Blake Harrison
West Virginia University College of Law, 2L
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Day 19 Reflection

We had a chilly morning on the beach hanging with WVU law students, followed by Professor cummings’ lecture on the differences in Brasil’s and the U.S.’s systems of affirmative action. What I found most interesting in the lecture was how race is classified in Brasil. Brasilians do not categorize themselves by the race of their parents, but how they appear physically. In Brasil, there are nearly 100 different race categories, each exemplified by skin color, hair color, hair texture, nose structure, and lip size.

After the lecture, we ate at a small cafe around the corner from our hostel. The wait staff was very helpful in catering to our language barrier. An English speaking manager was sent to our table to help us place our orders. Upon the completion of our meal, we returned to our hostel to prepare for our last night in Rio. We conversed with young British travelers and discussed in depth their views on religion as we waited for the group to get ready.

Around midnight we arrived at a corner lounge a few blocks from our hostel. The music ranged from electronic to hip hop and the drinks were moderately priced. After a few hours of dancing, we returned to our hostel to rest up for our travel day back home.