Tulane University

This past Friday, October 20th, Portuguese professors and students, joined the rest of the Tulane community in gathering at the International Education Week Friday Fest, to celebrate the end of a successful International Education Week on campus. International Education Week (IEW) was sponsored by the Center for Global Education, to support the globally diverse community on our campus, and continue to support initiatives that foster global education and exchange. Among the busy week of events was Friday Fest, held at LBC Pocket Park. Present at the festival were Amigos Do Samba, a group of musicians from both the United States and Brazil, who focus on bringing traditional Brazilian music, like Samba de Roda, to New Orleans. Additionally the event featured food from the La Cocinita food truck, Brazil versus Portugal Connect 4, Giant Jenga, and Brazilian sweets! Giant Jenga appeared to be a huge success, especially since each Jenga piece incorporated a quote from a Portuguese student about why he or she loves learning Portuguese and thinks others should learn it too.

Portuguese Professor and Director of Basic Language Program in Portuguese, Megwen Loveless was among one of the many who celebrated Tulane’s global diversity on Friday at the Festival. She had the following to say about the event:

“The IEW Friday Fest was the perfect opportunity for the our “PORTulane” community to share a bit about Portuguese language and culture with a wider audience. We look forward to more events that get our campus singing, dancing, laughing as well as thinking critically about the place of lusophone language and culture in a rapidly globalizing world.”

Currently, the Portuguese department hosts “Bate Papo” sessions each Friday, for those interested in speaking Portuguese and trying traditional Brazilian treats. To be added to the PORTulane list serve or learn more about taking Portuguese at Tulane, please contact Professor Loveless at mloveles@tulane.edu.

Photography by Arielle Pentes