30 Things to Do in Salvador
1. Pelourinho on a Tuesday night
2. Buy soccer jersey
3. Beach!
4. Run along beach
5. Find a park and picnic
6. Cook seafood
7. Samba class
9. Portuguese class
10. Pretend fieldtrip through Salvador with little nuggets
11. Caipirinha
12. Caipiroska
13. Modern Art Museum
14. Historic Center
15. Watch sunset at café
16. Watch sunset at lighthouse
17. Complete mural on 3rd floor
18. Buy earrings for Allegra
19. Powerpoint lessons
21. Rio Vermelho
22. Igreja Sao Francisco
23. Bale Folclorico da Bahia
24. Nosso Senhor do Bonfim Church
25. Market
26. Eat green corn ice cream
27. Dique de Tororo
28. Elevator Larcada
29. Pierce my nose!
30. Try that weird cheese stick stuff
This
post marks the last time I say Oi and Tchau from Salvador, Bahia, Brazil!
So
sad to leave such a beautiful, warm, and friendly environment behind as I
return to the U.S.A. Today at school, I almost broke down as the children
presented me with a card and star earrings. The card read "Arlene, Time to
Say Goodbay. We will be friends forever. We love you Arlene". I brought
them a strawberry and creme cake (moranga) to celebrate the end of our
journey. You should have seen one of my favorite kids (due to his chubbiness
and chic red watch that he totally pretends to read) eat the remains of the
cake. He licked the plate clean...literally! I couldn't help but think of the
movie Matilda when that chubster
gobbles up that blood-infused chocolate cake.
These
kids are the cutest I have ever met, and I am not too sure how I am going to
get through next week without them saying "Chee-ah!" or "Taank
U". I will also miss practicing my soccer juggling skills with them at
recess. I wish I could take the kids home with me. I will have to figure out a
way to visit them next summer! Pamela, the naughtiest of the bunch, started
crying when I said "No mais...fin". I think she was the only
3-year-old that realized this was my last day. It broke my heart to see her
this way, because usually she is tough and just loves to spit on people. The
teachers were really sweet and thanked me for all I had done.
On
Wednesday, I presented my findings on the Brazilian education system. I
discussed the guidelines that stemmed from the 1988 Constitution and the 1961
National Educational Bases and Guidelines Law; they overlap in some ways and
clash in others. I talked about the tiers of education: infant (optional),
fundamental, intermediate, and higher education and the different criteria for
entrance into the next stage. As a future teacher, I outlined the process of
both obtaining and maintaining a teaching certificate. Then, I mentioned an
article I read in The Economist. I
spoke about how the education system has gone from "disastrous" in
2000 to "very bad".
Since
other volunteers were present to see what I had accomplished during my
internship, I shared with them the powerpoint presentation lessons I used to
teach the children some vocabulary. I
also shared my lesson plans and experience with the students at Portinari
Colegio Candido, using much of my blog entries (thank you, Jing!). This
was my first presentation that consisted of 44 slides...boy, did I need water
after 30 minutes!
So,
since it's my last day, I am going to chill on the beach. Other than bumping
into potential husbands--clad in speedos-- and soaking up the Brazilian sun, I
kind of want to get my gym, tan, laundry on! I will stay until 5
so that I can watch the sunset at the lighthouse. Then, I will proceed to
finish the lighthouse mural upstairs. For the night, I will go see the ballet
that everyone is raving about! In the night, Ashley, Talia, and I will live it
up in Rio Vermelho one last time! There is where it all begin...the craziness,
the laughter, the samba sounds. All MUITO BOM (very good) things must come to
an end...
Muito
prazer (Pleasure to meet you), Mr. Brasil; mutio obrigada para todos!
Arlene
P.S.
I spent an hour trying to add in some powerpoint slides and pictures
but for some reason this blog website was resistant to visuals this time
around....Desculpe!
No comments:
Post a Comment