On our last day in Rio some of us decided to get up (or should I say stay up) to watch the sun rise over the Copacabana Beach. Most of the group woke up early enough to enjoy some time at the beach before our 12 o'clock check out time. Some of us even braved the ocean waves. After checkout we ate lunch and did some last minute souvenir shopping before leaving for the airport.

Driving through Rio for one last round on the way to the airport we received a bittersweet goodbye speech from our tour guide of Campus Brasil, Felipe. We will miss him and our photographer Brenda very much. They truly helped us make the most of our time in Sao Paulo and Rio. Throughout our time in Brazil, they became much more than tour guides and photographers but great friends as well. Another thanks to Brenda for the group picture we received at the airport. We can't wait to see her when she comes to visit Illinois this summer. Felipe, we would love for you to visit as well!

Once at the airport, many of us did some last minute souvenir shopping before our flight.  The flight from Rio to Sao Paulo was less than an hour and the plane was nearly empty so we got to spread out.  Once we got to Sao Paulo, we had a short layover and then we were off to Chicago!  After about 10 hours, we were finally back in America.  We were very excited to be home but also sad to say goodbye to everyone. 

This program was a great opportunity, and we each gained much more out of it than we anticipated. The company visits provided us with a wealth of information and experience that has helped us grow as future business professionals. We were also able to witness some of the beautiful culture and landscape of Brazil, as well as the realities of the Brazilian society with our tour of the favela. This was such an eye-opening experience and we learned so much in these past two weeks. We'd like to thank our sponsors, those who took their time to speak with us on the trip, Jessa, Dr. Goldsmith, and Richard, as well as our fellow IBIP members for making this such a wonderful, memorable experience!