Inside Student Blogs

Kiah Zellner-Smith Rio de Janiero, Spring 2013

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, listening to music too loudly, 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.

Kiah's Posts

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  Rio, My Sparkling City

  6/14/13 • (0)

  Stunning nighttime views I captured of Rio de Janeiro from the top of Pão de Açúcar.
  Enjoy!

  brasil, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Study Abroad, Travel

• A Week in the Jungle: Manaus, Amazonas

  6/03/13 • (0)

  I’m glad I can now cross the Amazon off my list of places I’ve been to and hopefully one day when I tell my children stories about cayman hunting and living with baby monkeys they will think I am a little more awesome than I actually am!

  Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Study Abroad, Travel

• Samba Week in Music Class

  5/28/13 • (0)

  The first week of May was Samba week in our IES Music & Society class. We discussed the history of Samba, learned when the different forms of Samba emerged, got a chance to try out traditional Samba instruments and took a trip to Pedra do Sal where we ate fejoada and intermingled with the diverse crowd of Samba appreciantes.

  brasil, Brazil, Dance, Field Study, IES classes, pedra do sal, Rio de Janeiro, samba, Study Abroad, Travel

• Raz, Kai & Zel take Rio!

  4/29/13 • (0)

  As we blew past the halfway mark of our semester here in Brazil, and as our host mom continually told us to get out and about in the city we figured it was finally time to see what else Rio had to offer besides beautiful beaches, gorgeous people and a never-ending nightlife.

  art, birthday, Blogs, brasil, Brazil, Culture, Dance, explore, lapa, museum, Photo Blogs, rio, Rio de Janeiro, roommates, Study Abroad, Travel, Video

• The First of the Field Studies

  4/18/13 • (0)

  This is a short video documenting the first of several field studies that are included in each Rio de Janeiro IES course. I appreciated the chance to learn outside of the classroom and to venture around the city, discovering the niches and crannies that house all the historical landmarks I tend to overlook on my way to class.

  brasil, Brazil, classes, classroom, field studies, history, ies courses, placo imperial, Rio de Janeiro, Study Abroad, Travel

• Weekend Trippin’ in Minas Gerais

  3/28/13 • (0)

  Our entire program flew to the state of Minas Gerais for a relaxing four day weekend in Ouro Preto and Tiradentes…This has been one of my favorite weekends.

  brasil, Brazil, garden, gold mine, IES Abroad, media post, minas gerais, photos, Rio de Janeiro, Study Abroad, Travel, Video, Weekend trip

• Ilha Grande

  3/12/13 • (0)

  As one of our inclusive IES excursions we took a weekend trip to Ilha Grande, located off the coast of Rio de Janeiro. We hiked each day to Lopes Mendes beach, surfed, body boarded, and also spent a few hours wandering the islands largest town, Vila Abraão.

  brasil, Brazil, education, IES Abroad, ilha grande, Island, Rio de Janeiro, Study Abroad, weekend trips

• A Weekend of Wonders: IES Orientation

  3/01/13 • (0)

  Besides getting cell phones, touring the partner universities and taking language placement tests, our four day orientation also brought us to landmark locations around the city.

  Brazil, Corcovado, IES Abroad Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Sambodromo, study, Study Abroad, Travel

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  First Moments in Rio: “Gentileza Gera Gentileza”

  2/21/13 • (0)

  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.

  brasil, Brazil, IES Abroad, media, Rio de Janeiro, Study Abroad, Travel, Video Blog

• The Eve of a Grand Adventure

  2/12/13 • (0)

  My last night before departing to Rio De Janeiro. Packing, tweaking out, spending time with family, and saying goodbye to my home- the tundra of Minnesota. You will all be missed (except for, snow)!

  Brazil, IES Abroad, predeparture post, Rio de Janeiro, Study Abroad, Travel