Parent/Teacher meetings

Before you start imagining a nice little sit down chat with the teacher, let me stop and explain what a parent/ teacher meeting looks like in Portugal.
First you go to the school and send you kids to play in the fully concrete play area, there are helpers there to watch them so both parents can attend. Second, you head into your child's classroom and pull up one of the tiny little chairs you child uses everyday. (This was amusing, from my point of view, because Mark looked liked a giant trying to sit in Tirza's little 3 year old size chair.) You wait for all the other parents to find chairs and ALL of the parents are there. I think there is about 25+ kids per class so it was A LOT of parents. Then when everyone has a seat the teacher starts explaining what the kids are doing, what new activities are coming up and what parents need to send...
I think. It was all in Portuguese so I can't be sure but I think those were some of the general ideas. Then several sentences behind the actual conversation... you think that there is a discussion happening about if they should or should not switch to wearing uniforms. And then they take a vote, but as I mentioned we were several sentences behind in comprehension. So we sat there and stared and then as the other parents put their hands down Mark and I looked at each other and said, " I think we were just supose to say if we were for or against uniforms." As people looked strangely at us, we eeked out "indiferente" which, you guessed it, means indifferent:)
And so for about an hour and a half, each class, we tried our best to understand what our kids are doing or will be doing in school. It was great and it was so frustrating! Great to see all the parents of the kids there, some day maybe I can talk to them enough to make some friends:) The teachers obviously enjoy their jobs, are very organized and everyone is very helpful and friendly. Frustrating because it was hard to understand anything that was being said. Everyone was talking so fast, and the content changed rapidly, and here several people can and will talk at the same time, its not rude its conversation. Right now it makes it really really hard for me to understand. I have a long to way to go understanding one person let alone 3 or 4 at at time, although it is very amusing.
So we left the school feeling like we have a long way to go in language learning AND feeling so blessed that the girls are at this school and with the teachers they have. Everyone at the school has been so patient with us, even the other parents are kind and don't seem to mind that we can't actually carry on a conversation, yet, with anyone. They are helpful to the kids and encourage all of us that we will learn the language, eventually.
And about the whole not understanding anything problem...:) We took all the handouts and forms they gave us to our language class today and our teacher helped us translate and understand what all the information was about. So I think we have a good idea of what is expected and we at least know what questions to ask now.
Its a challenge and when it comes to the girls we feel more pressure not to mess it up, for their sake. But it helps fuel our motivation to learn, and to start talking in Portuguese.
Our new goal: at the next parentS/teacher meeting- to be able to raise our hand, understand why and do it in the appropriate amount of time:) I know, I know... we are aiming high these days:)