After a long day of travelling, it was finally time to explore Rio de Janeiro. Thanks to jet lag, many of us were up early, giving us the perfect opportunity to discover the city before our first university visit. Some visited the iconic Maracanã Stadium, others enjoyed a peaceful morning at the beach, while a few wandered through the city, stopping at places such as the beautiful Real Gabinete Português de Leitura, and Catedral Metropolitana de São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro, getting familiar with the city and trying to spot the city’s hotspots.

Around noon, we gathered at the waterfront and took the ferry to Niterói for our visit to Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF). There, we learned how the university is committed to providing high-quality education that is accessible to everyone in Brazil while also strengthening partnerships with universities around the world, as well as mentioning different opportunities for exchange programmes at UFF.

After the presentation, Prof. Xing Yutao showed us around his research laboratories, offering us a closer look in his research and the facilities. He gave valuable insights about life in Brazil and the effects of local policies and practices on research and academia. During this lab tour we were able to enjoy some freshly grounded coffee and his personal imported tea from china that professor prepared. Before heading back, we took a group photo with the beautiful Rio skyline in the background, a fitting way to remember our first academic visit.
After the visit, some of us enjoyed a well-deserved late lunch together at a local restaurant watching the world cup in the background. And some decided to enjoy their “lunch” at local see side restaurants enjoying the beautiful view of the see and Rio at the back. After refuelling we continued exploring the city of Niteroi taking on the beauty of Brazil !