TEXTS WRITTEN IN THE DRAMA WORKSHOP
Live happy or live hidden I think this couldn’t be questioned, because the answer is usually: live happy! Yes, the whole world would like to live happy but we know it’s not true. In our world, in our society, if you are different you are automatically excluded; so you live hidden, you keep your different way of life, or sexual nature or your disabilities for yourself, but some people can’t hide their differences because you can’t hide your disabilities or your diseases and those people are often rejected by others because of that difference. The people are afraid by the difference; that’s why you do as the other to be accepted. I know some people hide their difference to be accepted, but I think they are not very happy, for they can’t express their way of life or their sexual preferences.
The sexual preferences is a very important issue, yes, a lot of people, man or women, are excluded because they are gay! Some people see it as a disease, mental illness or have some clichés about the gay people like: they have feminine gestures (or male for lesbians), they wear women's clothing, women's bags they use... They have a feminine way of thinking, they don’t like sports, they have more female friends than male friends and even they have more chances of getting AIDS. These people will never say the truth because, if they say it, they will be excluded and I think it’s really unfair! I think we are free to express our way of live without fear of being excluded. We live in Europe, cradle of human rights and it’s unacceptable to be excluded because we are different!!
Let ’s st op hiding and live f r ee, live t oget her , live happy.
To tell it to be it My godmother is my mother’s best friend since they are 15. I really love her, even if we meet just once or twice a year. She lives away from where I live. And one day, I was so happy because she was going to come during a weekend, and I hadn’t visited her for at least six months. Before she came, my mom said that she had something important to talk about with me. I feared to hear the worst! And when she told me that my godmother was coming with a woman, her girlfriend, I replied: “ok, great, she’s not single anymore”. My mother pointed out that she knew that my godmother rather liked women than men for several years. I just asked my Mom if it was the reason why, every time we went to her place, and we talked about love, she didn’t say anything. My mom stated it. When my godmother came, not alone, it didn’t change anything in our relationship. She asked me if I had been shocked by what I just had heard. Honestly, I answered that I didn’t care if she loved a girl or a man or both. When I said that, she looked stunned!
I wondered if I had hurt her when she added she didn’t think I’d understand this way. She confessed to having asked my Mom to tell me because she didn’t know how to say it, she thought I was going to be upset because of this. She admitted she thought I was maybe too young to understand this kind of things. It is true that, for a few years, I wondered if she was lesbian because I had never seen her talking about a possible love story she could have had with a man. She was afraid I may not want to see her again. I promised her that no matter what happened I’d love her forever. Now, I can say that her girlfriend is like a second godmother for me, and I really enjoy it. I don’t pay attention they’re homosexual.
This is just a little story to show that tell if you are gay can be understood simply by the people who love you.
I've two mothers When I was at the primary school, every year, we had to introduce ourselves. I said “Hello, my name is Peter, I’ve a dog, and my parents are Dominic and Jane.” But nobody said anything about this. Actually, I’ve two mothers. At home my life was fantastic. They gave me cuddles and kisses all the time, I was so good… Have two mothers: what a wonderful dream. Imagine two persons who take care of you as if you’re the most precious thing on the Earth. In my opinion it was normal. No! Not normal; perfect! At the beginning everything was cool in my class, the kids, the teacher, the atmosphere. But quickly to go to school became a hell. I had lost my bearings. I couldn’t take part to the game: “My daddy is the strongest daddy in the world …”. My friends asked me: “Hey, who is this other woman who picks you up sometimes at school? Is she your nanny?” I answered: “No she’s my mummy”. Surprised they said “But you already have a mother, you’re telling nonsense”.
And I had nothing to answer. Most of children didn’t understand anything about my family; I thought I was the only kid who had two mothers, I was a monster. And the worst question that I ever heard is “Where is your daddy, what’s his name?” I didn’t know because I had not. Then I grew up, and I realized why they felt it weird. But I’m the living evidence that they’re stupid. Just an example, if I say: “Hello, my name is Peter; I’ve a mother and a father” you answer “Ok” but if I say: “Hello, my name I Peter; I’ve two mothers”, you look at me embarrassed and you can say only two thinks; either “Could you repeat please?” or “Are you kidding me?” Hey! Why do you react like that? Look at me, am I an alien? No. Am I crazy? No. I’m just me, Peter. Well you know, I play football, I play baseball, I laugh with my mothers like ordinary people, that’s just different than your life but I feel good today.
I don’t hide it, I don’t claim it, it’s not an illness, I’ve two Mothers!
