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Category Archives: EDUCATION
Through Peace, Through Dialogue, Through Education
Originally posted on View from the Nest:
"Education is a power for women."
- Malala Yousafzai
"This question is hard!" a student good-naturedly pointed out to me. "You always ask such broad questions." "Of course it's hard," I said. "I want you all to think, to think deeply, to – how do I put this? – learn things." I gave her my "Call me crazy" shrug and she turned back to her discussion partner to figure out "What is a girl?"
As we were discussing everyone's answers to the question, Mia asked, "What is 'feminine?'" Everyone laughed, and several students jumped to try to look it up on their iPads. "Nope," I said, halting them. "Dictionaries don't always tell the whole story. It's a really important question, and we'll come back to it when we've finished with the main line of thought in the discussion." About five minutes later, I wrote "Traditional ideas of feminine" and "Our ideas of feminine" on two panels of the white board. Olivia transcribed the students' thoughts on traditional ideas, and Siobhan transcribed the girls' original thoughts. Traditional ideas included "how to be proper," "stay-at-home wife," "long hair" and "meek and obedient," among others. Asked to determine what threads ran through these ideas, the students came up with "keep contained," "be ruled over," "ideal (not reality)," "how you look," "no voice," and "housewife (specific role)." They noted that with every single trait listed, outside forces were trying to control and judge women.
A few thoughts on 'bilingual homeschooling'.
Already mentioned here my [random] thoughts on the whole bi/multilingual culture {Comments and extra thoughts on being a multilingual parent…}, and its obvious benefits, not only to the growing child, but also for the society that child is part of…
There's also a very interesting/challenging/poking article from CNN, bringing out the discussion on a study about 'lifelong bilinguals' {Study: Bilinguals Have Faster Brains} and the development of their brains… also, worth to check it out [I clearly did, it's part of who I'm... that said, I had no other option but to join the discussion forum with my 2 cents growing up as a nomad child, and now a 'trailing spouse' and mother to 3 TCKs].
According to Corey Heller [the founder of Multilingual Living and the Editor-In-Chief/Publisher of Multilingual Living Magazine], "Home languages almost always take a severe blow the moment our children walk through the schoolhouse doors.
All of a sudden, our children are surrounded by peers, teachers, administrators (even the janitor and bus driver) all day long who speak nothing but the community language. Our children quickly learn that this "school language" is essential for functioning in society and thus begins the home language–school/community language dichotomy (to the distress of many a dedicated parent). However, not all families experience this abrupt change once their children are school age. What is their secret?"
Well, the answer presented by the Multilingual Living author is that parents "choose to educate their children at home and avoid the whole transition all together".
Personally, we're trying to get the best of the two worlds: our 2 elementary children attend an international school in Bolivia, where most of the classes are in English, with the optional Spanish as a 'bonus' class. The playground language is Spanish. Homework is done in English. I try my best to only speak to the children in Portuguese, and my husband does the same, regarding Spanish. I guess, we're doing the 'part-time homeschooling'!
Back to the 'inspirational article', "For most families, homeschooling is not about recreating the classroom at home. It is about creating something absolutely brand new and unique; about fostering an environment which is conducive to learning, regardless of material, location or method…" I agree with the author, and just wish I/we could replicate that in our own household! And why I say that? Because it's hard, despite the endless efforts from the parents,
"bilingual homeschoolers use an array of resources for learning different subjects. What is most important are the results that come from learning a subject, e.g. being able to read and comprehend what is read, compute mathematical equations on varying levels, write a well-researched and well-argued essay, be familiar with world geography and history, and put the scientific method into practice – all of which progresses and matures as our children develop their knowledge and skills…"
And as the author wraps it up, we're left with a great advice:
How to Homeschool in more than one Language:
"Each family will need to come up with their own bilingual homeschooling plan based on their languages and subjects which they plan to cover. Family members must also decide who will be teaching which subjects in which language and when. Planning is probably the hardest part so families need to make sure they find as many resources as they can – general books on homeschooling as well as books in the target language which can be used for specific subjects".
That said, we'll keep on trying to assist our children with homework, school projects, reading/writing responses, using not only English. Math problems could be described and explained using my Portuguese. The joy of seeing my son resolving a problem/understanding a text excerpt and writing down the answers in English, carries a totally especial feeling for me. It shows the innate capacity to adapt, to adjust, and to develop a very personal way of thinking, of expressing himself…
Leaving you all with nice words of support, from Corey Heller: "The decision to homeschool bilingually can be a frightening one but with enough preparation, support and motivation you can make it a successful one for you and your family."
If you liked this piece, please take a moment and go visit Multilingual Living website. It's a very good resource for parents of TCKs, homeschooling parents, or any parent concerned about improving their children's learning skills, without loosing track of reality. From our "tentative trilingual home", to yours…♥
Benefits of Multilingualism
Related articles
- Interview of Maria, mom of trilingual children (littlebilingues.wordpress.com)
- How to Homeschool Your Child (iwanzzzz.wordpress.com)
Thoughts on 'Let Teachers Do Their Jobs.'
Last morning's column on the Washington Post [Parenting], by Tracy Grant, was a refreshing example of what we [parents] need [or need not] to do when it comes to working in parallel with our children's schools. The author encourage us all not only to read her suggestions, but also try to create a "new school year's resolution." Letting the teachers teach. Letting them exercise their abilities while showing our children the way to behave in school, as well as in society.
Quoting Tracy Grant: "Let your kids' teachers do their job. Assume that they are equipped to do what they have been trained and are paid to do. Be involved in your child's school and education, but try to do it in a way that is supportive of the teachers."
In short: Meddle less.
And this was only the introduction to her op-piece. 'Meddle less'. She simply nailed it on the head. No need for screaming, no discussion, no arguments – it's like telling us, parents, 'step away, for a little bit', and let the [ones that have been trained, schooled, experienced] do their jobs.
Obviously, our children's education should not rely solely on what he/she are receiving during the school hours – it goes way beyond the school walls, and it's our [parental] responsibility to ensure their success and well-being are the utmost goal. Parents should be unconditionally involved in a child's education. As Tracy Grant well pointed out, 'no one will ever be a better advocate for your child than you'. But being supportive to your child does not mean one needs to act/react as if the child didn't have means to do so. As the child ages, he/she has the critical duty to advocate for him/herself. It's an integral part of learning how to live the 'real life' in the 'real world', surrounded by 'real people', facing real challenges and difficulties.
Part of the learning process is understanding [from the child' point of view] how to survive in the real world. It's also crucial for parents and school professionals, to offer opportunities for independent learning. It's a two-way street: the teaching goes alongside with the learning, and one cannot exist if the other is corrupted.
Finally, using Tracy's words, an advice for any parent out there [and my favorite part of her article!]: 'encourage him to be a responsible student. Assume the teacher knows what he is doing. And your student may wind up learning lessons for a lifetime.'
Related articles
- Do Parents Make Better Teachers? A Childfree Teacher Responds (whynokids.com)
- Should teachers be parents first? (educationviews.org)
- The Power of Teachers (after3oclock.wordpress.com)
Are we missing a teachable moment?
"Miley Cyrus, the 20-year-old singer who began her career as squeaky-clean star of the Hannah Montana television series, seems to have ditched that goody two-shoes image for good with her recent Video Music Awards (VMAs) performance. Did Miley's performance cross the line, are we making too much of it, or are we missing a chance to have a more important conversation about race and sex? You be the judge".
Are we missing a teachable moment?
I do believe we are.
We're missing a great opportunity to use these recent events as a springboard for a much more fruitful debate.
Not only the parents out there, but all of us, adults [okay, I understand she is adult as well, but you get my point!]. Instead of judging or criticizing what happened, how about using it as a family dinning-table conversation topic?
Shocked? I would also be, if I weren't a parent of young children, living through all the social events brought to us on a daily basis - can't pretend we're blind to the present-future opening their wings right in front of us… maybe even, coming to life in our very own TV room! My 5 1/2 year-old knows who 'Miley-Montana' is, and like many others her age, walks around the house repeating song chorus. As a parent, how should I approach her questions on 'why can't I watch this or that Disney channel shows?' Should I just now say that her beloved Hanna is bad, and she should completely switch her idolatry towards 'Lava Girl' [and Shark Boy, for that matter]?
That said, are all the previously-innocent Disney stars turned evil? Have them all become bad examples to our children? Should I just turn the TV [and the computer!] off, once and for all? Is that a plausible solution?
Controversy? Sure!
That's what social media lives and breathes on! Controversy is needed to sell papers, creating countless and endless postings on Facebook… increasing the Klout scores throughout social network channels… The whole fuzz on twerking? Sad to say, but unfortunately, many young girls who had not yet heard the term, are now 'practicing Miley's moves…
But… what's the 'message to take home'?
It's not only about Miley Cyrus' performance, or her 'not-so-appropriate' display of oneself, and her puzzling lack of self-awareness. She is just one of the many examples of a debating behavior. Should I/could I judge her? Not sure about that. Not my place to do so, although, I can definitely take advantage of the current situation, and embrace a productive discussion. Any takers?
The original article [inspiring this mini op-piece] presents an intriguing question: if we were missing a chance to have a larger discussion about race, sex, gender roles, and the evils of stereotyping?
The key point for the discussion, at least the way I see it, is the importance to teach children/teenagers about self-respect. There's a crucial need for them to understand the meaning of self-awareness, and the consequences of their own acts.
We live in society, no one is an island, and we should all behave [and act] with these premises in mind. Teaching children/young adults to gain self-respect will surely assist them into improving their learning and creative skills, as well as their ability to understand/welcome love. Self-respect/self-esteem is closely related to happiness and success in life.
