Our entire program flew to the state of Minas Gerais for a relaxing four day weekend in Ouro Preto and Tiradentes. First we went to the incredible Inhotim Garden, which is a marvelous combination of modern art and Brazilian flora. We spent a few hours there, but to get the full experience they suggest you spend three days! I guess I’ll have to come back in the future.
In Ouro Preto we stayed at a lovely, quaint little bed and breakfast. Everything was wooden, and slightly mismatched and there were two sweet dogs that ran around and lounged in the windowsills. In Ouro Preto we visited one of the gold mines that gave the city its name (“black gold”), a diversity of churches, museums, restaurants, and Artesenato shops. Ouro Preto, which received an influx of portuguese settlers during the gold rush, retains many of it’s original buildings which are very similar in style to traditional portuguese architecture. Overall it’s a beautiful town and I personally found it’s quiet nature quite enjoyable. It was certainly a nice contrast to Rio.
In Tiradentes everyone enjoyed playing soccer, swimming at our hotel, and walking around town together. We spent our last day on a train ride to the historic city of São João Del Rei and then boarded the bus to return to Rio. I certainly enjoyed spending time with the other students and learning about such an important area in Brasil’s history. This was has been one of my favorite weekends.
P.S. My apologies for the low video quality. I changed the recording size to create more space on my memory card. HD from now on though!
Kiah Zellner-Smith
<p><span style="color: rgb(29, 29, 29); font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; background-color: rgb(237, 237, 237);">My name is Kiah Zellner-Smith and I am a Junior studying American Studies, Urban Studies and Educational Studies at Macalester College in Saint Paul, MN. I spend a lot of my time doodling, journaling, lip syncing in the bathroom, being inspired, laughing loudly, daydreaming, dancing wildly, and having tiny adventures. This semester in Rio de Janeiro will be the first time I leave the country and the safety of my family all by myself and I am simultaneously elated and terrified for my new adventure. I look forward to the many chuckles, challenges, and changes that inevitably await me.</span></p>