The Comenian

Dongen – One more week to go and then we will celebrate Christmas again. I’m looking forward to the vacation but I still don’t have the Christmas-feeling this year. Maybe it’s because of the weather it feels more like autumn than winter. Maybe it’s because I still haven’t bought a Christmas tree. Christmas is feast some people look forward to for weeks but it’s over in a flash and leaves people empty handed thrown into the reality of everyday life with a bigger belly and a hangover. You understand that this is not my way of celebrating Christmas. I like to relax during these days of light, reading books, riding in the woods, no dressing up and not eating heaps of fancy food with some bottles of wine. So just relax during this vacation and only do what you really want to do. In this edition of the Comenian a lot of different stories and poems. Some about Christmas but also about the Euro week in the Netherlands, friendship, belly dancing, and puberty. I hope you will enjoy reading this edition of the Comenian. I wish you all a very merry Christmas and a healthy and happy 2007.

w.teurlings@cambreurcollege.nl

Back home in Berlin

Berlin - After a year in England, at Aquinas College in Stopckport, I'm back in Berlin. First it was really weird to speak German again and to hear it all the time. Imagine you spoke a whole year barely any German and suddenly it is all around you, 24 hours a day.

Also I was back with my family (including a new little baby sister) and in a different house.

Another change after my summer holidays was a new school. I actually got a place at the International School in Berlin (not a private school). There everybody speaks a fluent English and normally half of the subjects are taught in English, the others in German. It was so nice to hear English again ( and not only on the phone). But school is hard work, especially the last two years in the German school system. There are so many exams, tests, presentations and so on. The amazing thing is, that I'm still enjoying it. That doesn't mean though, that I jump out of my bed at six o'clock in the morning, when I need to get up. But even the one hour and a few minutes I have to travel every morning is not wasted time,

because I can learn or read (which I have otherwise no time to do so).

Well, you see that English is not only spoken in England, but also in Berlin and even in schools in Berlin.

Marta Stuckenschmidt, Berlin (Germany)

My P.C. - my world

Arad - Living in the 21-st century is not easy. But if you have the latest technology, a cozy apartment and… a family, it could be bearable.

But nevertheless, I couldn’t live without my P.C. And I say this for a very simple reason : my whole world is in it : my friends – with whom I talk on the Messenger – my music in Winamp, all the information (and ready-made essays !) for my lessons at school, all the news, all my favorite movies.

There are people saying that the computer nowadays leads to isolation and loneliness. Personally I consider that it is exactly the opposite. The internet and the computer create bridges of communication for people from all over the world, make things easier (sending instant emails instead of letters that take days or weeks to reach their destination).

There are teachers saying that because of the computers students don’t read books anymore. Now that is for me an image of isolation – a teenager with a book in his hand. Students do read, on the internet, where they can exchange ideas on different sites about what they are reading with others readers of the same book. They can also interact and change the final of a story in order to practice or to improve their imagination and creativity.

My computer is my world and I couldn’t live without it for all the reasons I have mentioned here.

Petrea Georgiana Colegiul National Moise Nicoara Romania

Les problèmes d’anorexie

Vouziers - En France beaucoup de femmes, et surtout des jeunes de 14 à 25 ans, sont touchées par l’anorexie.

Elles désirent ressembler à toutes les femmes « idéales » présentées dans les magazines, les stars, les mannequins des

défilés de mode…. Certains top-models sont particulièrement concernés par ce problème car pour elles, la gloire est peut-être au bout du podium !!

Quelques unes de ces jeunes femmes pèsent moins de 30 kg pour une taille de 1.80 m ! Une femme de poids normal ou même avec un peu de rondeurs est bien plus jolie, plus agréable à regarder et moins fragile qu’elles physiquement et psychologiquement !!!!

Notre génération est malade !

Ne faites pas comme ces top-models !! Mangez !! Quoi de plus agréable ??

Océane Vanègue et Adeline Gosset (Terminale Professionnelle).

