Portuguese students in America Cultural exchange between the Portuguese High School  students of the City of Porto,  Portugal,  and the American students.

During ten days,  22 high school students  and 3 teachers from the  High School of the City of Porto, Portugal,  visited the area of Boston, capital of Massachusetts,  and also some historical sites in the State of  Rhode Island

These students were guests of Portuguese-American families in the the city of Hudson, north of Boston, so they could visit the Museum of Science, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, (MIT),  and Harvard University. They also spent some time with their American colleagues from  the High School in Hudson so they could  compare both teaching programs. 

This international cultural exchange was coordenated by  the teacher Lucinda Haettich, Portuguese Educational Advisor of the Massachusetts Departmetn of Education.

The group of students and teachers from the High School of the City of Porto 
( The City  of Port Wine) 

This group of students  and teachers visited on Saturday, February 12, 2005, the Museum of Dighton Rock,  in Berkley, Massachusetts. Manuel Luciano da Silva, physician and historian, and Honorary Director of  the Museum was their guide.  These Portuguese visitors  were  very  well impressed with the Portuguese artifacts inside  the Museum, but much more so,  by the Portuguese inscriptions  engraved on the face of the rock,   which were made by the Portuguese navigator, Miguel Corte Real, in 1511, together with  the Portuguese Coat of Arms “V” and “U” shaped and also four Portuguese Crosses of the Order of Christ.  The students had an opportunity to touch the rock and also to take their photos next to this monument as a souvernir of their visit.  

Dr. Luciano da Silva explaining the panels to the visiting students 

A teacher comparing the Portuguese  symbol with the one engraved on the rock	A student comparing the Portuguese symbols with similar ones engraved on the rock

The same group followed the route 24  to  Newport and had lunch at the  Club of Vasco da Gama Society, of which  Mr. John Dias is the president

The temperture was below freezing and when they  got to the Vasco  da Gama Society,  the warm Portuguese soup,  given and prepared by Mr. Gilda DeCosta,  tasted wonderfuly  and everyone had seconds.  They were also serve chouriço with pepers and the Vasco da Gama Society is famous for this type of dish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mrs. Gilda DeCosta, the cook and who gave the materials for the soup

 

The Academy of Codfish of New England, Inc.  only paid for the  chouriço, bread and beverages.

The success of this event reveals once again,  when  people like to do things for love,  everything  comes out  alright  reducing  the expenses to a minimum.

Successful Event

We are most grateful to all the members of the Vasco da Gama Society for their excellent cooperation. Mr. John Dias was the dynamic leader who  started and kept things roling, even inviting the Mayor of the City of Newport, Honorable John Trifero and State Senator Majority Leader,Teresa Paiva Weed.    

John Dias, the president, Senator Teresa Paiva Weed and the Mayor John Trifero

The Mayor of Newport offered to one of the teachers a tile with the NewportTower,  Symbol of the City. And Senator Teresa Paiva Weed offered  to each student  an  Icon of  Pineapple,  Symbol of Hospitality of the City of Newport.  Both of these leaders had special  words of welcoming to the  the students and also stressed the good standing that the Portuguese community has in this area. 

After lunch,  under the guidance of Dr. Luciano da Silva,  the students took the 11 mile ride, and they were pointed to the summer homes of the President Eisenhower, and President Kennedy.  They stopped at the Portuguese Discovery Monument  in the Brenton Park, which is a modern sculture of the Compass Rose of  the Nautical School of Navigation,  in Sagres,  Portugal. They were also informed that the Brenton Point is the closest spot in United States of America to Portugal, Cabo Carvoeiro.

One of the main avenues in the city of Porto is called Avenida da Boa Vista, which is similar to the  Belleview Avenue, in Newport. But  the  Avenue  in Neport has many  more palaces…

Then they continued to the Touro Park where they could  see the Newport Tower,  with eight arches,  similar to the  contruction of Charola, or main altar of the Convent of Tomar, which was the headquarters  of  the Cross of the Order of Christ that paid for the  Portuguese Discoveries.  It is interesting  to note that the symbol of the City of Newport is the Tower of Newport, similar to the Charola of Tomar… Here is a concrete idea  for these two cities to become Sister Cities. May be the Vasco da Gama Directors can start working on this plan.

After seeing the NewportTower they were taken to see the Touro Synagogue,  the first synagogue in U. S. A.,  built by the Portuguese Sephardic Jews.  We could not visit the synagogue because the hour was late.

We know that on the day the students left  Boston  to return to Portugal,  they all felt that they would like to stay longer in America and see much more of this great country.  We are sure they will never forget their quick  trip to this region. We wish them great success in their future. Perhaps some of them will return to U. S. A. to continue their studies here.   Cultural exchanges like this is what makes our international world much better.

Return