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“Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.” – Anthony Bourdain
“Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.” – Anthony Bourdain
We started our new school year yesterday. It was a bit muggy and stormy - pouring rain almost the whole morning. We worried about a day without any outdoor recess breaks. But, it cleared up long enough for recess and lunch on the lawn since our "gymateria" is still going through the process of new floor installation. I'm teaching a new grade level - fifth grade - and the highest grade I've ever taught. And, so far, it's been really, really fun.
As I walked into our school on this year's first day, it felt different. I was walking in with so many people with me. I carried so many memories and places and spaces and interactions and new connections, thanks so my experience in Uruguay through the Fulbright Program. The experiences and opportunities that I was able to embrace while on our IFE have come alive in my practice even in these first few days. We've already located a number of countries, cities and places around the world through literature and social studies. We've practiced empathy and perspective taking with classmates and through video clips. We've begun a Flip Grid exchange with new pen pals in Hawai'i. We are looking forward to connecting with one school to exchange tree data as well as correspond with primary schools in Salto.
My work in Uruguay has expanded my teaching and my mindset immeasurably - and this will open windows of curiosity, connection, understanding and exchange that will enrich and inspire my students, my school and my community for years and years to come. I'm so grateful for these amazing connections.
This is only the start. I can't wait to continue his exciting journey with my students today, tomorrow and all the days after that!
I saw this Bristol, VT on my way home from our first Inservice Day a few days ago. Here's the story of this artwork. I looked up to see what the message of this cow and it fit so well with the idea that "the world is as big or small as you make it." As the artwork endeavors to share: "we're all spots on the same cow."
First day back at school in Vermont as a Fulbright TFG Alum from Uruguay. Grateful, inspired and ready!
The last two days, we've been in Montevideo doing a healthy mix of working and touristing. We worked with our amazing Fulbright Uruguay guide, Martina, to do some reflecting and debriefing of our field experiences. It was interesting to hear from our cohorts who visited other regions of Uruguay and powerful to start thinking about all that we experienced in Salto and beyond. On Thursday evening, we did a walking tour of the district around the Plaza Independencia to pay homage to Artigas, had a lovey merienda at Oro de Rhin before going to the Ballet National Sodre to watch "La Bella Durmiente" or Sleeping Beauty.
Yesterday, we presented our group reports to the Fulbright Uruguay Board about our time in Salto and also listened to all the wonderful experiences that other cohorts had in Minas, Rivera, Moldonado, and Lavalleja. We walked in the Ciudad Vieja and did some shopping in the afternoon and started packing up.
Last night was our farewell dinner in our hotel. We were so happy to see our cooperating teachers from Salto return to celebrate our new connections and reminisce about our time together - but we did miss you Inez & Geraldo! Salto crew represented last night and I am positive that this is only the beginning of our relationship. Also, if you click here, you can see what an amazing work our host teacher, Pablo Santurio is leading in Pueblo Olivera, Salto in Escuela No. 67.
I think that I will be processing all that Fulbright Uruguay 2022-23 has meant to me for weeks and months to come. While it is difficult to put into words what this experience has represented for me, it has been so meaningful, challenging, inspiring and enlightening. While the days have been intense and packed, I have learned so much about education, culture, life and connection while here. My ideas about relationships as the bedrock of the teaching and learning process has been affirmed time and time again while working with teachers, students, support staff and administrators here. The importance of introducing children to the wide and engaging world around them has only become stronger and more urgent in my mind. I am looking so forward to continuing to lead students to open the window of the globe to their lives to enrich and to support our world. As I mentioned before, I am sure this is only the beginning...
I offer much gratitude to the Fulbright Commission here and in the States for awarding me the opportunity to participate in this experience. I continue to be humbled and honored. I am endlessly thankful to our host teachers and guides in Salto - Pablo, Inez, Isabel, Virginia, and their families. Also, many thanks to the Fulbright Board here in Uruguay, especially to Martina our amazing group leader while in Montevideo and to Mercedes for your support, encouragement and leadership. Thanks to all of you for opening your country to us with open arms and hearts.
So many thanks go to my Salto crew. We are the best! I will carry your sweet faces and our vast experiences in my heart forever. Truly. Your selfless offering of patience, curiosity, positivity, flexibility, humor, friendship, drive, laughter, stories, professionalism, caring, connection, photo-ops, and love is what I hold dear. Though we may be heading back to our far-flung locations stateside, as our wise compadre Oktay noted, our connection was always here and it will only continue:
"An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but will never break.” —Chinese Proverb.
Finally, my deepest gratitude and wildest hope for the future rests in the hearts, minds, and dreams of the children here in Uruguay and our Robins of Starksboro back home. I am beyond grateful to have been able to learn with students here in this magnificent country for this short time. At the same time, the opportunity to learn with my students and to witness their journey as students and humans each day is truly one of the greatest honors and joys in my life.
Chau, chau, Uruguay!
Hasta la proxima vez.
Aqui les dejo un pedicito de mi corazon.
