The following two days were wonderful.
We spent our first morning at Beth Sholom Early Childhood Center. Going into the school and seeing Michelle and Meredith (The M&M’s) brought back a lot of memories from last year. They were my host school last December and I was more than happy to be back and share my time with them. We were welcomed with coffee (much needed) and breakfast and we had a productive morning. Being in the classrooms and seeing the amazing work they’re doing was delightful. I am excited and grateful to partner with them in our educational journey.
The evening ended in an unexpected place. Melissa, Betty, Vera, Szonja and I had dinner in a restaurant owned by a young and successful Bulgarian lady and close friend to Melissa. We had the chance to meet her and have an interesting conversation (in Bulgarian) about her life here, we enjoyed the delicious food and we had lots of fun. I am thankful to Melissa for making this happen.
Tuesday was a whole new day full of opportunities. We shared our morning with the wonderful Ora and Sandy at Bender JCC of Greater Washington. We were part of their open-door day and we had a meaningful experience and a lot to think about afterwards. Seeing schools all inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach, but yet so different from one another, indicates authenticity, thoughtfulness and individuality.
We had our afternoon coffee in a very special place – Sunflower Bakery, where caring is their main ingredient. The work they’re doing deserves respect and honor.
As I promised to share, Melissa hosted a dinner on Tuesday night at her home for us and some of her colleagues. She served Italian food (so delicious and thematic) and wine. We had a relaxing evening, met our hosts for the next school visit and enjoyed getting to know each other and our work.
