I read that title and feel like I might be betraying people who are reading this because this post has nothing to do with chocolate (but maybe before we leave Portugal it can).
We are back at UTAD and happy to be reunited, but it tugged at our heart strings as we were forced to say thank you and good-bye to our new friends and families.
Let me back up to the beginning of the day. Jennifer, Linda, and I started by touring some amazing sites with Ellen, including a theater that has been completely renovated, little shops, and cathedrals.
Virginia and her husband joined us for a tasty lunch on the square at a restaurant that is built over Roman ruins. Paulo, Virginia's husband, said that this is not uncommon, that each time they dig to build something they find Roman walls. To preserve this specific find, but allow the restaurant to be built they installed a glass floor that allows you to look down and enjoy the history. Paulo said it is a problem especially when they want to put in an underground parking garage because every time they dig they find something like these walls. This country must be an archeologist's dream.
We soaked up a little more culture and continued practicing the Portuguese Healthy Lifestyles initiatives by walking and climbing up steps. I am sure we came down from all the up hill walking we did, but I am not sure when.
Ellen and Virginia drove Jennifer, Linda and I back to Vila Real tonight. The entire group along with our hosts ate dinner at a restaurant located in a local palace. The food was wonderful and the conversation was full of laughter, and stories of our stays. It is very easy to see that these past few days have had a profound effect on all of us and touched us all in ways we never expected. As we said goodbye to our hosts and returned to the dorms our mood is growing a little more somber. We will miss these people we had never even heard of three days ago and all the history, knowledge, and culture they have shared with us.
Tomorrow morning we will work with our team to prepare a presentation about the organization we visited and share what we learned. In the afternoon we will share the information with the group and representatives from UTAD, and hopefully share a few local pastries that we brought back as well.
Tomorrow I hope to be able to post something with each team's thoughts about their home stays and what they learned, as well as links to the photos they took on their visits. Please keep sending comments, we really enjoy reading them and it is nice to know that we can share this experience with you.
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8 comments:
Bittersweet here too.
Good that we don't need to say goodbye again soon. It got harder each time we did it.
Now it's time to start thinking of excuses for Virginia, Lara and I to visit North Carolina.
More hugs
Paulo
Patricia and I visited Paulo, Julia, Isabel and Peter. It was truly a
wonderful experience and we have four new friends. Our stay was in Viseu
and and travel everywhere. I feel like the words of Martin Luther King,
Jr., "I have been to the mountain top." We really did go to the mountain
top to look down on villages, see a cathedral, view windmills and visit
goat farms. It is a breathtaking view. While were are from different
countries we are still alike. We may have a different culture and
different languate, but the same issues and discussions are being
discussed and dealt with. One must take off the lenses we have been
prescribed through our experiences and take on a new prescription inorder
to fully understand others and increase our awareness of others. When we
do that we truly will have 20/20 vision.
Reba
It´s obvious from the passionate discussions and the non-stop stories of adventures with the various families that the home stays have been a wonderful success. Looking forward to learning all the details!! Can´t wait to see all the great photos posted from the various visits!
Bittersweet is very true! Not only for our fantastic homestay in Torre Moncrovo. Cathy and I had the pleasure of studying about Duro Superior Association. Their focus is Community Rural Development. We call it CRD in Extension. Iledio, Anabela, Suzanna and Catrina made our experience WORTH telling others about. I cannot wait to go home to share and enhance the information in connection to Franklin Co. Ag. Tourism program. Thanks again Artur and Tim for making the BEST connection with our NGO Duro Superior.
Obrigada,
Crystal M. Smith
I truly feel like I have new family members in Portugal. I must publicly thank our host families for making me feel as such! I look forward to seeing them again soon. It was too hard to say goodbye.
Shea Ann is right about the "deja vu" thing. The programs we visited with Ellen and Virginia
gave us a chance to reflect on the simularity to our daily workplace. It did my heart good to see the excitement in the childrens faces when they saw Ellen and Virginia walk in. They couldn´t wait to tell them everything they were doing. It definitely reminded me of home.
Paulo & Virginia...Give Lara a hug and tell her to practice that immitation of the Americans...she is so cute!
Linda
This experience has been outstanding. I had the opportunity to travel to
another country, which was a first for me, and learn about another
culture. They told us that Portugal is about the size of Indiana and I
truly feel that I walked over the entire state up every staircase in the
country. Shea Ann, Linda and I had the distinct pleasure of visiting
Virginia and Ellen in Braga. These two women have magnetic personalities
and truly care about the people within their communities. Within
Cooperative Extension and 4-H, we sometimes get so caught up in the
politics within our communities or funding sources that we forget about
the people. These two women took us to around Guimaraes to show us their
organizational sites and programs. It was an eye-opening experience and I
hope that I can bring back some of their culture and their ideas and their
heart to my own program. Muito Obrigado (Thank you very much) to Ellen and
her family and Lolli (their dog) and Virginia, Paulo and Lara, the future
1st Portuguese 4-Her, as well as Claudia. You each will hold a special
place in my heart and I truly hope to see you someday in North Carolina. I
can´t wait to introduce you to some of our escadas (stairs)!!!
- Jennifer
I am so glad that ya'll got to go to Portugal and gain so much knowledge and made new friends. Maybe one day they can come and visit our state and learn about our 4-H program.
I feel touched by all your comments of appreciation of your visit to Portugal, all the friends you have made, and the good experiences ... I was glad Dale and Harriet challenged me and Tim to host you, deas NCST 4-H people! We told you your hme stay host would be wonderful people you would love! And we were right! They are among the best doing community development in Portugal!!
artur
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