Wenn du mein Freund sein willst

Lunen - Ich hab keinen Bock,dass alle meinen mir was vorschreiben zu müssen ich habe halt eine Lieblingsmusik und das lass ich mir nicht verbieten, ich lass mich nicht verbiegen. Jedem das seine,lässt du mich lass ich dich! Und ich weiß genau ich

nerve nicht,wenn du keinen Bock auf mich hast bist du kein richtiger Freund,ich sag auch nichts gegen deine Art zu sein! Denn ich liebe diese Musik,sie erfüllt mich,sie gibt mir Trost und Ideen mich zu verwirklichen und sie ist ein kleines Stück Universum dass ich für mich habe,ich teile es gerne mit dir wenn du mich nur nicht verändern willst denn ich liebe mein Leben ich liebe diese Welt und ich liebe eben diese Musik,ich sage gerne meine Meinung denn ich bin intelligent genug um zu wissen dass mir keiner meine Meinung verbieten darf. Wenn du von meinem Strom mitgerissen wirst darfst du mit aber nur wenn du mich nicht unbedingt verändern willst,ich verändere mich nur wenn und wie ich will. Ich kann über mich alleine bestimmen.

Und diese Musik ist eben ein Teil von mir geworden und es ist dumm wenn ich nicht über sie reden oder sie hören darf. Du hast doch auch ein Lieblingsthema. Und nein ich höre nicht nur die eine Band ich höre tausend Sachen weil sie mir alle laune machen sie sind für mich vollkommen,einfach weil sie so sind wie sie eben sind und ich kann nur vollkommen sein wenn ich gelassen werde denn jeder Mensch ist vollkommen auf seine Art und Weise aber nur wenn er frei ist in dem was er tut und tun will das soll uch so für mich sein denn ich sage ja nicht es soll für dich anders sein,jeder mensch soll glücklich sein und weil wir Freunde sind bin ich glücklich wenn du es bist und ich hoffe du freust dich auch für mich denn das tue ich für dich was immer es ist das dir sagt ich bin blöd,denk nicht dran jeder Mensch kann zwar vollkommen aber nicht perfekt sein denn du bist nur vollkommen wenn du Ecken,Kanten und Fehler hast. Jeder Mensch ist sein eigenes Ideal. Und wenn du mein Freund sein willst dann bitte lass mir mein Ideal!

Jana Herkt Gymnasium Altlünen,

First time I Got drunk

Rijen - When I was twelve years old

and I had a party with some vacation friends I got drunk for the first time.

I went to the party with my sister.

It was the first time I went somewhere without my parents. My sister had to watch over me.

When we arrived I was very happy that my parents were really leaving.

So I went straight away to the alcohol because I wanted to get drunk. About two hours later, I was really drunk but some guy said to me all the time: “Here is some other drink” and he wouldn’t listen to me that I was already really drunk and that I didn’t want to drink more.

The last thing I know is that I sat down on a chair and I went to puke.

I past out and when I woke up I was all wet and I had a other sweater on.

My sister told me that I had passed out for five minutes and I didn’t breath.

So they throw a of bucket cold water over me. Five minutes after the whole drunk thing, passing out etc, everything was all right with me again.

My parents were very mad at me!!

Cindy van Hoof Cambreur college.

Euroweek 2006

Students represent Aquinas as they embark on a European adventure …

Stockport - On the first day of October eight excited students (including myself) and two College staff headed out to Tilburg in the Netherlands. There we attended a big week-long meeting with

other students from the 24 EU countries. I was told that this large-scale event was created to help young adults envision a United Europe, where cultural differences can be appreciated and not scorned. Aside for the fact that it was a legitimate week off college (!), it sounded like a great trip to apply for if you wanted to broaden your cultural horizons. Mary Pickford.

To start with, Euroweek cannot be summed up in a paragraph or a few sentences. Apart from coming home and the daily rain, my experiences in the Netherlands have been nothing fantastic! The week really changed me as a person and my outlook on life. It was the people who made it so good – not only from the UK but from the other 24 countries involved in the week, too. Without being there, the emotions of Euroweek are very hard to describe, but nothing will ever beat the way that even from the start everyone just were themselves… And I think that that is the best thing of all! I would recommend Euroweek to anyone, however, I wouldn’t do it again myself as I feel that this year cannot be beaten! Ciara Nolan.

