Sunday 20 March 2011

Calheta de São Miguel, Cape Verde - The morning of the fourth day (Cont.)

Calheta de São Miguel, Cape Verde

Tuesday, 8th of March 2011
"The development of the Portuguese Language reading and speaking skills"
10H00/midday

We have today continued with the reading of the story and have had our first "test" of the difficult words. As it is Carnival and two of the girls from Veneza are not present I don't want to further "advance" without them, so I  have decided to discuss the story we have read so far asking them which they feel will be the final outcome and then let them colour some of the already read pages.


Colouring the pages (with Beat in the background).




The Theatre group
midday/01H00 PM

Not every "actor" showed up on time, as the timetable was changed, but not to misuse the "precious" time we need to get it prepared, the actors switched roles and  so we rehearsed the piece without too many problems. I was extremely surprised with the fact that everyone seemed to know what was to be said and when, which means they know the theatrical piece from inside out, which  in turn will help them to act the way I need them to.

The Carnival parade

Soon after lunch, following an idea Gehrard Schellman had launched earlier in the year, Carnival groups were to parade in front of the Schellman's in Carnival outfits,  dancing to original music played by themselves in what would be a Carnival parade competition, subject to an evaluation as in accordance to pre-defined parametres. Up to five prizes will be later awarded

We all gathered at the Schellman's esplanade anxiously awaiting the arrival of the potential "candidates" to the prizes. As the official "opening hour" approached we had the opportunity to watch what looked  and sounded like a fairly well organized group, whose elements were mostly Benedita's family members. I got so enthusiastic that I just filmed this first group, not having taken a single photo.

A second group, this time from the school was to follow, this time  headed by a few of the Escola Velhinho  Rodrigues' teachers (the headmaster included).


The second Carnival group.





As after the second group there was an elapsed time in which no other group paraded and having only part of the afternoon free before the English class Marie Hélène and I headed towards Veneza, so that I could show her a bit of the surrounding area, once we have mostly been at ADEC and the walking to and back from Sibylle's takes just a few minutes.

On the way to Veneza


The "ship building yard" under a tree on the way to Veneza (Left). Calheta de São Miguel bay (Right).

Veneza

The "new" High School (Left). The "old" remains of a building (Right).

Veneza is something of a  "ghost" like city, if we move inward, as most of the houses are uncomplete and  the greyish colour of the  bricks is somewhat "frightful" ... nevertheless the joy of the children does make a difference ... and before we headed back to Calheta, I called in at someone I had met in 2009, just to check how she was ... (the main  difference was the number of grandchildren she has now ... and she is younger than me!!! ...)



The English class group
06H00/08H00

I have today been told by some of the girls that because of it being "Cinzas" (Ashes day) tomorrow, which plays an important part in the family relationships, none of the girls will be around, so we have today started working on response "strategies" taking advantage of prompts. I have also handed them an extract on the musical achievements of an African musician, anticipating they might be asked some questions on the music and musical scenario in Cape Verde, as the wide variety of Cape Verdean musical genres is well known abroad and so are artists like Cize, Tcheka, Mario Lucio and others. The handed out text might eventually provide them with some ideas, to further expand from, and even adapt to the Cape Verdean reality.


I don't feel that tired today, but as I have a long day ahead tomorrow, I 'd better have dinner and go to bed afterwards ...








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