sexta-feira, 30 de dezembro de 2011

The happiest place on earth is...

 The happiest places in the world  (Os 10 países mais felizes do mundo):
1º Norway (Noruega)                           6º Canada  (Canadá)         
2º Denmark (Dinamarca)                       7º Finland   (Finlândia)                 
3º Australia  (Australia)                          8º Switzerland (Suiça)
4º New Zealand (Nova Zelândia)          9º Holland   (Holanda)                  
5º Sweden  (Suécia)                               10º United States (Estados Unidos)                    
http://todaela.uol.com.br/comportamento/galerias/saiba-quais-os-10-paises-mais-felizes-do-mundo#6(in portuguese)
Photo by Verginia Veloso
 According to a research made by International Legatum Institute, all the Scandinavian countries are among the 07 firsts happiest places on Earth! But why do many people feel so satisfied and happy in the country where they live? Although the Viking countries have good beer, for sure, it's necessary a mix of many factors to make people very happy:
Australians said the main factor is the access to quality education, for Canadians is the efficient security and  high-quality education, Finland has the best income distribution in the world, besides one of the best educational systems in the world, New Zealanders also mentioned their freedom of expression, religion and political orientations, Danish citizens highlighted the business prosperity and economic stability, the same as their  Norwegian neighbors, plus the very low unemployment rate. Besides all that, mentioned or not, these countries have one important point in common: Education. It is the path that can lead to the achievement to all the other factors. When high-quality education is implemented, there is equality, dignity and prosperity.
Brazil got the 42º position. Are we happy? I think so, but for sure we could be happier! We are well known, all around the world, as a very receptive and warm people. It would be great if we also could be well known by our education in all levels! Ok, we do have some great schools and universities, but some is not enough! The education must be available for everybody who really wishes to be involved in the learning process. And these ones who aren't interested sholud be motivated to get and value the education which is provided to them! If it could be done, there is no doubt it would be easier to be happy...very happy!
And what about you...Are you happy? What do you think it would make our country one of the ten happiest places on Earth?

quarta-feira, 28 de dezembro de 2011

2012 - Make it meaningful!

"Old friends pass away, new friends appear. It is just like the days. An old day passes, a new day arrives. The important thing is to make it meaningful: a meaningful friend - or a meaningful day." Dalai Lama
I couldn't agree more! Now, just a few days to celebrate the New Year, it is always a good time to keep people busy!
Either they are busy because they are getting ready to the party (buying new clothes, some last-minute presents, packing for some trip, etc.) or they are busy because they take this period for a reflection about all that have happened during the year and mainly for what they do want to accomplish in 2012. 
Whatever is keeing them busy, Dalai Lama is right! It doesn't matter if it's a new year, a new day, a new friend...what really matters is what we do in all these opportunities to start again. Sometimes people get so worried about doing the right thing that they just miss the chance of enjoying the moment. It will be right if it's meaningful...meaningful for you! And although it seems simple, putting in this way, the real question is: what gives meaning to our life? A very successful carrer, a very happy family, getting around the world, helping others to find their meaningful life, a mix of all that...what? For sure, knowing the answer makes a great difference! Do you know the answer? Well, just another reflection at the end of the year!


segunda-feira, 19 de dezembro de 2011

National Cupcake Day - Part II

As I have said before, although December 15th is the American National Cupcake Day, I do like to celebrate it all the year!
Last post I shared some of the nice places I like to go to have delicious cupcakes but I forgot to mention another very charming place, in fact, I think it's the most charming of them.
It's a bakery in my hometown, São Caetano do Sul, located at 785, Piauí street - phone 4221-6866.  http://pt-br.facebook.com/pages/THE-BREAD/167388236664479
THE BREAD bakery has lots of all the good things we simply enjoy eating: delicious bread, special pasta (including the vegetarian option), great soups, a complete self-service breakfast service and, of course, cupcakes. Besides being so good (both: taste and decoration - check the photo), they are so nicely and beautifully packed that it's an excelent option for a present!
So, there are many places to go and try many different cupcake flavors. The only question to answer now is: what's your favorite place?

sexta-feira, 16 de dezembro de 2011

National Cupcake Day

What a sweet day! It was the American National Cupcake Day yesterday! Check it and many interesting food celebrations on: http://www.punchbowl.com/holidays/national-cupcake-day !
Although I enjoy celebrating it during all the year, yesterday and today I decided to give an extra enfase on the celebration by trying new flavors and sharing with you my favorite places to have a delicious cupcake. So, here you are:
- THE CAKE  Rua das Figueiras, 786, Santo André / Telefone: (11) 2669-3100 - The shop is absolutely beautiful! The most difficult part is to choose the flavor because all of them are amazing! I do like the Champagne and apricot cupcake! Just great!   http://www.thecake.com.br/
- MUNIK chocolates  Rua das Figueiras, 1989, Sto. André / Telefone: (11) 4421-6620 - Chocolate Cupcakes which are so nicely decorated!   http://chocolatesmunik.com.br/santo-andre/
LOVECUPCAKES by Maiara Telefone: (11) 8183-1825 - The passion fruit cupcake is a must! And it's so lovely the way she pack them! People at school really like them! Take a look at the photo!
Frosted Robin Cupcakes http://www.frostedrobincupcakes.com/ in the Seaport Village, a very charmng place in San Diego, California. Besides the absolutely goreous cupcakes, there are so many good teas that it's hard to choose one!
So, enjoy the Cupcake Day in a delicious way...places and reasons to do it we have! By the way, what's your favorite cupcake flavor?

quarta-feira, 30 de novembro de 2011

Christmas is just around the corner!

Just getting ready to celebrate Christmas! Browsing some pictures on internet, I choose this one as my wallpaper! I loved it because it's so traditional!
 I'd like to prepare my Xmas list based in the author Oren Arnold's quote:
“Christmas gift suggestions:
To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect.”

Besides all the gifts (books, a special dinner, cupcakes, a pic nic basket, etc), I think that Arnold's list is not a so easy job, I know...but I'll try hard to follow it. It will help me to remind the truly Christmas spirit!
And what about you, what else would you add to the list?


quinta-feira, 24 de novembro de 2011

What are you thankful for?

Thanksgiving Day!


