Another Sunday tradition in Ipanema is the "Hippie Fair". The hippie fair is an outdoor marketplace where crafty locals can sell their paintings, sculptures, clothing, and other items. Our group spent several hours shopping, negotiating, and supporting local entrepreneurs.
Sunday morning spent relaxing & shopping
Today started out with a relaxing morning. After days of flights, company visits, and sightseeing, we spent Sunday morning recovering. The hotel patio was the perfect spot for a late breakfast and people watching. In Rio, locals spend their Sundays on the beach. The patio gave us an excellent vantage point to watch the locals make the journey to the beach.
Another Sunday tradition in Ipanema is the "Hippie Fair". The hippie fair is an outdoor marketplace where crafty locals can sell their paintings, sculptures, clothing, and other items. Our group spent several hours shopping, negotiating, and supporting local entrepreneurs.
Our group split up to eat lunch. Tanner & I ventured to a small cafe and tried (and failed) to communicate in Portuguese. We had to order by pointing at the food we wanted. Although it is very gratifying to be able to communicate with someone in their native language, it can be quite embarrassing when it is impossible. Regardless, we enjoyed a tasty lunch once we were able to order!
Later in the afternoon, the Rawls Business Leaders met with a group of Texas Tech ISD students from Brazil. TTUISD, as it is known, is a curricular program that Texas Tech provides to students in Brazil. The high school students that we met with are finishing two high school diplomas at once - one from Texas Tech and one from their Brazilian school. Furthermore, the students finish both diplomas in three years. Talk about impressive!
We had brief introductions with the TTUISD students and then we ate a wonderful dinner that included steak, salad, sushi, and more. Since we were split into tables with the TTUISD students, we were able to interact with them quite a bit. They will be attending the next few company visits with us and we are excited to get to know them more. If we're lucky, a few of the TTUISD students will be joining us in Lubbock to pursue their undergraduate degrees!
Wonderful things are happening at the TTUISD in Brazil and the Rawls Business Leaders are lucky to be a part of it!