We Have Planted the Seeds for the Growth

Since I do not interact with many of you during my teaching day I will tell of some of my experiences working in the schools in Vidigueira. There is a Basic and a Professional school. Michelle and I are a team and board the school bus each morning at 8:15 and arrive around 9:00 – Approximately a 45 minute ride, depending on rain or if a tractor is traveling in front of us. We have been trying to create a foundation and structure for future Global Volunteers. Since these schools have not heard of us or have had any type of this program they are excited to learn.

Some of my challenges are converting Military time to standard time. I changed the schedule on paper for me to understand easier but in our hasted both of us overlooked the time and thought we had only 30 minutes for lunch. We ate fast and walked from one school to another. When we arrived to teach we were out of breath. The principal, Elisabeth Santos Rosa, told us we were an hour early. That was not a good lunch day. We finished our lunch at a pastry shop with dessert and coffee. An hour later we were relaxed and ready to teach. The afternoon was very productive and the students were anxious to have us.

Michelle and I are also privileged to be guests of Jorge Salvador, the tourism director for the village. He is so excited to speak to us in English and in exchange shares his culture with us in various ways. We have seen ancient Roman ruins, a traditional bread bakery, eaten at small home town cafés with traditional food, toured the museum when our schedules at school were not yet established. We have had a lot of laughs.

It is a long day for Michelle and me. The rewards are satisfying and I hope our efforts will benefit future teams and that we have planted the seeds for the growth of Global Volunteers in Portugal.

– Idella

Thought of the day:

If today you do your best, nine times out of ten you are doing more than most people.