How cool it is to have the opportunity of celebrating it! Today, Thanksgiving Day, my students (1st year of High School) will be doing their final English test. I included a small text in the test about the celebration, just to take them to a little reflexion (at least that's the idea, what a hope!).
But of course, I couldn't ask them to do it if I didn't do it by myself! So, when I start thinking of what I'm thankful for...lots of things come to my mind:
- being working
- a new job challenge to 2012 (fruit from the work done in 2011)
- my first trip to California
- finally being a student at USP (Saõ Paulo University)
And the list could keep going on and on! But when I think about what I am really thankful for...I can't help thinking of my family (my husband and my dog). I've been in many difficult situations during this year and all the time that it happened, a simple phone call to my husband (a much calmer person than me) was enough to make me see things clearly, what was essential to guide and help me to do the best I could. Luck? Destiny? Whatever it is, it doesn't matter..all that counts is the fact that I'm completely thankful for having them in my life because Douglas and Kika make it simpler and happier. What about you, what are you thankful for?

sexta-feira, 18 de novembro de 2011

"Should I Stay or Shoud I Go?


"Should I Stay or Should I Go" is a song by the English punk rock band called The Clash from their album Combat Rock and it was written in 1981.
Although the sign is neither about the band  nor about the song at all, I couldn't help it! As soon as I saw it I remembered the song! If it is the only entrance (according to it), how am I not supposed to enter? I really didn't understand it, but as it isn't the first thing that I don't understand and probably it won't be the last one, I guess the better I can do is keeping going ahead... a little bit hard but let's try!
By the way, isn't the song perfect to this situation?
" Should I stay or should I go now?
Should I stay or should I go now?
If I go there will be trouble
An' if I stay it will be double
So come on and let me know 
This indecision's bugging me"
It's funny how some moments in our day can make us remember things that even we didn't know we were still able to remember them! Love that moments! 
Anyway - if I should stay or if I should go - I would say BOTH! ...just depends on the moment (and maybe, the sign!).

quarta-feira, 2 de novembro de 2011

Como devemos lidar com a morte?

Luto, como lidar com isso?
Falar sobre a morte ou o luto pode não ser um tarefa muito simples, mas confesso que talvez possa ser mais simples do que esperamos. O assunto é complexo e querer abordá-lo em 50 minutos é no mínimo ousado! Mas foi isso o que aconteceu. No último "Halloween", nós (eu e os alunos do 3ºEM), tivemos uma aula sobre o tema "morte e como lidar com ela". Fiquei feliz com o resultado (obtive a devolutiva de alguns alunos) e embora a aula tenha sido especialmente cansativa e tensa para mim que estava conduzindo, foi também muito gratificante! Como diria Richard Bach - “Nós ensinamos melhor aquilo que mais precisamos aprender” – e não creio que tenha sido diferente.
Porém acredito que independente da crença de cada um, o importante foi a discussão gerada em torno da imagem, do estereótipo criado para a morte e como podemos modificar essa visão. Também discutimos sobre os ritos de passagem e o suporte que recebemos nas diferentes fases de nossa vida. Acredito ter sido relevante destacar que não estamos sozinhos e por isso mesmo, se lidar com o tema como a morte e o luto for algo difícil ou complicado em algum momento de nossas vidas, pedir ajuda pode ser de grande valia.
A profª Maria Helena Pereira Franco (veja vídeo abaixo) nos apresenta informações sobre a clínica da PUC que presta serviços a comunidade no atendimento a pessoas enlutadas. Finalizando, gostaria de citar o autor Allá Bozarth-Campbell: "A dor é suportável quando conseguimos acreditar que ela terá um fim e não quando fingimos que ela não existe." E como para tudo na vida há um começo e um fim, com certeza a dor também terá!

segunda-feira, 31 de outubro de 2011

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! And no offense to our Saci!


It's Halloween again! (Tks GOD). For sure it is one of my favorite celebrations!Today I started celebrating it with my students and later with my family. First of all, I believe I should make a point very clear here: celebrate Halloween at school is something that I do with my students under a strict cultural focus. There is no harm or offense done to any kind of religion. It isn't neither an magnification to a foreign country nor a disrespect to our culture. It's just a class to explain about the origin and the traditions of this celebration. Children and teens know about it because they heard about it in their private English school, some movies, tv series and so on. So, why not inform them about it?
I do like our culture and I really believe we must preserve, respect and transmit it...but I can't understand why one thing should cancel the other. I felt so much when I knew that October 31st was officially designated as a Saci Pererê's Day. If they decided to create a celebration to replace the other...I guess they've made a terrible mistake. The competition is unfair! We celebrate Brazilian Folklore in August and it includes Saci! Halloween is so much popular, all around the world! I think it won't work...children love to dress up as ghosts, witches and other characters. In my opinion, our lovely Saci deserves something much better than this! Anyway...our celebration at school was very cool! I also put a spell on the lollipops and everybody (I mean, my students) who is used to tell lies, had their tongues colored in blue! And I couldn't forget to mention my dear friend Valquíria (Biology teacher) who also understands that having some fun once in a while means no harm. Thank you Val!
 And just to end the day in a very good way, the celebration was with all my family(husband, brother, father, mother, nieces, sister-in-law)...and my nieces and I had a lot of Hocus Pocus and candies! And the best of all...respecting Saci and enjoying Halloween!

sexta-feira, 28 de outubro de 2011

"Don't judge the book by the cover" - the Zombie Boy

Picture from the site:http://www.gobeyondthecover.com/behind-the-scene.aspx
TODAY we had a very interesting class. We were talking about one of our booklet texts which had the title "Forever Young". We agreed that since the world begins, being forever young has been something desired by human beings. But our discussion was exactly the reason why people would like to live forever: it's just a matter of being physically young, the external appearance or it would be a desire of living longer and healthier? We thought that people are a lot more worried about how they look like than how their mind is being cared. We also saw the official video clip of the group Alphaville's song "Forever Young". In one of its verses they sang: "It's hard to get old without a cause!". I couldn't agree more. Getting old, for many reasons, can really be a hard process, but for sure it would be much harder if we didn't have a cause to fight for or to believe in.
I  got very happy because at the end of the class we watched a video that was made to advertise a cosmetic product and it made a reference of the old saying "Don't judge the book by the cover!". It was related to our text because we could conclude that people are really worried about their appearance because they are judged (and consequently they also judge others) "by the cover" and not for what they really are as a complete human being, which includes their personality, feelings and thoughts. So, the lesson was taught: "we must not prejudge the worth or value of something or someone,  just taking into consideration its outward appearance alone." So, all that I got now is the hope that the students have learned the lesson! Here is the link to the video. Watch it and tell me: How do you judge a book?

