ISE MAGAZINE 2 EDITION

ISEMAGAZINE EDITION#02

Contents 03/ Welcome to the second edition 04 / Why Have I decided to learn a new language? 05 / My Biggest Nightmare 05 / My Biggest Challenge 06/ My First Terrifying Trip Alone 06/ Lost in a city 07/ Adventure in Morocco 07/ A Most Frightening Experience 08/ Cheap Friendship 09 / The Old Hotel 10/ I Am Everyone Else 11/ Wrong Decision 11/ A Nightmare in Paradise

MISAEGAZINE Welcome to the second edition of the International School of English magazine! Hi everyone, Welcome to ISE’s magazine - created by our students for our students :) The theme this edition was creative writing. We asked our students to submit short stories or poetry, and it’s clear, we have some really talented people studying at ISE! Thank you so much to all who contributed! Enjoy the magazine! Kind regards, Marianne, Ann, Gareth and all the teachers and staff at ISE. 3

Why have I decided to learn a new language? From my perspective, travelling is the best It was the first time that I was travelling opportunity to get to know new cultures, to Europe and I was very excited about it. to meet friendly people, to enjoy your time But I had arrived in a new country, with a and to improve your knowledge about life completely different language, during the and languages. Every vacation I usually make night. What could I do? Hopefully I would a lot of effort to travel to another exciting find where my friend was staying using the country. metro app which worked without internet and showed me how to get there. While travelling it is very important for me to communicate with local people. This is the I met my friend much later. He was really reason I have started to learn English. One scared, and I was completely exhausted. I special and embarrassing situation happened gave up on the idea of going out that night before I decided to study. I was travelling to enjoy the city as I was depressed about to Paris and when I arrived there my mobile the whole situation. After that I decided didn’t work, so I couldn’t contact my friend to learn English in order to have more that was waiting for me at the hotel. At that independence during my trips. This story time I didn’t speak either French or English, took place five years ago and now I think I so I was completely terrified. can travel anywhere at least communicating in English. André Lancini 4

My Biggest Nightmare I will never ever forget the experience I had when I travelled in Thailand. In my culture, if we stay in a hotel, we have to knock on the door to tell someone we are going to stay there before we can get into the room. So I did this and was ready to go. The first day was great nothing happened. But weird things happened after that day. When we were sleeping, someone pulled our legs, TV and lights turned on and off automatically. We were so terrified. We tried to figure out what the problem was. Suddenly, we got it. We had knocked and said “Excuse me, we will stay here for one day” before we were in. It or they felt we occupied their place. So now, wherever I live in a hotel, I just say ‘Excuse me, I will stay here for a few days.’ Never say how many days ever. Tsai-hsuan Wu (Kate) - 8490 My Biggest Challenge It was a normal day but it was to become a huge challenge for me. I was at home taking a rest, when my friend invited me to go a one park. I said yes, for sure, and she came to picked me up. On our way my friend explained that there was one mountain she always wanted to climb. I said yes again, but I didn’t know what was expected of me. So we arrived. But when I saw the mountain my heart started beating fast. I was petrified. It was a huge mountain and such a long way to get there. My friend quietly tried to convince me that it would be a good experience. But how would I get there? I wasn’t prepared for it. But I took the challenge and we started to climb. I felt cold. I began sweat. I ran out of air. I was extremely exhausted. I thought I wouldn’t make it. I thought about giving up. It was 12 km to get on the top. But to my surprise I could see the amazing views and contemplate nature around me. It was a huge present for me. I was so proud of myself. I don’t regret it. It was amazing! Amanda Carvalho 5

