Mrs Beal was very fortunate to be able to attend the World Finals of the Microsoft Innovative Teachers’ Forum in Salvador Brazil from 2 – 9 November. This is a post about this amazing experience.
Monday 2nd November
On Monday 2nd November, an excited and expectant group of five South African teachers as well as teachers from nine other African countries, met at Johannesburg airport and set off for Salvador in Brazil on a huge SA Airways plane to participate in the Microsoft Innovative Teachers World Finals conference. Can you find Salvador on a map of Brazil?
Our group from Africa comprises 25 people – teachers from Africa. a reporter from the Sunday Independent, one of the judges for the event, principals, observers from Namibia, and several Microsoft employees from Africa. Here are three of us at the airport. Can you guess what we are carrying?
After a nine hour trip we changed flights at an enormous international airport in Sao Paula (in another part of Brazil) and caught a connecting flight to Salvador. We arrived at our hotel at midnight. We are staying at the Pestana Bahai which is a 23-story five-star hotel. The sea is very loud - should sleep well tonight. Tomorrow we have a meeting all morning with our Africa team, and then the conference opens at 5pm. Do you know what the time difference is between South Africa and Salvador, Brazil?
Tuesday 3rd November
It’s a hot Brazilian day! I must say that to wake up to the sound of the swirling, thundering waves is quite a treat. I have just been to a Brazilian breakfast on the 23rd floor. What breathtaking views!