sexta-feira, 21 de outubro de 2011

"Morte e Vida Severina" - o muito do pouco! Teatro do EG

Hoje a noite mais uma vez fomos premiados com um espetáculo de encher os olhos, preencher os sentidos e tocar a alma! Nós já estamos acostumados a apresentações (montadas pelas profªs Verônica e Márcia) magníficas, mas essa de hoje, em especial, me chamou a atenção por alguns motivos e um que pretendo destacar.
Os alunos foram brilhantes: - impagável a conversa entre os coveiros (pra quem saiu do curso e foi direto, quase que eu pedi um pedaço do pão!)-lindíssimo o cenário e a poesia das "mulheres das janelas" - muito emocionante o diálogo entre o Severino e o Mestre Carpina, de fato algo para refletirmos quão importante a vida é - caprichado e de muito bom gosto todos os presentes confeccionados para celebrar o nascimento do filho do Mestre (deu uma vontade de levantar e contribuir com algo também), foi um momento muito festivo e o desejo era justamente de se juntar a festa! - assustadoramente bela e intrigante a aparição das ciganas egípcias.
Os figurinos eram de uma delicadeza tão sutil que sem dúvida foram um destaque a parte!
Porém creio que há uma relação muito direta entre a apresentação de hoje do grupo de teatro do EG e o dia a dia de muitos professores.  A peça nos mostra a realidade de um povo cuja vida não é fácil e do pouco que a terra seca tem a oferecer, eles aprenderam a fazer muito e isso permite a sobrevivência deles num lugar, que como diria o poeta, até Deus duvida. Num mundo acostumado a se divertir em 3D, o grupo nos trás a ousadia de uma produção com detalhes simples, mas são detalhes (como o figurino, o cenário) tão bem trabalhados que simplesmente fazem toda diferença e confere a peça um ar de espetáculo. O grupo trabalha durante todo ano e além das contribuições que recebem, eles utilizam recursos próprios para realizarem algumas etapas da montagem. Com vários professores não é diferente. Com o descaso que a nossa educação é tratada, muitos "mestres" precisam ir buscar onda não há e tirar da onde não se tem para poder realizar o seu trabalho. Na verdade,  eles, os professores e os alunos do teatro fazem aquilo que a já aprendemos: a vida imitando a arte e a arte imitando a vida! Novamente somos premiados com mais um exemplo genuíno de que quando talento e boa vontade se unem, tudo é possível! PARABÉNS e muito obrigada por mais esse presente.

sábado, 15 de outubro de 2011

Teacher's Day - questions and answers

I couldn't start this without saying a huge "THANK YOU" for all the the notes and messages I got from my students = the ones who are studying with me now and the ones who aren't, and I know some people would call them ex-students...but I do prefer, when I need to refer to them, just students. Once a student (at least mine), always a student, it doesn't matter if it's now, 10 years ago, or even the ones who will be one day, the ones that I have the opportunity to meet at the school and say: "Teacher, I'll have classes with you next year". In fact, I hope so, who knows? But one thing I know for sure, it's just (and exactly) because it that we can keep doing what we have done so far. It's because we have the great chance of knowing that our work, somehow (and believe, sometimes even we can't understand how) has touched somebody's life, in a positive way, that we keep going on. Sometimes we have the satisfaction of meeting some of our students and if we also have the chance to talk to them we can notice how they have improved  their lives, all the good things they have accomplished (studying, working, learning, sharing, etc.) and feeling proud is absolutely inevitable. Thanks God I have felt this many and many times! In one of them I was in a pub and then I heard somebody saying "teacher" and when I turned around it was two students who were there and called me to join to them.
It was such a nice surprise! They were talking and sunddenly I realized that I  had also been a teacher of the oldest brother of hers. Actually it has happened quite often lately, what made me think...maybe I have been done that for a long time! And then another student arrived and I felt so happy (and so proud) for being in the company of such articulated girls, that I really thought how lucky I was for being there (that moment) and for doing what I do.
Life has been so generous with me this year because it has given me so many unexpected and grateful meetings like this one.And I've already written about some of them in this blog. You know...I don't believe in coincidence, so it's funny and intriguing how it happens exactly in the moment that I'm questioning myself about what I've done. So, I like to think that it may be just "life" trying to tell me some answers. Actually it's much more than just answers...it's the inspirational and motivational reason...it's the reason why I'm still teaching. Thank you very much for "bringing" the answers when I most needed them! 

sexta-feira, 30 de setembro de 2011

Be Quick But Don't Hurry! Enjoy the end of the year!

Be Quick But Don't Hurry* is a quick read, a pretty good book and a different take on John Wooden's Pyramid of Success that he utilized in coaching the most successful teams in the history of college basketball (UCLA in the 60's and 70's.) This book reminded me about this period...the end of the year, the end of 2011.
Everybody wants to be successful and sometimes we feel like time is running and we still haven't made what we should (or want) to reach success! Well, first of all we need to find out our definition of success and then we work on it. Successful, to me, is being really happy, enjoying all the good moments of our life, with lots and lots of "great" (great people, great food, great places, great drinks, great whatever else it can bring).  It's the end of September and October is just around the corner... at the end of the year there is this syndrome of "what-I-have-done-so-far" and it's amazing how hard it is (for some people, let's not generalized) to recognise what they have accomplished so far! It's much easier to focus on what we haven't done than on what we have. Particularly I love the end of the year! "October, November and December" is the most festive trimester - Children's Day & Our Lady of Aparecida Day (in Brazil), my wedding Anniversary, Halloween, Thanksgiving, my birthday (and many friends' birthday), Christmas...so many reasons to have fun! I do worry about all the things that I want to accomplish during the year...and that's why I do work hard on the first three trimester of the year (and I also study a lot)...just to have a little extra time to enjoy all that the holiday seasons can offer...then I can (at least I try) enjoy all that slowly and always...being quick but not in a hurry! Indluge yourself too! Let's the fun begin!
*Be Quick But Don't Hurry, a book written by Andrew Hill and John Wooden.
http://www.amazon.com/Be-Quick-But-Dont-Hurry/dp/0743213882 

quinta-feira, 22 de setembro de 2011

Música para os nossos ouvidos - de qualidade e bem brasileira!