My First Terrifying Trip Alone When I was 22, bored with my routine, I decided to change my plans and give myself a fresh new start. Living abroad had never crossed my mind, but at that moment it sounded such an excellent idea. So then, I boarded a plane to go from Brazil to Ireland, with a mixture of feelings, but certain that it would be the best for me. After 14 hours flying, the airplane had landed. My stopover was at the London airport. I was totally enchanted by it all, literally like a dog with two tails,so that I completely forgot that I couldn’t speak a single word of English. The anxiety and nervousness got out of control and I started crying. But luckily, an officer saw I was embarrassed and immediately offered me a translator. I could then explain what I was going to do in Europe and after that I flew safely to Dublin. It was the most embarrassing and incredible experience that I’ve ever had. I’ll never forget it. Caroline Siqueira Mendonca Lost in a city I will never forget that day when I got lost in Murree (PAK). I was travelling with my friends. We went to a large market and it was very busy. I was so excited because I’d never been there before in my life. We visited many shops but soon we felt very hungry. We decided to eat something and we started walking to a restaurant. Suddenly I noticed I was not with my friends. I was afraid because I didn’t know anything about this city. That moment was so totally terrifying for me. I was thinking about my family. I started to ask people if they had seen my friends but nothing worked. I went back to where we were last time. When I reached there I saw that my friends were looking for me and asking people about me. I was so happy when I saw them I hugged them. This story took place over 7 years ago but every time I think about that day I feel so afraid. Hammad Sohail 6

Adventure in Morocco I was terrified on my last day in Morocco. I was travelling with my friends to experience the desert. We were on holiday I was looking forward Suddenly something happened! to having new exciting experiences. One of my shoes was broken. When we arrived in Morocco the weather was extremely hot. We went shopping The shoe repairman tried to get my in the market. The market is huge and attention to fix my shoes. But I didn’t want energetic. him to. He put glue on it. I was so scared. There were many things that I’ve never It was a terrible situation. My experience of seen in my whole life, like different shapes Morocco was incredible. Everytime I meet and colourful shoes, bags, hats and clothes. my friends we remember this and laugh. There are even a lot of different smells, tasty, flavoured foods and desserts. Flora Lee nanhee and Andrea Catarina da Silva A Most Frightening Experience My most frightening experience happened The whole climb took about 3 hours. during a nice trip to Peru. Everything was ok until we reached half way because we couldn’t see how high we were. I made a plan for all the places that I wanted It was just a nice walk up to a specific point. to go to but I had no idea it would be so There was a ladder connecting two points. terrifying. The ladder was so high that when I looked up all that I could see was the sky. At the After staying for a while in Cusco, I went to right side of the ladder was the mountain Machu Picchu with some friends and we but at the left side there was nothing! Then I decided to climb the Montaña Machu Picchu realised how high I was. mountain. The thing is that I am afraid of At that moment I just froze. My legs couldn’t heights, but when I looked at the mountain move anymore! I sat at the bottom of the it didn’t look like a dangerous place. Well, I ladder and started to cry. I was petrified! was wrong! Suddenly a woman offered to help me. She started to talk to me, took my hand and convinced me to get up. With baby steps I went up the steps! Finally,I was at the top of the mountain. After all the tears it felt amazing. It was terrifying but I did it! Pollyana Reis 7

Cheap Friendship Walking down the river Liffey, Arek and €50 note rolling fast below them. Sebastian (two homeless people) shared a cigarette. It was a windy night and they were - Look Sebastian! – Arek said promptly freezing. They were carrying a dirty sky blue pointing to the bill. sleeping bag together as they were walking. - Take it! -You know Sebastian; tomorrow I will start looking for a job. They ran back 10 metres trying to get the slippery note until finally Sebastian managed - Haha, sure Arek. to catch it. - Man, I’m serious. This homeless life has to They found themselves trying to decide finish soon! I’m tired of sleeping rough. what they were going to do with the €50 as if it could all end in misery. A distrustful - Arek said shivering. glance was interchanged by both of them. Were they going to split the money or who Sebastian hesitated but at the end he was going to keep it? gesticulated. - Look, I don’t believe you anymore as you’ve -WOW! Man! I told you Sebastian, been saying the same thing since I met you. everything is just about to change in my It has been 5 years since then. life, give me my money said Arek giggling nervously. - I know, I know, I don’t blame you for not believing me Sebastian but it’s just - What!? I’m the one who grabbed it, so it that… belongs to me! I feel that Arek’s eyes turned mad, and he yelled at his something is only friend. about to change - But I saw it rolling, if it wasn’t for me you in my life. I wouldn’t have got it! had a dream, a Sebastian pushed Arek and said violently. revelation- -If I hadn’t grabbed it, you wouldn’t have been able to get it! Then there was a silence -Get lost! - yelled Arek again while he tried which was only to take the money out of Sebastian’s hands. interrupted by the whistling of the They started to fight, pushing and kicking wind. each other when Arek fell into the river taking the money with him. They were heading to the doorsteps The next day he was found dead on the that they used as seaside. He was right - his life was just about a shelter when to change but certainly in an unexpected suddenly Arek saw a way. Carlos Eduardo Avitia Acevedo 8