Strong senses of self-respect and self-esteem will help our children act responsibly, responsively and respectfully as they socially interact with others. Self-respect and self-preservation are concepts that should be the foundation of any growing individual. Happiness and the much-wanted success will follow on.
The ongoing lesson:
With strong self-respect, our children will know that they're important, smart, valuable and unconditionally loved. We, the adults, parents, also need to do our share. We need to show our support and our respect towards that growing being. We're asked to show our children they're worthy of respect. And we do that by respecting their feelings, their privacy and their properties; expressing our pride in our children at every opportunity. Our children are unique, and should be cherished as such.
Also, another lesson to take home from this whole buzz is the importance the parents have on a growing child's life. They [the children] need to learn how to fail. Mistakes are a fact of life. When we equip a child with skills necessary to make mistakes and regroup, we're also teaching him/her how to analyze and learn from his/her mistakes.
The result will be a resilient child who keeps trying in the face of struggles and challenges. Maybe that'd have been a great advice for they 'younger/growing' Miley Cyrus… learn from your mistakes, even from the very big, 'media-tweeted', Facebook-escalated ones… learn from your failures… failures are teaching situations, whose results are priceless learning opportunities. Probably that's the great teaching moment/teaching opportunity gathered from these recent events: instead of criticizing [the performance] to our children/teenagers, let's use it as a 'live example' during our family conversations. Let's hear from our children what they think/perceive on the situation; what is their reaction and their un-bias judgment… and maybe, they could surprise us… maybe they may see things under a different, more rational perspective… Let's hear from the kids, before we bash the young lady around with our not-so-nice words and pre-conceived ideas… Let's not miss this one-of-a-kind teachable moment… ♥
Keep on living… keep on learning…
Thoughts on Parenting: 'Metrics' for Children's Summer Vacation – Academics or Fun?
School is back. Summer vacation is seeing its last days….
Although joy is the word of the hour, there's a familiar question in the air: 'how was your summer?' Or even better than that: 'What did your kids do during their school break? I'm sure you had them catch up with their homework packages – they gotta be ready before school days are back!'
It's definitely hard to keep a balance between these two options: 'has your child spent much time on academics this summer, or has he/she went out to play, chasing fireflies, collecting 'knee scratches' and minor wounds while attempting to bike with no training wheels?'
Here are my 2 cents to the discussion. Not in 1,000 words, though – more likely, half of that! Hopefully, still bringing out some food for thought!
Maybe, like many parents out there, we're 'programmed to feel guilty' about not having our children work hard on their academics, taking advantage of the summer break; and instead, we're fighting that.
All moms and dads out there: try to remember your own childhood summer vacations – do you recall having touched a math/reading comprehension work sheet? I'll leave the answer to you… with a candid smile.
I personally, don't. When I was a child, there was no structure, and there were no demands. That said, what is your dearest/sweet memory of your summer vacations? I dare you tell me/us it dealt with extra homework!
Just saying…
And I guess, we all did fine, right?
We're all here, we're survivors, and we remember really enjoying summer… carefree-style!
Please, don't get me wrong! I'm all for good academics performance – the ones who frequently visit and read through this blog and its posts on education, language, and establishing a healthy multicultural environment for growing children will well understand how I value personal education.
But I also value creativity when raising a child. I value the ability parents have to offer [their kids] opportunities to find their own growing paths.
Analyzing the 'metrics' for our children's summer, we [their mom and dad] believe they are doing pretty well! Academics are important. Structure and discipline are important. Fun is a cornerstone for both processes.
Having fun and experiencing childhood on its fullest are crucial points for a well-balanced development. Children need that. They seek that. Playtime amongst their peers helps them develop a sense of self-awareness, a good dose of self-confidence, and to understand their minds have no limits when it comes to creativity and desire. And they look up to us, parents, as the key-providers of a healthy combination of structure, discipline and fun moments.
That's exactly what vacations are about: hopefully, our kids will do just fine in the future, with fantastic memories of what they did with their family over the school breaks – even if they forgot to finish some of the reading assignments, or left aside that math worksheet [to be completed after dinner!]…
Maybe after they've come back inside the house, tired of chasing frogs and playing tag with neighboring friends… and are ready to jump right back into the school schedule.
Chasing their own dreams is part of a healthy childhood development – and should be enjoyed as such! Now, off to a great school start – with all the academics that come with it!
♥ ♥ ♥
School is back: Creating the proper study environment?
This morning's article on Parenting, from the Washington Post got me thinking…
And I'm thankful that Nicole Anzia [freelance writer; she can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com] took a stab at it: "Finding a space where your child can complete his or her homework without getting totally stressed out, or stressing you out, is difficult. Don't be discouraged if the first place you choose isn't perfect; this will be an ongoing and evolving process throughout your child's life as a student. But having a space set up and creating a homework routine during the first week of school will help smooth the transition from summer's hot, hazy days to fall's hurried, homework days."
According to Anzia, there are few points that MUST be addressed, and since school days for my 2 elementary kids has just begun, I hope I'm on the right track, and will, for sure, try to follow her 'advice': [I've added my personal comments after the 'important-points' suggested by the author]
1. Choose the right location
We're fortunate enough to have an extra 'lunch table', in a separate room, with a framed world map, a large wall clock and a buffet with drawers. The whole area has been defined for 'homework' and school assignments: reading response; school poster preparation, coloring, cutting and pasting [I've got a 2nd grader and a KG5].
2. Find and organize supplies
The buffet drawers were turned into 'storage space' for their school supplies. Backpacks are kept on the floor, against the wall, and handy, when they're needed. Plastic containers/organizers are a must-have to keep their pencils, coloring gear, scissors; glue sticks IN PLACE AND EASY TO FIND. :o
3. Create a Go-To spot
Anzia also points out that "Another advantage of a designated homework space is that you can have a set surface where you and your kids can post scheduling reminders and deadlines. You could hang a magnetic board or bulletin board, or use stick-on chalkboard or dry-erase boards that can be easily removed in seconds, without damaging the wall."
For that, unfortunately, I had to resource to our kitchen area, where we mounted a white board on the wall, with our cell phone numbers [for the sitter, when both mom and dad are at work!]. The board displays each child's chores, a brief schedule and any necessary reminder…. The kitchen wall is also the place for an oversized interactive calendar [months, days, seasons, weather and special dates]. Our oldest son, now 7,5 is the one in charge of changing the dates/information on the calendar, every morning.
4. Try out and reassess
This is the author's final suggestion. Try things out, and after the initial month or so, reassess the results. Change. Improve. Get feedback from the kids. See what works and what needs to be fixed.
We're on week 1, for this school year… let's wait and see what's in store for us… we're all hopeful… maybe 'homework time' will be a breeze… who knows?
Related articles
- Kids Study Area, Homework Room Design (potterybarnkids.com)
Reflections on the expat life, inspired by Buckminster Fuller: "I am not a noun, I seem to be a verb…"
This is a third post on my 'random thoughts' about bringing our children up into this 'nomad world' [first one discussed multilingualism and its approach as parents], especially when it comes to the diverse society they [children] are about to face…. any moment from now… the second post presented a discussion on the misperceptions on being a 'serial expat'; a nomad, a 'rolling stone'…. I'm sure there'll be more posts to come – thank you all for reading, and for the continuous feedback on this [and other!] topics – the suggestions, comments and shared stories from other parents/travelers/expats have made this 'blogging experience' much richer. And I'm very grateful for all that.
The discussion on social diversity is not only part of our family's daily life, but it also tailors the way we are raising our children, and the way we would like them to understand and perceive their surroundings.
For many children, expat life is an enriching, wonderful experience, but for many others, it is an unbelievably difficult time. Much is gained — language, travel, worldview, diversity – but there are very real losses — extended family, longtime friends, a sense of belonging. Some of the losses are unrecognized and unacknowledged until later in life…
As parents of TCKs, my husband and I try to be sensitive to their particular situation. Each child is different, and reacts to the uprootedness differently. Some are more sensitive, and others relish in it.
One thing we have always tried to be, however, is their anchor. Since their external life is in constant flux, we try to keep our family life constant and stable. We try to have our own habits and traditions, which, as it turns out, are a bit of a blend between the countries we inhabit. Yes, they [our kids] may be exotic to the kids around them, and again, each handles that differently. One thrives on that, another cringes, but it is what it is. We know that they would have a different perspective than we do as their parents…
Perhaps, the best way of handling the identity issue is to adopt the dictum of the late Buckminster Fuller: "I am not a noun, I seem to be a verb…"
Related articles
- Comments and extra thoughts on being a multilingual parent… (3rdculturechildren.com)
- What's a Third Culture Kid? (iwasanexpatwife.com)
- {Updated} Raising Resilient Children. (3rdculturechildren.com)
- {Guest Post} Exploring Popular Perceptions about the Serial Expat. (3rdculturechildren.com)
- Raising Multilingual Kids Blogging Carnival: Hidden Opportunities (3rdculturechildren.com)
- Raising children in the Foreign Service – a brief talk about diversity. (3rdculturechildren.com)
- {Guest Post} Exploring Popular Perceptions about the Serial Expat. (3rdculturechildren.com)
- Raising Multilingual Kids Blogging Carnival: Hidden Opportunities (3rdculturechildren.com)
When you end up talking another language with your kids…
Great reading about raising multilingual children!
Our community keeps on growing!
