Precerpt from In with the East Wind: A Mary Poppins KInd of Life - Brazil: Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre holds a special place in my memories. I completed a number of assignments there, including some pretty unique ones that sprang up on the spot, and developed some friendships that not only brought cultural experiences of everyday life that not all visitors get but also have lasted to this day. Yerba Mate I remember walking through a park with a friend, drinking Yerba Mate through a special cup, with a flared shape, and metal spoon with a hold that served as a joint straw. She would sip, then hand the cup to me, and then I would sip and hand the cup back. And so on and so forth until the cup was empty. I can now buy yerba mate locally, but the liquid is only a small piece of what it means to me to yerba mate. It is not the same without a friend to share it with up close and personal. English Center—and Portuguese! Most of my assignments there had to do with teaching English and teaching English teachers how to teach English. Although I try to stay in E...