Texts written in class
I am shocked, because I saw a boy sitting in the street He was so young He was so lonely But he looked so strong at the same time. I am shocked, because in the street no one turned No one seemed concerned No one was shocked or sad As if that was normal. I am shocked, because he must be eighteen years old maximum But why should he beg ? Why wasn't he studying like any teenager ? Where were is parents ? I am shocked, that is why I sat next to him one day I asked him to know his age Where is his family and where he sleept
I am shocked, because he answered me That equality doesn’t exist everywhere as we hear so often His parents didn’t accept his way of life So either he changed it or he had to leave. I am shocked, because he can’t think of his future yet He must first try to survive Thanks to others All because he refuses to change. I am shocked, because young or not Having made mistakes in the past or not Deserving to have this kind of situation or not
Nobody deserves to be alone one day. By Charl otte Cadoux
In my school in Saint Victor, when I was eight years old, I met a new boy. When he arrived, he told us that he came from another country. He was my first foreign friend. He stayed in my school for about three years and after I have never seen him again. I thought he may have moved in another village. I was too young to understand. Contrary to my thought, a few years later, my mother told me he had been deported. Although his family had stayed for three years in France, learnt French, changed their customs, they never had the French nationality. However, I can’t help thinking that he was just an ordinary child.
I have the feeling that they wanted to stay in France, yet the authorities deported them overnight. Nobody could do anything because nobody saw them...
There can be no
doubt that this family weren’t free, they didn’t have human rights.
By Clément Michel
We had just sat on our chairs, and again, they threw balls of paper on him. He didn't move, he just hid his face thanks to his hands. He stayed calm in spite of the humiliation he lived every day. My classmate came from a poor family. They were not able to afford new clothes, so he had to wear his brother's worn shorts. Moreover, medical costs were inaccessible to them, so he couldn't have a brace although his teeth were bent. Guys of my class couldn't help themselves laughing at him, and it made me feel furious since it was by wickedness.
Sometimes, they threatened him with blackmail and verbal abuses. Personally, I appreciated that boy, he was tender, honest, but his social background reflected on his appearance. Nevertheless, had he chosen this situation? I didn't accept this sort of prejudice. I was young, however I wanted to fight for his rights ! It is unbelievable that such injustice exists!
In our society, just the image we give is important ! By Elise Balayn
One thing is shocking in Valence : the number of homeless people in the street. First of all, this is... unacceptable ! Why ? One day, I went shopping and I saw more than't got any money, haven't a job... Just have nothing. They are rejected from our society. We are in a wealthy world, we buy a lot of products. But if one person hasn't got money, he/she's automatically rejected. Next, I'm shocked because Valence is just a town, not a big city. In France, there are probably more than one thousand homeless.
I think that everybody has a right to have a home and food, this is vital. This situation shows that today Men don't live together, they live to earn and to have more money. There are more and more homeless in the world, especially in our country. However, the State and our government make nothing and nobody looks at them. I'm not pessimistic, but at this rhythm, this people will die in Valence's streets... This is a classical situation; but we must, we have an obligation to change this fate ! They are maybe poor and homeless, but they are
humans too ! We mustn't forget this.
By Elodie Courtois
A dad is on a hunger strike in a square . He is fighting to see his children. He lived twelve years with his wife. Then, one day life became unbearable. His wife decided to leave him. A judgment awarded custody of their two children to his wife and gave him the right to take his children every second weekend and the half of school holidays. But this right was never enforced. Since the separation, three years ago, he has never seen his son and daughter. For this, the children's mother was sentenced twice. Yet the father is unable to enforce the judgment which gives him a regular visit. The police did their best to knock on the door of the mother, they have failed to convince her to let the dad see or take his children.
He therefore decided to begin a hunger strike. In this call for help, this 43 years' old hopes to be heard by the courts. It’s his last chance. He is very determined. He will stop his hunger strike when he is sure to spend time with his children in normal conditions. He wants them to know that he loves them and he's waiting for them. I'm shocked because in the midst of family violence, children suffer. Tragically, his story is not an isolated one.
This wife stole the futures of her children and broke their father's heart.
By Laura Faugeron
She was born under the blessing of Allah. Her parents read the Koran. Immigrants from Algeria, they saw in the French ground, a promised land with work and housing. They worked hard but they succeeded. They had three children. Ibrahim, the taller, had already in his activity a charged police record, detention of drugs and insults to police, Djalal his younger brother seems to follow his way. Their father seems to be exceeded, he works all the day and in the evening when he comes back home, he has no strength to be this authoritarian father whom his children would need. Inaya as for her succeeds to becoming integrated into her school in the suburb. She’s 13 years old and all her teenager’s and woman’s life to build.
She was born under the blessing of Allah. Her parents want it : she will read the Koran and will make her prayers. She doesn’t indeed understand, but she thinks that her parents will love her only if she makes of her a good believer. When there is no more enough money to buy some bread, she hears her parents say " Inch' Allah ". Then she doesn’t understand by what right this God, whom she has never seen, would allow to deprive them their bread.
She was born under the blessing of Allah . And when she sees her father, tired by his work because he is Magrebin and because so, he doesn’t deserve a decent work, come back to home, heavy back and empty glance, she wonders why this God, whom she has never seen, created a world of injustice and sufferings.
She was born under the blessing of Allah . And nevertheless, she doesn’t believe in it. She is only 13 years old but has to wear the veil. Her mother came to see her yesterday evening in her room without the window, it's time that she carries out her duty of woman and it's time that she respects the men.
