Monday, November 27, 2006

“A Clockwork Orange”: a film that everyone should see

“A Clockwork Orange” is a 1971 film directed and produced by Stanley Kubrick based on Anthony Burgess’s novel.
In short, Stanley Kubrick’s film is about the dehumanization of people. In my view, it was the best film ever made by Kubrick and he has made many great masterpieces like “The Shining", “2001: A Space Odyssey”, and “Dr. Strangelove”.
This brilliant and satirical film happens in England in a near future and follows the life of a delinquent teenager named Alex DeLarge (Malcolm McDowell) whose obsessions are Beethoven and ultra-violence.
The main character and anti-hero Alex narrates most of the film and speaks in “Nadsat” language, a cross between English, Russian and Cockney rhyming slang. Alex is the leader of a small gang known as “Droogs” made up of Georgie (James Marcus), Dim (Warren Clarke), and Pete (Michael Tarn).
They entertain themselves by beating up a drunk homeless, by fighting against a rival gang, stealing an expensive car, and raping Mrs. Alexander (Adrienne Corri). On the next day, the gang steals Miss Weather’s house (Miriam Karlin). Accidentally, Alex murders her and tries to escape from the police but the gang betrays him and he goes to jail.
In jail he is offered the opportunity to undertake the Ludovico Treatment Technique, which is supposed to integrate him on society. After the treatment, Alex becomes a good member of society but turns himself into a Clockwork Orange, a man (Orange) whose actions are mechanical and lacking free will (Clockwork), unable to enjoy violence, sex, and his favorite music, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.
Rejected by his family and pairs, Alex accidentally goes to Mr. Alexander’s house (Patrick Magee) who seeks revenge for his wife’s rape and death. Drugged and obliged to listen loudly to Beethoven, Alex throws himself through a window escaping death.
The film ends with the recuperation of Alex and with an offer for a political job proposed by the Minister of the Interior (Anthony Sharp) as a compensation for the failure of the treatment.
The music plays an important role in the film. The main character has the obsession of listening to Beethoven. In the rape of Mrs. Alexander, he sings “Singin’ in the Rain”. In short, most of the bad scenes in the film are accompanied by light or classical music.
To my mind, Malcolm McDowell should have been nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor as he performed one of the best villains of the cinema ever.
The film was nominated for four Oscars but it didn’t win because it was rated X on account of its controversial scenes of sex and violence.
Besides that, I advise everyone to see this film. You’re going to love it…or perhaps hate it.

You can see more info about the film by surfing to:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066921/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Clockwork_Orange_%28film%29
http://www.hollywoodgothique.com/clockworkorange1971.html
http://www.filmsite.org/cloc.html

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Saturday, November 25, 2006

Could you kill your best friend?

That’s the sentence that’ll echo in your mind during the whole movie.

In a not-so-distant future, Japan finds itself drowning in a wave of undisciplinary behavior. Students ditch classes, mock teachers and the concept of politeness is all but a long-gone ideal.

The solution? To establish the random and deadly law of Battle Royal.

In this pseudo-horror movie (which is more a teen gore action flick) the students are forced into unknown grounds and armed with anything - and only one is allowed to survive.

The main character, Shuya Nanahara, fills in the role of the sole pillar of non-violence, taking as his only goal to desperatly try and protect his best friend, Noriko Nakagawa.

The characters are fairly well played with each student possessing a very unique personality and with some overacting from the main characters. The villain and the protagonist are well characterized and their lines deliver powerful nuances to the clashes of their personalities.

The movie's soundtrack is an odd but perfect choice, introducing a peaceful and restoring mood to the killing frenzy of the movie. I have to take my hat off to the special effects team for the magnificent work. Every death, every drop of blood, every gorish scene is very unique.

In the end, the movie gives us a good kick on the head, a moral lesson which we have to figure out on this movie that we call life.

In my modest opinion, this movie is one of the best japanese movies I’ve ever seen.

If you are a student, a teacher or just a janitor, then this movie it’s just for you.

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Monday, November 13, 2006

The Road with only a Known End

(This is dedicated to a dear friend that was always there for me and whom I will never forget!)





I'm very glad to walk the road of life and I think that everyone should be too... Why are we always complaining about everything? Instead, we should grow up and be better prepared for the road which leads us all to death. Some even take short cuts on the road wasting lots of opportunities that are given to them.

