Our day started, as usual, in the breakfast room, as we dashed and drifted in and out, preparing for another work day. Marcia and I set out for Bento de Jesus Carala Escola at a leisurely pace strolling in and out of shops in route to our professional school work-site. Phyllis joined us at the school and in the classroom with our mentor and sweet teacher, Dulce Marques introducing Phyllis to a usually rapt cadre of students.

Our students were animated as the English speaking lessons on proper sentences ensued. Marcia and I assisted by coaching pairs of students who ranged in age from 16 to 18. As class ends the students pose with us for pictures. It’s a happy class and a happy day!

As we join our Global Volunteer colleagues at the Capitol Café for lunch, the village nature of Beja is ever more apparent. Some of our classroom students are at the café, as is “Professor” Carlos, too, to offer his Global Volunteers support. Pedro from the library has joined the tables, eager to practice his conversational English. Familiar faces are all around as we greet, meet and eat across cultures.

Late afternoon brings leisure time to meander and for Marcia and me, a 4pm. Conversational English with Katarina, the granddaughter of Barbara, our hotel owner. Katarina is an eager learner – such a contrast in motivation from some of our vocational students.

After a busy week, we are seemingly ready for a break from the routine, with some showing up an hour early for dinner. Dinner is worthy of an early start. Who would think Black Pig on a stick could be so delicious? And the restaurant soenchanting!We are happy campers as we stroll home, and go off to bed. Sweet dreams, my friends.

We volunteers continue to travel in various directions, off to our assigned schools in Beja and beyond. Some need to arrive by 8:15 am, while others don’t start teaching until 3:00 pm. In spite of our diverse schedules, we are a very harmonious group of 13, and enjoy catching up with
each other at meal times.

Something new for Global Volunteers in Beja is the addition of conversational English classes at IP Beja, the polytechnic university. Keith and Janice teach two classes with up to 30 students in each. The Intermediate-Advanced and Pre-Intermediate classes are comprised of students, former students, community members and IP Beja staff members. The support for this new program has been excellent, with daily meetings with International Language Directors Maria and Joao. They enthusiastically welcome the new courses which were designed in coordination with Global Volunteers. Maria and Joao are eager to supply anything the teachers may need, including copies, a laptop and projector for instruction

While brand new, the program at IP Beja appears to be having an impact. Each day you can see the confidence level of the students rise as they are more and more comfortable with the English language. And other students not currently in the program are already asking how they can sign up for the next session in March 2012.

Another day in beautiful Beja and team 10 will scatter to our varied assignments. Trains, buses, and sturdy feet propel the Global Volunteers on their mission to wage Peace and Social Justice. Peggy and I help promote on the train to Cuba where we confirmed that research shows Cuba, Portugal was the birthplace of Christopher Columbus!!

Our school has primary through 9th grade classes and today started with a small group of 3rd grade students who reviewed their counting skills by making a tally of the tables (14) and chairs
(27) in the classroom. They then learned to identify the pencil, its home the pencil case, the rubber and the pen. One boy observed that the pencil used to live at the Stationery Store. The fifth graders have a better understanding but appear a bit shy about speaking. Questions are
numerous showing great curiosity if not always in English.

We had another wonderful lunch with the Director and a few of the teachers. This is very convivial time with easy questions from us and them. We’ve been invited on a tour of Cuba Monday afternoon and a meal of wild rabbit at someone’s house. This should be a memorable event that strengthens the friendship growing between us.


Dinner was a great mix of pizzas and fun conversations. We close another day with a sense of well earned sleepiness and possibly dreams of great adventures to come.

Our second day in the schools of Beja and outlying municipalities was filled with activities of engagement. The volunteers actively worked to engage the students and teachers in their respective educational settings with introductory conversational English speaking opportunities.

At the vocational-technical school, Joanne and Marcia enticed reluctant speakers and interested students, focusing on the topic of environment, to converse in English.

