Quarantined at home…all day… every day… How did we cope? Whether it was light reading, singing, gaining an excessive amount of weight that you’ll never work off, or gardening that got you midway through 2020, let’s take a moment to catch up.

Sahuaro Spanish teacher, Mr. Bertoglio, has kept himself quite busy with his latest in-home renovations and installments, including a petite yet savory vegetable garden, but that’s not all he’s done. The singing Bertoglio has performed many times downtown over our very extended Spring break, and you might’ve seen him!

Performing for others has always lifted Bertoglio’s spirits as well as the people around him, which during this pandemic has been vital in keeping our community together. Playing and singing on the patio at Magpies on 4th Avenue every other Friday night has helped Mr. Bertoglio cope with our nationwide closure. “All this has kept me and Mrs. Bertoglio pretty sane. We are seeing this as a kind of rehearsal for retirement when we will be home and doing things together all the time,” he said. “We found that we still like each other (after 42 years of marriage) and enjoy each other’s company!”

But again, that’s not all he’s done! “During this pandemic, I have been doing a LOT of home repair stuff. We took down the popcorn ceiling in the living room and painted it along with 3 other rooms’ ceilings and walls,” two coats to be exact! Handyman Bertoglio has dedicated his time and effort to also painting and installing new baseboards in his entire downstairs, and of course, installing his new veggie garden.

Remote learning has put great pressure and a challenge on all teachers, leaving Mr. Bertoglio stumped at how to keep his students engaged, but that hasn’t stopped him! “As to keeping kids interested in learning during this time, I’m not sure. Other than buying a whiteboard to use during Zoom classes, I’m trying to be positive and upbeat, letting the kids know that I am happy to work with them and that I have high expectations for them,” he explained.

We at The Paper Cut wish you good luck in teaching remotely and for students, learning remotely! Stay safe and well <3 – TPC