We have the power to change the road of life. Sometimes our road crosses with another ones... That little roads can be of love, friendship or perhaps hate. In one of that little roads I found a lovely girl that was lost and was trying to find someone that could like her with all her imperfections - aren´t we all full of imperfections? Then we joined forces to build our roads together through friendship and love. We promised ourselves that our roads would be the best ever!

My road of life has a pavement made of a stave filled with musical notes and the garden on the sides is covered with daisies. When I was feeling down, it started to rain and some musical notes were erased from the stave and I needed help to write them again and to rebuild my song again. And there she was, helping me to find another notes to replace the missing ones turning the melody better than before. Sometimes I needed to take care of the daisies - the relationships with the persons that I love most, found through my journey - and that, by my neglicence, started to have some weeds. When it happened, I started to cry and, somehow, she appeared to catch my tears, to cheer me up and to take the weeds off the sides of the pavement.

As the time was passing by, she built a road just like mine: a stave with musical notes but, instead of that, she wanted some big trees on the sides of her road. With each other's help, our roads were more beautiful than they ever did.

One day, I was looking for her and there was no sign of her, suddenly her stave was finished and she disappeared to nowhere. Some questions popped up in my head:
  • Where did she go? Is she alright?
  • Why did she disappear and why did her road end so soon?
  • If she was a good person that didn't want to hurt anyone, why did she DIE?
Well, I believe that there's life after death and probably she is building another road on a better place to stay... Who knows? I wish that for her as she deserves it.
In that time, I was feeling upset with some persons that only remembered her after death. Why didn't they want to be with her when she was alive? She shouldn't be recognized by her death but by the good memories that we passed with her.
After this painful reflexion, I realized that I have to move on and continue to build my road again, even without her. I will have the help of other great persons that are in my life (thanks to Diogo, Susana, Miguel e Catarina - you are the best!) and she will always remain in my memories. I have learned a lot with her and I will not forget her advices about my relationship with other persons.

Have you ever had to face a death? To see the road of that person's unproperly finished? That experience makes you more mature and prepared to face more naturally our death or of other persons. Take care of your roads and help others to build their own when they need help. You will find a good friend and perhaps a beautiful road of friendship!

"It's something unpredictable but in the end is right, I hope you had the time of your life." by Green Day - "Good Ridance (Time of your Life)"

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Sunday, November 12, 2006

Reach for your Goals


Our lives are connected to the sea since we gave our first steps as mankind. The ocean is also a treacherous road, filled with uncertainty and peril, but also with adventure and mystery.

To look beyond the horizon… to search for what hasn’t been seen. That’s the purpose of being on the Road. A Road of discovery, where a somewhat vulgar beach transport us to various tropical paradises, reefs, marine lifes and most of all, a reason to be alive.

The ocean too, though how deep and untouched it might be, featured many of the most incredible voyages ever seen, and one can dream to reach beyond the heated sun and the inviting clouds… It’s a risk you can take, but life is a risk itself. My advice is to follow your dreams and aim for the never reached horizon...

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We can always choose our destination


Through our lives many roads appear to us, but none can show us the certainty. Which to choose when we find ourselves in front of so many paths?
Imagine that we are standing in front of two roads, one that will lead us to childhood – the happy past – and the other to our present and future. What would we choose? Would it be the granted happiness, the one that we already know, or the unknown, the possibilities, the uncertainty?

What to choose? A poem like life, always written in the past, or a brand-new book with all the adventures to be?
In which could we possibly find ourselves, our real selves? Could it be in the past? Or would it be in the future? Where is the truth hiding?
Like a colourful path, full of the tear like falling autumn leafs, where would that truth quietly fall, without masks and cages to stop that peaceful fall?

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Saturday, November 11, 2006

Endless Running

A road that leads to nowhere, or a road that leads to anywhere?
Still I'm running, running towards the end.
Towards the flat line, don't know what to expect.
Could it lead me to heaven or right here on earth?
Still, I run as fast as I can... I want to reach it,
So badly, but my efforts are in vain.
My feet are sore, but I don't feel pain!
Is this it? The end? why...
I still run?