Any doubts as to whether Euroweek would live up to expectations or not were left at Manchester Airport, as those 7 days turned out to be some of the most memorable of my life. It was a fantastic opportunity to meet people from different backgrounds and cultures, with every delegation welcoming and friendly. The atmosphere is what really made the week unique; never before have I seen people so open to each other and inclusive – all inhibitions were forgotten as everyone made the most of their time; it was like one week long party. I’ve made so many friends: Swedes, Slovaks, Lithuanians and, of course, the Dutch, who I will be staying in touch with and hopefully seeing again…

David Kirton

Euroweek was great; we all met interesting new people and had an awesome time. I had a really nice host family and although their son Roel was 14 I got on well with him and felt like part of the family by the last few days. Whilst at Euroweek we participated in group activities with students from every single EU nation. This led to interesting discussions, representing the UK during these gave me a sense of pride for my country, something I’ve not felt for a while. In the Netherlands we all got on really well with everyone present (apart from during the mass debate in the

city hall where some of the views expressed by the other nations were, in my

opinion, bordering on racist, the less said about this, the better) and we were immersed in Dutch culture; this included drinking Dubbel Bock Beer (9%!) riding a bike every day, which means my bum and thighs still hurt! Overall, it was a great weak and I’d recommend all lower sixths (first year students at Aquinas) to apply for Euroweek next year. Dan Stoker

Euroweek was possibly one of the best weeks of my life. We discussed European issues with the other delegates and it was easy to see how these other nations see us and Europe as a whole. This has really given me an insight into other nation’s views and ideas and how they believe the EU has benefited them, unlike us, who seem to believe it is bleeding us dry. This last week has made me realise that although the EU to us may seem pointless, to other countries it is a lifeline. So many of them would still be steeped in poverty if the EU hadn’t offered them a hand; a perfect example of this is Latvia. Speaking to some of the Latvians I found out how Latvia was down on its knees with poverty but since it has joined the EU it has improved immensely. With Bulgaria and Romania joining next year, the benefits to these nations would also be amazing. This last week has brought me closer to Europe and has given me friends in places I never even thought of. I personally bonded really well with a group of Czechs and I know that I will be seeing them again someday

and that if I’m ever over there, there will always be someone there waiting to take me in. I am beginning to see that Europe as a whole must co-operate for the good of us all. By trading goods, ideas and beliefs we are broadening our horizons and seeing beyond our own needs and wants. Euroweek 2006 was definitely a trip worth going on and I advise those of you in lower sixth (first year at Aquinas College) to go to Denmark next year. Stuart Tyrer

Vive la danse orientale !

Vouziers - Mon rêve serait de créer une compagnie de danse orientale. Cette danse est originaire de l’Egypte, pays pour lequel j’ai toujours eu une grande passion. La danse orientale est tout un art car elle est gracieuse et technique en même temps. Quand je suis dans une salle de danse avec d’autres danseuses j’ai l’impression, avec nos robes, que nous sommes dans un conte des Mille et une Nuits.

En dansant je m’affirme, je me révèle.

Pour créer une compagnie il me faudra surmonter des difficultés : la première sera de trouver de l’argent et la seconde les personnes compétentes.

Mais j’espère réussir malgré tout !

Mélinda Painvin ( Terminale Professionnelle)

Friendship

Dongen – We have known each other for over two years now. We know everything about each other and we do lots of things together: sporting, going out, having a lot of fun, shopping and going to the cinema.

Debbie about Nicky

At the beginning Nicky was very shy because when she came in our class she didn’t know anybody and she had only friends in an other school building. We got to know each other better and better and that’s when we became friends.

“It was hard but when I look back, it’s nice because now I have more friends than I ever had before. “ Nicky said.

Nicky about Debbie

At the beginning I thought she was shy . But when you get to know her better you’ll find out that she is a very sweet girl. Now we do lots of things together and I like that and I don’t want to lose her!!

