Sally left the UK around two years ago to start a new life in Portugal.  She lives in a suburb of Lisbon, close to the sea and is now a TEFL teacher, teaching English to Portuguese children and adults.  So, if you are interested in a career in teaching English as a foreign language, here is an account of some of her work.

My children are still the same except one has now gone up a class so I am left with three – to be honest if I could shed this class I would, as it is not as enjoyable as teaching grown ups due to the fact that Portuguese children are not taught to read or write before the age of six – so, in a way I baby sit them twice a week.  We are making slow progress as Jorge (the four year old) tends to be disruptive when he is with one of the girls but fine with the other one!  I had to send him out of class to sit with the receptionist one week because he was so naughty.

Nuno, my other student, is still great fun.  His English has come on in leaps and bounds and he now proudly displays a sign in the front of the taxi he drives on Sundays in Lisbon, to say he speaks English.  He loves it when he gets an English passenger – he had one from Birmingham last Sunday so he had great fun chatting to him.  He is a Sporting Lisbon fan and very knowledgeable about them.  He is also very interesting and told me all about his upbringing in Cacem.  Cacem is not a very pretty place – mainly high rise flats and a lot of black people (I am not being politically incorrect – this is what they are called here).  He remembers it before all of this and is quite upset about the way it has become.  He lives in what was his parents’ flat (they died a few years ago) with his wife.  He went to university in Lisbon and did what all students did, i.e. drink and behave badly but still managed to pass his exams.  He is a strong family man and found Christmas quite trying and he still misses his parents and says although Christmas was at his aunts, it was not the same.  He is also very interesting about his childhood, playing in the cul-de-sac with his friends but says that he has lost quite a few to drink or drugs which has made him sad.  He is about 29/30 and still out of work although he has had loads of interviews – very like the UK, half the time he never gets a reply to either application or a reason for not getting a position.

I have also got two/three other students.  One, Senor Manuel, is a Graphic Designer who is going on a cruise on 21 March so needs some English to get by on it.  He has French and reckons he had no English but as usual he understands quite a bit.  We are getting on quite well and I think he will manage OK.  The other one/two is the husband of the Ambassador for a Caribbean country, and his daughter.  Both are lovely.  He has decided that he has to get his English sorted because his best friends over here are the UK Ambassador and the US Ambassador.  He is making swift progress.  His daughter just needs help with the reading and writing.  I teach the pair of them for two hours on a Saturday morning.

My Portuguese is coming along and I find that watching the TV helps.  Television is still dire but I am now slowly watching bits and pieces of Portuguese TV.  I got hooked on their version of Who wants to be a Millionaire – very entertaining as the presenter often gives them a clue!  I have been trying one of their telenovelas (soap operas) but it was so atrocious (think the UK’s Crossroads but worse acting and wobbly scenery) that I had to turn it off.  I am also getting much better at understanding the news.  Last week there was a wonderful piece on at lunchtime about a group of OAPS who had raided a disco in Abrantes (Pego Power Station) dressed up in glitter wigs, men dressed in drag etc etc to protest that dancing was for all ages and not just the young!  Some of the old men had grabbed very young, nubile young ladies and were swinging them round the dance floor much to their horror.  Good on ’em I say.  Great footage too of all the snow that has hit the north of the country and brought parts of it to a standstill.  Lorries trapped at the Spanish border, people stuck in cars for seven hours etc etc.

If you would like to ask Sally any questions about living in Portugal or teaching English as a foreign language, Sally can be contacted on: pethybs@hotmail.com

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If you have a travellers tale that your aching to tell. Then why not visit the “Travel Sized Bites” section of the Website and share it with the world. Travel Sized Bites

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Meeting news from our branches around the world.

Over the last few years it has become increasingly obvious that travellers (from all backgrounds, ages and levels of intelligence) come under two main divisions, those who are organised and those who are not.

The former group are well versed in what they need to take with them to keep alert, safe and healthy, whilst the latter group always leave you feeling rather edgy, concerned, and often uttering those immortal words: 'I don’t believe it !'

The teenager who is about to depart for several weeks to the Amazon with her partner and has just run out of her Contraceptive Pill, the man who is leaving the next day for Kenya who had no idea he would need antimalarials for that destination, or even worse the person who 'never' gets bitten by bugs so wont waste money on pills that will only put him off his beer!

The list of the great unprepared is too vast to attempt. UNPREPARED is described in the dictionary as: Having made few or no preparations; Not equipped to meet a contingency; Not steeled as to face a shock and there will be plenty of shocks for those who do not seek out the wealth of advice available.