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Thursday, November 09, 2006

Me, Myself and I



Hi everybody! Well… I’ve been delaying this moment, because I’m not that good talking about myself… But I have to, so here it goes!
My name is Sara Eichman, I’m 18 years old and I’m pretty short (1,55m), blonde, blue eyes… I’m friendly (at least I haven’t heard any complains), funny (love to make people laugh), very social and talkative (sometimes a little bit too much…). I’m also a little bit shy in certain occasions, pessimistic when I’m the subject, and very optimistic concerning oth
ers. I love to read! It’s one of my greatest passions. Another one is music! I couldn’t live without music, it would be sooooo boring! I like to dance (a lot really), love to spend time with my friends and, of course, with my boyfriend! I’m very stubborn and persistent, especially when I want something very much.
Well, enough talking about me. Let’s talk about where I live. I live in a little town, Amora, in the south side of the river (Tejo, of course). It’s a quiet place, generally… I enjoy living there. But it takes me more than an hour to get to the Faculty and that makes wake up soooo early!Hmm… I forgot to tell you about one of my loves! Sakura, my hamster! I got her because I saw her with two other hamsters that were harming her. So, I wasn’t able to leave her there… she was so cute (she still is), and she was suffering… And I took her with me! She’s so funny... she eats yogurt! I’ll leave you here a photo of her!
It’s bye bye time ok? Next time I’ll tell you more!

by Sara Eichman

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Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Sara Eichman interviewed by Joana Carlos



1. What are your hobbies?
Sara Eichman: Well… I don’t really have a hobby. But in my spare time I love to read and dance. Reading is really my greatest passion. I can spend an entire day reading. And if the book is good, I don’t stop reading until I finish it! And dancing, well, I just love it. I do it in my room, where no one can see me. Where I can release myself totally!

2. Do you have pets?
SE: Yes, I have two pets: a hamster named Sakura and a bird named Nita. I like them both, but I really prefer Sakura. She is prettier, sweeter, fluffier, well… I love her most! She is kind of unusual, and that might be my fault… Well, she eats yogurt, cereals, even some deserts… and she loves it! About Nita, she is a sweet little bird. A little noisy, but nice. She lets people touch her, not always, but when she does she’s very sweet! I’d like to have bigger pets, but my mum won’t let me…

3. How’s your relationship with your family?
SE: Hmm… My relationship with my family... Well, let me start by saying that my parents are divorced, and I live with my mother and my stepfather. I get along pretty well with my mum; actually, she is my best friend (and I’m hers, at least I think so…) and we talk about everything; I tell her almost everything that goes on in my life. With my father, things don’t work out like that. I almost don’t get to see him, although he lives pretty close to me. But I really don’t want to talk about it. Well, I get along well with my stepfather, so there’s no problem. I won’t be mentioning the rest of my family, or people would get bored reading the whole text I would write about them.

4. Do you have a boyfriend? If yes, tell me a little bit about him.
SE: Yes, I do have a boyfriend. His name’s Henry, he’s 23 years old, he’s Venezuelan, but his parents are Portuguese. He lived in Venezuela until he was 10 years old, then his parents decided to come back to Portugal, so he has been living here since then. He lives in Ílhavo, near Aveiro. We have been together since October 2nd, but we don’t get to see each other very much, because Ílhavo is not that close. But things are working out well. We love each other, and that’s what really maters.

5. Where do you live?
SE: I live in Amora, on the south side of the river (Tejo, of course). I like living here, it’s a quiet little town, and there are not much people, not much confusion… It’s a little bit far from the Faculty, but I manage to get there on time.

6. What are your most important goals?
SE: My most important goal is to become independent, to be able to live by myself, without anyone’s help. To have my house, my car, my life! Well, and of course, to be happy!

7. What are your greatest achievements?
SE: In my opinion, my greatest achievement was to be able to put myself in a higher level. I was too naïve, I used to put others before me, and that really got me heartaches. I was never paid back, and people who I thought that were really my friends proved me wrong. Well, nevermind… Now I know how to recognise real friends and I see that as my greatest achievement ever!

8. What’s your favourite colour?
SE: I have two favourite colours: blue and pink! Blue has been my favourite colour since I can remember and pink surged about 2 years ago. Well, there’s not much more to say about that.

9. What are your favourite actor and actress?
SE: I don’t really have one favourite actor or one favourite actress. I have lots of them! I’ll mention some of them… Well, we have Meryl Streep, Kate Beckinsale, Julia Stiles, Dakota Fanning, Angelina Jolie, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Anthony Hopkins, Sean Connery, Johnny Depp, Brad Pit, Bruce Willis, Jim Carrey, Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, etc.

10. What’s your favourite movie?
SE: Again, I don’t have one favourite movie, I have tons of them! I’ll mention some… The Lord of The Rings (the 3 of them), Save the Last Dance, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Ice Age, Shrek 1 and 2, DareDevil, Elektra, Notting Hill, etc.

