Thursday April 10th
This morning we walked to school, appears some of the dogs
are getting to know us so they don’t bark as much. The house is a minimum 10
minute walk to school. In the morning
Nora taught a class and I was working on my last Brazil report.
The school is an amazing place, the students feel so loved
and they are always hugging their teachers, it is such a relaxed atmosphere.
Not what you would expect for a community of ‘at risk’ students. Nora has no
discipline problems what so ever for they are excited to learn. Each child has
a individualized learning program where they learn about what interests
them. They also are on a personalized time
line to complete their courses. The layout does not resemble any high school I
have ever encountered. It is on the second floor and there are two regular
sized hallways which branch out from the
entrance way where the secretary’s office is located. Something like a tuning
fork with a short stem. The classrooms
are the size of regular office rooms, not large classrooms. This location is
just one part, there is the Esquileta the elementary school, and another school
which we will visit Monday. Then there is the main office building. The whole
organization employs from 60-70 people and has so many partnerships and
alliances I can’t begin to understand it all.
When I came here I thought it was just one school but it is so, so much
more. They are enriching the lives of so many people.
In the afternoon we went to San Juan, to the main offices
and in the evening we went to the national Art Gallery/Museum to an opening of a
Smithsonian exhibit that Helvia, Alex, Justo and Anna Iris were invited to. It
was awesome, located in/near the Old San Juan fort. The reception was on one of
the balconies that surround the courtyard of the four-story building. The balconies
were all lit with blue and (maybe orange) lights. It was a fancy reception with a band, wine and
finger food. Later we all went to supper at a restaurant nearby. A wonderful
evening we were honored to be included in.
Pictures coming soon to go with this post. Connection too slow to send a lot of pictures.
