Happy Pink Saturday!!!!!
and most important,
go around and leave a comment or two,
let them know you were there.
So now to my post.
My youngest daughter won a teaching award this year.
And that meant that she was able to go to Brazil to learn about the educational system there. A wonderful opportunity. She has been asked to write about her opportunity and has given me permission to share a part of it here. Thanks!
This summer I had the amazing opportunity of traveling to Brazil. The goal of our group was to create our own global perspective by
learning about a culture other than our own.
We visited four schools, two in Sao Paulo and two in Rio. Each
school had a unique partnership with a local business. In Sao Paulo we saw a
high school and an elementary school, and in Rio we went to a technology high
school, and then a middle school. At each school we watched instruction, talked with teachers and students. In the
high schools we were lucky to have students that spoke English and who could answer our questions. When we went to the Elementary school in Sao
Paulo, we had three older students who translated for us. In the
elementary school, the students allowed us to be a part of their classrooms.
While we traveled in Brazil, the people were in the middle of protesting. It was interesting for us. At the high schools
we were able to talk with the students and get their take on the national
protests. These 16 and 17 year old students talked to us about how empowered
they felt protesting, and getting a chance to ask their government to give the
people more. They specifically wanted to know where their tax money goes, and to know why
their schools go without.
Part of the journey journey included learning about the Brazilian
culture. We ate authentic and delicious food, attended the Afro-Brazilian
museum, we saw a neighborhood dance group and an adult dance troop. We visited
local monuments, went to the top of Sugar Loaf Mountain and Christ the
Redeemer.
A major highlight of the trip was Meninos de Morumbi, a performance
group from the Morumbi Neighborhood. An amazing man, Flávio Pimenta started
teaching the children in his neighborhood how to play music as a way to keep
them off the streets. Now he has 200 students that he works with, teaching them
to play music, dance and sing. When we met him he talked
about the importance
of providing his students with another choice, and showing them that they did
not have to sell drugs to survive.
He said that he sucks them in with music, and them
gives them values. He brought us up to the top floor where a few kids waited
for us. They performed two songs for us, it was overwhelming. You could see the
students pride on their faces, and the passion they showed as they performed. They taught us how to play the drums and danced. “We are a band now," Flávio
would yell as we completed a drum set together.
It was easy to see right away how he inspires passion and a love for music
in each of his students.
Such an awesome opportunity!
Misha
She had a wonderful trip.
Then one day in Rio,
she went walking alone,
she saw a park,
and in the park,
she saw four older men - 80+ years each,
one from Brazil, one from France and two Italians,
they were playing cards,
and asked her to join them.
She didn't understand all they said
but the Frenchman spoke some English
and she speaks some French
and
together
they played cards
for an hour
or two
and
the men
won.
But she had the most fun!
Can you imagine?
All the way
up
the
mountain
they
build.
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