F3 Paraty Trip

By: H. Prado, L.Mizne, A. Melcon and S. Costa Franco

On the 2nd of October, the Form 3s visited the historical city of Paraty. Even throughout the bus ride, they had the opportunity to witness the spectacular view of the lush vegetation, vivid blue waters and jagged mountains.
Six hours later, pupils arrived at the Villa del Sol Hotel, which is located close to the city centre. Upon arrival, a Quilombola community taught the students how to make artefacts, how to present a typical dance and how they played a significant role in the development of Paraty. These were all very special and enriching experiences, especially since the stories told by the members of the Quilombo are very different from the ones told in history books. 
On the second day, Form 3’s split into two groups which concluded the same activities, but at different times. Those activities were going on a beautiful boat ride through the crystal waters of Paraty or learning more about turtles and their endangerment at Projeto Tamar, in Ubatuba. 
For the boat ride, Form 3’s walked from the hotel, through the gripping historical centre of the town, to reach the marina. There, they embarked on a large boat which floated through the stunning forested islands and glistening waters, stopping at a beach. In smaller groups, pupils then arrived onshore and were greeted by one of the tour guides. A short hike away were located the resilient mangroves, which they had learned about in geography class. However, by standing next to the coastal feature and having a specialist at hand, the Form 3’s managed to learn many more interesting facts and have a wonderful experience. 
While part of the year group was delving further into the enchanting natural part of the city, the others were off in an adventure at Projeto Tamar. They had the opportunity to observe a myriad of incredible different species of turtles the institution was studying and learned about the distinguishing and astonishing features of each one. After watching the turtles, the Form 3's further understood the purpose of the project, and the causes of the turtles' endangerment. They witnessed displays and explanations of what was being done to help them, and how they could contribute to the cause. Having the chance to further comprehend and interact with the natural world that surrounds us was simply magnificent. The Form 3's learned so much, and it was very important to be reminded that we can all take small steps to help the unique environment that we depend on.
On Friday, Form 3s left the hotel early to be able to capture the experience and explore the historical part of Paraty before leaving again for São Paulo. There, the tour guide led them throughout the city, pointing out the historical buildings and giving them fascinating information about the colonization of Paraty, what the port was mainly used for and the uses for the various stunning, old churches around town today. The colourful houses, beautiful paths and bright vegetation surrounding them contributed to the wild range of information both pupils and teachers were able to collect during this extraordinary visit. 
After visiting the historical buildings located around the centre of Paraty, Form 3 students mounted the bus, and 6 hours later, they had arrived in São Paulo. All pupils agreed on how marvellous the trip was and hoped that the next year group to have the pleasure to visit Paraty will enjoy it just as much as they did.