She was born under the blessing of Allah. And she refused to wear this linen prison. His father threatened her, she refused. He said to her that she disgraced him and that she disgraced all the Moslem women who carry out duty.
She was born under the blessing of Allah. Inaya is 13 years old and is a good Muslim, she read the Koran, she made her prayers. And she wears under her veil her dreams of children and teenager, her magic and her mysteries.
By Fanny Westeel
Homeless people in Valence In the streets of Valence, there are homeless people. These men and women are living poorly, they don't have a place to live, they don't have a place to sleep, they own nothing and they fight to survive. In the streets of Valence, there are people who don't deserve the life they get. No one deserves to sleep alone, in a cold winter night. Some of them have dogs as a company, because they know that dogs are loyal, and that they won't leave them. In the streets of Valence, there are people who need help, but no one is doing a thing for them. We walk past them as if they were ghosts, because no one wants to see them, because no one wants to feel guilty of their situation. By Guillaume
But these men and women are like you and me, they are people, they deserve a decent life, they deserve to be happy. These people are not bad people, they may just have been unlucky. The next time you walk in the streets of Valence, look at the face of these people, and instead of feeling pity or guilt, ask yourself how you could help, how you could makesomething for them. In the streets of Valence, there are people who are waiting for help, there is not a lot to do if everyone does something.
I n t he st r eet s of Valence, t her e ar e homeless people, wait ing f or you.
Around me In my neighborhood, old people live on their own. Kids, aged twelve, are hiding behind cars to smoke, Though there are laws that prohibit them to smoke And above all young persons of today have a shorter life than their elders In my small town, teenagers have already set cars and new building on fire. Here unlike biggest cities, we do not have beggars and homeless people. Just people who can not integrate themselves in the system, People who came to look for a better life and just found another weather. And in my heart, I feel a bit frightened about how the world will go, about what people will do. Still hoping that tomorrow will be better, smoother and fairer for everybody, That one day, we will live all together equal on earth But I don’t know what to do for. By Idie
This is the story of a young man, modest
A strong character, and determined in its educational goals. Who had everything to succeed in life, A mother who loved him, and for whom he fought Each day to make her proud; a girlfriend and friends. He got his School-leaving certificate, his A-level, And was destined for a great career in medicine. It all seemed so beautiful and joyous Until one day his life turned upside down It was the day when he was ready to fly to his studies Of Medicine,
That day he lost his mother. His mother was everything for him, She, who gave him his courage, the strength to fight Every day, and who was the only one who cared for him. Having no family he finds himself alone with his fate And facing the harsh reality of life. So upset he's stopped his studies, he hangs out now In the street, and doesn't know what tomorrow will bring, Despite some social benefits that allow to survive, He is in debt and could be in the street Overnight.
This young man is in Valence and was in my high school ... By Issam Lahrach
Fighting Injustice Something which shocks me in my country In Valence there are many homeless people, begging in the streets. There are very young ones, and very old too. We can even see mothers with their children. This is something so usual that people almost don't see them anymore, which is already shocking, but this is not the worst. There are indeed many Romanians, who almost do not speak French, and passers by do not give a look at them. These Romanians aren't like other homeless people. Each evening, a big black car is coming to them, and they give to the driver all the money they earned in the day.
This is revolting to think that these mysterious guys, even if they are giving them a place to sleep, throw them all along the day in the streets, with their children, in order to finally take the money from their hands. The rare nice scenes I've seen with these people are when someone gives them directly something to eat. I think this is the best favor we could make to a homeless, when you know the money he gets goes for beer or in the pocket of a rick boss, who exploits them.
By Nicolas
My sister has to do work experience in the aim of validating her law degree .
She has been accepted in a law
office in Lyon. According to the contract, she must work thirty-five hours a week ; whereas, in reality, she works fifty-five hours a week, for 400euros a month. Moreover, she does exactly the work of a lawyer even if she is only a student. She can’t give up this work experience because she needs the assessment of her boss to have her degree.
That’s why she’s obliged to submit to this busy schedule. Furthermore, the boss has already dismissed a trainee, so my sister is anxious. This situation shocks me because, in my opinion, it’s exploitation. The law office takes advantage of trainees who are underpaid in order not to pay additional lawyers. It’s unacceptable because a lot of lawyers are looking for a job and they are dreaming of working in this office while a trainee must learn and not work.
By Marion Zaninotti
Something I can’t understand. Or maybe I don’t want to.
There is something I can’t understand: the fact that we can’t play music freely in the street. We can’t express ourselves freely in the street, the most popular place today. If you are homeless and a musician too, you can’t try to earn money playing music in the street. If the authorities catch you, they can keep your instrument and you may have to pay a contravention.
For example, once, I was playing music with a friend in the street in Germany and the police came, asking us to leave our place. There were people and children listening to us. The fact is that we can’t share pleasure freely in the street, that’s not allowed. I could understand that we couldn’t do that in the evening, after a certain hour not to bother people. But today, even the streets aren’t free. How could they ban us from being free in our places?
Maybe the worst kind of modern-day censorship I know.
By Maxime Fraisse