A música (assim como a arte) é imprescindível ao ser humano. A música tem a capacidade de alterar o nosso estado de espírito e nosso corpo reage às vibrações dos sons, trazendo beleza e harmonia para nossa vida. E como se não bastasse, várias pesquisas e artigos já demonstraram a importância da música (e das artes) no processo ensino-aprendizagem, pois quando bem trabalhada, a música desenvolve o raciocínio, a criatividade e outros dons e aptidões.
O matemático francês Joseph Louis Lagrange proclamou que trabalhava melhor ao som de música. A devoção profissional de Einstein para o violino é lendária.O químico americano Charles Martin Hall foi um pianista e tanto! O profº Wagner (química) e a profº Dilza (física) cantam maravilhosamente bem. O profº Felipe toca violão magistralmente. Exemplos é o que não nos faltam!
E hoje, na reunião dos professores (HTPC)do colégio EG, nós fomos presenteados com a apresentação do grupo de alunos que estudam música (vilão) com o profº Fernando Moura. O grupo a presentou a música "O mundo è um Moinho" do mestre Cartola. A apresentação foi muito bonita e ao final os professores reclamaram porque queriam ouvir mais...o que é perfeitamente compreensível...quem não gostaria de continuar embalado em um momento de poesia e beleza? Atendendo a pedidos, o aluno Eduardo Teruo fez uma outra apresentação da música Rebirth. Aos alunos Gabriel Ramos, Mariana Souza, Larissa Clemente, Isabella Alvarenga, Eduardo teruo, Guilherme Dosi, parabéns e muito obrigada por um momento tão único. Parabéns ao profº Fernando pelo trabalho desenvolvido ao longo desses 11 anos.   Dizem que a arte imita a vida. Na verdade eu creio que a arte dita a vida! Pena que nem todos percebem!Feliz daqueles que ouvem esse ditado e optam por seguí-lo.

sexta-feira, 16 de setembro de 2011

Que tal um "Personal Problem Solver" na sua vida?

Todos nós já enfrentamos alguns problemas em nossas vidas e muito provavelmente ainda vamos passar por mais alguns!
Como já foi dito antes, o problema mesmo é como nós lidamos com os "problemas", obstáculos, desafios que nos deparamos no nosso dia a dia. A maneira como "enxergamos" o problema pode fazer toda diferença na hora de trabalharmos na sua resolução! Também já foi afirmado que quando saímos de dentro da situação e passamos a analisar o problema com um "olhar de quem está de fora", a solução se apresenta de forma mais clara e rápida.
Confirmando essas afirmações, os pesquisadore Evan Polman e Kyle Emich, da Universidade de Nova York, fizeram uma série de testes e descobriram que somos mais criativos quando temos de resolver os problemas dos outros. Tudo por causa da chamada distância social. Portanto a sugestão é, se você quiser resolver um problema, finja que ele não é seu.Veja o link.
http://super.abril.com.br/blogs/como-pessoas-funcionam/precisa-resolver-um-problema-finja-que-ele-nao-e-seu/
Pois bem, já pensou se a moda pega? Daqui a pouco teremos um novo profissional no mercado, o Personal Problem Solver (Solucionador de Problemas Pessoais). Você conta os seus problemas e ele lhe dá a solução. Simples e prático!
Mas na verdade, o bom mesmo é poder contar com aquele amigo (fiel e camarada), que no fundo já vem exercendo a função de Personal Problem Solver há muito tempo e nem se quer se dá conta disso!

domingo, 11 de setembro de 2011

September 11th - 10 years later...

10 years later...
After ten years, all the world does not only remember 9/11 but also pays tribute to those who lost their lives and those who helped to save many other lives, the real heroes of America. 
The 9/11 attacks were a series of four coordinated suicide attacks against targets in New York and Washington, D.C. on September 11, 2001. On that morning, 19 terrorists hijacked four passenger jets.The
hijackers intentionally crashed two planes into the Twin Towers of the WTC (World Trade Center) in New York City; both towers collapsed within two hours. Hijackers crashed a 3rd plane into the Pentagon (Virginia). When passengers attempted to take control of the fourth plane, it crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, preventing it from reaching its intended target in Washington, D.C. Nearly 3,000 died in the attacks.
And why, after 10 years, are we still talking, writing and remembering it? Is it really
necessary?
In my opinion YES! First of all, as the History teacher from my school, Elaine, said (and I agree) it's a moment of reflection. It shows that being safe is important but it's much more important being aware of how fragile our life is. Lots of people left their homes that morning simply to go to work and they didn't come back anymore. It was their last day and for sure all of us will have a last day...hope that untill there we can make the best we can to live a
truly good life. Check what Elaine wrote about it on:
Second, all that violence is generated by intolerance and unfortunately it is against people, such as Americans, Muslims and so many others. It also generated a huge prejudice and their lives have been changed forever by the violence and hatred, and a lot of people have been living in constant fear...fear for their lives. Is that the world we want to live in? How could we overcome that and keep on living without this extra fear in our heart?
Maybe that's the reason why we should honor 9/11...to remember that if our life is not exactly the way we have planned...it could be so much worse...living in constant fear it's not a way of life! Not at all!


quarta-feira, 7 de setembro de 2011

Independência ou Morte - eis a questão!

Ler é conhecer o mundo!
Através da leitura exercitamos nossa imaginação, conhecemos lugares, pessoas e culturas que, se não fosse pela leitura, poderíamos jamais conhecer. Isso sem mencionar o fato de que a amplitude de temas e assuntos abordados é infinita, podendo agradar públicos dos mais diversificados e exigentes.
No Brasil de hoje, podemos dizer que o acesso à alfabetização e à leitura não é privilégio de poucos. O número de pessoas na escola aumentou e há vários programas do governo (Bolsa Família, etc) que propiciam o acesso a escolariedade a uma parcela da sociedade que era excluída antigamente. Nunca houve, na história da nossa educação, tantos incentivos, estudos e pesquisas para que a educação possa ser cada vez mais melhorada e ampliada. Embora todo esse processo foi e ainda é visto com bons olhos, sendo algo positivo para nossa sociedade, uma pergunta insiste em pairar no ar:  Será que com todo esse esforço, se levarmos em consideração o rendimento e a qualidade do processo de alfabetização e principalmente da capacidade de interpretação da leitura, podemos afirmar que há igualdade no nosso país? Honestamente (e infelizmente) eu acredito que não! Muitas das nossas crianças (e inclusive adolescentes) são considerados alfabetizados porque reconhecem o código linguístico, mas não têm a capacidade de interpretar e analisar as informações contidas no texto escolhido para leitura.
São os chamados analfabetos funcionais. Muitos dizem que a "culpa" é das escola públicas, cuja qualidade de ensino é baixa...ou dos professores, que não são capacitados o suficiente para desenvolver suas atividades...ou dos alunos que não possuem o menor interesse em exercer suas funções de aluno e de fato estudar, fazer as lições e etc. Enfim, de quem é a culpa realmente pouco importa, não interessa a ninguém. O grande "X" da questão passa a ser como nós vamos corrigir isso, o que pode ser feito para que as futuras gerações não sejam prejudicadas e então de fato o nosso país possa ser INDEPENDENTE da ignorância. Nesse caso, como em 1822,  no brado heróico e retumbante de "Independência ou Morte" de D. Pedro I , se não nos tornarmos independentes, vale a pena lembrar que infelizmente a ignorância MATA!

