The Whole Cohort Combines!

SATURDAY SUMMARY
The Whole Cohort Combines!

Tier II Brazil had a great Saturday. The early arriving group (who started on Tuesday) had the morning off to see the city or work on portfolios while the later arriving group kicked off the program with an orientation from Linda, including a walking tour of our immediate neighborhood in Ipanema. And then or the first time, the whole group came together for a tasty “por kilo” lunch at Broth. Beverly, principal at Far West High School in Oakland, had her ticket drawn from the hat and won a free lunch. The early group taught the later arrivals the lyrics to “Cidade Maravilhosa” over our desserts, and we belted it out as best we could to an appreciative lunch crowd. The group reassembled about 45 minutes later near Posto 8 on Praia de Ipanema, where Fatima found space for us in the teaming Saturday beach crowd and set us up with beach chairs, umbrellas, and coconuts.

After pairs reviewed few of each other’s portfolio documents, Linda led us in a discussion of where each of us is on the continuum from ethnocentrism to ethnorelativism, couching the concept of intercultural development within the larger context of global leadership. Then we took a swim.

We capped off the class with another halting performance of Cidade Maravilhosa. Linda saved us by recruiting a couple of cariocas (Rio locals) to model the melody and pace, and the group responded with a rousing effort that brought applause from the surrounding thongs.

After dinner on our own, we traveled by Metro to the Lapa district (home of the famous white arches), where Paolo met us for the walk to the local music scene. We ate, sampled the local drinks and beer, and listened to samba music under the waxing moon.

-by Nancy & Leo