Last written assignment

This is to remind you that you need to send me the last written assignment - The Personal Statement, by email. You have until the 23Dec to do this. Also, if you have done the homework in the book but haven't let me see it you, you can email it to me by this date. I'll be getting in touch soon with your marks from the last speaking assignment.

Happy holidays!

my name is...

Hello everybody!

Here s Anca: Romanian, second year student, second year in Portugal and I badly miss my family... I enjoy playing tennis, I adore Marat Safin and I love samba and the Br. Portuguese...nice to meet you all! :)

The house of beauties

All I could see was darkness; a sinister atmosphere where all I could breathe was fear. I didn t remember how I got here, but I did recognize the place, and even the feelings it created insie of me. The only light that was guiding me was the moonlight, a beautiful and always a complete one, that reminded the terror books I used to read, where all crimes were commited at night. I tried to calm down, as my heart seemed to thro out of my chest; I laid down on the wet ground, facing up, looking at the moon, as searching for direction: these are the bizarre feelings we all had when we left the "Temple". Once a week, we were obliged to have a short, night walk through the forrest that surrounded the House, in order to oxygenate the brain, refresh the sight ad breathe pure air.

Suddenly, out of nowhere a creepy man s voice called my name and he took me by the hand: "It s time to go back now. Your walk has finished; say goodbye to the moon! Come!" I reacted naturally and, in spite of his weird appearance, he inspired confidence. We walked in silence; our footsteps and the breeze of the night were the only sounds around. By the time when we arrived home, he pushed me into a big room, which seemed more like big cage. The Temple s entry was made through a little garden, full of big red flowers that emanated a strong opium fragrance, which in a few seconds would leave ourspirit lazy, as though it were in a daze.

The Temple was inhabited mostly by women, the only man allowed being Owen, the guard that accompanied us outside. All of us weresupposed to be sold. Until the transaction was done, we had only to wait, to take care of our bodies and maintain a younger appearance. To find a buyer could take months and sometimes years; the deadline for a transaction to be made was up to five years. After this period of time, the women who continued unsold were burnt, as their feminity was considered lost. In fact, what was sold was the concept of beauty; each one of us had different features, because we came from all over the planet: from tall, blonde, blue-eyed Russians to body-curved ebony Africans and mysterious, submissive Asian women, we were all beauty icons for the rest of the world.

I knew this day would come and I felt happy for Anna, eventhough I was already missing her. Anna was one of my best friends. She was bought by Chanel and had to leave the Temple. This was our purpose, this was what we all were waiting for: for a famous, rich company to buy us. Anna had fulfilled her mission and I was sure she would be fine. As for me, I m still waiting...

Bang Yong Guk (방용국) _ I REMEMBER (WITH Yang Yo Sub OF BEAST) _ MV