When you are multilingual and start having kids, you have to choose which language you'll talk to your children. Linguists always recommend to talk your "mothertongue" to you children. But which is the mothertongue if you are perfectly bilingual? In my case: should I talk Italian or German to my kids?
When our son was born, we lived in Italy and as Italian is one of my mother tongues, it was very natural for me to talk Italian to him from the beginning. Our home languages were Italian (me and my son), Swissgerman (my husband and my son) and German (my husband and me) and we were convinced that he would pick up German automatically too.
When we moved to the Netherlands our son was 2.5 years old and he went to a dutch daycare twice a week since almost immediately. After two months he started to talk less and less Italian to me. My husband was still talking Swissgerman to him and I noticed that my son prefered to answer me in Swissgerman or even Dutch too. Supposing that this was just a phase, I kept on talking Italian knowing that he would at least gain a passive competence in this language.
Challenges of raising bi/multilingual kids…
Already mentioned here my [random] thoughts on the whole bi/multilingual culture {Comments and extra thoughts on being a multilingual parent…}, and its obvious benefits, not only to the growing child, but also for the society that child is part of…
My children are surely enjoying their school break – another 2 full weeks to go, and they'll be back at a familiar environment – an international school, surrounded by Spanish speaking classmates, and other expats, mainly from neighboring South American countries, a few European reps, and the well-known US-American crowd.
All fun and games, until it came to reinforce the endless/continuous need for them [my kids] to keep speaking Portuguese at home. Since I spend several hours at work, I'm not with them to 'remind' my lovies the importance of keeping up with 'mommy's language'…
They speak to the nanny in Spanish, to other American kids in English. The TV is mostly in English, with a few Spanish options. I'm their only link to Portuguese, right now - and I feel it's my duty to stress the rule of 'if mom is home, you should only talk to her in Portuguese, as well as, to each other".
Guess what's happening? The rule is definitely off. We [parents] had it all planned out: our kick-off was the One Parent One Language (OPOL) method, where one parent speaks the minority language, which would be, in my case, Portuguese. My husband would have the kids started in Spanish [his father's mother tongue], and gradually move on to English [husband's mother's tongue], as school moved on and our children required a deeper knowledge of English… We knew their/kids' brains are hard-wired for language acquisition and children up to three years old easily process both languages.
Our 3 children had an early 'linguistic' start. They're now 7.5; 5.5 and 2.5 years old – and were introduced to different languages as early as their birthdate.
Right now, it seems not to be working. Maybe, it's because we're tired at the end of the day? Or because the kids see me talking to their dad in English; and to their day-time nanny in Spanish, they believe it's okay to leave Saramago's language aside, and completely pretend they don't know Portuguese [??].
So here I am, asking for suggestions [??], trying to figure out an easy [and painless] way out… ,
I'm always on the lookout for interesting resources for supporting our toddlers' learning, I stumbled upon this very interesting article from Multilingual Living, which I've shared here earlier.
From our "tentative trilingual home" to yours… Thank you for reading… and for any suggestions that come our way!
Related articles
- How To Raise a Multilingual Child: MUSTS, BESTS & BOOSTS (melissadaltonbradford.wordpress.com)
- For Parents: Two sites for raising multiLINGUAL children (myworldenglish.wordpress.com)
- Wise Words on Words: Talking About Multilingualism (melissadaltonbradford.wordpress.com)
- Planes, trains, automobiles… and language? (bxlsprout.com)
- Are You Multilingual? (ectranslations.wordpress.com)
- Multilingualism and commercial language: Vital for the U.S. economy (voxxi.com)
{Updated} Raising Resilient Children.
Here's a brief update on this blogpost – a book that just came out, from the author Linda Janssen, and from which I've learned a lot during this journey of 'raising expat children':
The Emotionally Resilient Expat – Engage, Adapt and Thrive Across Cultures
I feel like I began this year on a very 'introspective mode', rethinking life, our lifestyle, and the way we plan on leading it forward…
This is a third post on my 'random thoughts' about bringing our children out [first one discussed multilingualism and its approach as parents; and the second one dealt with 'how to approach' diversity issues], especially when it comes to the heterogeneous society they [children] are about to face…. any moment from now… [find all interesting links to great discussions at the bottom of this post!]
Five Quotes On Resilience
It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change. – Charles Darwin
Resilient children tend to have parents who are concerned with their children's education, who participate in that education, who direct their children everyday task, and who are aware of their children interests and goals. Another important characteristic of resilient children is having at least one significant adult in their lives. – Linda F. Winfield
Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear. – Mark Twain
There are two lasting bequests we can give our children: one is roots, the other is wings. – Hodding Carter
Self-esteem is the real magic wand that can form a child's future. A child's self-esteem affects every area of her existence, from friends she chooses, to how well she does academically in school, to what kind of job she gets, to even the person she chooses to marry. – Stephanie Martson
Related articles
- Comments and extra thoughts on being a multilingual parent… (3rdculturechildren.com)
- Expat Families: Story Telling Can Be Key to Success in Raising Happy Children Who Grow Up Abroad, Parenting Expert Julia Simens Writes (sys-con.com)
- What's a Third Culture Kid? (iwasanexpatwife.com)
- Diversity (resetparenting.wordpress.com)
- Language and TCKs (raisingtcks.com)
- Embracing Diversity as an Expat: "How could we help our children around this issue?" (3rdculturechildren.com)
- Home is where the heart is… (bxlsprout.com)
- Helping Your Child Build Inner Strength – What Is Inner Strength? (kbprince.wordpress.com)
- Resilience: Why Do Children Need It? (resetparenting.wordpress.com)
- Leaving "Home" Wherever That Is (crossculturalinsights.wordpress.com)
Eleven months in Bolivia: "Color me Wonderful!"
In Bolivia there's always an excuse to bring out colors – by nature, in an incomparable way, or through handmade artwork. Our family of 5 has been at post for exactly 11 months now – enjoying life, watching our kids grow surrounded by new friends, improving their Spanish communication skills, and delighting ourselves with the inherent beauty this country has to offer. Here's a small sample of past 11 months in-country:
The majestic sky covering our home, the city of Nuestra Señora de La Paz:
The fearless colors of a group of bikers cruising the "World's Most Dangerous Road"
Despite not having access to the ocean, Bolivia hides some wonderful secrets, like the scenery around the Lake Titicaca…
The unique, multi-color display of beauty… not found in many places like here. Where tradition, religion, faith and pride meet!
The perfect combination between blues, greens and earth tones!
The respect and appreciation to others, shown by people from all over the world:
Our 11th month in Bolivia is ending, sealed with happiness, joy and our warmest greetings to our friends and extended family – wherever they are, please enjoy a bit of our "colorful home"…♥ Now, off to our second year at a great FS Post Assignment - thank you all!
Related articles
- Pattern: Colors of the Seasons in Bolivia. (3rdculturechildren.com)
- Indigenous beauty pageant held in Bolivia (foxnews.com)
- Bolivia's new tourism video (strollingsouthamerica.wordpress.com)
Between Us: An Open Letter to the Disney Channel
Originally posted on Life Inspired:
Dear Disney Channel Executives,
My daughter Journey has recently become a fan of the Disney Channel. She just turned 7, she has officially outgrown Nick Jr. and since Nick seems to show SpongeBob all day, she has moved over to the Disney channel. At first, she was pretty much only watching Phineas and Ferb. Eventually, she started watching the rest of the line up including Good Luck Charlie, Austin and Ally, Shake It Up and Jessie.
Ceremonia de Graduación del Programa Access – La Paz Students
A El 19 de abril, el Encargado de Negocios Larry Memmott presidió la ceremonia de graduación de estudiantes del Programa Access 2011-2013. La ceremonia tuvo lugar en la Residencia del Jefe de Misión en La Paz. El evento comenzó con una presentación artística a cargo de jóvenes egresados de la ciudad de El Alto que deleitaron a la audiencia con un recital de violín. Durante el evento, los estudiantes destacaron la importancia del programa Access en sus vidas y demostraron su habilidad en el uso del idioma inglés, que es el resultado de dos años de cursos intensivos de idioma, comprensión cultural y liderazgo. Un total de 127 estudiantes de escasos recursos de la ciudad de El Alto se benefician del programa y reciben clases de forma gratuita con patrocinio del Departamento de Estado.
All photos and text are protperty of the US Embassy La Paz [Flicker Gallery]
Embracing Diversity as an Expat: Raising Children in the Foreign Service.
I feel like I began this year on a very 'introspective mode', rethinking life, our lifestyle, and the way we plan on leading it forward…
This is a second post on my 'random thoughts' about bringing our children out [first one discussed multilingualism and its approach as parents], especially when it comes to the diverse society they [children] are about to face…. any moment from now…
The discussion on social diversity is not only part of our family's daily life, but it also tailors the way we are raising our children, and the way we would like them to understand and perceive their surroundings.
Being a foreign-born spouse, who has moved out of Brazil over a decade ago, constantly traveling because of work and family life, I had to learn early that, the need to readjust and reinvent oneself is a critical part of the adaptation process in a foreign country. I'm also a parent, and often find myself trying to answer a few questions, to my own children, as well as, to other parents facing similar challenges: "What can I do to help my children around the issue of diversity?" And, in fact, how ready is our society to embrace diversity?
I don't have answers for these questions, and maybe, secretly, would hope to find a few over here… from other expat/parents out there... I'm aware that we [parents] are all seeking answers, suggestions, so, I'll echo my voice with many more… who knows? Comments/messages are very much appreciated, and more than welcome!