The Old Hotel My best friend and I were staying at an old hotel in Guanajuato, in the centre of the town. I was kept up all night by someone pacing around on the hardwood floors in the room above ours. It drove me crazy. In the morning, I asked my best friend how she could sleep through it and she told me that the upstairs of the building used to be a ballroom, but now it’s totally empty. The hotel staff confirmed that nobody was up there and furthermore, if they were, I wouldn’t have heard the sounds on the floor. Marsella Orozco 9

I Am Everyone Else My generation was raised to believe that we these great people suffered, while reading were special, that we were the main their life stories, you can always see the big characters of the world... Both our parents picture and know that it all ends well for and the entertainment industry made us them. But in your life, you can’t be sure that believe we were “The Chosen Ones”. your problems are for a greater good, and all you’ve got is suffering. I grew up watching Harry Potter and believing that my metaphorical letter of I tried changing things about myself, like Hogwarts would arrive someday in the losing weight, reading the same books, mailbox and that I would be like Harry, the watching the same movies and listening boy who lived, the one in prophecy… But to the same music as my idols, moving the letter never came and I found out that I to another country and travelling around was not the Harry Potter of the world: I was Europe. However, it doesn’t matter what I cast member number 174. do, I am always left being myself. The realization that I was not special, as The truth is I have to accept that I am unique menial and stupid as it sounds made me hate and at the same time I am everyone else and myself, I would never be Bowie or Bill Hicks, even if you can’t achieve the same things as or any of my teenage idols. I’m condemned the people you admire - you can be great at to a life of being me. being you and living your truth and that is truly your only option, so you’d better take Reality is always much harder than this opportunity and live your life! expectations or dreams, I used to be a vivid reader of biographies and even though Guilherme Milhomem Domene 10

Wrong Decision I was trembling with fear while I was but it was enough to see human remains. standing in the underground crypt at Suddenly, I stepped forward and the ground midnight. There was just a chilling silence, collapsed. I was petrified. When I opened darkness and me. my eyes again, I was alone and I had lost my hand lamp. I was looking at human remains. Everything started with a wrong decision. And worst of all, I had broken my leg and My best friend and I decided to go to Paris I was in extreme pain. I was crying and to see the underground crypts. Everything screaming for help. But nothing happened. was quite normal, we went to Paris and Nobody came. The last thing I remember met people who were curious about the about that night was the darkness and the underground crypts. chilling silence. Afterwards, one guy told us that he had I opened my eyes and I was in hospital. an exciting idea. He suggested creeping in My leg was broken and there were two there. At the beginning, this idea terrified policemen in my room. I had to pay a fine for me. But my best friend loved it and she my offence. persuaded me to do it. We did it. At midnight we crept into the underground. We had I hoped it would be my the best vacation but hand lamps. Our hand lamps were very weak it was the most terrifying day in my life. Secil KAS A Nightmare in Paradise It was supposed to be a sunny and relaxing distracted that I didn’t realize my friend was weekend at the beach with my friends, but it asking for help. It was the worst moment to turned out to be one of the most terrifying discover that he couldn’t swim at all! experiences of my life. I tried to help, but wasn’t strong enough After a long week at work, one of my to pull him to a place where his feet would schoolmates invited me and a couple of touch the ground. So I had to take a difficult friends to go to Peruibe, where her father had a beautiful and decision: I asked him to stay calm and try comfortable house at a very calm to float, because I would have to leave and secluded location - and the him there alone, and swim back to ask place was available just for us the for help. whole weekend. And it couldn’t get any better: the blue sky, the melting I didn’t know what else to do, but I was sun, some barbecues and a couple already exhausted and horrified to leave of beers. him there all by himself! What if he drowned or got lost at sea? Would it be At some point, I decided to go take my fault? a dive in the sea because it was too Luckily, I found a surfer nearby, and hot on the beach, and I was followed by a he helped us as quickly as possible, friend. I had some swimming goggles, and throwing his surfboard to my friend. Once he we were just floating in the translucid water, was safe and sound, I swam back to shore, watching small fish around us. I was so but was still worried and disturbed about what might have happened. Luiz Renato Martinati 11

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