11. What’s your favourite song?
SE: About my favourite song, I don’t have only one; it depends on my state of mind. I get attached to songs which mean something to me at the time, and they become my favourite. Then, my state of mind changes, and the song also changes.

12. What’s your favourite singer/group/band?
SE: It works like my favourite music. Always changing!

13. What’s your favourite book?
SE: It’s hard to name just one, because I love a lot of books. So I’ll say the book of life, which we read and add to it every single day. In this book, we can’t go back, but we can solve some things in the new pages that will come. And, very important, we have to try to add the best story to it!

14. What’s your favourite writer?
SE: Well, maybe Jane Kathleen Rowling, the author of Harry Potter, and Jostein Gaarder, who writes very sage pieces of work.

15. Do you have a religion?
SE: Not really.

16. What’s your favourite quote?
SE: I have some favourite quotes:
-> Don’t worry, be happy!
-> Love is just a state of mind, a puzzle made of pieces you can’t find.
-> Don’t ask “Why?”, ask “Why not?”!
-> I am my own mirror.
And there are more, bur for now it’s enough.

17. When you were little and people asked you what you wanted to be when you grew up, what was your answer?
SE: Well, I used to tell people I wanted to be a mermaid. Pretty cool, don’t you think?

18. Tell me a funny story which happened to you.
SE: It happened once, at Christmas time, when I was little. My mum was on the phone, and left me alone near a Christmas tree full of candies. Well, I ate a lot of them (I think there were only a few left), and when she got back to the living room, she noticed that there were a lot of candies missing. She asked me what had happened to the candies, and I answered something she would never forget. I told her that the Cookie Monster, from Sesame Street had come into our living room and had eaten all the candies which were missing. She laughed a lot, of course, and that became a story which will remain in our memories forever.

by Sara Eichman

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André Carvalho interviewed by Geossara Costa and André Pereira

Questions/Answers

1) Why did you choose this course?
André Carvalho: I have chosen this course because I’m very fond of English and I always wanted to study it more effectively. Besides, translation was one of my goals last year, and I’m very happy that I got accepted in this course.

2) How many languages do you speak? Where did you learn them?
A.C.: I currently speak English, French, and Portuguese of course. I learned English and French at school and/or watching movies, etc…

3) After completing this course, what do you want to do?
A.C.: I would like to either start enrolling for my first real job, connected with translation or travel to Great Britain, mainly England and spend a year there, either studying or working… but who knows?

4) Do you intend to leave the country to get a job? Or do you have hope to get one here?
A.C.: I don’t intend to leave the country to get a job, but I wouldn’t mind it. Working/studying abroad sometimes help quite a lot in building your experience in working with foreign languages.

5) Being in translation, do you think of opening a new translating company or join an already existing one?
A.C.: Well, when it comes to translating companies, I intend to join an existing one or work abroad. When I feel that I’m confident or fully experienced to be responsible for my own translating company, I will definitely try to own one.

6) What do you think of the national aspect of translation?
A.C.: The national aspect of translation has been increasing a little in the past few years. Finally translation courses are gaining more interest than in the past. It’s fairly reasonable simply because there are various areas in which it can be used, and there are more to come (politics, technology, software, medicine…). Yes, indeed, translation is shining more than ever these days, at least in my viewing.

7) What do you think of this course and the people in it?
A.C.: In my point of view, this course is great, and the people here are all different from each other, but that’s what makes them very nice to work with. I feel as if I belong here and others feel the same.

8) Which translation area attracts you the most?
A.C.: I’m still a bit undecided about what areas affect me more. Maybe software, marketing and some recent ones, simply because there is a lot of media and job opportunities about them presently. But like I said, I’m still a little undecided…

9) Do you intend to do a part-time job during holidays so you can practice translation?
A.C.: I wouldn’t mind doing a translating job during the holidays. Like I said before, I’m still a little “fresh” in the translation business and I intend to use all that I learned here in the professional areas.

10) Is this course what you expected it to be?
A.C.: This course is better than I expected to be at first. The teachers explain the theory well, I have a nice working environment and the people there are very social. Yes, it’s a good course all round in my viewing.

11) Many people are talking about doing a master degree in translation. Do feel like doing it as well?
A.C.: If I feel confident at the end of this course, maybe I plan to enroll in that adventure. Like I said, I like what I do; translation is a nice course, and if I get the hang of it, maybe I will study it more professionally, who knows?