That said, what is our role as parents? How could we help our children regarding diversity? One of the suggestions is that we need to be constantly involved in their lives. Listening to their stories, learning about their ventures and challenges adjusting to new/unknown realities. We need to devote a great deal of patience for establishing a healthy communication channel within our household, and between all the levels of our (expatriate) community; opportunities will present themselves at the school, at the work level, at social events where children may take part… . It's necessary to talk to our children about differences, in a very understanding and respectful way. Let us be resourceful and take advantage of the diversity around us.
One of the advantages this life as expatriates offers to families is the possibility to enroll our children in international schools. It's already been discussed that students who attend schools with a diverse population (student body, faculty, staff) are capable of developing an understanding of the perspectives of other children's backgrounds, learning to function in a multicultural, multiethnic environment.All of us are born free of biases, (un)fortunately, we tend to learn them as we grow. Is it a totally negative aspect of our lives? Could we turn our ability to make social judgments into a positive impacting tool? Let the discussion begin!
Related articles
- Comments and extra thoughts on being a multilingual parent… (3rdculturechildren.com)
- Expat Families: Story Telling Can Be Key to Success in Raising Happy Children Who Grow Up Abroad, Parenting Expert Julia Simens Writes (sys-con.com)
- What's a Third Culture Kid? (iwasanexpatwife.com)
- Diversity (resetparenting.wordpress.com)
- Language and TCKs (raisingtcks.com)
- {Updated} Raising Resilient Children. (3rdculturechildren.com)
"To have a second language is to possess a second soul" (Charlemagne)
Already mentioned here my [random] thoughts on the whole bi/multilingual culture {Comments and extra thoughts on being a multilingual parent…}, and its obvious benefits, not only to the growing child, but also for the society that child is part of… Recently, CNN brought out an interesting/challenging/poking discussion on a study about 'lifelong bilinguals' {Study: Bilinguals Have Faster Brains} and the development of their brains… also, worth to check it out [I clearly did, it's part of who I'm... that said, I had no other option but to join the discussion forum with my 2 cents growing up as a nomad child, and now a 'trailing spouse' and mother to 3 TCKs].
I'm always on the lookout for interesting resources for supporting our toddlers' learning, I stumbled upon this very interesting article from Multilingual Living, which I'm sharing below.
A very good resource for parents of TCKs, homeschooling parents, or any parent concerned about improving their children's learning skills, without loosing track of reality. From our "tentative trilingual home" to yours…
Good reading!
Benefits of Multilingualism
By Michał B. Paradowski
Institute of Applied Linguistics, University of Warsaw
The advantages that multilinguals exhibit over monolinguals are not restricted to linguistic knowledge only, but extend outside the area of language. The substantial long-lived cognitive, social, personal, academic, and professional benefits of enrichment bilingual contexts have been well documented. Children and older persons learning foreign languages have been demonstrated to:
- have a keener awareness and sharper perception of language. Foreign language learning "enhances children's understanding of how language itself works and their ability to manipulate language in the service of thinking and problem solving";
- be more capable of separating meaning from form;
- learn more rapidly in their native language (L1), regardless of race, gender, or academic level;
- be more efficient communicators in the L1;
- be consistently better able to deal with distractions, which may help offset age-related declines in mental dexterity;
- develop a markedly better language proficiency in, sensitivity to, and understanding of their mother tongue;
- develop a greater vocabulary size over age, including that in their L1;
- have a better ear for listening and sharper memories;
- be better language learners in institutionalized learning contexts because of more developed language-learning capacities owing to the more complex linguistic knowledge and higher language awareness;
- have increased ability to apply more reading strategies effectively due to their greater experience in language learning and reading in two—or more—different languages;
- develop not only better verbal, but also spatial abilities;
- parcel up and categorize meanings in different ways;
- display generally greater cognitive flexibility, better problem solving and higher-order thinking skills;
- "a person who speaks multiple languages has a stereoscopic vision of the world from two or more perspectives, enabling them to be more flexible in their thinking, learn reading more easily. Multilinguals, therefore, are not restricted to a single world-view, but also have a better understanding that other outlooks are possible. Indeed, this has always been seen as one of the main educational advantages of language teaching";
- multilinguals can expand their personal horizons and—being simultaneously insiders and outsiders—see their own culture from a new perspective not available to monoglots, enabling the comparison, contrast, and understanding of cultural concepts;
- be better problem-solvers gaining multiple perspectives on issues at hand;
- have improved critical thinking abilities;
- better understand and appreciate people of other countries, thereby lessening racism, xenophobia, and intolerance, as the learning of a new language usually brings with it a revelation of a new culture;
- learn further languages more quickly and efficiently than their hitherto monolingual peers;
- to say nothing of the social and employment advantages of being bilingual {Study: Bilinguals Have Faster Brains}– offering the student the ability to communicate with people s/he would otherwise not have the chance to interact with, and increasing job opportunities in many careers {The Value In Being Bilingual or Multilingual}.
10 days to a 'possible White Christmas'. Colors from The Bolivian Folkloric Ballet of Potosi.
Image #10: 20 Days of a Joyful Christmas: The Ballet Folklorico de Potosi, Bolivia.
Twenty days until Christmas – through twenty images of joy… We'll get a bit closer each day that goes by… Previous image here.
Related articles
- Identity, Traditions & Folklore in Bolivia: Saya Ceremony honoring Pachamama and blessing a new home. (3rdculturechildren.com)
12 days to a 'possible White Christmas'… not quite your regular 'Elf on the shelf'!
Image #9: 20 Days of a Joyful Christmas: Not quite your regular 'Elf on the shelf'… more like 'a non-stop climbing pre-toddler'! Climbing on the half-desk… going up the stairs… just got caught, while, quietly, trying to move on… Oh, the perks of being a mother of 3 little ones! Who needs adult supervision, anyway?
Twenty days until Christmas – through twenty images of joy… We'll get a bit closer each day that goes by… Previous image here.
Related articles
- What is 'Elf on the Shelf'? (newsnet5.com)
13 days to a 'possible White Christmas'…making my wish for 12.12.12: to witness their shared passion!
Image #8: 20 Days of a Joyful Christmas: My two boys on a regular Saturday morning…
While many are still sleeping in, my boys head to the soccer field at the kids' school… The 'older one' is the player, but my 'youngest boy' has to be there to support his dad… I couldn't be any happier when looking at their faces… That's a good wish for this 12.12.12: I've got 2 girls and 2 boys, and being able to witness their happiness is priceless… Today, I'm sharing the joy these boys bring to my life, through their shared passion: sports!
Twenty days until Christmas – through twenty images of joy… We'll get a bit closer each day that goes by… Previous image here.
14 days to a 'possible White Christmas'. An evergreen centerpiece as a keepsake…
Image #7: 20 Days of a Joyful Christmas: Evergreen centerpiece.
There's a bit of backstory to this branch of evergreen. It used to belong to a much larger tree, in front of the Radiation Treatment Facility here in La Paz. The tree has been trimmed to offer space for a canopy, where patients and patients-to-be would benefit from some much deserved shade, while waiting to be called into the facility. Several branches were cut down, and a few of the volunteers decided to take them home, using them as part of a unique Christmas decoration…
Two weeks later, one of the branches still exists as my dining table centerpiece… beautiful… a keepsake of a day of work, but most importantly, reminding us about how blessed we've been… There'll be no holidays at a hospital facility for our family… we'll spend these holidays together, as a family.. we're all healthy and grateful…
Twenty days until Christmas – through twenty images of joy… We'll get a bit closer each day that goes by… Previous image here.
15 days to a 'possible White Christmas'… Driving among the clouds…
Image #6: 20 Days of a Joyful Christmas: Literally driving among the clouds, outside the city of Nuestra Señora de La Paz… And we DID GO through this ride [or at least, the fab hubby did... all the driving!]. Here is the link for the complete Photo Essay!
Twenty days until Christmas – through twenty images of joy… We'll get a bit closer each day that goes by… Previous image here.
16 days to a 'possible White Christmas'… Joy after the hail showers!
Image #5: 20 Days of a Joyful Christmas: Joy after the Hail Showers…
Twenty days until Christmas – through twenty images of joy… We'll get a bit closer each day that goes by… Are we gonna get any snow?! Who knows… maybe! Previous image here.
17 days to a 'possible White Christmas'… Making fun Science with… Snow!!!
Image #4: 20 Days of a Joyful Christmas: Let it snow in school… if [natural] snow doesn't fall down from the sky, the solution is… let's make it! [nothing wrong with having fun with school-made artificial snow!]
Makes Fluffy Artificial Snow in Seconds!
Twenty days until Christmas – through twenty images of joy… We'll get a bit closer each day that goes by… Are we gonna get any snow?! Who knows… maybe! Previous image here.
So… where's home? [from a TCK's perspective]
School's begun, kids are adjusting to their 'newest' challenges: new friends, without forgetting their 'previous' ones, new teachers, with different teaching techniques, strategies, and a brand new schedule… All in all, they seem to be taking it in pretty well (at least for these past 2 weeks!). Let's see what future will bring to this foreign service family ♥
Adjustments are never easy, nor smooth, but as committed parents, we're trying our very best to make sure our 3 kids have an enjoyable social/emotional/psychological experience at this new posting/assignment. Not all is under our control, unfortunately, but… it's all part of life, and life's challenging on itself – otherwise, what'd be the meaning of pursuing different lifestyles?
That said, during one of my 'blog hopping' ventures, found a very interesting video discussing the meaning of 'home', from a TCK's perspective, totally worthy the time, and maybe, a good way to generate some discussion/questioning about the theme. Here it is:
So Where's Home? A Film About Third Culture Kid Identity from Adrian Bautista on Vimeo.
