FlashMob "Dancing with the difference"

Celebrating differences at ESFF (multiart session)

Letter in a Bottle

Life turns out to be so confusing…

You come across dreams, achievements, lost battles and forgotten thoughts. But never had I, in a million years, dreamt I’d lose each and every pillar of my life.

It was  Tuesday morning. A normal working day. Said “hello” to everyone there and sat at the desk. Then, the phone rang. She wasn’t even brave enough to face me and discuss her motivations and reasons with me. She didn’t need to. She was the absolute, snob, “gold digger” boss. She fired me!

Two weeks  went  by. Things got really complicated, with my son having a liver condition and spending all my savings taking care of him.

I was the only  provider! ‘How the hell was my family going to survive without me’, I thought.

I cried. I wept. I faded.

An entire week in bed drove me into depression. The moment I needed my family the most…they left me! She ran away with the kid, sold the house while I was in bed, found a wealthy husband and was gone. I loved her so much… I’m so angry.

I try to think that anger is just a state of mind, so I often forget about it and start  imagining  birds being carried in the breeze and flowers growing in a field.

Thoughts went by, some staying, some going away.

Life under a bridge isn’t so bad. The worst thing is life without  love. The lack of consideration, opportunities and love - that is the ultimate killer.

Words are nothing more than a poor imitation of feelings, so I keep them to myself. I’d rather remember my happiness than talk about it. I often end up sad talking about good moments gone by. That’s my life. If you can call it that.

Wandering in the streets in the evening, so that no one can see me. Dreaming about my wife and son. Turning back to anger and bad memories.

But I’ve done it for too long. Months went by, as tears dried and memories died.

I’m going to put this letter in a bottle and let the river take it down to broader waters as my body will sink in the river bed, but never my thoughts.

I just hope they are happy now. No more cold nights, no more anger, no more sullen looks. Just me and the wind, and my memories…

by João Diogo, 10th Year, Class 19

Choose me!

Have you ever had the feeling that you are invisible to your classmates, especially when you are playing in the schoolyard? If your answer is no, then welcome to my world...

In the playground or even in the physical education classes it's always the same thing... I'm always the last to be chosen for any game you play! I know well that I am not that good at sports but all I wanted was to actually be important for my friends, especially when we make teams!
I'm not even chosen, I`m just their last resort and the team that ends up with me don't hide that they're displeased!
The only thing I want is to have fun, but it's not easy, when your schoolmates ignore and humiliate you, always laughing at you, screaming and calling you names (mine, for example, is the «lame»), and they do nothing to help you or make you feel better about your mistakes.
When everything is finished and everybody goes away, I'm left all alone and I just want to cry... I'm not having any fun!
'Oh, no! Not the lame' - that is what hurts me the most...
Why can't they be nice to me? Why can't they choose me for their teams? Why can't they just have fun playing with me?
If you know the answer, please, tell me!... I just want to belong!... 



Written by Bernardo, 11th Year, Class 21 

Racism is the belief of the superiority of a race over another. Throughout human history there has always been racism or at least traces of it.

What’s the point of being racist? Weren’t all human beings born the same way? And what defines a person? The colour of their skin?

Everyone is born equal and with the same rights.

Racism just causes wars and chaos, either social, economic or political, which can bring about disastrous consequences.

From the beginning of man’s existence to today’s society, shouldn’t we have evolved? Shouldn’t we be more open-minded and respect each other?

Do we need to have a catastrophe to understand that there is no hierarchy between races?

Maybe if that happened, people would be more united, as no one can live alone.

Why so much hate, power, superiority, and greed, if life could end in a split of a second? There is no benefit in making anyone feel inferior.

A person can never be defined by the colour of their skin. As long as human beings are not aware that differences are meaningless, our society will never evolve. 

“Racism rests on ignorance and cowardice.”

by Barbara Vieira, 10th Year, Class 16

Shy , Sad and Lonely

I sit here by the corner
You pass me by
You don’t see me
I wish you would look at me
I wonder why you don’t
I wish I had someone to talk to
Please, stop being so hard on me
I dream of that day
If only you knew how I feel
You wouldn’t treat me like this
I try to smile
But you don’t even see me
I cry so hard
But you don’t even hear me
I want something to change
Just give me a chance.


Written by: Gabriela, Sofia, João, Cristina and Patricia (11tth Year, Class 21)

Discrimination

Be smart!

Differences in Religion

Lonely

 

Do You Matter?

Do you ever feel like you are not worth anything?
 

The Kid on the playground

The kid on the playground (11º4)

Think differently!

People who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.

Understanding , accepting, and embracing differences means building bridges, opening up to a dialogue with others.

Read an opinion article on Cultural and Religious Differences.