At the Escola Secundaria com 3 Ciclo D Manuel 1 de Beja, Constance and Judy mentored and facilitated students to reflect on factors they deem significant when submitting applications for employment. They engaged students in a written exercise to compare and contrast approaches and strategies used to enter the work force in the United States versus Portugal.

Transported by train, Tim and Peggy went to the municipal school in Cuba. Upon arrival they
received an introductory tour of the school. Both teams taught classes engaging the students in conversation about the United States, after a preliminary introduction about their personal
backgrounds. Both were enlightened with the ways of the school and socio-cultural differences between the urban versus rural settings. In addition, they were treated like royalty to a sumptuous gastronomical noon meal delight.

An adventure in orienteering prefaced Kathleen A.’s day as she circuitously made her way to the Escola de Santa Maria on a timely basis. She, also, promoted student conversational English. Kathleen A. met many motivated teachers excited about the united effort to meld an effective
educational curriculum for the EU Program.

At the Poly-Technical University, Janice and Keith provided their students with a “high tech” presentation of their students’ requested topics. They prefaced their session with introductory information about themselves and their background.

Off to Vidigueria, on the school bus, were Joanie and Beatrice. At their school, in an outlying municipality from Beja, they worked with students provided with alternative educational learning tracks. They found the students to be very respectful, and all were proud of
their beautiful community and local museum.

At the Escola de Santiago Maior in Beja, Brenda and Kathleen provided conversational English experience in a multi-level Portuguese class. They also team taught a delightful group of twenty-four students at the eighth grade level. These eighth grade students were not only engaged, but enthusiastic to converse. They were observed to be extremely supportive of their fellow classmates struggling to respond in English.

All in all, the day was full of varied experiences culminating with a half-hour of intense basic Portuguese language lesson provided by Joachim Mosca, wrap-up meeting session with Phyllis, journal reading/thought of the day and wonderful meal at our local Beja restaurant, Pastelaria Café bar A Merenda.

The team met at the library this morning to receive our work assignments. Most of the folks left with someone but Bea and I were told that tomorrow we will ride the school bus to a nearby village so what to do? We returned to the hotel and dug into the teaching materials in the meeting room.

At the daily meeting Kathleen and Connie presented the daily thought and then team members discussed their day. Peggy and Tim will be taking the train to Cuba each day. Keith and Janice
will teach 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. Brenda will work at the library. Judy and Connie, as well as, Kathleen and Tim, spoke about the schools they visited as did Joanne and Marcia. Our other Kathleen also shared her day.

It feels like the first day jitters are decreasing and team members are looking forward to tomorrow!

UP early! Breakfast at 6:30, check-out at 7:00, 5 taxis at 7:15, and onto an 8:15 bus to Beja. We're on our way! Anticipation grew as we watched the passing countryside. After checking in at the lovely Residencial Bejense, we began orientation. More lengthy introductions were made. Our group has diverse backgrounds and experiences but all with the common thread to provide service for others. Phyllis addressed important issues with the group - What will it be for dinner - grilled fish or black pig on a stick? After lunch, she focused us on setting our goals and I think by the end of this important exercise, we were all pleased with the final product.


Dinner was great - a wonderful variety of meats, fish, and salad with portions big enough for everyone to taste and share. Before heading off to sleep some of us toured each other's rooms. Each one is quaint and unique in its own way. BUT did you know that Marcia and Janice have not one but two balconies? One in the sleeping area and one in the bathroom - very chic! I'm sure we all fell asleep excited to meet the teachers on Monday, learning our assignments and getting started on the mission that brought us to Beja.

Boa
noite.

Beja Portugal an enchanted city

Saturday was the day that everyone made their way to the Trype Oriente. Some had been in Lisbon for a few days and the rest arrived throughout the day. After settling in, some took walks while others rode the cable cars and took tours. At a lovely buffet dinner, we officially briefly introduced ourselves. What a well represented group! From the east coast to the west, from the northern Midwest to Texas and all the way to Hawaii…and an experienced GV group as well. I'm anxious to see what the tally of years adds up to. Not many lasted long after dinner since we had an early rising in the morning.