Am I a good friend?

By Kiriaki Liniou

 I get along, with all of my friends, very, very well.  I think that I have a very good personality.  Firstly, I always tell the truth.  Secondly, I am clever and thirdly, I have a very brave heart.

I consider myself to be a good friend.  I have a lot of friends but I also have only a few “close” ones that I consider really good friends.

I share the same interests, with all my friends, especially with my best friend.  I have the same ideas about music, singers, actors, fashion, sports, etc.  I have a similar character that my friend has and I’m very glad about that.  I like having a few good friends instead.

I want to tell my good friends everything about myself.
 

My Outward bound Adventure

By Angelina Kalogeraki

 If my parents sent me on an Outward-bound course I think that I would like it very much.

  I would learn survival skills, first aid, how to put up a tent, how to light a fire and how to live alone.  I would meet new children, and I’d make friends with them.  We would learn to be alone without parents.  It would be full of adventure and excitement.  I like being outdoors, and I like learning about nature.  I’d learn more about other kinds of flowers, trees, animals and insects.  I ‘d learn how to play other sports and to live in the forest near the trees, the rivers and the sea.  When I was ready to come back home again, I’d be more self-confident.  I t would be a great experience for me.
 

My Outward bound Adventure

By Jim Karabourniotis

 If my parents sent me off on an Outward Bound course I would feel nervous at first. Because when you go on a course like that you don’t know what you’ll meet there or what you’ll do.  You don’t know what kind of people you’ll meet there. You’ll feel anxious.

 There I would learn how to face an occasion.  I would learn how to control myself and stop being nervous during important moments.  Like when I must tell something to someone, or tell the class something I wrote.  Or when I have a test.

 During this course, I would do a lot of important and fun things.  I would play with my new friends games like cards during the breaks or I would do something important that we have learnt there and If I succeed I will get a reward.

 Then I would be a better person.  I would become a man.  I would become a person with more knowledge and experience.  I would learn about wild life and I would be able to face a very difficult challenge.

This land is my land-This land is your land!

By Jimmy Tampakis

 In our days we have learned a lot of things that we didn’t know in the past.  Technology has grown a lot.  We have built factories and other things like roads but we have never thought of the bad results to our environment!  Factories pollute the air, without us thinking that we need that air to breathe.  Roads are destroying nature like forests, rivers and others things.  But we need a clean and healthy nature.  Some environmental activists are trying to save nature.  They protest against the factories.  At least they are trying!

 I have taken part in an environmental project twice.  Here in Chios there are a lot of issues to solve.  One problem is the fires that we set on our island.

 In my opinion we all have to help.  We can replant trees or we can stop the people that light fires and give them a good lesson! 

The message to everyone is that we must save our Earth!

Am I a good friend?

By Angelina Kalogeraki

 I think that I get along with people well.  I have a good and happy personality.  I like being outdoors; I like the sea, and holidays, of course.  I like games and sports.  I consider myself a good friend and I think my friends think so too. (I hope!)  I have many friends but only a few of them am I very close.  For example in my class I have many friends but only eight of them are good and one is my best friend. 

I believe a good friend must help with problems; she must help me learn about myself and learn about the adventures on earth.  She must be strong inside.  This is the best friend for me.  I must have lots of things in common with her.

 Friends are a special necessity in life and I’m happy with mine.  I hope we stay friends forever!

My Outward Bound Adventure

By:  Tasos Geomelos

 If my parents send me off on an Outward Bound course I will feel very proud and happy.  I will feel that way because I can learn and gain a lot of things from this experience.  I can learn survival skills, how to protect myself and how to express myself.  You never know what tomorrow will bring.  I can also learn rescue techniques and first aid, so one day I could save myself or another person from danger.

 From an Outward Bound course I can gain self-confidence and knowledge about wildlife.  I would learn never to stop trying to do something and never surrender. I would be happy because all of this is fun and I will meet new friends.  I think tht it will be very good exercise for my body I  will lose some weight and eat healthy foods.

 In closing I think that I could only learn from an adventure like this, so my only problem is …Only if it were true!

When I am free, I’m free!

By Steve Melis

When I have free time I do a lot of activities like playing football, computer, basketball, collecting stamps, sky watching, and horse riding. My freetime is on the weekends and of course, when there are holidays.  I really enjoy team activities, much more than solo.

 There are benefits from enjoying outdoor activities. I am not home alone but I am with my friends.  I try and help by doing some nature activities and that’s good.  I  am out in the fresh air and that’s a lot more healthy than being inside all the time.

 The most popular activities in my country are playing football and skiing (if you are around a snowy area!).  I like trying new activities because you can never know enough new things.  However, I don’t have much free time for that because I’m in Junior high school now.  I can’t manage to do too much with all that I have to study for school but I try.

 No matter what, my free time is my best time.  I feel free like a bird when I play.  It makes me healthy in my mind and in my body so when I have to study I can do it.  I only wish there was more of it.
 

My Best friend

By Hara Voulgari

 I have many friends, but my best friend is Rona.  She is tall and thin with dark black hair and black eyes.  We have been friends for eight years.  Her hobby is volleyball; she doesn’t like basketball.  In her free time she watches TV plays with her brother, reads a book or plays computer games.  She sometimes comes to my house or I go to hers but only when we are finished our homework, of course.

 Friendship is very important to me.  If you don’t have friends, you’re in the darkness.  You don’t have anyone to talk to or to tell your problems to or no one to share your secrets and dreams.  You never will be able to feel something for anyone unless you have friends.

 Friendship is like the air we breathe or the food we eat. We need a good friend to survive this difficult world.  I’m so glad I’ve found this special friendship with my friend Rona.

