carmosino

To the editor manager of the international exchange program  of Casa Thomas Jefferson.

            Dear Sir,

            I read in an ad that Casa Thomas Jefferson is making room for some students to participate in an international exchange english program in the United States, planned for the next summer.

            First of all, I'd like to congratulate this institution for such initiative, for it manifests the respect and appreciation the school has for its students.

            To the students, this will be kind of a fabulous prize. In fact, some people are waiting for it so ardently that they do not think of another thing.  I think this will be a great opportunity for the students to put their knowledge in practice, mainly because they will be exposed to a real English environment. In addition, they will also know the culture and other aspects of that controversial country in a bit closer manner.

            Well, the fact is that I do want to put my name on the list. And I do really want to be selected to the exchange program, as traveling to the United States is a dream I have since I started studying English.  Besides, as never have I been abroad, I need to take this opportunity as a way to use and evaluate my English appropriately.

            Furthermore, In spite of knowing that the school will cover the costs, I would suggest that the selected students pay for half of the cost of the travel, so that more students could be selected.

            As a candidate to the program, I would say that I consider my profile as an English student to be quite satisfactory. I think my grades could show what I mean. In spite of having some difficulties in listening skills, I am  sure I can compensate it appropriately with dedication and willingness to interact with people in any situation. Besides, I have been studying English for a long time, so I'm sure I'm able to make myself understood in any place of the world.

            Hoping to be selected, I am sending some information about me, as the following: My name's Carmosino, and I am 48. I'm married and I have been living in Brasília since I was a boy. I am a lieutenant and I work in Policia Militar do Distrito Federal. I went to Faculdade de Educação da Terra de Brasília, and my major is language. As I studied French for five years in Centro Interescolar de Línguas de Ceilândia, I think I'm still able to have a conversation on that language. if by any chance I need medical assistance, you can contact my wife Silvania, phone 3333-4659. My favorite hobby is playing tennis but I like soccer too. I think these sports are superb mostly because they make you feel good and provide situations that force us to try our best. Reading is another thing I appreciate very much.

            I think this is enough. I hope I have provided enough information about me, but, if needed, you can call me in my cell phone, 9937-8007, for supplementary data.

                                                           Sincerely yours,

Carmosino R. Almeida

To the editor of People Magazine.

            Dear Sir,

            The other day, I read an interesting article in your magazine whose title was "Life in the material world", and then I decided to write you some lines in order to give you my opinion about it.

            Firstly, I think it was a good idea to focus such project on ordinary people's lives, because we have the opportunity of knowing a bit more about their realities. Besides, I think it will be of great importance, not only for the local governments to improve their social policies concerning those communities' troubles, but also to help private institutions and researchers around the world.

            Furthermore, the article reveals some interesting facts and curiosities about the researched families' way of life, as well as the culture of some countries as a whole. Knowing the life conditions of these people and the way they earn their living is quite important, because then we'll be able to make a parallel between their habits and customs and ours. As a result, we could even change the way we see the world, and cooperate to enhance the quality of life of the mankind.

            I'm used to say that human beings are just equals, no matter if they live in the North or in the South, or any other place.  What essentially differentiates us are just some details, as our set of beliefs and our belongings, things that come and go, according to the circumstances. In the end, we all have the very same fate. This is the reason why we should settle down for any kind of living, for the other people's rights and for who we really are. Yes, Sir, the article in your magazine makes us deeply think about all these things.

                                                           Sincerely yours,

Carmosino R. Almeida

Poverty and social justice

            Brazil is one of the most important and rich countries in the world. This could be a good reason for Brazilian people to have a better condition of life. Unfortunately, this is kind of a utopia, a distant, impossible dream tor the majority of all us.

The way our governments manage and spend our resources is rather irresponsible. The corruption, present in almost all the levels of the public administration, is one of the main causes for the chaos we can witness in all the cities around the country. Homeless people, starvation, precarious health system and the collapse in the educational process are just some aspects of the reality faced by the most unfortunate ones.

