Intention

Intention:

We are taking a "year Out" with our family in order to deepen our connection to one another by exploring the world together.

This is a trip of a lifetime and will be an education for us all.

I am hoping that spending this time together, uninterrupted by the usual routines of our day to day life will strengthen our relationships, give us the opportunity to learn from each other and learn more about each other.

I know that simply by traveling we will learn in countless ways.

We will be doing a self design home schooling program that I hope will help internalize this learning and support meaningful reflection.


******Photos down the left are the most recent. Photos down the right hand side our some of our favorite moments. Please click on "older posts" at the bottom of each page.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

We ended our week in Scotland with some great traditional storytelling at the storytelling center in Edinburgh. We all enjoyed listening to some traditional tales told in English, Gaelic with subtitles as well as told in Sardinian by a special visiting guest. It was fantastic to sit in a theater and be riveted by one person sharing fairy tales that have been told for centuries accompanied by the beautiful Celtic harp.
We crossed over to Ireland on the ferry and immediately were given a history lesson as we drove through the streets of Belfast with our Taxi Tour guide Ken Harper. It was an insightful tour focusing on both Catholic and Protestant neighborhoods. We were all a bit at a loss by the convoluted history. It was poignant to see all the heartfelt remarks left by people over the years including quotes and comments from the Dalai Lama, Frederick Douglas, Obama and othersw. Ruben especially appreciated the graffiti on the peace wall and was more then pleased when our tour guide handed him a marker.
We have all appreciated settling in at “Pat Moore’s cottage” in the small village of Finny Co. Mayo. Here we have been able to enjoy relaxing by the fire, cooking our own meals and we have a comfortable place to return each day after exploring. Ruben has created his own workspace in order to do his Math and has had much more opportunity to work in his sketchbook. Mia can leave her violin out of the case and play more regularly. Mia also enjoys cooking and has had greater opportunity to help out in the kitchen. She loves making a Greek salad and we have been feasting each night. Ruben also has helped with household chores, fetching firewood and washing dishes. Both kids have enjoyed our hikes and walks each day across the beautiful Irish landscape. They were heroic on our five hour hike into a gorgeous valley and up very steep terrain. They studied lactarious mushrooms with their Tom. Mia especially has a keen eye for finding these edible treasures in the woods, while Ruben is always on the look out for geological treasures. Both of them were creative making their Halloween masks from Q-tips and egg cartons. Mia did not feel especially glamorous in her mask but you could tell how much people appreciated seeing something so different and hand crafted. Ruben was typically comedic whilst going door to door trick or treating.
Together as a family we read Chief Seattle’s Letter, The earth is precious. It was the first time any of us had read this beautiful document and it affirmed for us the need to tread carefully as we travel and leave no trace in the precious places we visit.
We have been told we were exceptionally lucky to get the chance to take in the Maam Cross Fair where Connemara ponies are bought and sold, as well as cattle, sheep and farm produce, in a traditional way with lots of local color. The kids loved having a chance to see so many cute puppies although it brought Mona to mind and we all miss our dog terribly.
We appreciated having the school allowance and once more it came in handy so that we could take in a second performance in one week. This time we saw a play called United written by John McDwyer.
United charts the lives of an Irish family over fifty years from the time of The Munich Air Disaster in 1958 which decimated the Manchester United football team. The reality of today's lives are in sharp contrast to the dreams and ambitions of fifty years ago as the funeral of the matriarch brings the family together again and allows secrets to be aired and conflicts resolved until the family reaches closure and, once more, becomes United.
We all struggled at first with the strong accents but our ears eventually adjusted and we were able to enjoy the play. The secrets revealed in the play were good serious topics for conversation on the long drive home.