Related articles
- In Culture of the Third Kind: Writing as a TCK (hercircleezine.com)
- When you've got more than one place in your heart… [living in-between cultures] (3rdculturechildren.com)
- The way I see the world as A Third Culture Kid and the way the world sees me… (marieblogging.wordpress.com)
- "So Where's Home?" | A Film On The Identity Of The TCK (Third Culture Kid) (jarofsalt.com)
Learning about Culture and Presidents at the National Museum of American History, Washington DC.
This is the last post of a series – images and stories from our experiences during the US Home Leave. Before we arrived to our newest work and life adventure, we got to spend some time with family back in the US, sharing our stories and experiences of the past two years living and working in Brazil; do a bit of traveling, spend some great quality time with our kids at parks in Delaware and Virginia… and visit the National Mall in Washington, DC. A lot done during our 'home leave', now, being shared with our friends, family and curious readers! :All of that will be presented here… one at a time, though! :o
Sixth stop: The Presidents Hall, at the National Museum of American History, Washington DC: Link to the exhibit is here.
Related articles
- Snapshots from Home Leave: A visit to the Butterfly Garden at the Smithsonian Museum, Washington DC. (3rdculturechildren.com)
- Snapshots from Home Leave: The Flag that Inspired the National Anthem [National Museum of American History, Washington DC]. (3rdculturechildren.com)
- Images from an exciting visit to the O. Orkin Insect Zoo, in Washington, DC. (3rdculturechildren.com)
- Snapshots from Home Leave: An afternoon at the Clemyjontri Park in McLean, Virginia. (3rdculturechildren.com)
- Google Maps the Smithsonian (androidtravels.com)
Snapshots of The Smithsonian Natural History Museum, Washington DC.
Well, we're in La Paz, Bolivia, now. But before we arrived to our newest work and life adventure, we got to spend some time with family back in the US, sharing our stories and experiences of the past two years living and working in Brazil; do a bit of traveling, spend some great quality time with our kids at parks in Delaware and Virginia… and visit the National Mall in Washington, DC. A lot done during our 'home leave', now, being shared with our friends, family and curious readers! :All of that will be presented here… one at a time, though! :o
Fifth stop: Halls at the Museum of Natural History, Washington DC: Link to the exhibit is here.
As a Biologist, mom/teacher and former volunteer at the Natural History Museum (2004), I can say the visit, the explanations, and the teaching/learning combinations are well worthy a day trip with your own children, class students, friends, or simply, a 'curious soul'… Related articles
- Snapshots from Home Leave: A visit to the Butterfly Garden at the Smithsonian Museum, Washington DC. (3rdculturechildren.com)
- Images from an exciting visit to the O. Orkin Insect Zoo, in Washington, DC. (3rdculturechildren.com)
- Snapshots from Home Leave: The Flag that Inspired the National Anthem [National Museum of American History, Washington DC]. (3rdculturechildren.com)
- Snapshots from Home Leave: An afternoon at the Clemyjontri Park in McLean, Virginia. (3rdculturechildren.com)
- Google Maps the Smithsonian (androidtravels.com)
Images from an exciting visit to the O. Orkin Insect Zoo, in Washington, DC.
Before assuming post at our newest work/life assignment in La Paz, Bolivia, like many other foreign service families, we spent our four weeks of home leave in the US. We visited with family in Virginia and Delaware. We reconnected with friends from the past and from the present. We had fun at parks, public libraries, museums and galleries. We learned and shared experiences about history, culture, nature and life, with our kids. A very intense period – and totally worthy! A lot done during our 'home leave', now, being shared with our friends, family and curious readers! All of that will be presented here… one at a time! :o
Fourth stop: The O. Orkin Insect Zoo, part of the Museum of Natural History [Smithsonian], in Washington, DC: Link to the exhibit is here.
At a Glance
- Tarantula feedings Tuesdays-Sundays!
- Educators' Guide available
- Bring your students to the Insect Zoo
The O. Orkin Insect Zoo is a special exhibit hall on the 2nd Floor of the Museum where visitors can observe live insects and their many-legged relatives. Volunteers conduct tarantula feeding demonstrations, work with live insects that visitors may touch and hold, and answer questions about the many-legged creatures that live in the Insect Zoo.
As a Biologist, mom/teacher and former volunteer at the Natural History Museum, I can say the visit, the explanations, and the teaching/learning combinations are well worthy a day trip with your own children, class students, friends, or simply, a 'curious soul'…
Related articles
- Snapshots from Home Leave: A visit to the Butterfly Garden at the Smithsonian Museum, Washington DC. (3rdculturechildren.com)
- Snapshots from Home Leave: An afternoon at the Clemyjontri Park in McLean, Virginia. (3rdculturechildren.com)
- New insect species identified through Flickr (theverge.com)
- Washington DC Holidays (ebookers.com)
- D.C.'s Smithsonian museums get new phone app (washingtontimes.com)
- Google Maps the Smithsonian (androidtravels.com)
- New Insect Species Discovered on Flickr (treehugger.com)
Snapshots from Home Leave: An afternoon at the Clemyjontri Park in McLean, Virginia.
[Backstory: Well, we're in La Paz, Bolivia, now. But before we arrived to our newest work and life adventure, we got to spend some time with family back in the US, sharing our stories and experiences of the past two years living and working in Brazil; do a bit of traveling, spend some great quality time with our kids at parks in Delaware and Virginia... and visit the National Mall in Washington, DC. A lot done during our 'home leave', now, being shared with our friends, family and curious readers! All of that will be presented here... one at a time, though!
That said, let's continue with our tales & reporting from our time back in the US, during this year's home leave. Before, I shared here some unique images from an intriguing visit to the Butterfly Garden, hosted by the Smithsonian [Natural History Museum], in Washington, DC. Without question, the National Mall in Washington, D.C., is the United States' public playground, with loads of open space for tourists, and kids in particular, to roam. There's not much here in terms of specific play features, but you've got leafy areas for picnics, a carousel, paddleboats on the Tidal Basin, and lots of biking and walking trails.
Second stop: The Clemyjontry Park, McLean Virginia: Link to more information about the park, its hours and features, here.
As in, the packaging for a new toy can be as entertaining as the toy itself. I find that traveling with young kids follows a similar logic. You can do all the museums, monuments, churches, and castles in the world, but what kids really want is a place in which to run around like they do at home. So to aid in that quest, here are my recommendations for small-people spaces in big-city places—namely, adventuresome playgrounds that will stand in for that well-worn play area at your neighborhood school or park.
We had the pleasure of being joined by a dear friend, whose patience and care for my children are priceless… Thank you very much, Cherise! ♥
Related articles
- PlayCore's Playground in Clemyjontri Park Chosen as One of Top 10 in World (prweb.com)
- The 12 Most Unique Playgrounds in the World (neatorama.com)
Snapshots from Home Leave: A visit to the Butterfly Garden at the Smithsonian Museum, Washington DC.
Well, we're in La Paz, Bolivia, now. But before we arrived to our newest work and life adventure, we got to spend some time with family back in the US, sharing our stories and experiences of the past two years living and working in Brazil; do a bit of traveling, spend some great quality time with our kids at parks in Delaware and Virginia… and visit the National Mall in Washington, DC. A lot done during our 'home leave', now, being shared with our friends, family and curious readers! :All of that will be presented here… one at a time, though! :o
First stop: The Butterfly Garden, Washington DC: Link to the exhibit is here.
We had the pleasure to visit the $3million butterfly exhibit at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum. The exhibit "Butterflies + Plants: Partners in Evolution" features a 1,200 square foot tropical butterfly garden with approximately 400 butterflies. In the exhibit's main hall, visitors learn about the co-evolution of butterflies and plants.
The butterfly garden at the Smithsonian is located on the Ninth Street side of the National Museum of Natural History building.
Four distinct habitats – wetland, meadow, wood's edge and urban garden — encourage visitors to observe the partnerships between plants and butterflies.
The garden is a joint project of the Horticulture Services Division and the Museum with partial funding from the Smithsonian Women's Committee.
The garden, on view at all times, is a perfect complement to a visit to the O. Orkin Insect Zoo on the second floor of the Museum. [Stay tuned for upcoming posts on other visits to the Smithsonian wonders!]
As a Biologist, mom/teacher and former volunteer at the Natural History Museum (2004), I can say the visit, the explanations, and the teaching/learning combinations are well worthy a day trip with your own children, class students, friends, or simply, a 'curious soul'… We had the pleasure of being joined by a dear friend, whose patience and care for my children are priceless… Thank you very much, Cherise! ♥
Related articles
- Butterfly Place and Garden (idlamit.wordpress.com)
- Butterfly Struggle (bridgingthegapblog.wordpress.com)
- Butterfly (littlemuddyboots.co.uk)
- How to Attract Butterflies to Your Garden (proflowers.com)
- Butterfly Garden: What You Need to Attract Butterflies (fox4kc.com)
Why Are There So Few Women in Math and Science Professions?
A great finding, during one of my weekly 'blog-hoping' exercises… Thank you, NewsofTheTimesBlog!
"There is a fascinating story on NPR this week about the lack of women in math and science fields that is worth a read.
It explores the reasons that there are more men than women in these fields and the reasons that many women do not stay in these fields. The article lays the blame on women's awareness of stereotypes regarding their competency in these areas.
The author makes it clear that the problem is not all in women's heads, but rather lays the blame at the feet of the pervasive messages that women hear on a daily basis about their abilities, or inabilities, in these areas.
