Teacherinegypt: Hello Valinhos

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It was a wonderful two weeks at Jundiai. As in the school before, very personable staff and administration, who were not only very kind to me but to each other and to the children. At Jundiai I was able to test a lot of students and teachers for the Irlen Syndrome. Found a high incidence….especially in teachers.

One teacher was able to read and comprehend so much more and is headache free for the first time in years. All she did was, when she reads/studies she uses the blue Irlen overlay. www.irlen.com

With the help of teachers I was able to experience a taste of the ‘real’ Brazil. We went out to listen to bands at 2 clubs. Both were very tasteful events with patrons behaving very well. No evidence of intoxication or bad behavior, but with tight, well controlled security. Both bands were awesome and to my surprise, most songs were in English.

Went out for supper with the owner and principal, committed educators and great people.

My hotel was walking distance from the school, just a 7 minute walk, no hills. Every day, saw the same dogs, roosters, flowers and watched the papayas ripening on the tree in a yard. The bottom one was ready to be picked when I left. I felt like reaching over and grabbing it.

The hotel food was a feast everyday, breakfast had an awesome array of pastries, bread, sweets, meat, cheese, fruit and eggs. Lunch at school was also excellent and then another party spread at the hotel for supper. Had to be careful or I’d need two seats on the plane to get home.

I brought my moose, bear, eagle and wolf puppets and used them a lot to talk to the children. I also took about 15 Robert Munch books and the kids were spell-bound when I read them. Enjoying the part of school that I loved...without long term responsibilities.

Packed up Saturday morning and was picked up by Alexandra from Valinhos. Went to lunch on Saturday with her and then I went walking. I found my way to school, .75 km as the crow flies. It’s down one steep hill, cross a bridge and then up another steep hill. A very nice small city, most of the sidewalks are paved with flagstones and a lot of the side streets with cobblestones. The roads are like roller coasters, up and down the hills, one after another. A great place for walking and I’ve put on a lot of kms despite the fact I kicked my closet door by mistake about 2 weeks ago and can still only wear Birkenstock sandals.

Today Sunday, I had breakfast in the hotel, pretty much the same as the other hotels and Thias called me and I went with her to her riding lesson. I wandered allover the place for an hour. Amazing place, makes me want to get a tiller out and start planting. Beautiful horses, lush vegetation, flowers every where, Guinea hens and chickens all over and all kinds of birds. Saw two big parrots and lots of eagles soaring in the sky. The trees are loaded with every colour of flower. I do believe this must be the garden of Eden. I even saw a pomegranate tree in someone’s yard on the way to school.

Had lunch Sunday afternoon with Thias and Alexandra from Maple Bear.