The Comenian

Dongen – Easter; what does this feast mean to me? Pope John Paul II saying “Bedankt voor bloemen die ook dit jaar weer uit Nederland komen.” (Thank you for the flowers from Holland) But we have a new pope now so will he also speak Dutch and thank my country for our flowers or will these flowers come from Germany this year? I think Easter to me means Spring, the end of that long dark boring period. Blue skies, green grass, birds waking me up in the morning, girls in summer dresses, drinking beer in an outdoor café, horse riding and watching the sun set in beautiful colours. I guess you understand that I’ve been waiting a long time for Spring. In this 4^th edition of the Comenian articles about Easter, Freedom of Speech, Tolerance and discrimination. In the next edition (the last one this school year) I would like to get some articles about this school year what went wrong what went right, your summer holiday, what are you going to do? Work, travel, where will you go on vacation. Or maybe you’re going to study during the summer. Of course all other articles are also welcome. Mail to:

w.teurlings@cambreurcollege.nl

The symbols of Easter

Dongen - The Cross is the symbol of the Crucifixion, as opposed to the

Resurrection. However, at the Council of Nicaea, in A.D. 325, Constantine decreed that the Cross was the official symbol of Christianity. The Cross is not only a symbol of Easter, but it is more widely used, especially by the Catholic Church, as a year-round symbol of their faith.

The Easter Bunny is not a modern invention. The symbol originated with the pagan festival of Eastre. The goddess, Eastre, was worshipped by the Anglo-Saxons through her earthly symbol, the rabbit. The Germans brought the symbol of the Easter rabbit to America. It was widely ignored by other Christians until shortly after the Civil War. In fact, Easter itself was not widely celebrated in America until after that time.

As with the Easter Bunny and the holiday itself, the Easter Egg predates the Christian holiday of Easter. The exchange of eggs in the springtime is a custom that was centuries old when Easter was first celebrated by Christians. From the earliest times, the egg was a symbol of rebirth in most cultures. Eggs were often wrapped in gold leaf or, if you were a peasant, colored brightly by boiling them with the leaves or petals of certain flowers.

Today, children hunt colored eggs and place them in Easter baskets along with the modern version of real Easter eggs -- those made of plastic or chocolate candy.

Abdu Citak Cambreur College The Netherlands

Many people die with the truth in their heart

Arad - I am very glad that this subject has been put into discussion and I hope that in the future there will be many others subjects like this one.

I think that everyone must have the right to tell what they really think; everyone must have the power to tell their opinions, ideas or maybe just the truth that could save his life. I am very sad when I see on the T.V. that many people die with the truth in their hearts only because they don’t think they have the power or the possibility to tell it.

Another example could be those schools in the whole world in which the students don’t have the right to say what their problems are, or their beliefs. They might have good ideas or interesting opinions but their teachers wouldn’t bother to listen to them, because they only are some students.

My opinion is that even a killer should have the right to say why he did commit the crime. He might have some reasons. He is a human being after all like all of us…

For example some months ago I saw on a TV channel the story of a man who had almost been arrested because he killed the thief who broke into his house in the middle of the night. Finally he was discharged because he was in self-defense

In conclusion everyone has to have the right to express himself.

Alexandra Popovici , Romania

Freedom of speech – a right or a privilege

Arad - In my opinion this is the most important right a person can have. In a society, we all have rights and responsibilities, it is important to give something in order to receive. But most people do not know their responsibilities and that is wrong. On the other hand they should all know their right to freedom of speech. This is also the first human right in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – “the right to freedom of opinion and expression”.

Why is speaking freely so important? you may ask yourselves. Well because each one of us has got something to say even it is right or wrong, it is our right to say it. From ancient times, people were forbidden many things, they always had to devote their lives to serving gods or kings and give their obedience and speak in front of them because that was considered as a great offence and that was punished with death or jail. In those times your opinion mattered only if you were a person with high status. Many wars started because people needed more rights not only rules and duties. Their need for freedom of any kind was the most important reason for them to fight in wars. Because of men’s determination and courage, the people today can speak their mind freely. Nowadays we are free, we live in a free country and we have earned the right to express ourselves. By making use of this right you can always, in any place and any time to say your opinion because that’s the beauty of freedom.