I find this fascinating. When I was in middel school, I was told I was bad at two things – OK, maybe 3 things – math, science and art. Whether the people who told me these things recognized that they sent me this messages as a teenager or not, these messages stuck with me over the years; in fact, these messages have stuck with me to this day.
I worked in the field of domestic violence for many years and was always interested in the programs that many shelters have for children who have witnessed domestic violence, where they use art therapy to help children heal and cope with their untenable family situation.
As someone who was told that art was not a personal strength, I always felt more stressed by the idea of this type of therapy than soothed. The messages we are told when we are young stick with us.
The story on NPR seems to confirm this and posits the theory that this is one of the main reasons that women, even women in high level math and science professions, do not stay in those positions.
The story points out a fundamental challenge, in which there are not many women in these fields, and women seem less likely to enter these fields because they do not see themselves represented in these professions.
Quite a chicken and the egg conundrum.
What do you think? Have you, or your children, had any personal experiences with being told that you were not good at something? Have you found ways to counter these messages that work for you? Do you have any ideas about how more women could be encouraged to enter the fields of math and science? Or do you think that it is not really a problem to have this field so dominated by men?
I would love to hear your thoughts. Thank you for reading."
A fantastic reading, for sure! It's so good to know there are similar voices/questions/concerns out there! Enjoy the reading!
Originally posted on newsofthetimes:
There is a fascinating story on NPR this week about the lack of women in math and science fields that is worth a read.
It explores the reasons that there are more men than women in these fields and the reasons that many women do not stay in these fields. The article lays the blame on women's awareness of stereotypes regarding their competency in these areas.
The author makes it clear that the problem is not all in women's heads, but rather lays the blame at the feet of the pervasive messages that women hear on a daily basis about their abilities, or inabilities, in these areas.
Greenpeace in Brazil. Visiting the Rainbow Warrior Ship.
The Greenpeace ship, Rainbow Warrior is in Brazil.
We had the opportunity to go on a guided visit through its compartments, talk with the captain, and learn more about the current projects involving the Greenpeace Initiative and Brazilian NGOs.
The visit also included the solar kitchen installations and the solar panels.
Related articles
- Rainbow Warrior in the Brazilian port city of Belem (greenpeace.org)
- Actions speak louder than words (bfreenews.com)
- The Rainbow Warrior in Action! (greenpeace.org)
- An unexpected crew member joins the Rainbow Warrior (greenpeace.org)
School 'Babylon Hanging Garden': hard work pays off!
That said, I've been asked to provide updates on our Hanging Garden Project. We've got new ORGANIC VEGGIES, all from 'freshly donated seeds'… Our middle/high school students have been deeply involved in building a system with planters made from recycled PET bottles, as seen on the right. What originally was a school research project, has become a multidisciplinary task (see left), and a passion for all the gardening lovers! Besides that, we've discovered a great source of cost-free clean/distilled water for all the watering needs: the several air conditioning devices, spread throughout the school campus.
Related articles:
- Grow Your Own Little Hanging Garden of Babylon with the Volet Végétal [Video] (gizmodo.com)
- Update on the Hanging Garden: Making good use of (free!) 6,000 liters of water/year (3rdculturechildren.com)
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Arranged (3rdculturechildren.com)
- Eco-friendly Planter Boxes (greenstrides.com)
- Lightweight Flower Planters (fromthebooknerd.wordpress.com)
- An Eco-Active Imagination (nclac.wordpress.com)
- Grow Your Own Little Hanging Garden Of Babylon (gizmodo.com.au)
Snapshots of Mother's Week.
What is Motherhood? I'm still trying to figure the answer out… some days I just feel like we're "getting by", instead of living… other days, are simply wonderfully perfect…. and, most of the days, are plain regular, filled with lots of "mom!!! come here, please!!!" or "mom!!! she took something from my bedroom!!!" or even, a gibberish cry that could mean anything from hunger, pain, to simply: "mom, hold me in your arms…"
Anyway, here are a few shots from this past "Mother's Day (weeklong celebration)"
Related articles
- Motherhood-First Do No Harm (lifeandcrimesofmistressrosie.com)
- What Is a Good Mother's Day Gift? (redenvelope.com)
- Conception of Motherhood (mypajamadays.com)
- 'Checkmate, Mom! A visit to the chess class. (3rdculturechildren.com)
[Português/English] Marine Turtles in Northeastern Brazil – Projeto TAMAR em Fernando de Noronha
Five of the world's seven sea turtle species are found in Brazil.
For over 20 years TAMAR project is responsible for identifying and protecting nesting beaches and feeding areas, doing research, promoting awareness and involving the local community.
Thanks to good planning, loyal sponsorship and an innovative merchandising program they are able to maintain 20 bases in Brazil. Releasing more than 600 thousand hatchlings every year, the TAMAR bases have become important tourism attractions and mean income to 1200 families.
Year started: 1982
Other Partners/Supporters: Petrobrás
Address: Alameda do Boldro s/no. – Fernando de Noronha – PE
Contact: Claudio Bellini
e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
more info: www.projetotamar.org.br
Activities: Visit a conservation unit
Equipments: sandals, shorts, t-shirts, swimming gear, towel, small backpack, sunglasses, sunscreen
Gateway: Recife ou Natal
Near airport: Fernando de Noronha – PE
Dist. from the airport: 2 KM
Min. number visitors: 2
Max. Lenght: 10 day(s)
Min. Lenght: 2 day(s)
Level: easy
Activity: Enviromental, Scientific, Social
Best time to go: February, March, April, May
[Portuguese] O arquipélago de Fernando de Noronha, composto por 21 ilhas e ilhotas de origem vulcânica, está situado a 345km de Natal, capital do Rio Grande do Norte/RN e a 545Km de Recife, capital de Pernambuco/PE. É sítio de reprodução da tartaruga-verde (Chelonia mydas), que utiliza as praias arenosas do lugar para desovar entre os meses de dezembro e julho. É também área de alimentação, crescimento e repouso para juvenis desta espécie e da tartaruga-de-pente (Eretmochelys imbricata).
As praias de desova apresentam características propícias a um monitoramento diário, inclusive noturno nas áreas principais. A do Leão concentra 80% das ocorrências. As demais desovas acontecem ao longo do mar de dentro, entre as praias do Sancho e da Conceição. Cada estação reprodutiva, registra em média 100 desovas, gerando 8.900 filhotes da tartaruga verde.
O TAMAR iniciou suas atividades na região em 1984, quando o arquipélago ainda era território federal administrado pela Aeronáutica (hoje é território do Estado de Pernambuco).
Em 1986, foi criada a APA-Área de Proteção Ambiental. A praia do Leão, principal área de desova do arquipélago, tornou-se o embrião do Parque Nacional Marinho, criado por decreto federal, em 1988.
Fernando de Noronha é uma das bases mais importantes para o trabalho do Tamar.
É um verdadeiro laboratório natural, pois a transparência do mar oferece excelente condição ao desenvolvimento de pesquisas sobre a biologia e comportamento das tartarugas marinhas em ambiente natural, sobretudo debaixo d'água.
Além do monitoramento de fêmeas, durante o período reprodutivo, a base mantém um programa de marcação e recaptura de tartarugas que utilizam o arquipélago como área de alimentação, crescimento e repouso, durante uma etapa do seu ciclo de vida. Desde 1990, mais de mil tartarugas já foram marcadas pelo Tamar através desse programa, em que os pesquisadores realizam mergulho livre, autônomo ou rebocado.
Além do mais, o grande fluxo turístico que o arquipélago registra é estratégico para o trabalho de sensibilização e educação ambiental, principalmente através do Centro de Visitantes-Museu Aberto das Tartarugas Marinhas, o qual tivemos o prazer e honra de visitar durante nossa recente visita ao arquipélago. Todos os visitantes do Museu-Aberto do TAMAR recebem uma palestra gratuita sobre a vida selvagem a ser encontrada no arquipélago, assim como, são instruídos a como se comportar em frente à natureza, sem causar quaisquer impacto ambiental. Todas as palestras são às 9 da noite, e seguem por cerca de uma hora até uma hora e meia. Extremamente informativas,claras, concisas e ministradas por pesquisadores e voluntários do TAMAR. É a perfeita preparação para os que irão aventurar-se a explorar as ilhas na manhã seguinte. Nós adoramos a experiência, eu enquanto bióloga, e meu esposo, agora apaixonado pela vida marinha. Um sucesso e uma oportunidade única de vivenciar, aprender e compartilhar conhecimentos.
Our son's classroom featured on Rede Globo: good eating habits can be taught.
Aula de educação alimentar estimula crianças a comerem frutas e verduras
Click here, or on the image below, for the video:
28/11/2011 08:34
Um hábito que os especialistas em nutrição recomendam que seja incentivado desde cedo e que começa a mudar a rotina de muitas salas de aula.
Aula de educação alimentar estimula crianças a comerem frutas e ver…
"Oso pardo, oso pardo, que ves ahi?" or Thoughts on the Creative Flow of a TCK
Although we're on family vacation (it's October, right?!) , I'd asked our kids' teachers to give me some work sheets for their time off, in order to help them not forget about school, during their traveling days…
It may sound a bit "geeky", but hey, that's who we are, and that's what we believe it is the right thing to do… at least, for now… Our oldest one is 6 years old, and experiencing the challenges of "cursive letters". This morning I spend a few good hours with him – it's been raining, not a lot to do outside, and before we jumped into the movie-marathon mode, we did some 'homework' together. And, actually, it turned out to be fun.
