by Ryan Leahy
Kayla Penniman remembers speaking Portuguese with her grandmother while she babysat, but after her grandmother passed away, Kayla did not have a chance to use these skills. However, her recent field trip with Portuguese teacher Antόnio Santos gave her the chance she was looking for to speak the language again.
Penniman was among a class of 19 students that went to the Old School House Restaurant and Pub in Hudson on Wednesday, February 29. Santos normally takes all of his classes, but this year, only the Portuguese II class was allowed to go to the restaurant.
“Eu quero comer,” said the students to the waiter when ordering their meal. They were required to speak in Portuguese while ordering and were graded based on their knowledge and fluency, but they were able to speak in English when talking to their friends.
“I feel like ordering in Portuguese helps us expand our vocab and gain real life experience. It helps to have that experience and it is not scripted like in class. It also gave us a better understanding of Portuguese culture,” Kayla Penniman said.
Many had never eaten at a Portuguese restaurant, but most of the students had eaten Portuguese cuisine before. Some, like Kayla and Kyle Penniman, have Portuguese parents that grew up on Portuguese food. Their mother and aunt often make traditional Portuguese food.
The students enjoyed the experience, although it was not a typical restaurant. Antόnio Santos wanted them to experience the whole atmosphere of the restaurant. Fado, a traditional Portuguese music, was played during their lunch and helped them learn about Portuguese culture.
“Portuguese cuisine is very different than what you would get in an American meal. People enjoy eating slowly, and they can eat up to 3 hours. It is a slow process and a lot of talking. We tried to replicate it here in Hudson,” Antόnio Santos said.
Most of the students ordered a fish dish. Evan Nelson and Kayla Penniman both ate chicken in a butter sauce, another option on the menu. The food was cooked to perfection, capturing the essence of Portuguese cuisine.
This is the second year that Santos’s classes went on this field trip. He estimates that he has brought 10 classes to the Old School House Restaurant.
The students had time before the bus came and engaged in a heated game of fuse ball. It made the field trip even more enjoyable.
“After I ate, we had extra time and we played fuse ball. Three times during fuse ball, the ball flew off the table and hit the wall. It was a great learning experience and loads of fun,” Kayla Penniman said.
