Universidade Federal de Vicosa (UFV)
Since the university, along with 44 other public universities, started their strike, on the 17th of May, Vicosa has been deserted. At first all activities for the graduation students were canceled, and recently even the master and Phd students had to stop their studies. Some professors continue to support master students with their projects but there are no classes, no tests and no graduation. This implies a great impact on many of the 14.500 students of UFV. Every two or three years the public universtities go on strike in order to demand compliance of promised agreements. They may last up to three months. For students this means they have to cancel all their study related activities and most of them travel to their parents awaiting the developments.Universidade
Public universities are free to enter, the private ones are very expensive. However, their quality is lamentable. The catch? You have to make a state exam, which consists of ten different subjects being: Math, Portuguese, English, Science, Physics, Biology, History, , and . They seem to be way harder as the Dutch final exams and are all tested at the same time. The scored results will decide to which public universities you can gain access. UFV is the third best university of Brazil and for Agriculture one of the best in the world. Because of this Vicosa has several other (private) universities with practically the same name trying to get students because of the name of UFV.Colégio
Highschool is all about teaching the subjects which are questioned during the state exams. Ten different subjects, day in, day out. Students are not allowed to use calculators for their exams. Part from that, there is a big lack in quality of these schools and the thought subjects. Almost all students take evening classes in private schools, every single day, after regular classes. During these classes they give additional information necessary to pass the state exam. They also give practice exams on Saturday. It is a bit like learning by heart a list of infinite questions. Students that would like to learn a second language are also depending on private language schools. The level of English they teach at highschools is just about reading and not more then the most basic level possible. English is the most common language to learn in the many language schools around town, followed by Spanish and French. It is also possible to learn German but I haven't met a single student yet taking this course.Campus
The UFV campus is big. Very big. It takes either a bus or a carona to get to the other end (where the Veterinarian, Medical and Sport studies are located). From the entrance a 10km running track takes off which runs all the way to the end and back. All campus grounds belong to the government and are guarde by the Federal Police. The campus has three big lakes, presumably a result of material needed for flattening the highly elevated area the university was build in. It has its own hospital, for students and employees only. There is also a milk factory which produces all kinds of diary products and is one of the most popular brands; Vicosa. There is a book shop, a pharmacy and of course a big library, which is open 24 hours a day (except on Sundays). A big supermarket which sells, part from the regular stuff, products which were cultivated on the fields which belong to the university. There are three banks and two big restaurants.Restauracão
Restaurants which are used for both café da manhã, almoco and jantar. Used by almost 10.000 students a day. For graduation and master students a meal costs R$2,- for Phd students and visitors R$4,-. You have to buy your ticket at one of the local university banks or from a student which sells them at the restaurant (with a little % profit). The kitchen of the university gets its hot water from a wood burning factory nearby, also on campus grounds.Vicosa, and the campus in particular, has a lot of street dogs (I think I could count over a 100 different cachorros) which are fed every day at 14:00. They are part of the furniture of the restaurant as well. D.C.E. is the place people hang around all day and where me and my labmates usually go after lunch. They sell bread, drinks, candy and other things and it is always crowded. It also gives perfect shelter for the sun. At the wall students share their lugar bilhetes, espaço and other things. Tickets for festas and excursos are also sold at this place.
Habitação
It is possible for students to live on campus in dorms. Usually there are two or three students sleeping in one room, two or three rooms per appartment. This is originally intended for students of which their families cannot afford to rent a room in town. Some students know how to dodge the rules and gain access to the big, situated close to the university and well maintained rooms. These dorms are not mixed and the ones for woman are on a different part of the campus as the one for men.Esquisitices
Between noon and two o' clock in the afternoon all staff takes a break. This means no classes, empty buildings and some kind of siesta. Time for students and employees to have lunch and relax.Students don't wear suits or a university uniform. Instead they wear shirts of the university, their faculty or studies. Whenever a group of students from the same study finish their graduation they design a shirt with the abreviation of their study or faculty disguised as a famous brand or logo.
Older students get to haze freshmans. The name of the study is shaved into the hair of the guys, girls get to wear strange pants over their clothing. They will also be painted with paint, eggs and mud. This tradition is not supported by the university and therefore takes place outside the campus area. Students that do not participate or give up get to actually fail a succesful sign up for their studies. A strange situation hence there is no direct relation with these activities and the university it self.
New photos can be found on my Flickr page. The next post will be about the Portuguese language (finally). If there are any requests for information or blogs about trips I made, Brazilian customs or any other subject let me know by sending me an e-mail.