terça-feira, 30 de agosto de 2011

Signs from around the World! - # 01

Signs from around the World - Signspotting (Compiled by Doug Lansky)


 Great! Could you imagine how possibly someone would enter with the door closed? Although the grammar was correct, our problem is to try to guess what the person who wrote it meant with this! Communication is really an art and when it is not properly respected, the consequences can be disastrous...ou just hilarious!

quinta-feira, 25 de agosto de 2011

Happiness

What is happiness?
One of the definitions says that happiness is a mental state of well-being characterized by positive emotions ranging from contentment to a very intense joy. A variety of biological, psychological, religious and philosophical approaches have striven to define happiness and identify its sources. Positive psychology
endeavors to apply the scientific method to answer questions about what "happiness" is, and how we might attain it.
Philosophers and religious thinkers often define happiness in terms of living a good life, or flourishing, rather than simply as an emotion.
Studies have found that things like money, education, or the weather do not affect happiness the way one might expect. There are various habits that have been correlated with happiness, such as, pleasure, engagement, relationship, meaning and accomplishments.
I really would like to talk (and think) more specifically about each one of these habits. For while, I guess that one of the most important question to be answered is "What can truly make me (and you)  feel happy? Do you really know?"

segunda-feira, 15 de agosto de 2011

Signs from around the World!


Last July, when I was in San Diego, I visited the Gaslamp Quarter and went to a very charming shop which sells all the useful and nice gadgets  for travelers! Among all the great  things I saw there, there was a book that caught my attention: "Absurd & Amusing Signs From Around the World - Signspotting". It was compiled by Doug Lansky and edited by Lonely Planet. I started reading it at the shop and in few minutes I was laughing...it is really funny! So, I had no doubts, I got one exemplar and kept on having fun for the rest of the week! I had already seen some books like this in Portuguese, but it was the first time I could get one in English!
From now on, I will share some of my favorites signs with you but I truly recommend you to buy the book! I'm sure you will enjoy it! And I'm still thinking about use some of these signs in the school tests...I guess my students will enjoy them!

segunda-feira, 8 de agosto de 2011

I love LUCY!

 How nice when we have the opportunity to remember all the good things that in one way or another have been part of our life! Two days ago, the Jornal do Brasil (a Brazilian newspaper) and Google made me remember the Lucy's program. Although I wasn't born when the show hit the big time, I could see some episodes later and I enjoyed them a lot. So cute! Take a little time and check the site. I'm sure, even if you don't know the program, that you will have some fun!

http://www.jb.com.br/ciencia-e-tecnologia/noticias/2011/08/06/doodle-google-faz-homenagem-ao-programa-i-love-lucy/

And it's funny (or odd) this feeling of missing someone that we have never met before. I miss her...I guess that is because I like her! I wouldn't say I'm her big fan, but she is so adorable that it's impossible not liking her?! And there is also her  pinup style that is cult untill today!
She was an icon for a generation and I think they couldn't have chosen a better name for her show: "I love LUCY!"...in fact, maybe we should call it "WE love LUCY!"

segunda-feira, 25 de julho de 2011

Living and Learning - in San Diego!

I've heard a lot about San Diego, but I really didn't have an idea of how big this city is! Amazing! It's a very beautiful place. Ok, I'm here during the summer time, what brings an extra charming to the city, but it is really a very nice place to be (and to visit).

The Old Town is a very curious place...you do feel like you were in the Old Western! The candy shop is so delicious and you can have a candle made in your hand shape! Cool!
There are so many different and great places to see that I think it wouldn`t be fair just to mention them. I think I must write specific posts of each place, just to try to express how happy and blessed I was for being in this places! Sea Port Village has a wonderful bookshop and great restaurants! The Zoo is so beautiful! And the Sea World makes you feel like animals and humans were born just to be friends and take care of each other! And I couldn`t forget the Point Loma LightHouse, a very inspiring spot...but its inspirations and reflections are stories for another post!

quinta-feira, 21 de julho de 2011

Books and Friends!

Good books and good friends are a real treasure! They can have the amazing ability of giving you a feeling of belong to something good, giving you a feeling that you aren't and will never be alone, no matter what! Blessed are those who can have both...good friends and good books! That's also one of the reasons why I enjoy traveling...you can find good books and make new (and good) friends. Thanks God, that's what is happening here, in the sunny city of San Diego! And what about you, how have you kept your friends and your books?

sexta-feira, 1 de julho de 2011

Children and Technology

First of all, I do want to make it clear...I love technology! I try to keep myself up-to-dated with all the new gadgets and all the technology which is available. I have my tablet and and enjoy doing lots of tasks on it! Being connected was never more the same! But in educational area I think we should discuss about it. Using technology in the school is wonderful, practical, but the point is not if we should use it or not, the point is HOW to use it in a useful and meaningful way! I watched this video and I liked it.



But some points need to be be considered. A 21st century learner has many needs and having some time not-connected is one of them as well. And when they say 76% of their teachers have never used wikis, blog and etc, the question is: why not? And the answer can be many different ones. Some, maybe, simply don't want to use it; others, maybe, don't have the opportunity or the right equipament and others can even get all the necessary hardware, but they need the adequated training to use it properly.
They asked - What kind of education would you want me to have? - We (teachers) want you to have a kind of education that can bring you the balance to have a very healthy, productive and happy life... We want to engage you, but we also must be engaged, on the other hand, it won't work. In fact, everybody must be engaged in the educational process: students, teachers, parents, government! That's the only way to be successful as a nation.

quarta-feira, 22 de junho de 2011

Férias de julho - quase lá! My wish for you!


Hi everybody!
June is at the end and the school is getting ready for the vacation period. I hope you can get yourself ready for this rest period and I do wish you could enjoy it as much as you deserve! But above all that, I wish you could come back later very renewed and with a lot of energy to end up the year in a very productive way! And in a very good humour for being approved!
So, that's what i'd like to wish for you:

 See you in August! Lots of sun and new friends for your vacation!