The difference between Friends

By:  Joanna Mendonidi

People can’t have the same character, or the same likes and dislikes, so they sometimes have arguments.  But even though we are all different we can become friends and we can have a good time together.  It’s not always necessary to have all things in common but my friends and I do. We like all the same activities, we laugh at the same idiot things.  We love all the same kinds of movies.

 I think that I get along with most people generally and that’s why I have a lot of friends.  But with most of them we are not really close.   I have only two that are my best friends and we love each other very much.  Sometimes they can’t stand me, because I grumble or I get angry or rude about something, but I usually smile and laugh and make them laugh too.  If you don’t have good behaviour and patience it is hard to keep your friends so you have to be careful and treat your friends nicely.   

A bad friend is someone who gets jealous when you get a better grade at school, someone who doesn’t like it when you’re happy and also someone you can’t trust to say anything around. Nobody likes them. 

In my opinion a good friend is happy when you are happy. Who listens to you for ages no matter what.  Who doesn’t tell others your secrets.  Good friends are very important in our lives because we just can’t manage to live without them without being VERY, VERY sad. 
 

A long way from home.

By Hara Voulgari

Dear Mom and Dad,

 How are you?  I really excited.  It’s wonderful here.  Thanks for sending me on this course.  Right now we are in the mountains but we are having a break, so I’m writing to you.  Then we’re going into a small rain forest and we’ll learn about some wild life.  We’ll learn how to light a fire, put up a tent and read a map and a compass.

 On this excursion we’ll gain self-confidence.  I’m getting to know many children like myself.  I’m benefiting from this adventure a lot. 

 Tomorrow, we’re going to go canoeing in the river.  It’s very dangerous but it will be fun!

 Well, the break has finished.  I have to go now.  Bye for now.

 Yours,

Hara

 Ps:  Don’t forget to kiss Kostas for me.  I’ve missed you.
 

Am I a good friend?

By:  Jimmy Tampakis

 I get a long with most people very well, especially boys.  I don’t understand girls!  I have a lot of friends but only a few really “close” ones.

 My personality is just like a small child’s. I don’t think when I want to do something…I just do it.  I’m very impulsive!

 I think I am a good friend to others because I like to help them, and they can be honest with me about anything.  I can keep secrets and I don’t gossip. (girls gossip!)

 But in the end, my friends can only judge me.  I can only be for my friends what I’d like them to be for me!
 

My Outward Bound Adventure

By:  Kiriaki Linou

 Dear Diary!

 Today is the first day on my new course.  My parents had this idea, which really surprised me!  When they informed me about their decision I was a little bit scared. But I don’t feel that way anymore!

 There are a lot of children here just like me.  There are more girls than boys, which surprised me too.  I’m a friend with everyone.  The instructors teach us so many wonderful things.  We learn first aid and rescue techniques.  How to light a fire and to read a map and a compass AND to put up a tent.

 My parents thought this would be a good idea because they thought that I’d gain more self-confidence.  Well, they were right!  I’m very happy.
 

Thanks for your letter!

By:  Hara Voulgari

 Dear Brian,

 Thanks for your letter.  I was so glad to hear your news.  You asked me about my week.

 Well, I have started lessons in piano.  I like it but it’s a little difficult.  It’s really interesting and I think I’m benefiting  from it already!  I get to meet many children like me.

 I love the guitar too, but I can’t sign up for a course because of my schedule.  On Monday, Wednesday and Friday I have English at 4:30 and On Monday and Thursday I have German at 6:30!  So, I guess you can understand why.

 In my free time I usually play with my computer, listen to music or I practise on my small piano.

 Now tell me about your weekly schedule. Have you started karate?  I know you enjoy it!

 Yours,

Hara
 

Animals have feelings, too

By:  Tasos Geomelos

 People many times kill animals for their fur, but there is a solution.  We can help save them by joining in with campaigns like WWF.  These kinds of organizations do make a difference and the fashion industry thinks twice before they make fur, or even skin modern and fashionable! 

 One day I saw a silly, cruel man kicking a cat only for fun.  I told him that it wasn’t good and that he doesn’t benefit anything by this, but he ignored me.  One day my friends and I found an injured bird and we tried to save it, but it was really badly injured and it died after a few minutes.  But at least we tried to make a difference.

 I think that making clothes from the fur of animals is cruel and should be against the law.  The police must punish the people who do this.  I think that people who wear these clothes should be educated so they learn about the poor animals that dedicated their lives so they could have those clothes.
 

Animals have feelings, too

By: Angelina Kalogeraki

 In our world there are lots of examples of animal abuse.  Some of the victims are bears, cats, dogs, monkeys, elephants, lions, tigers, leopards, turtles and plenty of others.  These animals are used for their fur, skins, trained in a circus, or hunted for sport.  Some animals are actually endangered species now because of this abuse.

 It is good to get involved in something you believe in and not wait for others to do the job.  I saw an example of animal abuse about two years ago, which I’ll never forget.  I saw some boys kick and throw stones at a poor dog.  I shouted at them and chased them away.  I hope they don’t do that again.

 I wouldn’t mind taking home an abused animal.  I’ve done it before.  I’ve taken care of stray cats, too and I’ve found a home for a dog I found.

 I know the fashion industry plays a horrible role in animal abuse.  If they didn’t make fur trim on clothes and accessories fashionable, people wouldn’t buy them.  If people didn’t buy them then there would be no need to kill the poor animals.  They are making all the people guilty of these terrible things.  They throw the poor animals away after tearing its skin or fur off.  Isn’t it horrible?  This industry must close, or find something else to make fashionable.

 When I see a person who is wearing a fur coat, I really want to tell them the history of that coat.  We all have a heart, but if we don’t know the true story then how can we expect them to make a difference.  We must educate ourselves and not close a blind eye to these issues.