My goodness - where DO I start?
From the moment I get up it is all go. These last 10 days has been amazing.
Local councils are not known the world over for being helpful are they? Well, here in my area of the Alentejo with regards to helping me they have surpassed themselves. I have got permission to do demos in the street, been offered venues for free (!), told I will be promoted (you can tell someone is taking notice of you when they are making notes of what you are saying AND also designing how your logo will look on the website / posters) .... and then I was asked if I would like to be involved when the camera crew come for Easter!! Actually I was asked if my Portuguese was ok for explaining about Modern Jive for TV!! Well, with the help of friends I will certainly be able to do it. Also, without me even asking all the information for the Music & Dance Evening was sent to the local newspapers!! Hence a BIG THANK YOU in particular to Daniel Carreiras of Castelo de Vide who also organised for me to go on the official Easter programme of events. Needless to say friends in England who are hearing about this are somewhat amazed.
Getting started with all this is quite challenging & to have had such a positive response is such a boost.
The assistant manager from the main local supermarket (who everyone knows) was incredibly helpful & introduced me to various local people. The wonderful owner of the B & B Casa Melanie (Castelo de Vide) really went out of her way to help & organised for me to meet her niece who was involved with the hiring of a great venue. The list goes on & in time I will acknowledge all these delightful people. Suffice it to say that I appreciate it. This current post as it is now is just written very quickly & in brief to ensure I keep this blog updated.
One of my many Portuguese friends here has been helping me enormously by coming round with me to talk to various local organisations - for example we went to the local Bomberios (Firebrigade) office and will have them at the 16th April event in uniform to give a certain authenticity to the evening! Other friends are helping with the translations of posters & info leaflets for the classes.
In brief we had the first Modern Jive class at the swimming pool dance room in Santo Antonio das Areias 7th April at 6 pm. Due to a hiccup my translator friend couldn't make it ...... I taught my first class mostly in Portguese!! I decided to make a start for the people who were keen to get going - a mix of Scottish, Spanish, English, Dutch, German, Portuguese & French came for the class!!
I will write more for this page & write some of the funny things that have happened but this will do for the moment. A BIG thanks to everyone who has been so key in helping make this happen - especially Mona who is here Helpxing & is my wonderful & very capable demonstrator.