12) What do you consider to be the class which is more connected with you and your future translation area?
A.C.: At first, I thought it was well, English (duh…), but with the increasing and high variety of translation course classes and choices I’ll pick Technical and Cientific Terms, since any translator or individual should learn something about almost any aspect of culture.

13) If you would like to study abroad, which country would you pick and why?
A.C.:
I would pick the United Kingdom, simply because I wouldn’t mind practicing the native tongue there. One thing is speaking with a Portuguese who speaks well English. Another is speaking with an Englishman with the English accent.

14) What do you consider to be the main characteristic of a translator and why?
A.C.:
It’s hard to pick one only characteristic for a translator, since he needs a lot of them to get the engine starting. I’ll pick some of them, creativity, clarity, high perception, a rich vocabulary… all these and lots more eventually make translating companies to beg for you…! (Joking)

15) What is that one thing you treasure the most above all that is material and substantial?
A.C.:
I don’t think there is anything that important to me, since I’m not very materialistic. But maybe third parties might assume I like something that strongly, I don’t know… and I don’t care...

16) Do you consider yourself special in any aspect or area? What makes you different from another person? Explain.
A.C.:
I don’t consider myself special… and everyone’s different from each other, making the world a happier or sadder place to live… that’s all I can say…

17) If you would pick an animal that is your very personality in any way, who which would it be and why?
A.C.:
Let’s see… I would pick the bear. This mild creature enjoys sleeping through winter, and I indeed enjoy sleeping, lol… He’s neutral, calm, but often charges when he’s angry, again, like me. I dunno if bears have feeling or not, but as far as I know, though I seem to be that irrelevant and “far-away” sometimes, truth is, I’m closer than you think. Anyways, that’s about it and I don’t enjoy talking about myself, since I usually am more concerned about third parties than a “runt” like me…

18) Putting aside your professional goals, which are your personal ones?
A.C.:
My personal goals… to get married, but goodness, not anytime sooner…! To love and be loved… To bring fear and be feared… to laugh and not to be laughed at… and to drink till I do a belly flop… “Life’s a game, but there’s only one try, enjoy it”.

19) Sometimes being a college/university student requires a lot of sacrifices. Is there any sacrifice you needed to do in order to fulfill your dream?
A.C.:
If there was a sacrifice, I would do it… I am looking forward to a high ranked professional translator job, and for that I sadly need to get my study on… ouch…

Thanks for having the patience to read this, I know I hadn’t ^^

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Monday, November 06, 2006

André Pereira interviewed by André Carvalho and Geossara Costa

1) Do you intend to do a part-time job during holidays so you can practice translation?
André Pereira: No, I don’t see what I could do to practice. Work at MacDonald’s attending foreign costumers? No thanks…

2) Is this course what you expected it to be?
AP: Yes. Everything that I wanted! I’m very happy!

3) Many people are talking about doing a master degree in translation. Do feel like doing it as well?
AP: Yes, doing that gets me closer to a job, I think… And I would feel fulfilled.

4) Forgetting for a while your professional goals, which are your personal ones?
AP: Getting married and go to Japan.

5) Sometimes being a college/university student requires a lot of sacrifices. Is there any sacrifice you needed to do in order to fulfill your dream?
AP: Play videogames and watch anime will be consequently less than study time.

6) What do you consider to be the class which is more connected with you and your future translation area?
AP: Computing applied to Translation at the moment is the best class as it is connected with my future goals.

7) If you would like to study abroad, which country would you pick and why?
AP: Definitely UK.

8) What do you consider to be the main characteristic of a translator and why?
AP: Its eloquence perhaps and his/her language know-how.

9) What is that one thing you treasure the most above all that is material and substantial?
AP: I could say my girlfriend, but she’s not material…so I’ll have to say my videogames.

10) Do you consider yourself special in any aspect or area? What turns you different from another? Explain.
AP: I get along fine with computers, don’t know why, I just understand and work fine with them. So, no problems with that. My English is very good because I was 7 years among Americans.

11) If you would pick an animal that is your very personality in any way, who which would it be and why?
AP: A cat; I’m very dependent and independent at the same time. I’m my own boss and answer to nobody. I love to be alone as much as I love people. I like to help them and expect them to help me. I’m very nice, caring and cute.

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Joana Carlos interviewed by Sara Eichman

1) What are your hobbies?
Joana Carlos: My hobbies are being with my boyfriend and friends, travelling through Portugal, going out to cinemas or discos/bars, listening to music, watching TV and other things.