“Nicky and I we’ll never split, we are going to be friends forever”

Nicky van de Ven & Debbie Siemons Cambreur college.

Pubertät?!

Lunen - "Ich habe keine Lust mich mit euch pubertierenden Teenagern einzulassen!",hieß es heute wieder im Musikunterricht.

Okay vielleicht sind alle im Moment etwas aufgeregt es stehen noch einige Tests und Arbeiten an und wir reden nunmal gerne,ja wir sind auch in der Pubertät. Aber muss dann gleich alles darauf bezogen werden?Immer wieder heißt es "Die Jugend von HEUTE!",aber waren die Erwachsenen den anders als sie jung waren? Haben sie keinen Mist gemacht?

Haben sie nicht auch einmal Hausaufgaben vergessen oder nicht gemacht weil sie lieber etwas mit Freunden machen wollten?Sicher haben sie das aber keiner gibt es zu!Erwachsene tun so als wenn die Welt grau und trist und sowieso blöd ist!

Wer ist dann wohl scxhlauer? Die Jugendlichen die Spaß haben und Mist machen oder die Erwachsenen die in ihren Büros versauern um etwas Geld zu verdienen! Klar man muss arbeiten aber man kann doch auch Spaß haben und gute Noten in der Schule.Die Welt ist nicht trist und grau! Sie ist so voller Leben man muss es nur ausprobieren! Hier ein bischen Party machen da ein bischen mehr Musik hören! Wenn Autoritätspersonen einem den Spaß am Leben rauben sollte es keine geben denn jede Erfindung die gegen Freude am Leben wirkt ist eine schlechte! Wieso sollten wir uns auch unser junges Leben versauen wenn es besser und angenehmer geht? So viele Pflichten werden noch auf uns zukommen wir müssen jeden Tag unseres Lebens genießen so gut es eben geht,denn jeder Tag kann der letzte sein.

Auch wenn es sich schon ausgelutscht anhört es ist eben so! Und wieso sollte man auch nur einen einzigen Tag verschwenden?Für mich steht darin die Pubertät,dem schicksal eins auswischen und ein tolles Leben haben!Vorallem Freunde,das "andere Geschlecht" und Musik empfinde ich jetzt als wichtig.

Und ich bin mir sicher dass ich später nicht zu einem erwachsenen Alles-Schlecht-Seher werde!Hoffentlich!

Ja,die Pubertät ist doch was tolles! Viel Spaß wenn ihr in ihr seid oder sie noch vor euch habt!

Und Pech gehabt wenn ihr erwachsne seid!

Jana Herkt gymnasium Altlünen,

Time

Yesterday is history

Tomorrow is a mystery

Today is a gift

That is why they call it present

Wendy Hamoen Cambreur College

Pourquoi je suis sapeur pompier volontaire ?

Vouziers - Un jour, quand j’avais 5 ans, je faisais du vélo dans l’entrepôt de mon père. Tout à coup un incendie se déclara ! J’ai tout vu, du début à la fin de cet incendie. Quand les pompiers sont arrivés je suis « tombé amoureux » de leur profession  et j’ai dit à mon père : « plus tard, je serai pompier. »

Quelque temps plus tard, c’était Noël. Mon choix fut rapide en voyant les catalogues de jouets : je commandai un camion de pompiers téléguidé au Père Noël !

Depuis ce jour je collectionne les camions miniatures, les figurines, les photos, les fanions et les porte-clés en rapport avec les pompiers.

Quand j’ai eu 16 ans je me suis engagé chez les Sapeurs Pompiers Volontaires en espérant pouvoir devenir professionnel à 18 ans. Aujourd’hui j’ai 20 ans mais à cause de mon problème de myopie important je n’ai pas pu devenir pompier professionnel.

En France ¾ des pompiers sont volontaires, c’est à dire qu’ils passent une partie de leur temps libre à aider les sapeurs pompiers contre une petite indemnisation pour les services rendus à la société.

Les autres pompiers sont professionnels et reçoivent donc un salaire chaque mois.

Julien Guilpain (Terminale Professionnelle)

Christmas time!!!

Dongen – What we do with Christmas, with the whole family!

