On the way to Cape Verde - Praia, Santiago island; Calheta de São Miguel children's Carnival parade - The 24th (evening) and 25th (morning) of February 2017

My Cape Verdian "adventure" started long before the actual trip to the island of Santiago, but as the flight was getting nearer so was my anxiety, particularly because of the overweight, which I eventually managed to evenly distribute between Noëlle and my own bags, having therefore (with a little help from a friend, I must confess) been able to take it all with no apparent problems.

 

We reached Praia at around two in the morning and to our surprise went through customs with no difficulties. We checked in at Residencial Santa Maria, gone three o'clock in the morning and were given a rather special bedroom with Nho Antony Denti d'Oro (a well known musician), whose image overlooked our double bed. I felt honoured to be in such company, even if it wouldn't last but for a few hours once we were expecting the bus provided by the Mayor of Calheta de São Miguel to drive us there very early in the morning. 

As we were waiting for the transport the following morning I noticed the Hotel administration had changed quite a few of the entrance hall paintings, having added a tapestry representing the "batuko" dance. 

We ended up having to hire a taxi to take us to Calheta due to a misunderstanding regarding our arrival. We were lucky to have found a taxi that risked taking us and such a huge amount of baggage though, otherwise we wouldn't have made it in time for the children o Calheta's Carnival parade.

Mafalda Duarte, being the head teacher of the local school held the children till we arrived, so we were able to follow the parade right from its beginning. The theme was around the children's human rights  - from being entitled to medical assistance (the children in nurse-like apparel) to food (children dressed up in red and green, as well as yeallow and green depicting vegetables and fruit and culture (the ones dressed up in traditional costumes). 

Among the young children participating in the parade I tried to locate some of the ones I know and was taking presents to, such as Ismael, Herber, Adilson, Edeson, Aniza, Leidina, Elizandro, Lara and Joel. They seemed very proud of what they were doing and I was really impressed by their parade and dancing skills.    

Mafalda Duarte

Aniza (left) and Herber (right).

Ismael and Jamilson (left). Jamilson (right).

Ismael 

Leidina (last on the right )

Joel (second on the right).

Edeson (first on the left).

Elizandro (left) and Herber (right).

Lara.

As the parading groups made it onto the main road heading towards Veneza village (to further come back, which would take around two hours), Noëlle and I decided we had seen enough and got back to the pension, we had left the luggage at, so as to check-in and start unpacking the presents for the children and have them organised by gender and age groups ready for the afternoon distribution. 

We were very impressed with what we saw and the work which must have undoubtedly been carried out behind the scenes prior to te actual parading stage. 

My beloved Faro students (cont.) ...

... The Refresher courses continued in the following days and so did the encounters with the numerous students I feel for ... The tiring sequence of daily sessions didn't make me feel less committed than I was at the beginning of the week.

Their enthusiasm led the way ... I just followed suit. Overlooking the airport layout from the classroom within the Tower seemed to reinforce the importance of the ongoing Aviation oriented English lessons.

 

João, Anabela, Helder, Caldeira, Alvarenga, Neto, Cláudia, Geraldes and Nelson (from left to right).

Francisco, Dowling, Claudino and Peixoto (from left to right).





I must confess I did enjoy  these four days and feel that despite the "light" joyful type of approach to the Aviation oriented language we managed to revise and "cover" quite a lot, as well as further develop language strategies, so as to better express ourselves.

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 ...