Portfolio 12 - Describing important moments

An important moment that changed my life was when my father was teaching me how to ride a bike. I was twelve, and I had finished my studies with good marks at my neighbourhood primary school. That summer I was thinking about how I could get to secondary school on September, because it was a little bit far from my house, and my family didn’t have enough money for paying the bus every school-day.

It was my saint’s day and my parents had a gift for me. They gave me a wonderful present, a folding bike, it was a BH! I was impressed even though scared, because I hadn’t ridden a bike in my life. My father, who had usually ridden when he was young, said that it wasn’t difficult and he offered to teach me.

I got up in my new bike with my father grabbed from behind and I started to ride. A bit later I listened to him more and more far from me. I turned immediately my head and he wasn’t there! Evidently I fell out. Everyone laughed around us. I was embarrassed, but he encouraged me to try it a second time. At the end of that morning I was able to ride. If my father hadn’t taught me how to ride, I wouldn’t have gone at secondary school. Probably for a lot of people could seem to be a banal matter. However, it was an opportunity for me.

PS: If I put a picture of when I was twelve perhaps you would know who I am. I prefer to remain anonymous... In this I had about six years and mischievous face... I was snacking while playing with a neighbour's tricycle.

I wish you the best for the exam... See you!!

Portfolio 11 - Telling a story

My first day working in a DIY shop is the story that I would explain. Some days before starting this job, I came across an advertisement in the newspaper that offered what I was searching. I had been searching a part-time job for having more time to looking after my daughter, who was born one year ago. I was feeling fairly frightened, because I was supposed to be responsible of a plants and flowers department, which I hadn’t ever done before.

By luck, a mate who was more expert than me at this sort of work helped me to know about the distribution of the huge warehouse, the planning of the lorry arrival and the most important items about dealing with customers and meeting deadlines.

“It is your first day, Carmen. You don’t worry about customers today. The most important thing that you must do now is know where you are and where you have to put all these flowers and plants when they arrive ". He said that was absolutely necessary do the work on time, despite the questions of customers and the usual delay of lorries that had to bring the products

However, my first day was absolutely awful. It was Christmas and the lorry arrived full of Christmas’ trees. Some of them were little trees, but half of the lorry was full of trees of more than three meters! I finished really exhausted, but happy with the results in the end. I had a part-time work, well paid and amazing, and the most interesting group of mates that I had ever had.

Portfolio 10 - Describing people

I was collaborating with an activity at my daughter’s primary school when I met Susan. It was 11 years ago and she was responsible for the children’s games at the playground. She was "Mrs Rubbish" and was teaching children how do their best with types of rubbish, recycling bins and all these things. Since then she had been one of the usual collaborator of recycling activities at some schools in my town.

At that moment we were both in our mid-thirties, although she looks younger than me. She was really thin, with short, curly and brown hair. Mine started to grey very soon, since I was eighteen. We weren’t very tall, but she was almost always noticed wherever she was. Her vitality was shown always in her brown and bright eyes and it was contagious! She loved wearing ethnic clothes. Actually, she looks like a Gypsy. She used to put on sandals and long skirts, even in winter, and also big earrings, bracelets and necklaces.

She was determined, reliable, probably a little bit rude, and sometimes stubborn, but with the kids she changed radically. With them she was patient, polite, kind and the most caring and sensitive person that I have ever known. She had always a moment to listen to them and gave some advice about whatever they asked.

I have lost usual touch with her three years ago when she left her job and moved to live to another town, but sometimes we both meet at the same places and we like talking and laughing about something or somebody. Her positive attitude towards life is still her main characteristic, and she keeps passing her happiness on to all her friends.