After we were done, it came to me the realization of how we're been raising our kids, immersed into hybrid cultures, always moving, always surrounded by different languages, doing homework in Portuguese, and proudly showing it to grandma, explaining her (in English) the task performed, and thanking grandpa for letting him borrow pencils and eraser, in Spanish… It sure made me stop and think: is that how it's supposed to be? The children seem to adjust well to changes, but how far is it possible to go, without stretching it out?
That said, my intrigued soul found some very good reading, from adult TCK authors, and we're likely to become contributors, sharing experiences and thoughts, along the way…
Here it is - interesting reading about becoming an adult third cultured, still remaining your own creative person.
"Creative thought, one of the world's most valuable commodities, is something that has started to become somewhat elusive as our generations have progressed. It's a principal that is born of original thought, the need to invent, and the want to produce something that others will seek value in. It has led to the development of the wheel, to the creation of the keystone arch, the sundial, the plough, the lens, the camera, the story, the song, the car, the computer, and the hadron collider. It has developed our species, improving our state of living and the reasons for which we live. Creativity, as a force, is what brought us from hunting with sharpened sticks to flying through space.
Yet that word, creativity, one we use so frequently for so many things, holds a weight to Third Culture Kids that's only outmatched by the word "culture." Of course, if you were to look a little closer, to really examine the core concepts of both those words and the implications that each of them posses, you would find that not only are they connected, but they are almost inseparable.
Being creatures of culture, TCKs posses that natural ability to rapidly evolve their cultural standpoint based on the community that surrounds them. We have a way about us, one that does not allow for us to be considered the same as those we interact with, but instead allows us to be accepted by them. We can see what others cannot, can move in circles where others would be outcasts. We view culture not as a boundary, but as a gateway into the heart of the world.
As TCKs, we do it subconsciously, unaware that we are behaving this way but aware of our talents and our ability to meld into something new. We missed it as we grew up, took it for granted as children while we hopped from place to place, but since we have matured and grown and become the Adult Third Culture Kids we are now, we have seen how naturally these behaviours are to us by watching how impossible they are for our First Culture Kid friends.
The question that remains, however, is what power does creativity have in the hands of a TCK? Creativity is a mental state that's not accessible by everyone. It's a unique problem solving technique for an extremely unique type of problem. Humanity is hard-wired to only understand patterns. For example 1+1=2 because every time you take the number one and add another number one, you always end up with two. Why? Because it always happens, and it happens because that's just the law of mathematics. Creatives, however, push the bounds of that human limitation. We accept the laws because they are there, but we believe in that off-chance that maybe, just maybe, by some freak possibility or coincidence, the next time I take one apple and add another apple to it, a third apple will spring into existence and I'll have three apples. We know it's foolish, we know that based on the laws of mathematics and the physical restrictions of our universe it's impossible. But we hope for the alternative.
This constant longing for the middle ground between impossible and spectacular is a trait that we incorporate into our regularly occurring existence. There's no denying the fact that we, as TCKs, do not have a cultural home, possess no country in which we can return to, and have no place on this planet that we truly fit into. We are trapped outside the realm of normal human interaction, completely incapable of returning to a community or culture that is truly our own. So instead, we have turned to creativity.
Through creativity, TCKs have built-up groups of people, from friends to colleagues, that are so strong and so interwoven into our lives that they have become our own little cultural home. We have selected them for their differences, for the ways in which they can help better our lives and the lives of those around them. We have selected them for their value, for their desire to improve upon a situation and the relentless need to always take that next great step. We have created a culture of people who will stop at nothing to change the world.
So when you are next asked what it means to be a TCK, answer in whichever way you believe best resolves an impossible question. But know that if you and I are ever fortunate enough to meet, and you ask that question to me, I will simply smile and say the following:
It means that one day, with the help of everyone else, one plus one will equal three."
Why Science is Hard to Learn.
At the same time, it begs the question:
"why is Science hard to teach"?
Got two words for that:
misleading concepts
The other day, when I found myself mentioning to students 'I'd been teaching for longer than they'd been breathing', I realized that, despite the long time, the challenges of teaching Science were always there…
I could list here various reasons for those difficulties: perhaps students have persistent preconceptions (especially misconceptions); lack previous life experiences (including those they might have missed in school) that would have provided valuable background information on the topic; maybe even a limited ability in the math skills needed for a particular subject; difficulty understanding abstract ideas; all that together requires a lot of extra strategic teaching skills from the teacher. If the majority of these difficulties are not addressed, in one way or another, students may end up developing even more misconceptions and more gaps in their learning…
So, maybe, teaching Science is harder than learning it? Unfortunately, I don't have the answer to this question, and would gladly accept suggestions and/or guidance… Teaching is already hard enough by itself. When we add to the pot a series of misleading concepts, which aren't all untrue in their nature, but extremely challenging to explain and to be understood, then, the boiling conclusion teachers have to face are serious instructional dilemmas!
But, hey! Although hard to admit, some concepts are not as easy to teachers as we may try to sell them to students! [guilty smiles!]
One common fact is that the more abstract a Science topic is, the harder it is to learn for many people, including us, teachers! Telling Science to students is not teaching Science.
We all, students or not, learn by "doing" Science, and abstract topics need to be made concrete. The question is: 'How?" How to transform concepts such as "the flow of matter and energy in ecosystems", "matter and its transformations", "Earth's shape and gravity", and understanding changes in motion – into something more concrete? Luckily, for these questions in particular, if you are curious, feel free to visit the "Hard-to-teach Science Concepts", a great discussion-book for teachers and committed parents. Students are better able to face their misconceptions and preconceptions when they are engaged in instructional activities, placing Science into a context they are capable of understanding…
If learning Science is considered to be difficult, the reverse activity, the act of passing on your life and academic experiences, your knowledge, your discussion points, through teaching sessions, is also challenging! And as Carl Sagan once stated (see box above), offering our students and our children a "shrug" as a possible answer, could just be the path of least resistance, but definitely, may not work in the long run when attempting to raise intellectually motivated students – that being in Science or in any other academic field.
Good luck to us all, Science teachers or not, and I'm wrapping this 'brainstorming' post up, with a very optimistic smile…
Trackbacks & Pingbacks
- Daily Prompt « MishMashMuse
- Daily Post: Complicated subject « Keith the Green's Blog
- The Bow in the Cloud | Clothed With Thunder
- Daily Post Prompt: Much Ado About NOTHING « humanTriumphant
- Instrument Playing (but not the recorder) « Wee Scoops
- Daily Prompt | lerry411
- Graphic Design For Dummies | Fish Of Gold
- Diamond Grading: There's More than Just 4 C's | ♢ Mike Watson
- How to Make a Mountain out of a Molehill « Grandmother Musings
- Introduction to the realities of illness and disability… « sat n' all that
- Haiku: Stay Strong… | Mirth and Motivation
- meditation 101 | bodhisattvaintraining
Eleven months of folklore in Brazil: dressing accordingly…
In Brazil there's always an excuse to dress up for parties and/or traditional celebrations. Here's a small sample of our kids' past 11 months in-country:
Day of Folklore, honoring a national writer, dressing up as a talking doll, from Sítio do Picapau Amarelo, Ms Emilia, Marquesa de Rabicó:
Dia das Bruxas – Halloween. At school and with the neighbors
Carnaval, as traditional Frevo dancers
Matutinho & Matutinha, ready for the June Celebrations!


text:
"is just holding on by a phone line."
Chad Miller
"Remember that as a teenager you are at the last stage of your life when you will be happy to hear that the phone is for you."
Fran Lebowitz
"As camera phones have become mainstream, wireless phone users are looking for new, creative ways to communicate with pictures. Sprint PCS Picture Mail Groups is the next innovation in the mobile imaging evolution, enabling customers to create a forum where they can communicate via pictures, video clips, text messages and audio clips while on the go."
Pierre Barbeau
"Images captured on camera phones are not simply stored on the phone. [Consumers] enjoy the ease and convenience of instantly taking, sharing, preserving, managing, editing, and printing digital images that are accessible from their phone and personal computer."
Jeff Hallock
"It was me, David and one phone line,"
Adam Young
"We've been told to say that. (And say) whatever it takes to get that phone line in the receiver."
Frank Martinez
"If we have trouble with cell phones and land-line telephones, they serve as our communications element, ... We lost cells and land lines in the 2001 tornado, so we used them as our primary form of communications, with radios in different vehicles."
David Moore

subset: commoncrawl


text:
CANONSBURG, Pa. — Pittsburgh Penguins coach Dan Bylsma was in the midst of a little speech during his first day at his normal job in eight months when his players stopped suddenly and raised their sticks in the air.
The gesture served as a salute to the hundreds of fans who packed a suburban Pittsburgh hockey complex to watch the Penguins in their first official practice since the end of the NHL lockout.
The response — a chant of "Let's Go Penguins" by the folks who crammed elbow to elbow on concrete bleachers — erased any lingering concern about animosity over the four-month work stoppage that cut the league's season nearly in half.
Finally, it's back to hockey.
"It's pretty special to have a packed building," Bylsma said.
And it marked a stark contrast to the lockout, when a handful of players — captain Sidney Crosby included — would get together at the same facility for semi-formal drills in front of a handful of curious on-lookers.
The crowded ice and Bylsma's whistle gave things a sense of order following weeks of anxiety that the season might be lost completely.
Instead, it's game on for a team considered a Stanley Cup favorite now that Crosby appears to be fully recovered from concussion-like symptoms that dogged him for the better part of two seasons.
Not that Crosby wanted to get into the stakes on Sunday. His team can get to that down the road.
