Field Trip
The last week of May, the 10th grades from the Lycée Pasteur went to Brotas, to a camp called “Peraltas”, located 235km from São Paulo. Our goal was to study the sky because we can’t do it here (there is too much pollution, lights, etc.). We stayed there four days: we left São Paulo on Tuesday morning and we arrived there around 1 o’clock P.M.. Then, on Friday, we left Brotas after lunch and we arrived in São Paulo for dinner.
Everyday we were supposed to wake up around 7o’clock, which is pleasant for me because I leave to school at this time almost everyday. Lunch time depended on the activities we had to do after or before, and there were also other schools, so the schedule was a bit messy. The same for dinner. We also had a night snack: we ate cakes and drank hot tea or chocolate every night because the temperature dropped a lot.
We spent most of our time at the “C.E.U.” (“Centro de Estudos do Universo”, which means “Universe Study Center”) where there were astronomical telescopes, planetarium, a kind of “movie room”, a place to launch a skyrocket, a room to study… Many “movies” were shown. Those from school were nice but made sleepy because we always watched them at night, before going to bed, whereas those from the camp we watched during the day and one of the (Peralta’s) professors kept talking while the videos were passing, he was controlling it.
At night, before watching school videos, we ususally used the telescopes (except for the last night when we had a party).There were two: a little one which we used to see Venus and the Moon, and the enormous one to see planets like Saturn, Jupiter and the two stars “Alpha Centauri” and “Beta Centauri“.
The planetarium was the “room” I enjoyed the most: first they showed us the “São Paulo” city’s sky, then it “evolved” to a clear one, with all the stars and constellations. It was awesome! It’s really incredible to see the forms that astronomers saw in the past because the stars are not necessarily there to make these images this is why it is incredible.
Outdoors we also had many activities, but for me they were less interesting. We went to a distillery, and for the first time I ate sugar cane. It was tasty and sugary. They also showed us how they separate alcohol from it.
Outside the camp, we went on a trekking. There was a beautiful waterfall at the end, but I didn’t dare jump in it because it was very cold. I tried to draw the waterfall because I had left my camera at the camp (I was afraid it could get wet), but unfortunately I can’t do it well. Otherwise I would have posted it.
The greatest activity we had outside Peraltas was rafting! I had never practiced such a nice sport! Normally, I just hate sports, but rafting is thrilling! Going down the rivers, being wet everytime, it is awesome! I can’t even describe it, but everyone should do rafting! I recomend it highly!
At the camp, during the day, we drew a constellation map, which shows us what we can see in the sky at a precise day and hour. We produced two sundials: a little one for us, and the teachers put a gnomon on the floor, so in pairs we had to mark the sunlight shadows and at the same time, mark the temperature and luminosity. We also launched a little rocket. To do this activity, we made big groups, everyone had a special function. Mine was to go get the rocket after it fell down. Unfortunately ours didn’t go far, but we had fun.
Despite all the time we passed studying, free time existed. Thereby, I rested, or swam in the pool… Maybe the party can be considered free time. I enjoyed it a lot because I can’t even remember the last time I went to a party. At the begining, I felt strange, but at the end it was ok.
Brotas was one of the best field trips I had because I’m fond of the stars, the sky, the planets, so everytime was special and enjoyable. Besides, I read and watch the manga/anime “Knights of the Zodiac“, and many things they taught us I remembered fromthe manga/anime.
