A rubbish day

For three hours, between Porto and Setúbal, I tried to think of positive things to say. But I couldn't. It epitomised my life in two "languages".

I went all the way to Porto for what I thought was going to be a meeting. It turned out to be an oficina (workshop) about ... sigh ... e-learning. For one whole day I suffered an exposição (monologue/lecture) - or torturous explanation - of what e-learning and new learning paradigms are.

For one day I listened - well, I did also manage to do all my email correspondence and some online work at the same time - to some guy who had some interesting stories that ... didn't get told. I listened alongside people who listened respectfully to the professor.

In my Portuguese life I have to stick to my lowly status - otherwise people will think I'm being an upstart English woman. And it's no good saying that my passion is learning when learning (in practice) means listening to what people higher up the pecking order say and doing as you are told.

Next week I will be presenting a one day workshop on a similar topic in Geneva. Maybe I could have brought something to this workshop in Porto? And I wonder what the others who went to this workshop had to offer. And I wonder what potential there was in the synergies between all of us...

Like so many people in Portugal, the only way to survive is to assume your low or high status - which, believe me, doesn't depend on what you have to show for it. And assuming your position means assuming an individual status - contrary to any concept of social learning.