Violence is another issue. Most of the ordinary people have already had a relative or a friend involved or killed in robbers, kidnaps, drug dealers disputes and other illegal activities around the country. Most of these crimes happen in the suburban areas of the big cities. Most of these places are abandoned or neglected by the government. They are places where the government actions simply don't go. Their population, surrounded by all kind of adversities, live in a permanent state of alert and preoccupation. They live under pressure all the time. This is what the absence of the government causes.

            At these areas, the young people, who are supposed to make a difference in the future, are not offered an opportunity to improve their present situation at all. A role concerned to the government, I guess. As a result, most of these people, with no options, go straight to the crime activities. A journey with no back. A gloomy and hopeless future. A complete disgrace.

            This entire situation might be quite different, only if the government made its obligation, I guess. With such a large amount of resources, including the heaviest taxes o f the world, no one should suffer from such deprivations in Brazil. With a better distribution of this income, the poorest ones would have a better life.

            I credit this unhappy situation to the government incompetency only. Or maybe to the gang in our parliament. Nevertheless, we're the ones who can change this scenario. All this country needs is a revolution. Not an armed but a cultural one.

            Concerning fashion, Brazilian people are just like other people in other underdeveloped countries around the word, I guess. This is so because it depends greatly on the social and economic class a person is classified into. In my opinion, people who can't afford a brand-name cloth, for example, won't care very much about this sort of thing. In my view, they have other priorities and interests to face on. As a consequence, I don't think they're so concerned with what they wear.  On the other hand, for those who can afford this kind of clothes, buying brand-names is kind of a necessity, an addiction indeed.

            I may be wrong, but I think this is caused mostly by a kind of competition. People who are used to this sort of clothes don't naturally accept other people to project a better image than they, I suppose. As a result of this dispute, these people usually come across as selfish, snobbish or big spender guys. Nevertheless, I think brand-names can also cause positive effects on people's behavior. People wearing brand-names usually project a good image as well as come across as being self-confident and stylish.

            Brand-names can also provide effects on the economy and society of the country. They can, for example, stimulate the consumerism and faking as well as increase the social gap. On the other hand, they can provide jobs and project the image of the country around the world.

            Brand-names are considered a powerful source of incomes. Overall, we can consider their effects quite positive, especially to the country's economy. As a result of it, they can either make people feel good and help the development of the country.

I have many friends, but I decided to write about Eduardo and Amaury because I think they have the kind of an interesting personality. In fact, they present some similarities, but in general, they are quite different. Eduardo is a friend of long date. I've known him since we were teens. That is more than 35 years. I can say I know every detail of his life. Concerning to Amaury, I've known him since 1990, and he is married with one of my sisters-in-law.

I'm the kind of person who likes to be aware of everything, especially the ones concerning what I consider important to me. For this reason, I'm not used to deal with people I can't really trust on. I consider myself a dependable person, and I'm sure this is one of the best qualities both of my friends have. No matter what happens, we can always count on these guys. Unfortunately, another thing they have in common is their capacity to lose their temper when things don't go the way they want to. Sometimes they argue for such nonsense that it really makes me crazy. That's the time I feel like hitting their ugly faces. Anyway, we're always able to find a good solution to our discussions.

Despite my long relationship with Eduardo, I think my relationship with  Amaury is easier, partly because of his good mood and manners. In contrast, Eduardo is sometimes too stupid and difficult to deal with. Poor fellow! Amaury is the kind of person who is able to listen to anything you want to say. I think this is a good quality of him. Eduardo, on the other hand, prefers talking most  of the time, and when we try to say something, he's always interrupting us. I can't bear that sometimes, and so I leave him talking alone. Poor fellow!

Well, I don't like labeling what I feel. And in spite of what I wrote above, I don't like to compare people either. In reality, I consider myself so imperfect that I avoid not judging other people's behavior. That's why I think I have a good relationship with these men. I just try to accept the way they are. The word friend is meaningful. You have friends or not. If you have real friends, each one of them is as important as a member of your own family.