Jogos Olímpicos - uma lição a ser aprendida

Amanhã teremos mais um dia histórico! Em 23 de junho de 1894, o francês Barão de Coubertin criou o Comitê Olímpico Internacional (COI) junto com representantes de 15 países. Provável autor de "o importante não é vencer, é competir", ele resgatou a tradição olímpica dos gregos. Dois anos depois, em Atenas, começavam os primeiros Jogos Olímpicos da era moderna. Daqui um ano o mundo estará voltado para a capital Inglesa. Londres será o centro das atenções e será sede da trigésima Olímpiada da Era Moderna. A festa promete e como todos sabem, os ingleses são famosos no mundo inteiro por sua impecável pontualidade e por sua organização invejável. Logo em seguida, a bola será passada para o Brasil e a cidade maravilhosa do Rio de Janeiro terá o prazer de receber os atletas de todas as partes do mundo para a trigésima primeira Olímpiada. Vamos torcer para que o evento em Londres/2012 venha a ser uma fonte de inspiração para o comitê brasileiro e principalmente possa ser um modelo para copiarmos o que de fato funcionou e mudar, para melhorar, o que não correspondeu as expectativas. No final, além da torcida pela nossa equipe verde-amarela, fica aqui a nossa torcida para que em ambos os eventos todos possam presenciar e participar de um espetáculo insquecível e que cumpra com sua função: a integração dos povos através do esporte!

sábado, 18 de junho de 2011

Trabalho concluído na PUC

Finalmente estamos reunidos (o meu grupo de trabalho é o Armando - Geografia, a Elaine - História e o Wanderlei - Química). O começo foi meio lento (com direito a bolacha recheada de chocolate da Rep. Tcheca), afinal o frio pediu por um café primeiro. Em seguida fomos pesquisar o material que utilizaríamos no nosso curso. Trabalhar no Moodle foi muito legal! E mais interessante ainda foi ver o curso tomar forma. Ele foi desenvolvido para alunos do EF e EM para discutirmos sobre o ambiente e a sustentabilidade. O curso foi montado em 3 módulos: recursos hídricos, poluição atmosférica e energia nuclear. Nossa intenção é a implantação do curso para o 2º semestre no nosso colégio e aos poucos introduzir a EaD como mais um recurso para contribuir com o desenvolvimento do processo ensino-aprendizagem do nosso dia adia. Vai funcionar? Ainda não sabemos, mas uma coisa é certa...nós terminamos o trabalho e ficamos contente com o resultado final (nossos amigos do curso também gostaram da nossa apresentação...e olha que a nossa foi a última!). Com certeza haverá mais posts depois de agosto relatando nossa experiência! Aguardem!

segunda-feira, 13 de junho de 2011

Nossa querida Língua Portuguesa - Responsório de Santo Antônio


Hoje é o dia dedicado a esse santo português que é famoso no mundo todo. Santo Antômio faz parte das tradições populares do nosso país e independente da questão religiosa, a figura de Santo Antônio inspira jovens enamoradas de todos os cantos do país para continuarem na busca do seu príncipe encantado. Conto de fadas a parte, esse post, além de homenagear a figura de Santo Antonio, presta também uma homenagem a sua origem e publica o Respónsório de Santo Antônio escrito de forma belíssima, o que por si só, já é uma homenagem e tanto a nossa querida língua portuguesa. E cá entre nós, bem que a nossa língua merece!

Responsório de Santo Antônio
Se milagres desejais,
Recorrei a Santo Antônio,
Vereis fugir o demônio
E as tentações infernais.

Recupera-se o perdido.
Rompe-se a dura prisão
E no auge do furacão
Cede o mar embravecido.

Todos os males humanos
Se moderam, se retiram,
Digam-no aqueles que o viram,
E digam-no os paduanos.

Pela sua intercessão
Foge a peste, o erro, a morte,
O fraco torna-se forte
E torna-se o enfermo são.



segunda-feira, 30 de maio de 2011

Being even more grateful, 06 years later!

Life is really wonderful! 06 years ago I went to Holland and felt so happy for being in such beautiful place. I visited many cities, including Amsterdan. My husband went with me and it was the kind of a trip that when we finished it, we asked ourselves if it was real! Really unforgettable! 06 years later here I am again. I got this incredible opportunity of attending the Robotics competition in Delft city as a team member of my school team! How lovely! How nice this place is! A very charming downtown. The very same charming atmosphere that reminded me the first time I came here! Good memories! So many beautiful people...and I mean beautiful in all the ways...everybody is so polite and helpful. No words to thank for all that. Before the competition, we are going to have some free time and we intend to visit other cities, go to Amsterdan and spend some time in Belgium. It's just begining!

domingo, 22 de maio de 2011

The Future of E-books

Have you read a book in one of these gadgets: Kindles, Nooks, iPads, iPhones, and others?
I had the chance of reading "Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens and I can tell you that it was an amazing experience! The book was so interactive, with so many options and animations that it doesn't only catch my attention completely but also made me feel even more and more curious to see what I could find in the next page. And I had already read this book before that. Although I knew the story, it didn't interfere in my surprise of reading in this new way. I was told that not all the books are like this one, with such complements, but there are a lot of good titles that can be found in this format. I confess that I'm very anxious to read "ALice in Wonder Land" or "The treasure Island" in this format. It's technology, again, bringing improvement to our leisure activity.
And I think e-books and all these gadgets can contribute to the learning process as well. Check the video in this link.
http://educationtechnologyblog.com/2011/04/the-future-of-ebooks/.
But I also admit that I do love reading paper books and I don't think the e-books will replace them. It's perfectly possible to have fun in both ways and I believe that it is the reason why there will be no replacement of each other.



terça-feira, 17 de maio de 2011

A Thank-You Note



Dear Students,

First, I'd like to thank you all for your participation and inform you that tomorrow I'll show all the results that I got from your comments. All that will help us to improve our classes and make a better work.
Next, thank you for the compliments. For sure it was very kind of you and I do hope I can be able to keep on going with the positive points.
And last, thank you for all the critiques, your comments upon the firts quarter of the year. They conducted me to a reflection and that's what really counts because it's only when we think (and reflect) about our work that we make all the changes possible. What a great contribution!

Let's be prepared for the next!
You teacher!

terça-feira, 10 de maio de 2011

A vida como ela é! (Part I)


Como já disse Nelson Rodrigues, assim é a vida e pronto! Pra muitos, ela pode ser dura e até mesmo cruel! Porém no meio de tudo isso sobra um espaço para o afeto genuinamente verdadeiro.
Dia 07 de maio fui participar da Fila Night Run 5K. Ao final da prova (suada e descabelada - tentando me recompor) decidi ir de metro até o Shopping Center 3 (Paulista) simplesmente para entrar bem rapidinho e buscar uns CupCakes para levar para minha mãe, minha sogra e a mãe do Décio enquanto ele e o meu marido corriam os 10K. Como na Paulista o povo é meio "descolado", achei que não teria problema ir desse jeito mesmo, e além do mais, eu não iria "passear" no shopping...seria mais uma ida vapt-vupt!

sábado, 30 de abril de 2011

Are we studying or are we learning?