2) Do you have pets? What's their names?
JC: Now I don't have but I had four canaries that I loved a lot and their names were Piu Piu, Vaidosa ("Vain"), a second Piu Piu and Cenoura ("Carrot"). I had silkworms too.

3) How is the relationship with your family?
JC: The relationship with my family is good. My parents are divorced and my sister lives with her boyfriend but, besides that, I get along fine with them. I live with my father and with my stepmother but sometimes I meet my mother on some weekends and go out to dinner or lunch and to the cinema.

4) Do you have boyfriend? Tell me about him.
JC: Yes, I have and I'm dating him for about two years and one month. He's very nice, funny and intelligent. He lives in Olivais, Lisbon and he's taking Medicine at the University of Lisbon and he wants to be a researcher and a cathedratic teacher.

5) Where do you live? Do you like to live there?
JC: I live in Benfica, Lisbon. I love to live there because I have lots of things to do in this city like lots of malls with cinemas, discos and bars, concerts, museums, gardens and other beautiful sight seeings that Lisbon has. I had a house in the country (Quinta do Anjo, near Palmela) but I still prefer Lisbon to live.

6) What are your most important goals?
JC: My important goals are to work as a technical-scientific translator and a music criticiser at the same time and I want to take master degree in Translation or in Music.

7) What are your greatest achievements?
JC: My greatest achievements were taking Webdesign for a year and I liked a lot because I wanted to know more Computing; the other was going out of the university last year because I didn't like the people and the course I was taking.

8) What are your favorite colours?
JC: My favorite colours are red and pink because that colours look good on me and they transmit passion and happiness.

9) What are your favorite actor/actress?
JC: I don't have a favorite actor or actress but normally I like to see these ones: Nicole Kidman, Scarlett Johansson, Nicolas Cage and Tom Cruise.

10) What's your favorite movie?
JC: My favorite movie is "Clockwork Orange" by Stanley Kubrick because it makes critics about politics, drugs and sex of the society of the 70's. The director emphasizes that with the combination of classical music, naked girls, sexual harassments, sex in public locations like hospitals, violence in the streets provoqued by gangs and other things.

11) What's your favorite song?
JC: I like a lot of songs but for now I hear two musics of the group Muse: "Butterflies and Hurricanes" and "Knights of Cydonia". The lyrics touch me a lot!

12) What are your favorite singers/groups?
JC: My favorites singers/groups are Madonna, The Beatles, Muse, Garbage, Depêche Mode, The Cardigans and others.

13) What's your favorite book?
JC: My favorite book is "Perfume - The Story of a Murder" by Patrick Süskind. This book is simply brilliant especially considering how bizarre and twisted the story and concept are.

14) What's your favorite writer?
JC: My favorite writer is Almeida Garrett because I simply love the dramatic stories that he wrote.

15) Do you have a religion?
JC: No, I'm agnostic. Although being baptized when I was a baby, I never went to masses and catechesim. Besides that, I believe that there's life after death.

16) What's your favorite quote?
JC: My favorite quote is "I'm a big girl in a big world". This phrase is a theme of a Swedish song. It means a lot to me because when I first heard the song, it changed the thought that a sole person could not change the world by its own.

17) When you were little and people asked you what you wanted to be, what was your answer?
JC: When people asked me what I wanted to be, I answered that I didn't know but I would never be a teacher, although everyone at my age wanted to be a teacher, even then, I want to be original. This idea followed me until today.

18) Tell me a funny story which happened to you.
JC: I have participated in a funny and shameful story which happened in Halloween last year. I was commemorating that day in my boyfriend's house with him, with his mother, his niece and a friend of ours. We were ridiculously masqueraded and we were going to see terror movies eating some popcorn but our friend had a brilliant idea that turned into a disaster. Her idea was to go "trick or treat" but it were to be us who would be frightened. My boyfriend started to joke of us and said that he wouldn't go with us. I got upset with him when he refused but all the girls were excited to do that so we went out the house and started to enter in the buildings to scare people. We were hiding in the middle of the cars so that the people couldn't see us. We started to ring at a house when the door opened and a big dog appears and starts to bark at us. We were scared and started to run away (especially me because I'm afraid of dogs) but the dog had a collar and was being pushed by a girl that started to laugh at us. Besides that, we didn't give up of the idea and went to another building to scare people. We rang to a house and they opened the door to us. We were surprised but we entered to the lift to go to the 8th floor. Then we listened to some strange noises which frightened us a lot. When the lift stopped on the 8th floor, none of us wanted to scare the people in that floor because we were very frightened to do that. Our friend explained that the only thing that was supposed to do was going out of the lift, ring at the house, scare the person and escape through the stairs. When we were prepared to do that, a person opens the door of the house and ask "Who is it?". We started to scream and pushed all the lift's buttons and in one of the floors we went out and started to run to the stairs screaming frightened with all the situation. After that, we came back to my boyfriend's house. Now we joke a lot with that situation but I promise that I will never do "trick or treat" again!

