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News from |
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Michael D. Chason Director of Public Relations ABAC 30, 2802 Moore Hwy |
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For IMMEDIATE Release August
27, 2009
ABAC FACULTY MEMBERS SHARE EDUCATIONAL
EXPERIENCE IN BRAZIL
TIFTON – Five members of the Abraham Baldwin
Agricultural College faculty spent a portion of the summer studying in Brazil
as a result of a $76,425 Fulbright-Hays Grant from the United States Department
of Education Office of International Education.
Making
the trip were Dr. Jeff Gibbs, Professor of Economics and Dean of the School of
Business Administration; Alan Kramer, Assistant Professor of Education; Lorie
Felton, Associate Professor of Agriculture; Dr. Brian Ray, Associate Professor
of English; and Rajgopal Sashti, International Education Advisor and Director
of the Nine University and College International Studies Consortium.
The
ABAC faculty members, as well as 10 other educators from Georgia, spent four
weeks studying Brazil’s culture and history while meeting with some of its
government officials, educators, and the country’s local citizens.
The
travelers found out that Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world with
the sixth largest economy. Roman Catholicism is the prominent religion, and the
country has patterned its government after the United States.
“There
are a lot of similarities as far as the economy of Brazil is concerned,” said
Gibbs. “It is highly capitalized with an international global economy, but
there are few real economic freedoms. The
elite have all the power, and ownership of capital is in the hands of very
few.”
Unlike
America, Brazil has a balanced budget because although the country’s debt is
$100 billion, they have a government surplus of over $200 billion, according to
Kramer.
“I
appreciated the balanced budget,” Gibbs said. “Brazilians make it a point to not spend more
than they tax. The disadvantage to that is there is a lack of education and
social programs.”
Despite
their lack of education on some levels, Brazilians are well aware of how the
U.S. government functions.
“Citizens
of Brazil know more about how our government works then our own U.S. citizens
do,” said Felton. “Their government consists of two houses just like ours.”
“They
dislike George W. Bush and love President (Barack) Obama,” Kramer added.
Ray
observed that the culture of the country traces back to the roots of its
people.
“The
origins of the Brazilian people consisted of indigenous Brazilians, Africans,
and Portuguese/European,” said Ray. “The
African culture is prevalent within Brazil and its people because the slave population
in the country was 10 times the amount the United States had. Brazilians, and
even those who are classified as white, don’t have a problem with having the
African culture being a part of them. Brazil has now become very homogenized.
“Early
Africans also interwove their pagan customs with Catholicism so they could pay
tribute to their gods. They equated their gods to Catholic Saints so they could
retain some of their rites and customs.”
The
ABAC travelers found a few similarities and some little hints of home while away.
Felton said she toured a 200-year-old plantation that produces coffee and
cattle. One of the sons recognized the name ‘Tifton’ because his cattle are fed
on hay from here.
Grocery
stores are not as plentiful as in the U.S. but markets featured all types of
fruit.
South
Brazil is similar to South Georgia, with a tropical, temperate climate, according
to Ray and when touring Farmers’ Markets, peaches were sold in the ‘exotic
fruit’ section.
“Fruit
and sugar are served as part of every meal,” Ray said. “Fresh fruits are
usually served with dessert.”
Sugar
is a huge crop in Brazil, and half of the sugarcane is still harvested by hand,
which helps with Brazil’s employment, according to Gibbs.
“The
most impressive use sugar has for the people of Brazil is that it is converted
into ethanol for fuel,” Gibbs said. “Where
gasoline is about $10 a gallon, the ethanol is only $6 a gallon. Brazilians are self-sufficient in energy and
value their natural resources.”
“Brazil
is much more environmentally-conscious,” said Felton. “The Atlantic rainforest
is disappearing due to urbanization – even more so than the Amazon.”
Adds
Kramer, “They have limitations on their fossil fuels but it’s still an
extremely self-reliant country.”
The
people of Brazil definitely have their issues. One of those issues is the
country’s caste system, which each traveler experienced.
“There
are the haves and have-nots,” said Gibbs.
“I have never seen so many people just sleeping on the beach or on some
green space. The poverty is so pervasive there, whereas here in the U.S. we hide
it. Brazilians live with it – sometimes right next door.”
“The
elite stay elite while keeping the rest of the population down,” Ray said.
One
thing all the educators agreed on in regards to their journey through Brasilia,
Sao Paulo, and Rio de Janeiro was that the people were always welcoming,
friendly, and ready to help.
“It
was a great to learn about another country and share the experience with other
educators in the state,” Felton said.
Other
educators making the trip were Eugenia Bryan, Assistant Professor of English
from Georgia Southwestern State University: Rebecca Carte, Assistant Professor
of Spanish from Georgia College and State University; Tatyana Pashnyak,
Assistant Professor of Business/Education from Bainbridge College; Ethel Kay
Traille, Assistant Professor of History/Education from Kennesaw State
University; and J. Celesete Walley-Jean, Assistant Professor of Psychology at
Clayton State University.
High school teachers on the trip included Kelly Bryan, an English teacher from George
Walton Comprehensive High School; Jameka Fields, an American Government teacher
from North Clayton High School; Rebecca
Martin, a Gifted Teacher from the Colquitt County School System; Cleopatra Warren, an Honors History teacher
from Frederick Douglass High School; and Darren West, a Spanish teacher from
Oconee County High School.
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