And then...what have we done? Do I need to study to learn or do I need to learn how to study first?
One thing is sure...learning is the most fantastic experience that any human being can have.
Let' check what some people say (or said) about it:

"Learning never exhausts the mind." - Leonardo da Vinci

Maybe, if your mind is exhausted ...you are not really learning properly and need to find out how to have fun with your learning process.

"I don't love studying. I hate studying. I like learning. Learning is beautiful. Going to a party, for me, is as much a learning experience as, you know, sitting in a lecture."
Natalie Portman

I liked the idea of learning in a party. And I do agree with her! But I do also like studying and going to lecture. There are so many ways to study - reading, traveling, doing exercises, writing notes and even going to a party.

"Education is learning what you didn't even know you didn't know". - Daniel J. Boorstin

And as soon as you realize that, when you learn what you didn't know, a greatful and thankful feeling can show us how wonderful this learning process is! So, let's keep on studying and learning...or...learning and studying!

The end is just the beginning!


Hi people!
Let's go again! Today is the last day of our 1st quarter/2011. We've done a lot of activities, tests, exercises, homeworks and we've study hard (at least the great majority :) You've already got your mark and this weekend feels like "I'm free!". Yes, you are free of doing all that, but guess what? For while! On Monday it will start all again - we start our 2nd quarter and we'll have another chance of doing what we did, but even better! And it is exactly because of it (because we always try to improve our work) that I'd like to ask you to send your opinion about all we've done so far: write your opinion about our classes, our tests, exercises, "recuperação contínua", etc. Use this opportunity to write down your complaints and give your suggestions. I'm absolutely sure that together we can all achieve our goals and not only learning what we are suppose to, but also having a lot of fun!If you are going to to study all your life, I really don't know, but one thing I know for sure - as long as you're alive you will be learning something... as Tom Clancy say "Life is about learning; when you stop learning, you die."

terça-feira, 26 de abril de 2011

Good coffee, good reading!


Hi everybody!
This week, on April 22nd we celebrated the Earth Day! In fact, everyday is the Earth Day, but the good point in having a date to celebrate it is the fact that we can stop a little bit and take some time to think about it, reflect about our actions! One of the good opportunities to do that is taking a very good coffee (or tea). You can get together with your friends and go to Starbucks - where, this week is especially dedicated to our planet and if you take your Starbucks tumbler with you to any stores from April 25th to 29th, you will receive a complimentary coffee of the day. If you don't have a tumbler, don't worry - you can buy one at the store and then get your complimentary coffee. Besides that, don't forget to take with you a child book and donate it up to April 30th at any Starbucks stores. They will send it to ABRINQ Foundation. You can not only have a good coffee but also encourage reading among children! Well done! Let's participate, shall we?

quinta-feira, 21 de abril de 2011

And God save the Queen!


In 1953, a 25-year-old princess stood within the towering walls of London’s Westminster Abbey and pledged her devotion as the “defender of the commonwealth.” Although much younger than her father had been at the time of his coronation, Elizabeth had already proven her dedication to her people through public service during World War II. For more than 50 years, the queen has exhibited the same determination, and demonstrated her loyalty to her subjects. Today, British's Queen Elizabeth II, celebrating her 85th birthday, took part in the traditional Royal Maundy service at Westminster Abbey in London. According to Buckingham Palace, it was the first time the queen's birthday had fallen on Maundy Thursday (the day marking Jesus's Last Super),on which the queen traditionally gives special coins to as many men as many women as the years of her life.(We can see a similar example watching Kevin Costner's Robin Hood). This year, each Maundy money recipient was all retired pensioners invited in recognition of their service to the church and the community.
Happy Birthday to the Queen and Long Live the Queen!

terça-feira, 12 de abril de 2011

"What's mine is yours" - SERÁ?

Wall-E - um longa metragem produzido pela PIXAR protagonizado por um adorável robô (chamado Wall-E) que, aproximadamente 700 anos atrás, foi deixado no planeta Terra com a tarefa de limpar "a nossa casa". Os habitantes não podiam mais viver no planeta devido ao excesso de poluição causado pelos próprios habitantes. Grande parte dessa poluição é causada pelo consumo desenfreado que se tornou um vício entre as pessoas. O lixo acumulado é tamanho que chega até mesmo a poluir a região espacial em volta do planeta. Consumir é uma característica intrínseca do ser humano. A grande pergunta é: podemos consumir de forma consciente? Segundo a revista TIME, podemos sim! Ela classificou o movimento chamado de consumo colaborativo como uma das 10 ideias que irão mudar o mundo. O movimento consiste em um sistema criado para trocar, compartilhar e doar bens e serviços - tudo em grande escala, funcionando como um antídoto ao vício do hiperconsumismo. Você emprestaria o seu laptop pro seu vizinho? Trocaria sua coleção de mangá por dois ingressos para ir ao teatro? Você poderia doar um tempo livre para ajudar alguém da sua comunidade em alguma tarefa e receber outra em troca? Segundo o livro What's mine is yours - The rise of collaborative consumption (O que é meu é seu - a ascensão do consumo colaborativo), cada vez mais e mais pessoas estão fazendo isso sim! A ideia é abrangente e pode ser algo que de fato se torne pate do nosso dia a dia. Se isso acontecer, não vamos precisar, em um futuro talvez próximo, como no desenho animado, trasladar pelo espaço ou do robozinho Wall-E .

Para saber mais sobre o movimento e/ou o livro, acesse: http://www.collaborativeconsumption.com/the-book/ (em inglês). E você, participaria desse movimento? Gostou ou não da ideia? Trocaria ou doaria suas coisas? O que seria necessário para que essa ideia ganhasse força na nossa comunidade? Se é pelo bem do planeta, vale a pena tentar!

quinta-feira, 7 de abril de 2011

Sorrowful for Realengo - RJ


A gunman entered an elementary school in Realengo (Rio de Janeiro) today (Thursday, April 7th) and opened fire, killing 11 students and wounding 13 others before turning his guns on himself. Unfortunately the gunman was a 23-year-old former student of the school. And this is really intriguing...when I look back and think about the schools where I studied, I feel very proud and so respectful for all that they really meant (and mean) in my life. In my opinion, as "churches" and "cemeteries" are considered sacred places, so should be the schools. Sorrowful...feeling very sorrowful for all that, for him - What did he have in his mind to do it? Did he was a bullying victim? (Of course, even if he was, that's no reason at all to justify what happened. Nothing can justify it). Much more sorrowful for all the families who lose their children. Our prayers will be theirs.
Our president Dilma Rousseff manifested herself about this tragedy. “Today, we lament what happened with the defenseless children in Realengo. This type of crime is not characteristic of our country. All of us here, men and women, are united to repudiate this type of violence.” she said.
She is right, this is not common in our country. The last time we saw it was in 1999 when a former Medicine student entered in a cinema in SP and opened fire, killing 3 people. This is not our characteristic at all because we've been a very warmful and joyful people.
Now, besides mourning and lamenting what happening, we should really work on how we can eliminate violence (physical and psicological) in our schools, making it what it was meant to be, a very useful, delightful and safe place.

quinta-feira, 24 de março de 2011

Earth Hour 2011: It's time to take care the planet!


