My beloved Faro students ...

Having to professionally travel from North to South ... and sometimes beyond mainland Portugal can be a tiring experience and particularly so if one has to teach all day long and still have to make reports throughout the night, but having the opportunity to  revisit places, like Faro I used to come regularly to (many years ago) or deal with students I've met at different stages of my professional life is the positive aspect of the whole process. 

 

 

I reached Faro (by train) late in the afternoon and  took  a hotel as close to the airport as possible, so as to easily "embark" on the extra evening work without spending too much time moving about.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have had the first refresher group today and despite being exhausted (could I be getting older ?... or is it the ongoing work finally cathing up on me, I wonder ...) I feel happy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saboga, Ana, Raminhos, Rui and Marco (from left to right). 

 

 

 

 

It's undeniable that my students play a very important role in my life ... and will keep on playing whether I see them on a regular basis on not ... teacher-student bonds are very strong, or at least in my case they are ...  and I can't help thinking what it would be like had I not "got to know" them ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Calheta de São Miguel in Cape Verde solidarity project (cont.)

(...)

I am really astounded at the recent incoming suport for the project of Calheta. Not only have I had colleagues, as well as some of their family members giving me money to ensure the basic school needs of specific children (this being the case of a number of people from the company's Legal Department) are paid for, but also new clothes brought to me, so as to take for children of various ages (by two colleagues).

Lúcia Casqueiro's extra contribution

The biggest surprise came from a colleague, former student and therefore friend (whose identity I won't disclose, simply because I know she woudn't like me to), who wanted to sponsor my trip (which I naturally didn't accept, despite having felt speechless and extremelly touched with the gesture).

Every gesture counts and so does every cent put to good use. I can't help thinking how joyful and happy these children and adolescents will feel with the new clothes and the little gifts and toys. Most important of all is though that they  manage to be children in their own right and keep on attending school.

My sincere thanks to José Saragoça, Helena Mendes, Lúcia Casqueiro and her mother, Fátima Maruta and her daughter and Rita Timóteo for their support.



... I've flown away

" Se perguntares por mim, voei" (I've flown away ... should you ask after me ...) reads this note I came across and which my attention was drawn to ... I can't help feeling this might be the ideal sentence to use in rather specific cases, without having to fall into the typical "vulgar" sort of response ...

Calheta de São Miguel in Cape Verde solidarity project (cont.)

(...)

Two more children have got themselves school "godparents", as Rita Santo 's brother decided to help another girl (underneath on the right) and Cláudia Pimenta and her young daughters opted to help the girl on the left.

I've started packing the presents and getting things semi-organized today though I fear I won't be able to carry everything with me, despite counting on Noëlle's "available" weight. Amongst my several concerns regarding the trip I got some really good news as the new Mayor of São Miguel and I ended up talking to, thanks to my dearest friend Graça who then put me in contact with the city councilwoman who will ensure we get picked up at Praia and are driven to Calheta. 

My former boss's family let me know they'll "look after" yet another two small girls and hopefully help them through, once they start school in a few years. I was handed some presents for them which together with the presents I bought for those whom nobody had "selected" filled part of another suitcase ...

I may look rather calm on the outside but I am getting extremely nervous because knowing myself as I do, I'll have to work out a way to effectively take everything with "us", which at this moment in time seems impossible once I haven't been handed out half of what I should, so far ... together with the fact that Noelle and I don't know how it will be humanly possible to distribute what we have to for every child, being just two days and a half in the community of Calheta, with the meeting at the Council, the Carnaval parade, the trip to Assomada ... etc, etc. ...


May we be successful in achieving that and have "school godparents" and children alike happy ...

Calheta de São Miguel in Cape Verde solidarity project ...

Within a rather short period of time I have (almost unexpectedely, I must say) got the support of a few colleagues and their families in regards to the children of Calheta de São Miguel's project which helps the children in their basic school needs, as well as provides them with school material, clothes and a few toys, which Noelle and I will hopefully be able to transport onto the island.

Because of the ongoing work I don't feel I am as "organised" as I have been in previous years though I am happy to announce that  adding to the already existing list of a few hundred children the following ones will be supported as from this moment on by the marvellous people who have crossed my way and have joined the project.

Elsa Gomes and her daughters will look after these four children needs.

Lucia Casqueiro and her mother will be in charge of little Javison's family and the youngest little girl in the picture above on the right.

Isabel Pinto Bastos will be in charge of this little boy's needs.

Two of Beta's friends will be in charge of Jessica's youngest sister (above on the left) Dulcilinda's youngest brother (in the centre photo) and the young boy in the above photo on the right.

Manuel Santos' family will be in charge of the little girl (left) and Fatima Maruta the little boy (right).

Lena Monteny and her father will be in charge of these little girls  respectively.

Rita Santos and her family will be in charge of these children plus another child in need.

I have also been given money by Luisa Silva to "ensure" the school needs of 6 adolescents, as well as some by Mariana Carvalheiro and Azevedo for 4 other children, plus a huge bag of toys kindly provided by Rosarinho, clothes by Elsa Gomes and a number of goggles by Arlindo Santa to distribute to the boys who do diving to catch fish to sell in the community.

On behalf of the children of Calheta I would like to openly thank all of those who have been in the project for some time and welcome the ones who have recently joined in. May our joint efforts and good will provide these children with a better education and  allow them to be equally "children" (in their own right) who can finally read story books (not available in the community) and play with toys (still considered as non-necessary goods and almost non-existent on this part of the island). 

The latest book I have read ...

Despite having been initially hesitant as to whether I should buy the book on Van Gogh's ear cutting episode by Bernardette Murphy I must now admit that apart from being very compelling it did shed some light into not only one of the most controversial episodes related to the life of Van Gogh but also in regards to other details that may have been "misinterpreted" over the years, thus creating a myth that only such an intensive detective-like type of approach on the part of the author (may she be praised for the endless research years) could have brought a thorough revelation onto.

I feel this may be a very interesting and "eye opening" book not only for Van Gogh art lovers to read but just anyone, whether they are into Art or not.

I felt I knew quite a lot, not to say almost everything that there was to be known, about Vincent van Gogh, having previously bought most of the books written about him but the truth is there were questions I had never asked myself (nor even considered asking) about certain events that took place in his lifetime, which the author did as a starting point for her long quest ... a quest that provided "clearer" answers and interpretations to some of the reasons behind many of those.