For once, it was nice to just have things feel like normal. Or at least as normal as preparing for a 48-game season in a week can feel anyway.
"It felt a little bit different," Crosby said. "The meetings were a little bit shorter, just kind of a shorter version of everything, a condensed version. I don't think anything was wrong with that. I didn't mind not having to do fitness testing and shorter meetings."
Maybe it's because the Penguins have few holes to fill. The team invited just 26 players to camp, meaning there will only be a handful of cuts before the season starts on Saturday in Philadelphia.
The biggest question Bylsma will need to answer over the next six days is who to put on a line with reigning MVP Evgeni Malkin and winger James Neal.
Veteran forward Steve Sullivan signed with Phoenix in the offseason, creating one of the most enviable open jobs in all of hockey.
Forward Eric Tangradi will get the first crack at it on Monday, when Malkin is expected to join the team following a few months playing for the KHL in his native Russia. Malkin appeared to be rounding into form at the end of his KHL run, finishing with 23 goals and 42 assists in 37 games.
Bylsma expects fatigue not to be an issue for Malkin or the other players who took part-time jobs internationally or spent time in the minors while the seemingly endless labor negotiations dragged out.
It certainly wasn't an issue on Sunday, when the 90-minute session was considered "torrid" by some of the Penguins coaches.
"It was fast, it was quick and Sidney Crosby was revved up and going, flying up the ice at times," Bylsma said. "I think once we got into some battle areas, you saw some bumping and grinding, some physical play down low that most guys aren't prepared for, at least on a long-term basis."
There were end-to-end rushes, battles in the corner and a sense of optimism that the ugly finish to the 2011-12 season is now firmly behind them.
The Penguins entered the postseason riding high only to get beat by the Flyers in six games in the opening round of the playoffs.
The series looked more like a series of defense-optional All-Star games. The teams combined for 56 goals in six games, an anomaly that left a bitter taste in Pittsburgh.
Forward Pascal Dupuis says he spent most of the lockout fending off questions about what happened while back in his native Canada.
"It was all anybody wanted to talk about," he said.
Pittsburgh would prefer to change the conversation over the next three-plus months in which they'll cram 48 games into 99 days.
Bylsma expects to give No. 1 goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury plenty of rest while giving newly acquired backup Tomas Vokoun a steady workload during the season.
Then again, that could change. Bylsma and the Penguins allow they'll likely have to make some of it up as they go along.
"We'll see," Dupuis said. "I don't think anybody can really predict how this is going to play out, but we're happy to be back."
Local Sports
Fans line arena to see Penguins get back to work
- Local Sports
Streets steers Keyser's win
Ryan Streets led five double-figure scorers with 18 points and Keyser built a big lead and held off a furious fourth-quarter rally by Frankfort for a 76-73 win and the Class AA, Region II, Section 1 championship on Friday night.
Good Counsel, McDonogh in BWGIT title game
Good Counsel lost a nine-point lead in the final minute of regulation but regrouped quickly in overtime to defeat St. John's, 75-66, for a berth in tonight's Bishop Walsh Girls Invitational Tournament championship game.
Six seek state titles after first day
Six area wrestlers, including unbeaten Adam Martz of Mountain Ridge, remained in the hunt for Class 1A-2A wrestling state championships after Friday at the University of Maryland's Cole Field House.
- Sports Roundup - 03/08/2014
- Sports Calendar - 03/08/2014
- Sports Calendar - 03/07/2014
- Sports Roundup - 03/07/2014
Southern rams Allegany, 41-29
Rams win section title, will play Manchester Valley
Saturday afternoon for Region championship, state trip -
Hoban sinks Lincoln
Katie Hoban's 10th point at the second-overtime buzzer will continue Keyser's historical run all the way to Charleston next week.
St. John's brushes back pesky BW
Kaleah Harley scored 13 points and L.Tavlandes added nine to lead the defending champions, St. John's College, to a come-from-behind 45-28 victory in the opening game of the Bishop Walsh Girls Invitational Tournament Thursday at Bishop Walsh School.
- More Local Sports Headlines
Streets steers Keyser's win


text:
Deutsche Telekom AG and its Slovak Telekom AS unit face an expanded antitrust investigation by European Union regulators to examine allegations that they thwarted rivals in Slovakia.
Vodafone Group Plc Chief Executive Officer Vittorio Colao said Europe's phone carriers aren't investing enough in new technologies because they struggle to make money, calling for more consolidation in the industry.
France Telecom SA, the French phone company whose sales have dropped for the past two years, will look for deals with cable companies to cross-sell services, offering European users packages combining TV, mobile and Web.
When France intervened to thwart an Islamist rebel offensive in Mali in January, residents rushed to call friends and family to tell them what was happening in the west African nation.
France Telecom SA's board voted to keep Chief Executive Stephane Richard in the top job after he was charged last week with fraud linked to his time at the French finance ministry five years ago.
France Telecom SA, the country's largest phone company, said it will bring in revenue faster than forecast from Iliad SA after roaming fees from the wireless rival helped first-quarter sales beat analyst estimates.
France Telecom SA, France's largest phone company, should lose an appeal over an order by the European Union to pay as much as 1.1 billion euros ($1.55 billion) in back taxes to the French government, an adviser to the EU's top court said.
France Telecom SA may spend about $2 billion to buy most of billionaire Naguib Sawiris's stake in their Egyptian wireless venture and delist the operator.
France Telecom SA's board will meet next week to discuss the consequences of Chief Executive Officer Stephane Richard's fraud charge in a probe linked to when he was chief of staff for then-Finance Minister Christine Lagarde.
France Telecom SA had its debt rating cut one step by Standard & Poor's, which cited pricing pressure in the French wireless market and a bigger-than- anticipated decline in earnings this year.


text:
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text:
Memory4Less.com | $589.15 | See It |
Product Details
Laser All-In-One MFC8480DN features duplex printing, Ethernet networking, USB direct interface, PC Fax, and a legal-size document glass. USB direct interface on the front of the machine lets you print PDF or JPEG files from a USB flash memory drive or scan PDF or JPEG files to a drive. Printer generates 32 pages per minute with up to 1200 x 1200 dpi. First page is out in less than 8.5 seconds. Ethernet, high-speed USB 2.0 and Parallel connectors are standard. Multifunction printer offers 64MB memory (600 pages), a 50-page automatic document feeder, 250-sheet input tray, and color and black/white scanning. Fax modem has 340 total auto-dial locations and PC fax capability. Copy function reduces and enlarges originals from 25 to 400 percent. Scanning capability includes black/white and color scanning with 19200 x 19200 dpi maximum interpolated scan resolution, 600 x 2400 optical scan resolution (dpi) and 48-bit input color scan depth. Energy Star qualified.
Quick Glance
Functions: Fax, Copier, Scanner, Printer
Printer Type: Monochrome Laser Multifunction Printer
Interface Connection: USB Yes, Parallel Yes, Network RJ-45 Yes
Included Network Card: Ethernet
System Type: PC, Mac
Black & White Print Speed: 32 ppm
Green Compliance: ENERGY STAR
Product Title: Brother MFC-8480DN Laser Multifunction Printer - Monochrome - Plain Paper Print - Desktop
Manufacturer: Brother
Lowest Price: $589.15 from Memory4Less.com
Power Score: 3.0 | 5 Reviews
Product Reviews (5)
MFC-8480DN redeamed by paperport
Strengths: Great MFC, PaperPort saves the day with scan other side feature.
Weakness: mechanical duplex not for scan/fax/copy, only print
In Previous review was very disappointed because duplexing wasn't for scan/fax/copy but only for printing. But the Paperport software that comes with the unit has a feature to scan the other side which makes the MFC much more palatable. You simply scan one side, flip the stack of pages over and click the button that says scan other side. It automatically collates the pages in the proper order....
Read Full Review
By f.glos; - Oct 11, 2009
Disappointed with duplexing
Strengths: Nice MFC, but like previous models better mfc8860dn
Weakness: duplex is only for printing not for copying/scanning crinkles envelopes
previous models had duplex printing/copying/printing
This model even has a duplex button, making you think it could do duplexing like it predecessors, but no!!
I had purchased with that in mind
It doesn't appear that Brother even offers and equivalent to the mfc8860dn, now you have to get the one with wireless to have an equivalent.
By f.glos; - Oct 1, 2009
ReviewGist for Brother MFC-8480DN All-In-One Laser Printer
Quality is Below Average according to 3 Printer experts. -- "Cannot print colour."-productwiki.com -- "high B&W print quality"-productwiki.com Read more to find expert opinions on more features like Speed, Refills, Interface, Usability, etc.
Read Full Review
By reviewgist.com - Jan 3, 2010
Brother MFC-8480DN
The Brother MFC-8480DN is an all-in-one black and white laser printer that is suitable for small to medium-sized businesses and is an upgrade to the MFC-8460N. The unit includes print, copy, scan, and fax capabilities to provide all-round office printing functionality. It is more advanced than the MFC-8460N since it includes automatic duplex functionality for double-sided printing, has a front...
Read Full Review
By productwiki.com - Sep 4, 2009
Brother MFC-8480DN
Testseek.com has collected 1 expert review for Brother MFC-8480DN and the rating is 80 of 100. Click below and use Testseek.com to find all ratings, product awards and conclusions.
Read Full Review
By testseek.com - Jul 21, 2009


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Olga was here for a very short time - she is respectful and communitative. Olga may stay here anytime. Thank you. Karin
Olga is one of our closest friends. We have now known her for well over 4 years. She is a genuine, warm and fun person. We can't recommend her enough both as a travel companion and as a guest.