The Shadow (by Camila G.C.)

I was sitting alone on the only chair that was next to my wooden table where the food I had prepared was served. The entire house was quiet. I could hardly hear the wind knocking the door. With slow movements, I started eating. All of a sudden, the lights went off. I couldn’t see a thing so I went to the kitchen, kicking, trying not to fall, looking for a torch... Suddenly, I heard a noise in the living room. With the torch on hand I went there. I could see a shadow, not clearly, but it was there. On a moment, I could see how the lights were turning on. So, if anything was wrong I decided to return to my chair and continue eating. While returning I could see how there was someone sitting on the chair. I would not know if it was a man or a woman. That someone was dressed in black. It kept looking at me with dark brown eyes. I was scared. I could only think of running, but I couldn’t. In some way, I just couldn’t. I was standing there, and it was becoming nearer and nearer. In a moment, I could hear it saying: “Get up Blair, Time to go to school!”

The Positive Look (text by Camila G.C. and illustration by Macarena D.B.)

The Positive Look

I get up early in the morning, brush my teeth and go to work almost in a rush while having a cup of coffee on the go. I am a nurse. It may not be the best job, but it lets me witness nice and bad moments that occur at the hospital.

Today is visitors' day, so every patient is happy. Everyone except Lucy, who is not used to receiving guests anymore since her husband died. But today I will spend some time with her, so that she doesn't feel lonely and, luckily, finds a reason to smile.

I open Lucy’s room door and ask her how she is feeling. Although she says she's doing well I know she is not - being the only one who doesn't have any guest cannot be nice. She asks me: “What is it like outside?” So, I tell her it’s a wonderful sunny day, so children are playing, couples are strolling and flowers are blooming under a colorful rainbow. She smiles and thanks me.

I hug her and leave the room after taking my umbrella to go back home in such a stormy weather.

NOTE: The previous story and illustration were submitted to the "Cuentos de mi Ciudad" Contest, organised by The Bristish Council and KEL Ediciones.

 

Public transport in Argentina (by Antonella)

There are different ways of traveling in Argentina. The most used is the public transport because workers, and people in general think this way is cheaper and in some cases, such as subways and trains, faster. There are also buses, which were used to be paid with coins but there was a problem with them and started to disappear, so it was difficult to find the change to travel. Due to that problem, the government created a new system that includes a rechargeable card called SUBE. This can be used in trains, subways and buses.

In addition to this, there are some problems too. The public transport in general, is in a very bad condition. Why? Because the government doesn't invest money in them, meaning that they are old and work with difficulties. Another reason is that people throw rubbish and break it. Furthermore, in the rush hours there are more people who travel in them than they can take, which causes delays and accidents.

Now, thinking about the pros and cons of  public transport, there are some important things to solve, but in my opinion we don't have to overlook the new system that has been installed on them, which is a good way to start. 

Just a Different Way (text by Florencia and illustration by Ruth)

Clara was the typical intelligent student of the class. She didn’t go out with friends nor at night to clubs. But that didn’t mean that she spent the whole year studying, sitting all day reading piles and piles of books. She had another life apart from school, apart from her classmates’ jokes, which made her feel bad. A different life. After school, she went by bus to dance classes everyday, where she trained six hours a day. That was what she loved; that was her real life, where she could be perfect. While she danced, her classmates’ teasing disappeared from her mind and she could be what she loved most. The great day was coming and her talent was going to be shown. For the first time, her classmates went to the theater to see her dance,with the intention of racking her. She walked out through the curtain, and left them all speechless. She was excellent doing what she did. They realized that and were immediately sorry for everything. In the last part of the show, she fainted and was taken to hospital. When her classmates arrived there to apologize, it was too late...

NOTE: The previous story and illustration were submitted to the "Cuentos de mi Ciudad" Contest, organised by The Bristish Council and KEL Ediciones.

Trying to Free Myself (text by Antonella and illustration by Milagros)

Trying to Free Myself

My life is hard. I am the youngest of eight siblings and we live with our parents and grandmother in a very small house. Although I am the only one who goes to school and is very affectionate, my parents usually hit me and I don't understand why.

I study in a public school near home. There, I have 3 teachers but I find Miss Noelia special - she is very nice to me and treats me well, not as my schoolmates, who constantly laugh at me because of my old clothes and my odd smell. They exclude me. I try to ignore them but I find it more and more difficult. I'm getting tired of it.

Being 8 years old, I feel under a lot of pressure both at home and at school and I really don't feel comfortable anywhere. I am about to take a dramatic decision. Before doing so, I'm leaving a goodbye letter to my favorite teacher, who is the only one who gives me some love and attention. She is the only one that deserves an explanation...

NOTE:The previous story and illustration were submitted to the "Cuentos de mi Ciudad" Contest, organised by The Bristish Council and KEL Ediciones.

The Wrong Decision (by Guest Bloggers)

The Wrong Decision

My nightmare started a week ago when I reported a crime...

Everything started after I withdrew money from an ATM – I needed it to organize my daughter´s 15th birthday. When I was walking back home, I saw a man coming suspiciously towards me. I started walking faster, and then running, but he finally reached me. He stole my wallet and told me to give him my bag. As I started screaming, he threatened me with a knife, and we ended up fighting. After the suspect ran away, I saw a driving license on the floor and immediately recognized the face of the person appearing on it – it was the robber!

I went to the police station to report the crime and after a policeman asked me my personal details, his workmate appeared from behind... I knew something was wrong. I recognized that face for the second time. There was no time for explanations.

Each of them took me by an arm and locked me in a prison cell. But what they did not realize is that I am writing this report from there...

NOTE: The previous story and illustration were submitted to the "Cuentos de mi Ciudad" Contest, organised by The Bristish Council and KEL Ediciones.Text by Joaquín Rossi and illustration by Cristian Stegman.

Water wating (by Milagros and Lucas)

Do you care about water? Do you close the tap after washing your hands? Well, nowadays water wasting is a crucial issue in the world. Let me tell you more about it...

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Water is a finite resource, vital to humans and essential to the social and economic development. In recent decades, water scarcity began to be of public awareness, as well as a certain risk of an overall decline in freshwater resources.

70% of the surface water  on the planet is made up of seas and oceans. 97,5% of it is salt water, while only 2,5% is fresh water.

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Almost 79% of total freshwater is in form of permanent ice, in polar ice and glaciers, which is unavailable for usage. 20% of water in liquid is inaccessible due to the depth in which it is (sometimes 2,000 meters below the sea level). Only 1% is fresh surface water easily accessible, what represents 0,025% of water on Earth.

80% of global evaporation depends on the oceans and only 20% of precipitation over land, feeding lakes, rivers and shallow groundwater.

So, as I told you, water is not an inexhaustible resouse. We must be aware of it.

What do you think we can do to save water....?

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