How things are in Porto Alegre, the happy harbour

Things are going well here in Porto Alegre.

So, for those who haven't been up to date, am working for two months as a volunteer, teaching a class of Visual Expression here, including taking pictures and filming.

My classes are after a month already halfway through now, and we are finishing the part of taking and manipulating digital pictures. It has been great to see them snapping away and slowly developping an "eye" for it. Even on their blog, www.expvis.blogspot.com, one can see the evolution. So, we have been studying various subjects:

- a anti Bush protest march beginning of March here in Porto Alegre during the visit of the American President, of which the pictures then were published on Indymedia, an independent press agency, in Belgium as in Brasil

- portraits of students and their family, trying to capture a bit of the personnality rather than just having them look beautiful - and, well, of the teacher as well ;-)

- Sports: asked some of my collegues students from my capoeira class to pose in a park, showing some of the moves.

- Nature: three agronomes showed us the diversity in the 50m2 behind our library, as well as the center where they are trying to support agriculture and environment- we also filmed so hope this will soon be a little documentary and put it on youtube...

- Atmosphere: going to the most organised and "parkly" cemetary, Jardim da Paz


Anyway, and loads of other things. I most say my students are very eager to learn and experiment. We had three days of selection, with various types of candidates. We were looking for adolescents (15 to 22 y/o). Choosing was tough, as they all had different situations (do you take somebody with less of a feel for it but in a really desperate situation?), but I do feel we choose well. The group is great anyway, and we get to chat about all types of subjects. I just love it as well having to learn something so that I can teach it, best way. Yesterday I was exploring the editing program Pinnacle and making s short documentary of the plants in this particular region, and it is fun to do! Anyway, gotta run, and start my class again. This wasn't much, but at least you get an idea of what me and my students are up to! If you want to see more, just go to their blog: www.expvis.blogspot.com !

Beijos!

Beautiful people

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeHtuwsUeRw

Conto budhista

Os discípulos perguntaram ao mestre:

- Porque é que nos contas sempre histórias mas nunca nos explicas o seu significado?

E o mestre respondeu:

- Gostavam que alguém vos oferecesse uma peça de fruta e a mastigasse antes de vo-la dar?