“Men are born free and they will remain free endowed with equal rights”

(Declaration des Droits de l’Homme, Paris, the 27-th of august, 1789).

In conclusion, as it says in the declaration, we are born free and that means we also have our right to freedom of speech, a right denied to us in old times but reestablished today.

Anda Sabau Romania

SYSTEME SCOLAIRE

EN REPUBLIQUE TCHEQUE

Three students from the Czech Republic stayed in Vouziers for some time. They wrote this article about the differences between their education system and the French education system.

Vouziers - En République Tchèque, il y a un système un peu différent de la France. Nous

avons aussi une école maternelle, mais elle n’est pas obligatoire. Nous avons ensuite l’école élémentaire qui est obligatoire. On va dans cette école pendant 9 ans. Après, on va à l’école secondaire. Ce sont des lycées professionnels ou des lycée classiques. On va dans ces écoles pendant 4 années environ. Elles se terminent par le baccalauréat. Après, on peut aller à l’université.

En République tchèque, il y a beaucoup d’universités. Par exemple, l’université Charles, l’université Masaryk etc…

LES DIFFERENCES ENTRE

LE SYSTEME TCHEQUE ET LE SYSTEME FRANÇAIS.

-plus de spécialisation en France au Lycée Jeanne d’arc ;

-plus d’expériences pratiques ;

-beaucoup plus de communication entre les professeurs et les élèves ;

-vous mettez beaucoup plus l’accent sur la compréhension des matières et des cours que sur la quantité. (Vous voulez la compréhension de tout le monde) ;

-moins de devoirs ;

-moins de contrôles dans le lycée Jeanne d’arc.

Peut-être est-ce seulement l’habitude qui nous pousse à constater que le

mode d’étudier en Tchéquie est plus satisfaisant pour nous. On dit chez nous que « l’habitude est chemise de fer ». C’est peut-être justement pour cette raison que notre école est mieux pour nous. Bien qu’elle exige beaucoup plus de devoirs et de préparation à la maison, elle rend le mot célèbre de Comenius « l’école est le jeu ».

Mais il est difficile de comparer lycée professionnel et lycée général. En lycée professionnel, il y a beaucoup plus de spécialisation.

Les trois élèves Tchèques en classe de seconde BEP Carrières Sanitaires et Sociales.

La journée de la tolérance.

Vouziers - En France, du 13 au 18 mars, de nombreuses manifestations sont organisées dans

le cadre de la semaine contre le racisme.

A Vouziers, le mardi 14 mars, nous avons participé à la journée pour la tolérance.

De nombreuses associations étaient présentes : 

- la défense des droits de l’homme ;

- association contre les discriminations sexuelles ;

- associations à caractère social ;

- plusieurs collèges et lycées ;

- le comité de jumelage avec le Sénégal ;

- le comité de jumelage avec la république tchèque.

Nous avons réalisé des recettes étrangères (Anglaises, Américaines, Italiennes), des poèmes, des jeux (mots croisés, drapeaux du monde).

Le groupe d’élèves tchèques que nous accueillons dans notre établissement ont dansé, chantés et présentés leur pays au public. Ils ont connu un grand succès.

D’autres élèves ont également chanté, dansé. L’après-midi s’est terminé par un lâché de ballons.

Les élèves de la classe de terminale BEP Carrières Sanitaires et Sociales ;

Lycée Jeanne d’Arc, France.

Discrimination

A very bad thing

Dongen -. I think people who are discriminating someone else are very selfish. Because they don’t think about the people who they are scolding at.

I take myself for example. I’m not from Holland, but from Afghanistan. Another boy says to me that I have to go back to my own country. And he’s scolding me. I will feel then very sad. But that boy will smile and go away. But what if he was in my shoes? Won’t he feel sad?

