Hello

The first assessment task has been handed in. Overall you did well and commented on each others' drafts.

No one commented on yours Bernardo as the deadline for it was the 13th Oct.

Mafalda, there was a deadline for handing in your essay, the 27th. You emailed it to me yesterday with no explanation as to the reason for delivering it late.

http://www.quotationspage.com/subjects/ quotations in english by subject, a very interesting way to learn new words, and also to get inspired by some of them..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcUzII462xA
a very funny video

To find inspiration in a person.

My greatest friend Joanna is in everyway an inspiration to me, i feel fortunate to have known her, and that our paths have crossed in life.
She’s the kind of person that’s impossible for you not to admire, she hasn’t had a very easy life in every aspect possible, and she’s always faced all adversities with a smile on her face, trough all that is truly difficult and challenging in life that comes our way, she has always been able to keep a positive uptake on life accompanied by a commendable uplifting attitude.
My friend hasn’t got neither her father nor her mother financial help, and most of the times emotional support, her father is totally absent in her life and has always been so, in regards to her mother the situation is a bit different, she is a very young mother that had her at only 20 years old, so she is the kind of person that didn’t enjoy her life and youth when she had the chance to do so, and while others that surrounded here were enjoying it.
So it is noticeable that she has some kind of resentment towards her daughter for depriving her of those years, even though in my opinion totally misplaced and absurd resentment…
But well, anyway…
My point is that her mother doesn’t really act like a mother to my friend, she is irresponsible, reckless in many cases, and what happens is that my friend ends up having to be the mature one, worry about her and solve her problems, because truth be told, she doesn’t care about much, unfortunately for Joanna.
The way she handles this relationship with her mother, and the emotional strength, cool head, strong character, maturity and positivity she shows along the way are the very things I admire her for.
Other department of her life in witch she maintains her true positive nature is in her academic and at the same time professional life. On top of every other issue she has to deal with in her life, she cant afford to be still and reflect on things or problems, or fall into depressive states, she has to support herself and earn enough money to make the rent, pay the utilities and food, as well as her university tuitions she also takes care of, this naturally among many other unforeseen expenses any household has, and any person isn’t clairvoyant to be able to predict but nonetheless as to find money to pay..
She is an extraordinarily capable and hard working person that in the middle of a demanding job, and even more demanding college degree, is always on time, up-to-date and efficient, never missing a class or a day’s work, and never losing her faith in her abilities, always confident in herself.
She’s a happy person by nature, funny and always in a good mood, and in spite of her own problems she always finds the time and patience to help you with yours, always of course showing her understanding spirit and compassionate heart.
I would definitely like to be more like her, see life as she does, and I think everyone would benefit to have an attitude similar to Joanna’s.

Love you ju.

My grandfather, my hero!

In my life there was a person who striked me in a way I'll never forget. My grandfather.
His name was Luís and he passed away when I was around twelve. It was the first time in my life I had lost someone so dear to me.
My grandfather Luís became the greatest influence on me since a young age. This happened because of his strong and overwhelming personality that left no one indiferent. He was both a lawyer in Lisbon and the owner of a quite large farm in Douro. He was a man with an enourmous heart and sense of justice. I'ts funny the I remember him. A short but strong man, roughened by studying and working all his life. I still remember him saying to me how all that was his one day would be mine and how he would be proud to see me get into University and get a degree. He loved the way I had grown up, always in touch with nature, and he would do the crazyiest things that I found funny and some people just found that choking. Like the time we were in a family picnic and suddenly a bunch of wasps came to join our meal. While everyone was quite frightened and afraid of going on sharing the food with these wasps, my grandfather stayed calmly sitting down and as soon as a wasp landed on a slice of bread he simply putted another slice on top and ate the all thing. From that day on, he was definitely my heroe. And he never changed his funny attitude and charismatic ways since the day I first remember him to the last.
And I could go on for days talking about him and all the things he taught me when I was just a little boy, how he looked, how well he wrote( he was also a writer) and painted. His paintings are beautifull despite not being considered masterpieces they have their own priceless value in my heart.

Hello

Now please start commenting on each others' 1st drafts.

Bernardo-where is your 1st draft?

Forever

Apart from my family, there was a person that was and still is very important in my life. His name was Pedro. And it all started six years ago when I joined the Scout group of Algés. I always wanted to be a scout, but I never decided to join, until that October day. It was the best decision of my life. I met friends that will last for life, and this friendship is a very good example. Despite of hardly knowing each other, he accepted to be my godfather. This was just the beginning. We found out that we had many things in common and a few months later we were best friends. We talked everyday on the internet or by text messages, there were no secrets between us, we talked about everything.

Every Saturday, before Scouts, we met to have a nice cup of coffee and to tell the news about the week that passed. And one, two years went by. The summer came and we spent it together. He lived in Sintra and came to Algés to meet me and decide where to go that day. We went everywhere, to the beach, to the pool, to Baixa, Colombo and many other places. I was 15 years old and he influenced my character in many ways. He was a very kind person that thought about the others in first place. He had some health problems – he was diabetic – and when he broke his leg, he had to be operated, but any of this could make him sad, he was always smiling and thanking God for all his opportunities in life. And I was always complaining about this or that, wasting my time thinking about the bad things and not valuing more the good things, like him. I was in a ‘dark’ phases of my life and he was always trying to make me feel better and appreciate life. He had always something friendly and nice to say or to recommend. How I miss and need his advices now! When I’m feeling down, I visit him and ask him for some signs or something that can somehow help me. It might sound weird, but most of the times, the help came.

It’s very hard to lose someone dear, we all know that, one way or another, but loosing a friend is very, very hard too. He had his all life to live and so may things to do. The lesson I learned, in the hard way, was that life is unfair. The example of life that I follow is his example. Every night I thank him for all he taught me. I know he is guarding me until we meet again, in the eternal camp.