
From 1984, Anna Karenina, Harry Potter, Montaigne and John Cage, to her own works – novelist, playwright, artist, and exchange alumna Patricia Portela promoted reading to secondary school students in Madeira during her “Let’s read for pleasure!” talk on January 26-27. Patricia spoke on how her love of reading turned her into a writer and theater artist, eventually taking her to all four corners of the world, including to Iowa City where in 2013 she participated in the University of Iowa’s International Writing Program (IWP), sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. Patricia also presented a session to language teachers from all over the island.
This program was organized by the U.S. Embassy Lisbon in cooperation with the Centro Cultural John dos Passos and English teachers and alumni from Madeira and was attended by students and teachers from Escola Básica e Secundária da Ponta do Sol, Escola da APEL, and Escola Secundária Jaime Moniz.