Slice of life

I am on the bus returning to the hotel after three school visits in Rio Maior and Vila Nova da Barquinha in Portugal. It’s almost seven o’clock, and the sun is slowly starting to settle, casting last low light to the olive trees planted in neat rows on the gently sloping hills. Several people on the bus are napping. I opened notes to write the slice. The last time I used notes, the slice started, “Walking past Buckingham palace....” Today’s slice could start “Looking at the Tagus River from the tower of Castelo de Aimourol ...”

Looking at the Tagus river from the tower of Castelo de Aimourol, the wind playing with my hair and long blue skirt, I feel like flying. The castle stands strong and stoic in the middle of an island under the brilliant blue sky. A little boat carries 15 people at a time to the island. It takes two trips to get the group of international educators across. Our heads are buzzing with impressions from the schools, one which was part of a community science centre run by local science university. It’s almost six o’clock, the day started at eight, and we are rather exhausted, the climb of narrow stairs seems a bit daunting, but we do it, and it feels good to clear the head, to simply be and admire the surroundings. How is it possible that I am here on Tuesday evening, on the second day of October, the summer heat hugging me tight, the brightness of the sun making it hard to believe that only yesterday morning I left the darkness and rain of Estonia? I think it might be the combination of passion for my work, the drive to learn, the wonderful things we do in our school, and being open to opportunities, all of these have created unexpected experiences in my life. Like the trip this evening, or visiting an oceanarium yesterday before the first meeting of the day. Even though my visit to Portugal is super short, I won’t see the centre of Lisbon, only the modern Olissipo area, and the area more than an hour drive north from Lisbon, I am happy.

I have collected many happy moments in my life. Several of them in breath taking places in different countries, yet when last Thursday during the morning circle, a question of a happy memory was drawn, not a single special place popped in my mind. Instead I got a clear picture of my husband’s birthday morning few years ago, when all my three children were at home and we took a train to the city, were the only customers in a lovely cafe and shared five different pieces of cake for breakfast.