It’s always very nice, and sociable with all the lights in the Christmas tree.

In the weeks before Christmas there are lots of presents under the Christmas tree.

When it’s Christmas we can open the presents! Every night we have a big meal.

When we wake up there is a very big breakfast. Christmas is the time to be with your family. In the Christmas time we have two weeks holiday from school.

We do lots of thing with our friends. Like: shopping, swimming, go to the movie, sitting at home with our friends. And in the weekends we goes out and drink alcohol!

When Christmas is finished, than comes the old and new year!

The Christmas tree remains in our house until the new year!

With old and new we are with the whole family and later we go to friends.

When its 12 o clock there is a lot of fire work. It’s very nice to look at this.

When it is finished we drink champagne and say to everybody Happy New Year.

We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Birte Jansen En Kelly Siemons Cambreur College

Romanian Poetry

Arad - As I consider The Comenian an international paper, I think that articles in all the four languages are welcome in it. So, not only in English or French but also in Dutch or … Romanian. Though, I am aware of the fact that Dutch and Romanian are not understood by all the readers. Nevertheless I would like to introduce them to the greatest Romanian poet – Mihai Eminescu (1850 – 1889) – and to present them a beautiful poem of him both in Romanian and in English

  TO THE STAR

So far it is athwart the blue
To where yon star appears,
That for its light to reach our view
Has needed thousand years.

Maybe that ages gone it shed
Its glow, then languished in the skies,
Yet only now its rays have sped
Their journey to our eyes.

The icon of the star that died
Slowly the vault ascended;
Time was ere it could first be spied,
We see now what is ended.

So is it when our love’s aspire
Is hid beneath night’s bowl,
The gleam of its extinguished fire
Enkindles yet our soul.

I would like to see in another edition of the Comenian a poem in Dutch for example because I have never seen a text in this language. And it would be interesting for us all to see how the other languages are like. Thus, we could learn to love them and appreciate them more. Because every language that we learn is an open door to another universe.

DIANA PANTEA Arad - Romania

Le Portugal, c’est bien !

Vouziers - Je suis élève en classe de Terminale Baccalauréat Professionnel à Vouziers, dans les Ardennes. Je suis parti 5 semaines au Portugal pour faire un stage professionnel. J’ai découvert un autre pays, une autre culture, un autre mode de vie. Les Portugais nous ont accueillis les bras ouverts. L’ambiance et la chaleur de la rue au Portugal attirent l’œil des passants C’est un pays festif qui mérite d’être visité. On y mange très bien. Si vous aimez la chaleur et faire la fête, alors je vous conseille d’aller dans ce petit pays !

Vincent Culot (Terminale Professionnelle)

Christmas in Germany

Dongen – Every year, at Christmas time we go to Germany.

My uncle and aunt live there in a big house. They have three shops there. There is also always a lot of snow in the winter time. So probably we are going to ski too. Most of the time I go with my mum, dad’s sister and her boyfriend. Actually my grandmother also used to go with us. But there was a fight between my father and her so that was only in the past.

It’s very nice to be there at Christmas time, we have a lot of surprises we give to each other. And I can see my cousins again. Two little boys, one is four and the other is six years old.

After Christmas we go home again to celebrate the New Year.

Mireille M. Cambreur College Dongen

Alone

We’re covered in darkness.

we’re covered in the night.

The smoke of the guns

has ruined your sight.

We might not be there

where the people are dying.

We might not be there

where the government is lying.

There are innocent orphans

walking over the street,

some of them have stones

grown into their feet.

Alone we are nothing

an individual man.

But if we’re a group

we can help them.

Jeroen Cools Cambreur College

a Friend

A friend, is someone who makes your day good.
A friend, is someone who you can tell everything.
A friend, is someone who makes you smile.
A friend, is someone who has fun with you.
A friend, is someone who lets forget your bad times.

Tuba Coskun & Anouk Kleinstra Cambreur College

Suggestion Box

I hope you liked reading this edition of the Comenian. I hope to hear from you next year, with your articles, poems and pictures. I wish you all the best enjoy your vacation and just RELAX!!