At PUC-SP (Puqui for short), we began our fascinating experience with a tour of the historic, artistic campus. We saw the interior of the auditorium which had authentic burn marks on the walls. The marks are a reminder of the resistance and crime that occurred at the university in the past. In addition, the campus buildings had bold, colorful paintings on the main walls where many students gather to socialize between classes. Each year, the main wall is repainted with new art which symbolize creativity, innovation and culture in São Paulo.
Next, we had the honor of attending two lectures from Professor Cristina Helena Pinto de Mello and Professor Mariana Ferreira who are both experts in economics. Professor Pinto de Mello gave valuable information about Brazilian consumer behavior, popular classes, and income. Professor Ferreira spoke about the history of Brazil and events leading up to the current economic, political, and social situation in the country as well.
The most interesting portion of our visit was working with PUC-SP students in groups to create a presentation. Professor Mariana Ferreira assigned each of the seven groups a project. My group consisted of two UIUC students (Rob and Laurel), two PUC-SP students (Antonio and Maria), and of course myself. For this project, each group represented a hypothetical start-up fintech that specialized in providing credit to low income families in Brazil. Our challenge was to find a fair interest rate and create contracting conditions for the families. My group worked quickly and efficiently to achieve the objective of the project, and each member contributed greatly. We UIUC students were motivated to learn more about the high interest rate in Brazil, and the PUC-SP students were enthused to educate us about the Brazilian economy, culture, and history.
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