Party Week!

Last week proved to be quite a busy week back at school. I am starting to push my students out of their comfort zone and they are not easing into the process of actually having to do multiply tasks. They complain but I continuously remind myself that I too complained about the work I was given in high school, but I pulled up my socks and got it done.

Wednesday was the school’s 120th birthday and it was a very inspiring celebration. There was a mass in the morning and the bishop of Bermuda came to orchestrate the ceremony. There were six other priests including two from Waterloo, Ontario who also came to celebrate. After mass we had a buffet lunch, with soup, sandwiches and salads. During the last period of class that day everyone received a cupcake and we sang happy birthday to the school. The story of this school originated from a group of nuns who traveled with a large statue of St. Joseph from Halifax to Bermuda. They had a modest school house when they began, and to this day 120 years later, it still remains the only Catholic school on the island. The two nuns that are still here assured all of us that they were not part of the original fleet that arrived by boat 120 years ago.

After school on Friday I went out for drinks with a couple of colleagues. We went to a little bar called Latin, and it is located two blocks from the school. The guacamole there was amazing, but there was one downside to this “happy hour,” the menu had stated that it was $9. So we ordered two for four people thinking $18 was a great deal, but later we found out that pp min. 2 was written in the smallest possible font at the bottom of the menu. Note to self, read menus very cautiously when ordering food in Bermuda. Oh well it was worth it, and the place was very nice. The restaurant is decorated in rustic colours, and it has an outdoor patio that was filled with a barrage of thirsty customers decked out in sharp business attire.

I lost track of time and by the time I left it was about 9 o’clock. Opps. So I went to the bus stop and planned the safest route home I could think of. While waiting for the bus I had a very interesting encounter. Firstly, I was hit on multiple times by a 20 year old with a broken arm. Since I was stuck waiting I figured I would talk to the guy and not appear to be interested, but still have a friendly conversation. He was nice, and he thought I looked 22. I gave him a fake name and work place. He continued to tell me his life story and sat next to me on the bus. UGH!!! Anyways, so when I sat down the woman behind me started to flick my hair. Then she said the most horrifying thing… .”Don’t move there is a cockroach in your hair.” I froze like a deer in headlights and whined for her to get it out. Some man then reached forward and sent it flying across the bus. For the rest of the ride, the young man named Jamal decided to tell me all about Bermuda and its traditions. He told me where I should go and what I should do while I’m here. He was entertaining but I was so happy when he had to leave. So to proceed with my safe route home, I decided to walk through the resort to the street that leads directly to my house. There is security on the premises and cameras so I think after sundown this is a good way for me to go. I do not stay out usually, but as I said I lost track of time.

Saturday I decided to go on an adventure to Dockyard, the part of the island that I had yet to venture towards. I took a bus for the ride out to the clock tower mall, which is catered to cruise ships. The place is filled with little jewelry shops and tourist souvenirs. There was an artist’s gallery there filled with wonderful paintings of the area. Her name is Lisa Rego, she is not related to Maria or her family but I think I would like to buy one of her paintings as a memento of my time here.(www.lisaregoart.com) I like the one called Habourfront best because it depicts the architecture of the coloured concrete homes. The reflection in the water is perfect and the little boy fishing is a great reminder of the students that I will and have taught. The island way of things is very laid back and casual. I think this image is a good representation of the persona of Bermudians in general.

I went to a glass blowing place which is also where they make the Bermuda Rum cakes. I had a few samples… Yummy! There was a clay pottery place that sold lovely things, including the house signs I mentioned last week. It started to pour so I decided to postpone the remainder of the dockyard tour; instead I jumped on the covered ferry and set out for Hamilton. Once I arrived about 20 minutes later, I did some browsing in a few shops, grabbed some groceries and caught a bus home for the evening.

Yesterday was a very eventful day. Maria’s mom and dad, Angelina and Jose, celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary. First, I went to church with the entire Rego family at St. Peter’s church in St. George, Bermuda. The church was small and minimal, but it was fun to see some students there at the 9am mass. I was able to meet their parents and introduce myself in a non-academic atmosphere.

Maria had planned a surprise party for her parents, so we headed back to her house to cook for 20 people ~ just kidding. She ordered catering to the house from Café Azoerian, a Portuguese restaurant in town. We had chicken with chorizo, potatoes, vegetables, a cream of cod dish and soup to start. Then for dessert there was rice pudding, Portuguese custard tarts (cajadas), sweet bread (massa), cake, other desserts I don’t remember.

The Rego’s got married via correspondence. Jose was in the army and Angelina’s brother went with him to get the papers so that his sister could marry Jose. So they had wedding pictures taken in their different locations and celebrated alone. Since there was never a proper wedding together they were not able to cut the cake as a couple so Maria decided to recreate the moment. She had a Bermudian wedding cake made for the event. There are two layers to the cake, the bottom is fruit cake and the top is vanilla.

Once lunch was over, Stephen decided to play bartender so we all ended up doing shots of slippery nipples (sambuca and baileys). They were a pretty rowdy bunch, and it was a lot of fun to meet them all. I was sent home with leftovers for the next week, enough to feed a family of four. I brought is all to work today so hopefully I can share it all.

I will be home soon. I can’t wait to spend time with my family on Easter. They fly kites here in Bermuda for Good Friday and I may try to bring one home. I am having a great time here. See you all soon.

Love, Lisa.