Taking the bus from the airport to our homestays and getting our first views of the city, touring our (me and Raza’s) new home for the next 4 months, walking around the city and visiting the beautiful beaches of Rio De Janeiro. Besides seeing a tiny bit of the city and our respective neighborhoods we have also learned the saying “gentileza gera gentileza” from our Program Director. In English it means “kindness generates kindness”, a thought I will hold onto for the remainder of this trip and my life once I leave here. Week one is complete y’all! Onward!
-KG
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>