Calheta de São Miguel, Cape Verde - the seventh day (cont.)

Calheta de São Miguel, Cape Verde

Friday, 11th of March 2011
The "Arts and Crafts" group 1
02H00/04H00

I have today filmed the children's reactions to the reading of "An angel just like me" based on the fact that I had been "approached" by its author so as to let her know how it had gone and it would obviously be much easier to look at their expressions in the film and even record some of their opinions later on than simply try to remember them.

Whilst I was reading it and asking them to tell me what they thought about it as the story unfolded ... they were not even looking at the camera ... the story was interesting enough for them not to be "intimidated" by its presence ...  though what surprised me (having  filmed the story reading in three different classes) was the fact that with just very few exceptions they all stated angels were white and didn't consider the vague possibility of them being a different colour. It was quite interesting to see their expressions at the end of the story ... but even more interesting to see their reactions as they saw themselves in the film.

Reactions to the film of the story reading of "An angel like me".

As I had a two hour interval till the English class, Marie Hélène and I decided to walk into the village on our way up to Cutelo Miranda where the parents and siblings of my "protégée" were awaiting us.

Watching the size and "glamour" of the Church  compared to its surrounding "buildings" always shocks me ... not so much because I don't believe the village should have somewhere like this in which to praise the Lord ... but because there is too much of a "contrasting" atmosphere ... and this does sadden me to a certain extent ...

The village Church in the background

As we walked up, we came across two boys "driving" their self made vehicles ... and I (once more) reinforced the idea that these children are really creative ...

To be creative having been given the means is one thing ... but having this "level" of creativity without anything is definitively a very different thing ... 

 "Driving" down from Cutelo Miranda

Approaching Nate's I still had time to talk to the family of a girl who has been to one of my classes today and who had apparently not shown before because of not having been told about it ...  but I was happy to see that she seemed happy to have come just this once ...

The girl's family with her standing in the middle (Left). A little girl looking at us as we walked by (Right).

It is always a pleasure talking to Nate (the mother of my "protégée") and realise that she thoroughly worries about her children's future and does all she can, together with her husband, to provide the best for their seven children, one of whom is attending university.

Elias, whose "godmother" is a colleague of mine, came over running to show me how well he was doing at school ... and proudly held a notebook to show me his handwriting, (which I felt I had to photograph so as to later show Gabriela, his "godmother").

Elias holding his note book for me to see his handwriting (Left). Detail of his handwriting exercise (Right).

Prior to walking back to the village I climbed up to the open part of the roof where they dry the corn and gather other cereals (amongst other things)  to see about Leidina, whose "godmother" is also a colleague of mine (Carla Oliveira) and there she was quietly playing and behaving as if she were older ... (she is only three).

Leidina

(To be continued)