Earth Hour 2011 is OUR Earth Hour; it's YOUR Earth Hour. And you can show your support for the planet in the following ways:
1.Turning off your lights at 8.30PM on March 26 2011 wherever you are in the world
2.Run your own Earth Hour event, street or house party with friends and family.
3.Take Earth Hour beyond the Hour by taking action for the planet. Save water. Eat local and natural.
4.Encourage your friends, your school, and your family to run Earth Hour in your region.
5.Rally your office or business to get involved.
Earth Hour has done a lot to raise awareness of sustainability issues. But there’s more to it than switching off lights for one hour once a year. It’s all about giving people a voice and working together to create a better future for our planet.
Remember our future depends on it! It depends exclusively on us!

terça-feira, 22 de março de 2011

Prova Parcial 1°T - Qual a sua opinião?

Caros alunos,

Acredito que o sucesso seja mesmo uma combinação entre tentativas que resultam em erros e acertos. Um dia você acerta em cheio e BINGO! Tudo dá certo! Outros dias as coisas não são bem assim, mas sem dúvida, o que não muda...nunca ...é a boa vontade daqueles que te cercam (e te querem bem) em querer te ajudar para que o sucesso possa ser alcançado! Na última aula, a aluna Karina (3ºA) e a nossa vice-diretora Marly fizeram uma pergunta da qual não pude responder prontamente. Elas perguntaram qual havia sido a repercussão da prova, qual foi a opinião dos alunos sobre a última prova parcial. Portanto peço a ajuda de vocês para poder responder a pergunta delas. Por favor, deixem aqui comentários (identificados com seu nome, nº e série) sobre a Prova Parcial feita no dia 18/03. Qualquer comentário, crítica e principalmente sugestão para as próximas provas são mais do que bem-vindos.
Muito obrigada pela participação!
It means a lot!

domingo, 20 de março de 2011

Japan in evidence - II (Post do Profº Armando)


Caros alunos,

É incrível essa sintonia que de vez em quando acontece - quando você pensa em dizer algo, ou fazer algo e alguém também faz!
Hoje (na cara dura) vou "chupinhar" um post para fazer no meu post - literalmente falando. Nossa função, enquanto professor, é levar os nossos alunos a reflexão e durante esse processo, fomentar a criação de valores e assim, de cidadãos mais comprometidos, conscientes e principalmente felizes.
Minha tarefa hoje ficou fácil - convido a todos, por favor, que LEIAM o post que o Profº Armando brilhantemente redigiu sobre o que aconteceu no Japão no link http://geoarmando.blogspot.com/2011/03/japao-tragedia-e-licao-de.html
O texto faz uma reflexão comparando as tragédias que aconteceram aqui no RIO e no Japão, respeitando as devidas proporções. Isso me fez lembrar da minha avó quando ela dizia que "Deus não dá o frio maior do que a coberta".
Podemos até nos questionar, por quê o Japão? Tinha que acontecer isso lá? Na verdade só podia ser lá, como bem abordado pelo Profº Armando, só um povo com tamanha organização, disciplina e comprometimento para poder se reerguer e dar a volta por cima.
É preciso força e sabedoria - a força (inclusive espiritual) e a sabedoria ( que é milenar) que acompanha esse povo desde muito antes! Ao acabar de ler o post do nosso professor de geografia, fica claro e evidente que nós ainda temos muito o que aprender com os nossos amigos japoneses! Será que um dia a gente chega lá? Tomara!

quinta-feira, 17 de março de 2011

Everybody is IRISH today!


Today is a very special day in Ireland! It's St. Patrick's Day!
And as the years go by, the celebration has become more and more popular in many other places...including Brazil! There are a lot of PUBs in SP and in ABC which have been crowded during this whole week. Although it's a religious day, I would say that around here it becomes just another day with a very good excuse for people to go out and drink with their friends. (As if we need an excuse!).
But getting together with our friends is a very good idea and there is another interesting point: besides drinking you can eat a very good and special meal! Many pubs offer you a chance of trying tipycal food from Ireland! The Irish Pie at Liverpool (SBC) is amazing! And it's impossible to eat just one of the baked "pastéis" at All Black (SP). The list is big! Sharing cultures with other countries and having the chance of feeling a little taste of each one is something that enriches, entertains and brings something new and special to our day by day. It's an opportunity to learn and have fun!
And if you decide to try something Irish by yourself, go to this link (click on download word, on the left) and get the recipe of a cake made with Guinness! (The recipe is from Nigella and it's in English and in Portuguese!)
http://kathia.thehomeworkzone.com/
Enjoy yourself and have a very HAPPY St. Paddy's Day! May all the Irish luck be with you!

terça-feira, 15 de março de 2011

Japan in evidence!

According to The Guardian (guardian.co.uk), Tokyo Electric Power Company, which runs the Fukushima Daiichi plant, says radiation levels at the unit are well below the legal limits following the last morning's hydrogen explosion (March, 14th). Radiation at Unit 3 measured 10.65 microsieverts; operators must inform the government if a level of 500 microsieverts is reached.
Health experts have stressed that the risk from radiation appears low. Reuters has spoken to the Gregory Hartl of the World Health Organisation, who told the agency:
"At this moment it appears to be the case that the public health risk is probably quite low. We understand radiation that has escaped from the plant is very small in amount."
That has not stopped people from worrying. Singaporean authorities have announced they will test imported Japanese produce for potential radiation "as a precautionary measure".


For sure people are worried about a radiation disaster, but much stronger than the fear is the solidarity! Due to the distance, instead of donating food or what else they need, the Japanese community in SP, Liberdade, are asking people to donate money because it's easier to send it. If you want to help, here are the account numbers for your donation.
Let's help Japan of all the ways we can!



Sociedade Brasileira de Cultura Japonesa e de Assistência Social
Banco Bradesco
Agência: 0131-7
Conta corrente: 112959-7

Federação das Associações de Províncias do Japão no Brasil
Banco do Brasil
Agência: 1196-7
Conta corrente: 29921-9