On our last morning in Salto, we visited the CERP which contains a program for students working to become teachers of English language. We followed a building tour given by the students in the program. Then, we listened to fantastic presentations the students gave about Salto and live in Uruguay. Then, we gave short presentations about our work and schools in the US. After a short coffee break complete with homemade alfajores, we participated in a question and answer session. The students asked such meaningful and thoughtful questions about the teaching profession and education in general. We were so grateful for the experience to exchange ideas and I would like to extend many thanks to the teachers and students who opened their school and program to us - Thanks, Virginia! After a quick hotel check out, we had a l...o...n...g bus trip back to Montevideo. We are preparing for the debrief and group presentations aspect of the program now. I can't believe it's coming to an end but I know the connections we've made will last for a lifetime. And really, this is just the beginning...
Today was a day in Salto proper at Liceo No. 1 or Instituto Politenico Osimani y Llerena or IPOLL. This is the oldest high school in the area and it's celebrating its 150 year anniversary this year. We got to meet with teachers and administrators about how the school is set up and organized. We got to see some of the science classrooms and tour the building. It has a deep historical background and connection to the development of the area. We had a nice lunch with Isabel Delgue an amazing administrator who is a Fulbright herself and visited Illinois for her work in US. We are so indebted to all of the teachers and staff here in Salto that welcomed us with open arms, minds and hearts to collaborate in our collective, global work of education. Our time here in Salto will be with us forever and we are sure that this is just the beginning of our connection in the work together.
Today we were going from dawn until dusk - and beyond. It was such an amazing day in the countryside at Las Laureles Escuela No. 30. We began with a pre-dawn drive to have a breakfast of shakshuka and fried eggs prepared by our compadre, Oktay. And, of course, some pan con dulce de leche. When we arrived, the power was out but almost as soon as the students started arriving, the lights were on! We met the students in Inez de Lisa's class and had a blast asking and answering questions, writing cards and receiving a walking tour of the neighborhood with a healthy stop at the playground. Our lunch was a special asado prepared by Oktay and Inez's husband followed by homemade alfajores y cafe. We were so lucky to be invited to the Bayuca Ranch to see the landscape and learn about the angus beef and merino sheep. The ranch has been in operation for six generations and it was SO beautiful. The weather has turned cold here in Salto. Bundling up is a must right now. I loved our time in the country side at the esculeas. The air is fresh, the smiles are big and the community feel is inescapable and cozy.
WOW! Uruguay won the FIFA U-20 Soccer match against Italy about two hours ago and the party in the streets is showing no signs of stopping! So exciting and fun! We were able to watch the match in a local park set up with a screen for viewing. Uruguay won after going into overtime against Italy. - 1-0.
Prior to all of this celebrating, we visited Arepey Hot Springs. The water was so warm and it was fun explore the different pools - some even had slides. So, of course, I tried them out! We had a relaxing lunch, toured another section of the hot springs resort and golf course. Then, we drove back home to Salto City.
We are headed out to another school bright and early tomorrow. Excited and tucking into bed with the lively sounds of celebration outside my window.
El futbal es vida.
I know that I said yesterday was my favorite but I guess they are just all my favorite days here in Uruguay! Today was Saturday and we were treated to a tour of greater Salto by our host teachers. We began by touring the longest established Hydroelectric Dam in all of South America - Salto Grande. It was built in 1977 between Concordia, Argentina and Salto. Our visit was very interesting and we even got to breeze through Argentina for a minute! We went to a very pastoral and tranquil park along a lake which is popular during the warmer months. It was full of gorgeous eucalyptus trees and was a peaceful setting. Next, we visited a local restaurant and I tried a local sandwich of all sorts of meat - yum! We went to the Dayman Hot Springs and also a Grotto made to venerate Padre Pio. We finished off our time with our host teachers at a sweet, cozy coffee shop and a quick stop at a local market where we stocked up on Uruguay soccer jerseys in advance of the FIFA U20 Final Match which takes place tomorrow near Buenos Aires. We will hopefully be able to watch the game nearby.
Today was probably my favorite day so far. We visited Escuela No. 67 en Pueblo Olivera. It was about 1.5 hour drive to the countryside. We spied lots of cows, sheep and pastures out our windows as we drove there - just like home! We arrived to find the students ready to share a song of Uruguayan pride while wearing fun hats, wigs and headbands to celebrate Uruguay's upcoming match in the FIFA U20 World Cup Finals on Sunday against Italy. We then learned about this AmAzInG project that the older group of students worked on with their fantastic teacher, Pablo Santurio. It was a model of their school with updated automation features - motion detectors to open doors, solar panels to power the school and a windmill. It was wonderful and earned a prize at a recent STEM competition in Salto. Then, we shared information about our hometowns and participated in an English language class game of "Simon Says." It was so fun to be with students and to see how they learn right along with one another, their teachers and with us! We had a lovely meal and then had time for recreo - a dodge ball game, toured the school garden and supported the installation of espantapajaros (scarecrows). Our time at this school was marvelous. It was so fun for me to share all about "Snowy Chicken" with the students, too. After we returned to Salto, we visited the Fine Arts Museum. A gorgeous day for all.
