The last two days of the trip we were given free time with guidance. We could explore the island however we wanted whether by foot, excursion, or tour. All we had to do attend one final lecture on the 28th. The first day we mostly slept in but explored the island and all it had to offer. I walked very very far and took photos. I drank espresso with locals, got lunch and just had a relaxing day.

Our final lecture was after going to another hot spring and ceramic manufacturing area. The lecture allowed us to critique and discuss our current photos and concepts for our books. We also watched a short film that the professor had made about wine. Very relieving and allowed to conceptualize everything we had been working on.

Meanwhile, Sebastian used a social media app to meet a local girl that was willing to hang out and show us around on our last full night. She and her friends picked a few of us up and we explored more “off the beaten path” types of places. Seeing areas we had already visited on the way was surreal. To be in such a familiar place and still feel elements of nostalgia and memory was a strange feeling. The girls spoke good English so as we visited other springs, mountains, and a beach we compared and contrasted the social, political, and lifestyle aspects of American life to Portuguese life.