In recent years, it has become a tradition for us to start the new school year with a special week. This first week of school helps teachers and students to get in touch with each other in a different way than on normal school days and get to know each other more deeply.
We use this time, among other things, to ask the children what they want to learn and do in this school year and why they want to do it.
We spent our first day of school in the 2019/2020 school year together with the kindergarten kids. Together we did a little walk into the neighborhood. It was nice to see how the older children took care of the younger ones. The kindergarten children were delighted to be able to walk with the “big ones”.
The next day we drove to Milfontes from where we started our canoe trip. An unforgettable adventure. Two, three or four people sat in the canoes. It was important to get atuned with each other, to get into the same rhythm and to keep the direction. What makes a good team? Which task do I take on? What fits more for me, the powerful rowing or steering? What else would I like to learn? We were faced with these and other questions on our canoe trip. It was very interesting to hear from each other afterwards. Every child and every adult has reached a limit while paddling, which had to be overcome.
Thanks to the flood, we have been driven up the river. Only that alone was a spectacle. In addition, the beautiful Alentejan nature around us. Sometimes we became still and listened to the silence and the gurgling river. “Water is live”: everyone could feel it. Out of gratitude and as a thanksgiving, we sang water songs and consciously sad thank you to the water.
Tired but very proud we arrived in Odemira after two days and 31 paddled kilometers.
We would like to thank Anke Ruschhaupt and Ecotrail for the equipment and the financial support, a big thank you also to all the parents who have made this trip possible with their donation.
We look forward to an adventurous and educational school year.
