Alexandra Lopes da Cunha to write novel blending Brazilian and Portuguese cultures
Alexandra Lopes at the Faculdade de Letras de Coimbra, Portugal. Photo: Personal archive
A student from the Graduate Program in Letters, Alexandra Lopes da Cunha, is about to begin her doctoral research internship at the Universidade de Coimbra, in Portugal. The Creative Writing student has been awarded a PUCRS-PrInt doctoral research grant. Her research interests are embraced by the area World in Motion: Individuals and Society.
At the end of the program, Alexandra intends to write a novel connecting the cultures of Brazil and Portugal. The Universidade de Coimbra has been chosen for its outstanding reputation in the area. Professor Carlos Reis, who has served as visiting professor at PUCRS, will advise her in Portugal.
During her stay in the country, Alexandra should visit several parts of the European country, especially Bairrada, in order to create an authentic Portuguese character. “I want to interview Portuguese writers to know how they see Brazil. I also want to take part in congresses in Portugal and Spain”, she adds.
In her view, experiencing a different academic and cultural reality can be beneficial in several aspects. “When we are not in our home country, we understand what it means to be a foreigner and what brings us together and makes us different. We can have a better understanding of ourselves, our culture and the culture of the country that welcomes us. Exchanging practices and insights with students from all over the world gets us to raise awareness of our experiences and thoughts”, Alexandra says.