Now you see that discrimination has two faces. One sad and one sordid and this

was just one example. I can tell you many

more. But that will take too much time.

people who discriminate are very respect less. What’s the use of discriminating? NOTHING! If I was the king of a country I would sentence the one who’s discriminating very severe! I will punish him and let him feel how the others

feel when they are discriminated. Because discriminating has got a lot of consequences. Like war for example, but my most important question to all those discriminating people is: Why do you that? Is it fun to hurt someone else?

Discrimination happens everywhere. At school, at work, everywhere. You have different ways of discrimination. Sexes discrimination, discrimination off the country you’re from etc. This is my opinion about discrimination..

 Amed Nayeb Khel Cambreur College Dongen 

My Easter

Dongen- Easter is the first catholic festivity in the new year. We celebrate that

Jesus Christ was resurrected.

It is in spring when the trees get new leaves and the first flowers can be

seen in the garden. In the meadow you can see little lambs. So Easter is the time of new life. The colour of Easter is yellow. It is told to young children that the Easter

bunny hides Easter eggs. The children are invited to search the eggs. They search in the garden under the trees, in the trees etcetera. When they have found all these eggs they start painting or eating them.

When I was young I also searched for eggs and an Easter bunny. They were not real, they were made of chocolate. I liked it very much because it was a kind of match who could find the most eggs.

Now I don't search eggs anymore, I only eat them. This year at Easter I'm going with a friend and her parents to a camping in Limburg that’s in the south of the Netherlands. We sleep in a caravan. I'll make a beach tour on a horse. I have never done this before but I think it will be very amusing. More over we go to the

swimming pool and to the beach for a beach walk.

I hope this Easter will be as nice as in the other years.

Sabine Versteijne Cambreurcollege the Netherlands

STOP DISCRIMINATION!!!

Dongen - Discrimination, it’s something we all don’t like but we still do it day after day. That’s something I don’t understand.

Because why would you discriminate someone if you don’t like it when it happens to you. What I am trying to say is: if we all stop to discriminate, we will be happier than before! I mean, what’s the use of discrimination?

Do you feel better when you do it?

Do you help someone else with it?

Do you like to hurt other people?

I guess the answer is: No!

I know that nobody is perfect.

and you know that too!

So deal with it.

And if somebody has another culture or another skin color, than this doesn’t mean he is a bad person! I know I can’t stop discrimination, but I hope it will stop sometime. I also can’t change all people who discriminate, but all of you can try to let them think right about other cultures etc. And so do I. So I’m trying to let you think right and let us all live in peace.

So I hope I’m clear to you and clear to other people.

Renske van der Made Cambreur College The Netherlands

Easter Fire

Dongen - We celebrate Easter with my granddad. He has got a big garden and we burn there every year an Easter fire that means that we burn a fire to celebrate Easter. It’s a very big fire and mostly we burn it in the evening. Then you see it in the whole district and you can see other fires that’s very impressive. And when the fire is smaller we make some bread on a stick. I don’t know why we make that fire but it’s an old tradition in our family it began around 1700.

And we search every year for Easter-eggs it’s a tradition we paint the eggs the day before and my parents will hide them and the all children search the eggs. We eat some Easter-eggs made of chocolate. Sometimes my granddad made the eggs himself. In the morning we eat a what luxury breakfast exclusive bread (paasstol en eierbrood) and eggs. On the 1st Easter day we have a great diner with the whole family everyone makes something for that diner the children mostly have some help but they make something too.

Ward Hoefnagel Cambreur College The Netherlands

Quelques poèmes pour la journée de la tolérance.

Vouziers - Certains élèves ont rédigé ces poèmes pour exprimer leur idée de la tolérance. Les professeurs ont pensé qu’il était intéressant de vous les transmettre.

La tolérance.

Etre tolérant avec les autres, c’est avant tout être tolérant avec soi même. Cela est aussi une forme de liberté.

