I’m a Portuguese citizen, born and bred in Lisbon who has never lived in another country.
When I was born my parents bought a house in Olivais Sul (Lisbon), where we lived for 15 years. It was a small flat with only two bedrooms. I used to share my bedroom only with my sister, and my brother (because he was only a baby) used to sleep with my parents. I never felt really at home there and I think it’s because we couldn’t go out to play with other kids because Olivais is a bad area to live in.
Today I live in Santa Iria de Azoia with my parents, my grandparents, my brother, my sister and with my three dogs. This house is older than me and it was built by my grandfather. Even when I was living in Olivais we used to go all the weekends to Santa Iria and I always think of it as “home”. My present house is not a block of cement where only my family can get in, it’s more like an open space where we let our front door open without being scared. Here everybody knows me and everybody helps eachother. I can go outside and play with my brother because it’s a safe area, and it’s rare to see strangers near the house. I can’t remember one time where I felt sad in Santa Iria during my childhood. I can say that even the sun is different here because it feels warmer when touches my skin.
When I need a time for myself and for my thoughts, I seat in a chair that I have in my huge balcony. From this balcony at night I can see the lights of Lisbon which has a beautiful view and during the day I can hear the birds and feel the wind and the sun in my skin. This balcony is my home, is where I feel safe and protected from any danger, is where I get lost with my thoughts and it seems that this balcony has a calming influence on me. People say that home is where the heart and my heart is at home, specifically from my balcony.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Monday, April 21, 2008
'Home' - Vanessa Oliveira
A 'home' is a place where a person, family, or group of people live together. 'Home is often a place of refuge and safety. Many people think of 'home' in terms of where they grew up, and 'home' can even be a time rather than a place.
'Home' can be your own 'home' or someone else's place. It means that 'home', in a personal view, is the place where you feel loved and safe. It can be your house, or your family-friend's house. It can even be a friend's house where you happen to spend five minutes every day. What is important are the ties you establish with someone or something.
Any place can be your own 'home'. Even the street. You may not have a roof over your head but it doesn't mean there's an absense of the concept 'home'.
Although this concept suggests various interpretations there's something that, no matter of your personal understanding, is common to every single interpretation - Love.
'Home'can also be a time. Childhood tends to be the period of time in which you find your happiest memories. In fact, those earlier memories can create your concept of 'home' and you may find yourself living the rest of your life refering to it and remembering the same period of time as 'home'.
But 'home' can also be someone, a person. You can find yourself feeling loved and safe by someone. Personally, although I still live in the same house for all my life, and I still refer to it as my 'home', I feel like I'd lost a piece of that 'home' when my father died.
He was my 'home', our 'home'. More than the place, the people who love are those who build up that 'home'.
'Home' is about love and security. Even without thinking too much about it, do you imagine yourself without the place, time, or person, to which you relate the concept of 'home'?
'Home' can be your own 'home' or someone else's place. It means that 'home', in a personal view, is the place where you feel loved and safe. It can be your house, or your family-friend's house. It can even be a friend's house where you happen to spend five minutes every day. What is important are the ties you establish with someone or something.
Any place can be your own 'home'. Even the street. You may not have a roof over your head but it doesn't mean there's an absense of the concept 'home'.
Although this concept suggests various interpretations there's something that, no matter of your personal understanding, is common to every single interpretation - Love.
'Home'can also be a time. Childhood tends to be the period of time in which you find your happiest memories. In fact, those earlier memories can create your concept of 'home' and you may find yourself living the rest of your life refering to it and remembering the same period of time as 'home'.
But 'home' can also be someone, a person. You can find yourself feeling loved and safe by someone. Personally, although I still live in the same house for all my life, and I still refer to it as my 'home', I feel like I'd lost a piece of that 'home' when my father died.
He was my 'home', our 'home'. More than the place, the people who love are those who build up that 'home'.
'Home' is about love and security. Even without thinking too much about it, do you imagine yourself without the place, time, or person, to which you relate the concept of 'home'?
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Is there any other place like home? - David Douwens Baptista
We don´t need to go very far to appreciate different points of view from people, especially when it comes to subjects such as the concept of 'home'. All around the world and even in your own neighbourhood or family, people tend to share different points of view in relation to this subject.
While some consider home the place where they were born or where they grew up and spent their childhood, others firmly support the idea that it is where they are loved and always welcomed. There are those, of course, who say that home is they experience things that contribute to their growth as human beings and those who see home as a refuge from every harm possible and where they're untouchable. I think that makes people think or have different perspectives in relation to the way they see home can be explained by how those people grew up, for example, life experiences. For instance, if a person was brought up in a family would show a lot of affection towards him or her, that person is most likely to develop a concept of home related to that of being loved.
