This day in Lisbon will forever stay in my mind. For me, it’s a reminder of the past and how our present is shaped by it. We owe so much of ourselves to History, so why do we allow it to get lost so easily?
Adriana Puente, Yago School, Seville
Our travel program is back in full swing, and we are thrilled to be cooperating with our vast network of local organizations and charities. We have missed them! These are the people that make a CAS Trip a genuinely unique experience, and we consider it a privilege to highlight their efforts. A Avó Veio Trabalhar, a key ally of ours in Lisbon, is one such example. This dynamic group of volunteers working to facilitate intergenerational connection and active ageing is the perfect illustration of how our partnerships allow students to experience a little-known side of the city that will inspire and delight.
A Avó Veio Trabalhar – “Grandma Came to Work”
We understand age as a power to be unleashed.
“Avó came to work” is an imaginative project dedicated to deconstructing the stigma that the role of people over 65 is irrelevant from a creative and social point of view. They showcase the talents of their members and find dynamic ways to allow them to continue sharing their gifts and experiences with each other and society.
The first “grannies” — as the women over 60 who are part of this social intervention project are affectionately known — began to get together about a decade ago. A Avó Veio Trabalho has since grown to encompass almost 80 seniors in Lisbon. Weekly, they gather in the atelier to embroider, knit or sew and host tours of the city.
Through our CAS Trips programming, students visit several neighborhoods of Lisbon to see it through the eyes of someone who has lived there for a long time and experience the change that has unfolded.
Understanding the city through a unique and meaningful perspective
As a recent student traveler, Adriana Puente, from Yago school in Seville, explained following her experience in Lisbon,
“I got to see the city from a completely different point of view—as a city that underwent the most drastic changes due to gentrification in less than a lifetime. It had a great impact on my perception of the place that has not yet left my body.”
During the morning, students get a unique take on the myriad of places that the women of A Avó Veio Trabalhar have known for decades. Adriana and her classmates were amazed by the way it impacted their impression of the city, “I was shocked at the unique history of each of the buildings. This really opened my eyes as to how so many things take place in the blink of an eye and, while some are eminently affected by this, others do not even seem to notice.”
Sharing skills, stories, and preserving traditional craft in Lisbon
After getting to know each other and touring the city, the afternoons are dedicated to craft. The grandmothers teach students embroidery patterns and other traditional techniques. Adriana explained,
“Learning these skills felt incredibly important, as we need to preserve these traditions and hobbies that are being lost to time. I realized these women must have spent a lot of time and effort achieving such dexterity, and it was a revelation to me when I saw myself struggling to stay motivated. I feel like I now have a responsibility to keep this spark alive.”
Offering more to our students and the communities we visit
For Adriana and her classmates, the chance to learn from the older generation in Lisbon was a moving experience that is still with her.
“The experience made me realize that although I am just one teenage girl and cannot change the world alone—I was already doing something with my classmates to make it a better place. By participating in this life-changing opportunity that had been offered to me, I was making a positive contribution.”
At CAS Trips, we are committed to continuing to provide these types of unique and inspiring travel opportunities for our students. We have worked hard to cultivate meaningful partnerships with local organizations so our travelers can constantly experience their surroundings through the eyes of the people who know them best.
Through our cooperation with A Avó Veio Trabalhar, we are proud to be offering an opportunity for both young and old to learn new skills, feel motivated and inspired, and share family history and knowledge about the past. In addition, we hope to help students understand the importance of working against cultural and social displacement and why gentrification is a critical issue for young people to understand and grapple with.
Get in touch to learn more about the exciting itineraries we offer in Lisbon, the UN SDGs that our tours engage with, and how to book your very own CAS Trip.
