Work

I did my internship in the Laboratório de Microbiologia Quantitativa de Alimentos. In general, the people there studied the microbiology of food in the laboratory, e.g. the growth of certain bacteria on frozen meat or in vitro meat, or whether spore-forming bacteria can be found in milk alternatives and what effects different roasting processes have on coffee beans or powder and so on. I definitely found these different research approaches very exciting and interesting. As I didn't have a small project of my own, I was able to help everyone else with their projects and got a good overview, but the first few weeks were mainly characterized by more basic work, e.g. preparing solutions, inserting tips, washing up, sorting, and so on. As time went on, I was able to help more and more individuals, but due to the quantitative analyses, the work steps were quite repetitive, which is why I didn't have the most fun. I didn't learn much new methodologically, as I had already gained some basic experience through my previous studies. Nevertheless, it was very instructive, firstly because of the subject matter, which I had not dealt with so intensively before, and secondly to learn how work is done in a laboratory here, because there are clear differences.

Experience

I was living in a republica (student house, a bit similar to a fraternity) with 15 brasilian students, who were more or less the same age like me. Fortunately, two long weekends fell during this time, so I was able to travel to Ubatuba by the sea and to Rio de Janeiro together with other IAESTE interns. On the other weekends, I was in São Paulo twice and otherwise in and around Campinas. There are also several parties every weekend in the Republicas in Campinas and Barão Geraldo, which are definitely wilder and different than in Germany. During the week, there was still enough time for sports or relaxed bar/restaurant visits in the surrounding area. I was very lucky that many other IAESTE interns were also in Campinas and there was always something to do together, as the Brazilians from my republica tended to be quieter during the week and didn't want to spend so much money. The 8 weeks in Campinas gave me a good impression of student life there and were over quicker than expected. I then traveled for just under 4 weeks, making all my concrete plans on the spot. This means that if you are flexible in terms of time and finances, you can do things spontaneously on site and don't have to plan everything in advance. I tried to get a good overview of the different landscapes, regions and the culinary delights in Brazil, but it's impossible in that time, so I definetly have to come back. Overall, however, the very good working atmosphere and the lively exchange with each other and also with other IAESTE interns, who fortunately worked in the same laboratory but sometimes had a different scientific background, contributed to the fact that I found my internship incredibly instructive and can only recommend it, if only for the experience of having worked in another country.

Discover

The internship showed me that it is still possible to do good research with much less resources than in Germany, and that reducing your plastic waste and washing and reusing more instead can be a good way to go. The whole experience changed me in the sense that I became more tolerant and open-minded because I made many international friends and got to know their culture and habits. The trip through Brazil was also very enriching because I learned so many new things. I've also lost a bit of my German stubbornness and learned to enjoy life a bit more.