Like all the others’ our trip to Portugal started with anxiety, fear and so many questions. But it only lasted till our Portuegese colleagues met us at the tram station of Povoa de Varzim and gave us big warm hugs. So to speak the waves of the ocean and the rain in Povoa de Varzim swept away all the negative feelings.
From the very first day of the program our colleagues from Aver-o-Mar were with us all the time without showing any sign of tireness and always motivated with a smiling face. And everywhere well behaving students even with full of love towards us just like the cutest Gabriel managing to be friends with us all these adults coming from different countries.
The preperations done by the Portuegese team made us speechless. The perfect combination of learning, experiencing, feeling and orienting. Being welcomed at the Town Hall with presents, being surrounded by the lovely kindergarteners at Aldeia, almost crying by seeing what could be done with dedication, good wishes and a full of heart at MAPADI, experiencing how students can behave very well at Rocha Peixoto, being inspired by seeing inclusion can be part of university and the technology at University of Minho and of course feeling at home while having all the activities at Aver-o-Mar.
Portuegese people, music, cuisine, culture, weather, nature just fascinated me and my team like no other place has done so far. For myself I know this was just the begining of our relationship…
Obrigado Portugal, obrigado friends…
Metin Sabancı Special Education Schools