, recreational activities and foster care assistance to boys awaiting adoption. Currently Casa Lar houses eight children and can hold up to 10 maximum.

Fundação Vidal Ramos

• Founded in 1958 and supported by private companies and individuals, Fundação Vidal Ramos is a philanthropic entity. At first, they worked towards providing professional education for women who could not afford the tuition at a private university, and who did not hold the necessary academic requirements to attend the city’s public university alternatives. Currently, Fundação Vidal Ramos provides technical and regular education for adults, but focuses more heavily on assisting children from ages six to 16 who attend public school. By providing opportunities like learning a second language, playing sports, dance classes, learning computer skills and overall school support, this project plays an important role in keeping children out of the streets during the rest of the day. According to age, kids are divided into two morning and afternoon groups. Those that go to school in the morning come to Fundação Vidal Ramos in the afternoon and vice versa for the afternoon group. The project provides breakfast and a snack for the morning group and a snack for the afternoon group.

COEPAD

• COEPAD, Workers with Physical and Mental Disabilities Cooperative, aims to promote and incentivize the work of its participants. Their origins date back to 1998 where they worked inside Fundação Vidal Ramos, another non-for-profit organization. Now, COEPAD has recently moved to a new location where they were able to improve their work conditions and production. In this new building, they manufacture notepads, folders, and many other products using paper that they’ve helped recycle. COEPAD recently purchased screen printing equipment for t-shirts, bags, hats, etc. The revenue they generate from selling these products is used to improve their work conditions, and also to pay their salaries. COEPAD provides its members a place to study during their breaks.

Saude Crianca Florianópolis

• This NGO works to give complete support to families in underprivileged communities of Florianópolis who are vulnerable to diseases and social risks. Saude Crianca Florianópolis organizes an individual plan for each family assisting parents to actively participate and be responsible for their own change. The plans include several areas such as health, nutrition, work, education, etc. They hold a handcraft workshop for mothers inside the NGO twice a week, and they also assist the mothers providing childcare a few days each week.