So much fun!! Our group took the metro downtown to the centro, to walk around first and then to meet at a famous European bakery, Confeteria Colombo. Downtown Rio has an interesting vibe with its mixture of modern and classical architecture. Music plays on the streets through a PA system. There are charming pedestrian streets lined with mosiac studded sidewalks and medians, completed by vendors loudly hawking their wares.
The bakery proved to be a high tea experience. We drank various kinds of coffee, flavored teas, exotic truit smoothies and soft drinks which exist only in Brazil, like Guaraná. We ate pastries, flan, macaroons, layer cake, and other delicacies in a beautiful ambiance while practicing our Portuguese (and, of course, laughing). Not only was it fun to apply what we learned in the classroom (like ordering food and drink and making small talk), but it was also enlightening to expand our cultural horizons by deepening friendships with international classmates. Rio & Learn traditionally has students from England, France, Spain, Japan, Central America and The United States. Not only do we students learn about the Brazilian mores, but also how people across the globe live and think. What a fabulous experience! I feel so fortunate to have chosen this excellent school!
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