Being a Soldier

Hi once more! Today I feel like telling you a bit more about me! I’m an English teacher, but I wasn’t always a teacher… I used to be a soldier in the Portuguese Army and I proudly served my country for 7 years, 4 months, and 7 days. My first day was October 6th, 1996 and I left February 13th, 2004.

I was 19 years old when I signed up for an adventurous military career and it was the first time I came to Vila Real… Was I nervous? Hell yeah! Was I afraid? Hell no! It was what I’d dreamt about for so many years! I started as a Private 2 and when my basic training was over I became a Private 1. Eventually I was promoted to Private First Class and, later on, Corporal. I used to say, humourously, that I reached the top of my career 😀

The first months of basic training were very difficult (I was a Rifleman), but I survived 😀 Obviously, I did a lot of things, such as shooting, physical training (a lot!), and learning military tactics and manouvers…

I have to say that my military carreer also took me overseas to Kosovo in 2000 and East Timor in 2001/2002. These were two different missions: Kosovo was OPERATIONAL and you got to know what being a soldier really meant; Timor was a beautiful place with a lot of sunshine and the sense of helping the Timorese.

Do I miss the army? Yes, sometimes I do… It was a sigificant part of my life and I’ll never forget it! It was my first job and the salary I received paid for my degree at UTAD. It gave my the sense of duty, responsibility, and self-discipline which I still uphold today. It’ll always be part of me… and I actually never “left” 😀 In 2006 I gave an English course to the soldiers going to Bosnia; in 2008/2009 I gave private lessons to the Regiment Commander as well as soldiers going to Kosovo; r now I’m with the OMLT team going to Afghanistan.

What a life! 😀 But being a teacher is my job now and people say “He was born for it”… Thanks to the army which taught me: ALWAYS GIVE YOUR BEST, THAT MEANS, 110%!

John Paul II – The Best Pope Ever!

When, on October 16^th 1978, the Vatican council voted fifty-eight-year-old Cardinal Karol Wojtyla for Pope, this Pole was the first non-Italian Pope since 1523. Known as John Paul II, this Polish clergyman soon became has been a remarkable figure for Roman Catholics as well as for other creeds.

Born May 18^th 1920, in Wadowice, Poland, Karol Wojtyla seemed destined for a life dedicated to study and reflection. He studied poetry and drama at a Polish university, and during World War II he had two jobs while preparing for priesthood. In 1946 he was ordained; he earned a Ph.D. at Rome’s Angelicum Institute and a doctorate in theology at the Catholic University of Lublin.The brilliantness of this young priest was not dismissed and soon afterwards he became a university chaplain. Twenty-one years after he had begun his priesthood carrier, he became a cardinal and represented Poland several times abroad, until he reached the highest position within the Roman Catholic Church.

He immediately embraced his “job” with vigor and a high sense of responsibility, dedicating himself to the redefinition of the Church’s position towards its followers as well as to the Orthodox Church and Anglicanism. He made numerous journeys around the world, bringing a word of hope and peace to many troubled and poor countries. In 2000 (a Holy Year), with kind and altruistic ideals John Paul II asked forgiveness for the sins committed by Roman Catholics during its 2000-year-old history. He demonstrated a strong spirit  strength whenever necessary, but he did not write off flexibility. John Paul suffered two assassination attempts and always pardoned his aggressors. Afterwards, he offered the bullet of the May 13^th 1981 attack to Our Lady of Fatima, Portugal. Besides his Papal activities, his curriculum included the publication of an extensive ethical and theological work, as well as poetry and drama.

At the end of his life, he suffered from Alzheimer’s disease. He grew weaker; however he decided to represent God until his death. Once more his dedication and devotion surprised and while some said he was too weak for the job, he held on to what he was named for to the end. His weakness was that of the flesh, but his spirit was of a saint; such combination had been unknown, in Rome, for some time until John Paul II. In 2005 he passed away and the world became a poorer place.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_John_Paul_II

 

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

Santiago and the Marlin

Today I’d like to “talk” about a wonderful book I read some time ago: The Old Man and the Sea. This novella, written by Ernest Hemingway and first published in 1952, impressed me and I seriously recommend it! It’s a short and yet a touching and strong story, because it tells us the adventure of Santiago, an old fisherman from Cuba, who engages in a “battle” with a giant fish (a marlin) in the Gulf Stream.

Santiago’s story reveals human perseverance and courage in the face of danger, because he stays several days at sea to catch the big fish. Although it is devoured by sharks, it renewed his hope in the future and his “persona” in the eyes of the village people… Is there a moral to this story? Perhaps… perhaps it’s best defined by the song by Peter Gabriel: Don’t Give Up… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiCRZLr9oRw&feature=fvst

My dear English students!!!!

Hello everyone! Welcome to my blog! I intend to dedicate this blog to all my English students!

Therefore, it is my intention to help my students improve their language-learning techniques, as well as to create a place with some future reading ideas.

See you around and feel free to comment!