I am from Coimbra, Portugal, and am currently teaching in a school in Soure, about 30 km away from Coimbra. I have been a teacher of English for over 20 years and have already taught different levels and age groups. After all this time I can say I love working with adult groups because there are no coursebooks and I can create my own resources.
I am an avid reader, a blogger and very curious about free tools and their implementation in the classroom.
One last posting on our school trip to London…
As you can guess, I am quite glad with the outcome of all this. It took me – and teacher Helena - months to prepare stuff for all the participants (including homework and I’m not kidding!) but all was worthwhile according to the feedback I’ve been given :D
So, in these final remarks, my acknowledgements go to all those who, one way or another, contributed to the success of this activity. Please forgive me if I forget someone…
- Teacher Helena Soares and her group from AZOGLA;
- Claudia Macedo (our lovely guide) and Pinto Lopes Viagens;
- Teacher Natália Costa from my school board;
- Câmara Municipal de Soure
- Last but NOT the least: teachers + children + adult learners. Without YOU, this school trip would have never come true.
Now click below to see us all ;
Well, our second day began... still tired and not really in the best mood due to our accommodation :(
After complaining to Claudia - our tireless guide from Pinto Lopes Viagens - she promised to call the agency to see what could be done.
After breakfast we were handed out our packed lunches and off we went to the Tower of London - our first visit, scheduled for 10 a.m. But... damn it!!!... I forgot my bag (can you imagine an unattended bag in the London Underground????) and had to come back.... Teachers Clara Luís and José Fernando (as well as one of the kids) came with me while the rest of the group headed for the site.
Already at the Tower, the views were wonderful, the weather was gorgeous and after the delight of the Jewels of the Crown, we had our lunches and went straight to St. Paul's Cathedral, one of London's most famous sights. We spent some time there and went UP - yes on foot - only (!) 528 steps. All took many pictures from the top where it became obvious that London is "dressing up" to welcome the Olympic Games in 2012 with so many construction sites and refurbishments under way.
Around 4 p.m we had an Espresso in Covent Garden and by 6 p.m. we were already inside the British Museum; what certainly most attracted kids were the mummies; as for the adults, I guess there's a lot more to be appreciated from antiquities, manuscripts,...to prints, stones and all stopped to see the "Rosetta Stone". I will certainly visit the British Museum (FREE ADMITTANCE) again and advise (?) all to spend some time there even in the magnificent glass-roofed Great Court :). It's really worthwhile!
Back to our Youth Hostel, it was clear that our complaints had been taken into account - some of us had a different room and even the meals improved. YES!!!
To end our (already) long day, we went to HARD ROCK CAFE LONDON where Claudia had arranged a guided visit to its world famous vault - what a privilege, folks!!! So, to recover after so much excitement and some shopping (EhEhEh), some had a drink.
Now, are you tired after reading my / our travel diary for the second day??? If yes, guess how we were when we got back to Bayswater Youth Hostel !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! With "a kind of magic" from the previous day / evening, enjoy (a bit of) what we enjoyed:
