A very delicious festivity...

In Portugal Christmas is a very important festivity because it is when the family is all reunited. Besides that Portugal has a very strong catholic tradition so Xmas has also an important religion meaning.

Christmas in Portugal has a curious aspect, because the traditional food is different in the northern and southern regions of the country.

In the northern regions people eat boiled codfish with boiled potatoes and cabbage or octopus. In the southern regions people eat turkey!
The Portuguese desserts are really delicious!!

We have “rabanadas”, similar a French toast ( a kind of slices of bread with eggs milk and sugar, this dessert is topped with cinnamon and yellow sugar) “pão-de-ló” ( a kind of sweet bread) “aletria” ( boiled vermicelli sweet with eggs and cinnamon) “sonhos” (pumpkin fritters) and the famous “King’s Cake” ( a wreath like fruit cake laced with crystallized fruits and pine nuts, there is a little present inside the cake and a broad bean, the one who finds the broad bean in one slice, must pay the next “king cake”.)

Besides that, in Portugal we decorate the streets and our homes with various colour lights, and like many people around the word we decorate our Xmas tree with colour lights and balls. And below the Xmas tree we put de CRÈCHE representing the nativity of infant Jesus, with Virgin Mary and St Joseph.

Emanuel

A special present...

In Portugal Christmas is a very important festivity. During Christmas almost every home has a crèche, and a Christmas tree. The streets of the biggest cities are all decorated with Christmas lights and giant cribs. It´s also a great commercial opportunity for the big shopping centres.
In many families is the only time of the year they see each other. In Portugal, Christmas is a very religious time but I´m unable to describe that part of Christmas because I´m atheist.
My Christmas is different every year(you see, if I do the same thing every year this festivity would become very boring). So this year I´m thinking about watching TV and talking with my grandpa and my uncle that are coming to visit me. I´m going to eat the traditional codfish. Ah, just by curiosity my Christmas tree this year will be a small araucaria heterofila. This year I would like to find in my Christmas sock a greenhouse with 2000 m2 ,fan heaters, ventilators, humidifiers, and a high tech watering system. I was thinking about asking Santa Claus a billion dollar airplane but maybe that would be a little too much…What do you think?

Luís

Just to wish you...

Feliz Natal

Luís

I´m writing this text on the train so forgive the errors, please.

Hi everybody!My name is Luis and I´m going to try to make a nice presentation text just like my teacher told me to. So let’s get started. I live somewhere in Porto ( I don´t know exactly where), I´m fifteen years old and I have a happy life (with a lots of happy meals. O yeah, I love to eat good food, especially beef! ).

. Although I live in Porto my school is about 30 kilometres from there so I have to take the bus or the train to go to school. In order to catch the train on time, I have to wake up at six o´clock.

Now I´m going to talk about the things that make my life a happy life. I like plants, especially orchids and rare plants. In fact, if it wasn´t for my plant mania I wouldn´t have come to a vocational agriculture school. I´m also a computer maniac.

Damn!, My train trip is ending now so I have to hurry up… My favourite series are “Doctor Who” and “Naruto”. I like the best of each kind of music (including classic, pop, rock, etc) except fado which is a terrible kind of Portuguese music , in my opinion.

And that´s all. The train has just arrived.

See you one of the next trips…

Pedro

Hello!!!!!
My name is Pedro. I’m sixteen years ol and, I live in Figueiró, a village in the north fo Portugal.

I am 1, 6 and I’ve got brown hair and green eyes.

I’m funny, friendly and talkative.

I live with my parents and in a small house. I’m a single child.

In my free times I like playing football, computer games and Psp.

I would like to be a technician in Agrarian Production, the course I am taking.

Pedro Jorge

Hi!
My name is Pedro. I´m 15 years old. I live in Portugal in a town called Paredes near Porto. I don´t like to live in Paredes , because it isn´t a beautiful town and all my friends are in Paços de Ferreira( other northern town).
In my free times I like playing computer and going out with my friends. I also like to go to my uncle´s house because he has four sons and his house is always a party. I like to help him with his cows. I have some fish.

My favourite bands are Queen and U2.I would like to see the next U2 concert, next year here in Portugal. My school is a vocational agricultural school in Santo Tirso, and I’m taking a different course- Agrarian Production.
I like my school very much because it is an unusual school and it is very very big. It has some animals like cows, snakes, birds etc…. We have a lot of practical lessons so we spend a lot of time in the open air

Stay in touch!

Rafael

Hello!
My name is Rafael and I’m 15 years old. I was born on the 14th February 1994. I live in Vila Nova de Maximinos, a small town in the north of Portugal.

I live with my parents and a younger brother. I am average height and thin.

I have got dark hair and brown eyes.

I am a calm person and I hate confusion! In my free times I like playing football and listening to music.

My favourite sport is triple jump. My favourite triple jumper is Nelson Évora. He was gold medal in Triple Jump at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and silver medal in the long jump.