I personally believe that although home is where I belong and where I grew up, it is also that place where I was loved by everyone and everything around me. Home is also that place where I feel safe and comfortable, where I feel free from any possible harm or threat and where I can away to hide from my everyday problems.
My experience as a human being doesn't go any further than the most usual sense of home, the one involving one's family. For instance, I've often had rough days like everyone else, but the moment I reach my doorstep and head in towards the entrance hall, I start feeling better all of a sudden, specially when I feel my family welcoming me home.
This is why, sometimes, when I go abroad or even to some place I know to some extent and where I've got used to living, I never quite feel the same way, because there isn't any sort of special attachment to it.
Home has to be therefore, a place where I feel safe and where I keep a special corner for it in my heart.
While some consider home the place where they were born or where they grew up and spent their childhood, others firmly support the idea that it is where they are loved and always welcomed. There are those, of course, who say that home is they experience things that contribute to their growth as human beings and those who see home as a refuge from every harm possible and where they're untouchable. I think that makes people think or have different perspectives in relation to the way they see home can be explained by how those people grew up, for example, life experiences. For instance, if a person was brought up in a family would show a lot of affection towards him or her, that person is most likely to develop a concept of home related to that of being loved.
I personally believe that although home is where I belong and where I grew up, it is also that place where I was loved by everyone and everything around me. Home is also that place where I feel safe and comfortable, where I feel free from any possible harm or threat and where I can away to hide from my everyday problems.
My experience as a human being doesn't go any further than the most usual sense of home, the one involving one's family. For instance, I've often had rough days like everyone else, but the moment I reach my doorstep and head in towards the entrance hall, I start feeling better all of a sudden, specially when I feel my family welcoming me home.
This is why, sometimes, when I go abroad or even to some place I know to some extent and where I've got used to living, I never quite feel the same way, because there isn't any sort of special attachment to it.
Home has to be therefore, a place where I feel safe and where I keep a special corner for it in my heart.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Catherine Tate - French Exam
Suis Je Bothered?
Est-ce que mon visage est bothered?
Non! Parce que je ne suis pas bothered!
LOL! :)
Monday, April 7, 2008
Home
The word "home" can have various interpretations. It is the place where we live or a place where we love to visit or some place where we stay and spend our life with our family and friends.
"Home", for me, has different interpretations. When I was a little child "home" was the place where my parents lived and where I was protected. After that it was a place where I only went to eat and sleep because school began to be my second home, a place where I spent the majority of my time. Now I see home as if it was the world because I think that the world is our home and every place is home for us even if we feel good or bad in some places.
The world is our home because it is the only place in the universe where we can live, love and enjoy life.
I have always lived in my home, which is in Margem Sul. I have never lived in another country and the only one I visited was Spain to see some Roman Ruins. When I was there I noticed that the Spanish closed their shops from 3 pm to 5 pm to have a little nap.
In Portugal we don't do this but our cultures are not that different.
To conclude home is a place in the world where we share love, friendship, fraternity, hapiness with our beloved people.
"Home", for me, has different interpretations. When I was a little child "home" was the place where my parents lived and where I was protected. After that it was a place where I only went to eat and sleep because school began to be my second home, a place where I spent the majority of my time. Now I see home as if it was the world because I think that the world is our home and every place is home for us even if we feel good or bad in some places.
The world is our home because it is the only place in the universe where we can live, love and enjoy life.
I have always lived in my home, which is in Margem Sul. I have never lived in another country and the only one I visited was Spain to see some Roman Ruins. When I was there I noticed that the Spanish closed their shops from 3 pm to 5 pm to have a little nap.
In Portugal we don't do this but our cultures are not that different.
To conclude home is a place in the world where we share love, friendship, fraternity, hapiness with our beloved people.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
About Me! :D
Hi there! I am Natacha and I am from Seixal. I am on the French and English course because I love foreing languages. At upper school I learnt Latin and last semester at faculty I began Italian lessons. It has been a great experience learning various languages, but I still dream of learning Japanese one day.
I love to play sports and I am part of a five-a-side football team.
I like all kinds of music but my favourite song is "Nobody's wife" by Anouk.
I am a warm and a friedly person. I am the type of person who can get on with everybody, no matter who they are!
What I hope to achieve in this course is a certain degree of fluency in all languages I will have studied. I also hope to travel abroad to foreing countries and experience new cultures.
However, at the moment, I want to just learn and enjoy life with my family, friends and classmates at faculty!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)