The Governments FCO site (www.fco.gov.uk) will give you superb guidance on those who can supply Travel Insurance, Embassies to contact if in difficulty, doctors surgeries for those with medical problems, and security information such as places to avoid and measures to take to protect your belongings and cash.

There are lists of FCO partners who supply information on vaccinations and antimalarials if appropriate to your destination, local disease problems, equipment such as medical packs, mosquito nets, useful travel medicines, and very often a voice on the end of the phone should you wish to discuss anything.

As part of Travelpharm we will offer our help and support whenever possible as well as a range of the items just listed.  If we cannot answer your question we will find a man or woman who can.  Please don’t become one of the great unprepared, there is simply no excuse ………..!

Paul, a pharmacist can be contacted on: info@travelpharm.com or alternatively, take a look at their website: http://www.travelpharm.com

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Our first speaker was Simon Casson, who took us on a journey in the footsteps of his hero Butch Cassidy, riding the Outlaw Trail. Simon’s pictures portrayed the barren deserts through which the outlaws managed to stay one step ahead of the law. It was not an easy journey, made more challenging when Simon managed to buy a horse that was blind! Over the course of his trip Simon and his two companions got through a number of horses and also lost a couple. Simon finally managed to reach Canada some months later than planned.

Our second speaker was Calum Macleod, who took us Uzbekistan. The country only gained its independence from the USSR in 1991. We saw the beautiful cities of Khiva and Samarkand with their minarets and spires and wonderful blue tiles. Simon explained that the country is allegedly becoming easier to visit, so hopefully more of us will get the opportunity to visit these cities.

Mark your diary for forthcoming meetings:

Sat. 6th November

• Christian Tyler – Into the TaklamakanDesert – “Wild West China”
• Janet Street-Porter – Walking in Australia The Larapinta Trail [Alice Springs] and the Bay of Fire Walk [Tassie]

Sat. 4 December

• Amar Grover – North Pakistan – Kailash Valleys of Chitral to Gilgit via ShandurPass
• Matthew Leeming -Afghanistan OR Iraqi Marsh Arabs

Sat. 8th January 2005 (the second Saturday)

• Four Mini-talks and New Year Party

London meetings are held at The Church of Scotland, Crown Court, behind the Fortune Theatre in Covent Garden at 2.30pm the first Saturday of each month. There is no London meeting in August, but we will be back in September. For more information, you can contact the Globetrotters Info line on +44 (0) 20 8674 6229, or visit the website: www.globetrotters.co.uk Admission: Members £2.00 Non-members £4.00.

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Where is it likely to happen:   scorpions can be found in the wild in South, West and North Africa; North, Central and South America; India; and the Caribbean.  Among the scorpions in North America, the 'nasty’ ones can typically be found in Arizona, New Mexico and on the Californian side of the Colorado River, whereas the other North American species are fairly harmless.   In Mexico each year  between 1000-2000 deaths arise as a result of scorpion bites.  Because of their size scorpions can easily travel anywhere in the world as stowaways with cargo and they have been found in many large ports. Scorpions sting with a poisoned hook on their tail, which is typically raised prior to an attack.

What happens if I get bitten: the majority of scorpions are harmless to humans, although the sting can be extremely painful and will require painkilling treatment.  The following symptoms can be observed in cases of moderate to more serious poisoning:

• Malaise, sweating, heart palpitations, rise in blood pressure, salivation, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. These symptoms should be treated in a similar way to snake bites, and a doctor should be consulted as quickly as possible.
• Hyperacute (typically allergic) reactions in the form of blurring of consciousness, unconsciousness, convulsions, fall in blood pressure, shock and consequently the threat of death may occur.

What should I do if I get stung: pain at the site of the sting can sometimes be limited with an ice cube.   Painkilling injections (morphine-based painkiller) may be required and a doctor should therefore be consulted. In the case of more marked symptoms, treatment must be given as for snake bites, and the patient must receive medical treatment as quickly as possible.   There is antiserum for scorpion venom. Treatment must be overseen by a doctor.

How can I avoid being stung by a scorpion: scorpions are nocturnal animals and often hide in dark cracks and vegetation.  Ideally, accommodation should have a ledge that is at least 20cm high to prevent entry of scorpions.  Places to look out for scorpions include cupboards, under the duvet and bed, or in shoes (look under the duvet/bed and shake your shoes thoroughly before putting them on). 

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