La tolérance est un don que tout le monde devrait posséder, hélas, ce n’est pas le cas.

Je ne vois pas pourquoi les gens ont un regard différent sur les autres personnes qui, elles, ont un handicap, une malformation, ou qui sont tout simplement différents.

Il y a des gens qui restent indifférents au style de vêtements et d’autres pas, c’est de l’intolérance.

Il n’y a pas d’excuse pour exclure une personne d’un groupe.

Liberté, Egalité, fraternité, cette devise n’est pas toujours ancrée dans nos mentalités.

Jordan Prévot Lycée Jeanne d’Arc, France.

RESPECT

Respect is of great importance in everyday life. As children we are taught (one hopes) to respect our parents, teachers, and elders,

cultural traditions, other people’s feelings and rights, our country’s flag and leaders, the truth and people’s differing opinions.

Aurélie Wazyniack Lycée Jeanne d’Arc France

La tolérance.

La tolérance est un signe de respect, d’amitié et de

Solidarité.

Elle est indispensable et devrait être appliquée par

Tout un chacun.

Même si l’on ne partage pas les mêmes opinions

Que ce soit dans le domaine religieux, politique, ou

Même physique.

On se doit de les accepter et respecter.

Malheureusement, il existe encore aujourd’hui

Tant de souffrances morales et physiques.

Regardez autour de vous,

Tous ces gens faibles qui croulent sous les regards des autres

Ces gens dont la couleur de peau est critiquée.

Mais la couleur de leur cœur ne change pas elle.

C’est cela qui prouve que nous sommes tous égaux.

Camille Monfroy Lycée Jeanne d’Arc, France.

La tolérance.

La tolérance est avant tout le respect de soi même mais aussi de ceux qui nous entourent. Qu’elles soient de religion, de race ou de culture différentes, toutes les personnes se ressemblent.

Dans la rue, quand une personne handicapée passe, les gens la regardent comme si elle venait d’un autre monde, on se moque d’elle.

Pour moi, c’est de l’intolérance.

Cela serait tellement beau un monde sans intolérance, nous pourrions partager des choses en commun, et même peut-être arriver à changer les convictions.

Aurélie Wawzyniac, Caroline Brabant, Vanessa Faure. Lycée Jeanne d’Arc, France.

L’un trouve la couleur violette douce et aimable,

Un autre la trouve morne et terne,

L’un préfère le son des instruments à vents,

L’autre celui des instruments à cordes.

Discuter à ce propos pour accuser d’erreur le jugement

D’autrui,

Qui diffère du nôtre,

Comme s’il s’opposait à lui logiquement, ce serait folie ;

Au point de vue de l’agréable,

Il faut admettre le principe :

A chacun son goût.

Marion Haas Lycée Jeanne d’Arc, France

Studying abroad

Dongen - I’m living in Holland. So when I want to go studying abroad I have to go studying outside Holland. It will be great, because you see great things of the world. But you need a place to stay and a study and of course you have to talk the language of that country. That is very difficult. When you arrive in the country and you see for the first time your new school with any people you don’t know. You have to make many new friends. You can’t speak the language so very well. That is difficult. You must learn the language of the country. So you have to take extra lessons of that language. And than you have to chose a study. Will you go to study logopedician or technique or something in the nursery. And than will you go to the university or to the college? You have to make choices, important choices. And that is difficult. Also you will miss your family and friends. You won’t see them often anymore. You are there all alone. So there’s so much negatives to studying abroad. So I am not going to study abroad. My parents are very disappointed, because they did get rid of me. Now some positive things. You are making new friends, learning the language very well. Learn other habits and see a lot of new exciting things but I still don ’t like the idea of studying abroad.?

Evelien Meelker Cambreur College The Netherlands

Suggestion box

Maybe someone can change Evelyn’s opinion about studying abroad. Send me your articles about this school year, summer vacation, exchange students and whatever you want to write about.

The next deadline will be the first week of June.