Tianna Burke

Tianna Burke participated in the 2023 CLS Portuguese Program hosted by Pontifical Catholic University in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Tianna is currently pursuing a PhD in mathematics at Purdue University. Tianna’s professional goal is to become a math professor and conduct research on the spread of infectious diseases.

Getting to Know Tianna 

I was born in the Bronx, NY and grew up in Stony Point, NY. I’ve been interested in going to different countries and learning new languages from a young age. My mom is originally from the British Virgin Islands, and my dad is from Jamaica. Hearing them talk about their childhoods made me want to visit where they were from, which sparked my interest in other countries. My interest in other languages was influenced by where I grew up. In my town there was a large Spanish speaking population, so I chose to learn Spanish. I’ve been trying to learn foreign languages ever since. Outside of language learning, I enjoy working out, playing badminton, doing sudokus, reading and hanging out with friends. 

Why Portuguese? 

I started trying to learn Portuguese in high school with the goal of going to Rio in 2016 to watch the Olympics. I didn’t get to go, but I came to appreciate the language and when I saw it was an option for the CLS Program, I knew I had to go for it. 

A Favorite Phrase in Portuguese

My favorite word in Brazilian Portuguese is Carioca, which is the term for someone or something from Rio de Janeiro. From the outside people tend to view countries as a monolith, but Rio has its own lifestyle and way of speaking distinct from other cities in Brazil. By the time I left, I was proud to be “quaseoca” (almost Carioca). 

Groovy Mondays

One of my favorite experiences was going to Pedra do Sal on Monday nights. They would play samba music and there would always be so many people there dancing and enjoying themselves. It made me see a different work-life balance than what I’m used to in the US. I could hardly imagine so many people out every Monday night anywhere I’ve lived in the States, but it was a beautiful thing to see all these people enjoying themselves on a weekday night.

Sharing the CLS Opportunity with Others 

The CLS Program was such an incredible experience for me that even before I left Rio, I knew I wanted to tell more people about this program. When I got home, I told students in the Spanish and Portuguese conversation groups I attended about CLS and encouraged them to apply. As an alumni ambassador, I hope to reach even more students. 

Why Should Others Learn Portuguese? 

I would definitely encourage people to learn Portuguese. I personally find it to be such a fun language to speak and a beautiful language to listen to, even if you don’t understand everything! My favorite thing about learning Brazilian Portuguese was listening to and understanding more Brazilian music. From Samba to Bossa Nova to Funk, I had a great time learning about and dancing to Brazilian music. 

Words of Advice 

If anyone is afraid of applying, I would say go for it. I didn’t think I was “qualified” either and it ended up being the experience of a lifetime for me. You’ll meet incredible people inside and outside of your cohort. Nothing tops living in the country whose language you’re learning. Brazil is an incredibly beautiful country and if you have the chance to go, make sure you really take in your surroundings and live in the moment. Immersion isn’t only for language gains. Immerse yourself in the culture. Take the chances. Go out to events and have fun experiencing this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.