We have hit the ground running here in Salto. It is located in the northwestern part of the country and borders Argentina. We were up and ready to go early with a day at Liceo San Antonio which is a secondary school that also has a primary school and tech school on the campus. We spent the morning learning about a variety of integrated projects initiated by the students and supported by the teachers. We were treated to a chorus of canciones folkloricos and then a small concert with a strong drum beat. We answered lots of questions for the primary students about our states, schools, and hobbies. We toured the school garden, cafeteria and classrooms. Following this full morning, we were treated to an asado at the family home of our contact, Isabel, who is a District School Inspector in Salto. The meal was divine and the property was breathtaking, tranquillo and full of history, hospitality, culture and stories. We visited Isabel's dairy cows, sheep and citrus farm. If the oranges were apples, I could have sworn I was in Vermont?! The world is as small or big as you make it. Another unforgetable day.
Another amazing day immersed in the educational system here in Montevideo. We were welcomed to a presentation which focused on Uruguayan Sign Language Instruction and Policy. Then, we toured a campus with a Technical and Vocational Focus for students in middle/high school and beyond. While there, we were treated to an amazing meal prepared and served by second year students in the culinary and hospitality program. It was delicious! Next, we went to a rural school for a special tour through student selected, project based inquiry into a variety of environmental science questions. Children from preK-6 were studying everything from spiders to local tree health and growth considering a variety of environmental factors. It was so fun to see how excited they were to share their findings. They were so poised and proud. And...I shared Snowy Chicken and shared about how maple trees are so important to our state. After a six hour, over-night bus trip, we have just arrived in Salto, Uruguay to begin more focused work in this province.
It has been a whirlwind day full of learning about the educational systems and structures of Uruguay. This morning, panels of experts, innovators, and stakeholders shared about how the education system is organized here, the changes that are being implemented throughout the country, as well as how technology figures into teaching and learning in all areas - rural and urban. We were treated to a small tour of Montevideo before a site visit to Ceibal. Ceibal directs the technological pieces of learning at all levels in Uruguay - from virtual language instruction for students and teachers alike, to technical troubleshooting to sponsoring maker spaces and coding workshops - Ceibal has been integral in leading the way for the past 16 years. Uruguay has become a region-wide leader in providing laptops to each student and then innovating to help students and teachers use these tools to learn, connect, and grow together.
I made it to Uruguay! It was a long travel day - pretty much 24 hours end-to-end. I left Burlington on 6/4 at about 4:30 pm and we touched down in Montevideo at about the same time on 6/5. It was fun to meet up with a fellow Fulbrighter in Sao Paulo, Brazil ahead of our last leg to Montevideo. Thankfully, we arrived to meet up with all the other teachers and Uruguay contacts at our hotel, Cala di Volpe, right around dinner time. We had a really nice meal around the corner at a place called "Uruguay Natural." The meal was highlighted by signature beef cuts prepared on an open fire grill and punctuated by a delectable panqueque de dulce de leche - que rico! Espero que yo puedo dormir! Feliz suenos a todos!
Today is my last day for the 2022-23 school year at Robinson. This day is always bittersweet for me. I'm sad to see the "Great 8" head off to fourth grade but I'm so happy for all they've learned, accomplished and experienced this year. I'm proud of the risks they took to make growth and the perseverance they displayed as they worked through challenging ideas and activities. I'm jazzed about passions they uncovered, friendships that grew and the identities that were refined and shared. It is bittersweet because we got to bond and grow for so many days strung together. It's sad when this moment in time comes to a close.
My bittersweet feelings of this school year's end are mixed with lots of feelings of excitement, anticipation and wonder (and a little bit of nerves, in all honesty!) for my International Field Experience in Uruguay with Fulbright Teacher's for Global Classrooms. I will head out in two days for the Southern Hemisphere for 17 days of more learning, growing, questioning, exchanging, wondering and connecting as a learner, teacher, and leader. I'm so very grateful for this unbelievable opportunity and so excited to share it with all of you. Please stay tuned to this blog for lots (I hope!) of updates along the journey.
Mrs. Lake and Snowy taking a breather on the way up Lē‘ahi or Diamond Head Crater.
Our school's mascot - Snowy Chicken - went on an adventure up Lē‘ahi or Diamond Head Crater on the Hawai'ian island of Oahu in February, 2023.
Snowy carried a lot of questions from the third and fourth graders with her and brought some answers back.
During the trek, Snowy saw views of the sparkling Pacific, learned some geology and history about the place, and even spotted some wildlife!
Following the trip, our class connected via FlipGrid and snail mail with students at Waimea Elementary School to exchange ideas and ask questions.
In August of 2022, I was so honored to learn that I received a prestigious Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms Award. This fellowship is awarded annually through the US Department of State. Out of over 3000 applicants, 64 were selected this year and I was one!
In June of 2023, I will participate in an International Field Experience in Uruguay, South America with 18 other talented teachers from all over the United States.
Use these links to follow my adventure to Uruguay.
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