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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.
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| Made from tires |
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| On my walk today |
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| Flowers by the Maple Bear Jundiai sign |
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| Sidewalks in Valinhos |
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| Maple Bear Valinhos |
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| At horse park |
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| With Brutus, owner says he is a bleached blonde they use for wedding pictures. |
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| Guinea Fowl down the road. I want some. |
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| Road on way to horse park |
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| Walked down here |
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| Beautiful horses. |