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Sunday, November 05, 2006

A Simple Man and a Simple Life

Hey everyone, my name's André (yet, another one! xD). I'm 19 years old and I'm from a little town called Carcavelos which is famous for its beach (which is "a must go" place for me in the Summer). I'm tall but I don't mind my height (1.82cm), brown hair, brown eyes and I hate brownies (joking hehe.. ^^)... I consider myself friendly, shy in certain situations, social and talkative if "you pull the string" (when will this guy ever shut up?), pessimist, realistic but creative, lazy, funny (true, true) and good company all-round (you forgot annoying).
I'm very fond of foreign languages, such as English, Spanish, and I'm regaining my confidence and taste for French once again (I used to hate it, now the only one I hate is German among the ones I studied so far...). I also seem to understand a bit of japanese (guess how) and like their culture. I like to travel, however I never been abroad (maybe someday, I can feel it). I also like animals and have, let's see: 2 dogs and 2 cats.

I also am a big fan of rock, punk and such, but I don't mind hearing random stuff sometimes, as long as it's music and it isn't well... broken.I think that's all I guess, so basically see you guys around. Have fun with the course ^^

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Geossara Costa interviewed by André Pereira and André Carvalho

1.Why did you choose this course?
Geossara Costa: It was very difficult to choose a course because I like almost everything, but my love for learning and understanding other languages was bigger.

2.How many languages do you speak? Where did you learn them?
GC: My mother language is Creole, a dialect from Cape Vert, so including it I speak four languages, with Portuguese, English and French. The three last languages I’ve learned in school.

3.After completing this course, what do you want to do?
GC: In this moment I’m thinking about doing a master degree in translation and if possible travelling for a while so I can meet Japan and England.

4.Do you intend to leave the country to get a job? Or do you think you'll get lucky and get one here?
GC: I’d like to leave Portugal. It would be like a dream coming true if I could work as a translator in another country.

5.Being in translation, do you think of opening a new translating company or join an already existing one?
GC: I think that it’s too soon to talk about it. But I would work in an existing company first, so that I could learn how it works and how to maintain it and be successful.

6.What do you think of the national aspect of translation?
GC: The truth is that I’m not very aware of what’s the national aspect of translation. I only know what I’m told, and it’s not pretty…

7.What do you think of this course and the people in it?
GC: Great and great.

8.Which translation area attracts you the most?
GC: I love subtitling. I hope I’m able to do it in the future, but I love translation in the general, so I’ll be happy with anything.

9.Do you intend to do a part-time job during holidays so you can practice translation?
GC: That would be great. I think it’s lacking in Portugal the opportunities for us to know better our future jobs, that’s why there aren’t many good professionals.

10.Is this course what you expected it to be?
GC: Yes it is. I’m not disappointed at all with my choice. While I was in high school, I was constantly thinking about what I should do, what course to choose, so I’ve chosen the one I thought that was the better… so for a while I was scared, thinking that maybe I had chosen the wrong one. I glad that for now the doubts are gone.

11.Many people are talking about doing a master degree in translation. Do feel like doing it as well?
GC: Yes. Like I said before, I would love to do it. But that’s something to do while working, so we can improve our skills.

12.What would you consider to be the class which is more connected to you and your future translation area?
GC: Probably Computing applied to Translation, because like I said before I wish to do subtitling in a not very distant future.

13.If you would like to study abroad, which country would you choose and why?
GC: Well, right now there are two countries I’m looking forward to meet, and they are England and Japan, and that’s because those are the countries that most attract me, not only for their landscaping but also because of the development and languages.

14.What do you consider to be the main characteristic of a translator and why?
GC: That’s something I fell I can’t answer yet, once I’m still learning.

