Hey Everyone! Today, we were supposed to go to the Botanical Gardens but we woke up to rain so we skipped it. We went to the Rio city center instead. As we drove along the freeway, we were scared for our lives in the crazy city traffic as motorcyclists drove between honking buses. Luckily, we had a very experienced city bus driver escorting us. Like in any city, the morning rush hour was busy. We saw much of Rio as we drove toward our destination. It is amazing how different it is from our cities! The contrast between the wealthier areas of town and the poorer neighborhoods was astonishing. As we drove, we not only saw the usual tags of graffiti artist, but beautiful creations lining the city walls. 

Our first stop was an art exhibit at a museum in downtown Rio. Their exhibition was called "Oneness". We were shocked when we walked in to see a giant, white and blue, futuristic pod in the entry room. The exhibit was focused on aliens and was very interesting. The pieces of art promoted the connection between people. We walked upstairs and found an interactive piece where six aliens were positioned in a circle. As part of the interaction, we knelt next to the aliens and placed our hands on their hearts. We soon could feel a beating, and they lit up when all six people touched the heart. It was designed to create "oneness" in the group. It was a little bit strange but interesting nonetheless. We then walked through a beautifully adorned cathedral. It created yet another stark contrast; this time between old and new. The cathedral was situated in the middle of bustling traffic, surrounded by tall buildings. 

We walked from the bustling streets to a smaller, older side street from the original downtown Rio. There were a few small cafés, restaurants, and shops.  It was good to, yet again, see the contrast in the city. We returned to school and were greeted by smiling, enthusiastic Brazilians! They are all so happy and welcoming! Tomorrow we are going to the beach, and we are sure that it will be another wonderful experience!

Meredith and Camille