It is so hard to believe that in less than three weeks I will be home...this time has gone so quickly in some ways yet it does feel like home here and it is become very difficult to say goodbye. I have one week left here in Cascavel so have been doing a Danny Wallace and saying YES to just about everything.
Since I last posted I have started attending Tango classes at New York School....these are a lot of fun and reminded how much I missed dancing. Also been helping Teacher Angelica and joining in some of her dance rehearsals for the New York School Festival in September. I wish I could be here to see it! I think I will definately have to come back. Teaching there was also great the last few weeks though I officially finished on Saturday :( Did some debating lessons and created a (rather amazing) quiz on Britain complete with music round, picture round and general knowledge. Definately going to miss some of the students I have befriended :( Thank goodness for the internet and being able to stay in touch!
Eledoro classes also ended last week, but had fun class parties with games, puzzles, chats, watching movies. One class had baked me a cake and another bought me some flowers and a card. Felt very loved! Some of them will still be studying there when I (hopefully) return in 4 years so I might be able to teach them again yay. Was impressed by how much they learnt in a relatively short period of time and felt very happy when some of them said I was the best teacher they had ever had.
In my free time I have had probably my most exciting weekends EVER!!!! Last saturday I visited Argentina, Paraguay and saw the Iguacu Falls...all in one day! Yes. Was incredible. The waterfalls were more stunning than anything I have seen in my life, I was literally blown away. Gabi and her sister said I was acting like an excited toddler, "ooooh look here", "oh my god look that that" and snapping photos the entire time! I had no idea just how huge they would be. Over 3km worth of waterfalls that we walked along for about 45minutes. My stupid clown grin didn't leave my face all weekend! Paraguay was also interesting....crazy...but interesting. There were literally thousands of Brazilians walking across this bridge into Paraguay at 8am just to go shopping (the taxes there are MUCH lower so everything is dirt cheap). I didn't end up buying anything, but was happy to be there to soak up the atmosphere. People throwing socks in my face asking me to buy them as well as one man selling musical condoms (how does that even work??)....was an experience I will never forget although I am glad for the Eden Centre now!
This weekend was my goodbye party at New York School...and what an emotional night it was :( Started with Immersion (this is something they do every year where students come for two hours and play games and chat in english)....Gabi and I set up our room like an English Summer Fete with country dancing, hoopla, guess the number of sweets in the jar and competitive team games. We had a lot of fun and most of the students seemed to too. After was a huge dinner with so much pizza for students AND staff. I got to chat to loads of people and was so proud of myself for holding myself together despite hundreds of "we'll miss you" and "we love you"s. But (typical lottie!) couldn't hold in the tears for long and when Denise presented me with a Brazilian flag embroided with a message from all my colleagues I cracked. The tears only getting worse when a few students took the microphone to also say some things about me. Really made me feel a part of the school and that I had been truly appreiciated there. I had THE most amazing time teaching and I cannot believe that I have to leave already.
Yesterday was also incredible. I went with Gabi's family to watch their football team (GREMIO!!!!) at the clubhouse for the fans in this city. Was so cool! The whole room was decorated in the team colours of blue and white and tonnes of people had come to watch the game on the big screens dotted around the room. I have never been that interested in football...but it is so hard not to be passionate when surrounded by fans like this so I got VERY into it!! At halftime I was presented with a team shirt and a clubhouse shirt as well! Am now an official member of their club...YAY. Their only request was that I sent them a picture of me wearing it by Big Ben!
Got tonnes of plans for this week. Saying goodbye to different groups of people, PACKING, planning my trip to Rio :) Then the next part of my adventure begins......
email me lottiebarker@btinternet.com
love as always xxxx
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