15.What is that one thing you treasure the most above all that is material and substantial?
GC: Hmm… I’m not sure if I understood the question, but for me honesty is the main quality that someone must have. We must be honest to ourselves and to others so we can be like we really are.

16.Do you consider yourself special in any aspect or area? What turns you different from another? Explain.
GC: I don’t consider myself special or different, only someone who knows can say that.

17.If you would pick an animal that is your very personality in any way, which would it be and why?
GC: There’s only an animal that I love above all others and consider to be “my other half” (no, it’s not the man… just kidding. :p) and it’s the Orca. Orcas are amazing animals, and unfortunately misunderstood, like sometimes I think I am. But there is a bigger explanation for this, but it’s to long for me to give it now, I would have to put it in another topic.

18.Forgetting for a while your professional goals, which are your personal ones?
GC: Well, for now I don’t think of getting married, what I intend to do is to get a house of my own, when I finish the course, and to be financially self-governed.

19.Sometimes being a college/university student requires a lot of sacrifices. Is there any sacrifice you needed to do in order to fulfil your dream?
GC: Not me, but my mom. She is the one working really hard so that I can fulfil my dream, that’s why I have to be successful, for me and for her!

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Friday, November 03, 2006

I'm a big girl in a big world! =)

Hi there! =D

My name is Joana Carlos and I'm 22 (although I don't seem to).

I was born in Lisbon where I've spent all my life and I don't wish to live in anywhere else. I had a house in the country but I still prefer cities. And I love Setúbal too; it's my second home (my father and his relatives were born there).

I studied in a private school till I was 20. Then I took a technical course in Webdesign for a year. After that I went to the university to take Journalism but I didn't like it so I changed to Translation this year.

I think I'm shy and sometimes nervous but I think I can be a very sensitive and nice person. I'm lazy and perfeccionist at the same time! (How can it be?? Let's just say that sometimes I take more than one year to finish something because I want it to be perfect). I'm also sincere, open-minded, and fairly intelligent.

I love my boyfriend and his family, my family and all my friends. I love birds (specially canaries) and cats. My boyfriend has one female cat and it's name is Lira. In the other hand, I very much fear dogs!!

My parents are divorced but I get along fine with them. I like my older sister but sometimes she can be very agravating.

My main goal in the future is to work in the music bussiness. Maybe by being a music criticist or working in the radio or finally organising music events. I wish, if I can, to take master degree after these years in the faculty.

Maybe you'll going to know me a little better in the "next installment of this saga"! *Joking*

Bye...

***

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Hello!


The name's André Tiago Soares da Costa Pereira.
But just call me André or Blaze (my nickname).
I'm 19 years old and I live with my parents (yeah still...).
I was born in Viseu, then I moved and lived for 7 years in Terceira, Azores in an American colony.
And now, for the time being, I live in Montijo.
I had Science through high school and then it snapped... I always wanted to be a translator! What the hell am I doing here? >_<
I don't like discos and the sorts, my perfect night is at the pub listening to some calm or rock music having a cold pint of lager or watching a DVD. My musical tastes goes from Metal to Rock.
I have to point that I love the 70s and 80s! Damn good music.
Favorite Tv shows... Lost, House and whatever.
I watch anime and play video games as an hobby and I love it, it relaxes me and takes the daily stress away ^^

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Who I am

I'm using all the creativity I have in me, because it's extremely hard for me to talk about myself... but I'll give it a try.

My name is Geossara, Gi for my friends (you're included), Elita for family. I'm 19 years old and although I have no accent, I was born in Cape Vert and lived in there until I was 7, then I moved to Portugal to live with my mother and study.

I have a younger brother, is name is Mario and is 14. We've been through many differents phases... from love to mutual "hate"... but in the end we always get along... or not ^-^

My mom is for me the best person in the world and I love her very much, if there's anything I'm really sure about is that she would do anything for me and my brother. She's a fighter, my biggest example. If I'm now where I am, it's because I have all her support.

I'm in translation 'cause it has been my goal since my 2nd year on high school. I intend to do a master's degree as well.

I really want to travel and leave Portugal for a while, to go to Japan and/or England. I hope (and want a lot) I can learn Japanese, unfortunalety it is impossible this year ='( .

When I have nothing to do, I love reading, drawing, dancing, singing (sometimes I sing in a choir from the church group I'm in, we sing in weddings and other ceremomies), and many other things. To be honest I like doing almost everything.

I think that's all. I've even told more things that I thought I would XD

I hope that this helps you knowing me better :)
Big kisses ***

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