Rúben

Hi everyone!
My name’s Rúben and I’m 14 years old. I was born on the 30th November 1994. I live in Vila Nova de Famalicão, a town in the north of Portugal.

My favourite sport is football and my favourite national team is “Sporting” (they usually play with green and white equipment). One of my favourite football players is Luis Figo although he doesn’t play anymore( he was considered the best player in the world by FIFA in 2001 and he was the 2000 European Footballer of the year)
 I like playing futsal.

On Sundays, I usually ride my godfather’s horse. I really enjoy it because I feel free!

I’m medium height and well built. I have got short curly brown hair and dark brown eyes. I’m patient, responsible, generous and sociable.

I live with my parents and my brother, who is 19.

We get along very well. I love my family!

Emanuel

Hi! I’m Emanuel (or Eman, for friends), and I will be sixteen next 8th of November (in case you want to send me a gift :-)). I’m from Paços de Ferreira, a town in the north of Portugal, near to Porto. My town is known as the capital of furniture. I study in a vocational agricultural school in St.Tirso, where I’m taking a course in Agrarian Production.
I like my school very much, because it is a different school, as it is a farm and we are surrounded by a lot of open air scenery.
In my free time I like watching TV, playing computer games, hanging out with my friends, listening to music ( Megadeth, Iron maiden and Ozzy Osbourne are my favorites bands) and playing hockey ( I’m goalkeeper). Do you know that Portugal is one of the best teams in world.
As I said, I treasure friendship a lot, because friends are essential for me: they make me laugh and they help me when I need.
I live with my mother and my younger sister since my parents are divorced but I don’t mind, because I’m happy.
So, now you know a bit about me.;-)

Flávio

Hi! I am Flávio and I am 16 years old.
I live in Matosinhos a town next to Oporto, in the north of Portugal.
I am an only child. I live with my parents and my grandparents on a farm.
I like handball and watching wrestling. I study in a vocational agricultural school. I really like agriculture so I help my parents and my grandparents on my farm.

Ana

Hello!
My name is Ana. I`m 16 years old.
I`m from Santo Tirso, a town in the north of Portugal. I live with my parents and my nine year old brother.
My favourite hobbies are listening to music and playing computer games.
My favourite animal is the cat. I have a lovely pussycat named “Bichaninha”. She has got greyish hair and green eyes.
I love playing with her. It is very funny!

Liliana

Hello!!
My name is Liliana.I´m 17 yers old. I`m from Santo Tirso a town in the north of Portugal and I live with my parents and my older sister. Santo Tirso is very famous because of its delicious cakes named “ Jesuitas”, a real speciality! I love them!
My favourite hobbies are playing music and computer games.
My favourite pet is the cat.

João

Hi people!
My name is João but my friends call me João :-)
I don’t like my name so much but is not so bad.
I’m 17 years. Some people think I’m older but I’m not :-)
I live in Lousada. It’s a small town in the north of Portugal, but I wouldn’t change it for any other town.
I’m a funny and happy guy, I think.
I live with my parents and my brother, I like my family very much. It’s very cool.
I study in Santo Tirso in a vocational agricultural school. It’s a very different school as we are inside a farm.
In my free time I like playing football, my favourite portuguese team is Sporting but I haven’t seen many games this season. My favourite player is Drogba. He’s a very good player.
I also like playing computer games (Counter-Strike is my favourite game), and going out with my friends on Saturday night.
I study in Santo Tirso in a vocational agricultural school. It’s a very different school as we are inside a farm.

André

Hi!
My name is André and I`m 15 years old. I`m Portuguese. I live in Água Longa, a village in the north of Portugal.
I like playing football, playstation, computer and riding my bike.
I study in a vocational agricultural school and I like my school because it has many animals and a beautiful wood. I also like my classmates. They are very funny and friendly.
I live with m parents, an older brother, a younger sister and my grandparents.
I play eleven football in a local team and my position is central defender.
My favorite football player is Leonel Messi who plays in Barcelona.

Gabriela

Hello!

My name is Gabriela but my friends call me Gabi or just Bi.

I was born 16 years ago in the second biggest city of Portugal, Porto.

I define myself as a person who is always changing because I try to improve myself every day.

I am funny, sociable, friendly, ongoing but very stubborn

I treasure family a lot as I think it is essential. I love my friends (they are few but true).

My dream is to be a vet and have my own farm. I love animals and they will be always part of my life.

In my free times I like listening to music (I love brasilian music as well as foreign groups such as Pussicat Dolls,Anastacia, Modern Talking, etc), watching TV, going out with my friends and family, doing brodery and of course I save some time for my pets.

I have two canaries, about one hundred exotic fish, a turtle (my friend for twelve years). If I could I would have my house full of cats because this is my favourite animal but unfortunately I live in a small flat.

I live with my mother and my sister, the two most important people in my life.

I study in a vocational agricultural school in Santo Tirso, a town about 30km from my hometown.
I love my school because it is inside a farm and I love nature.