WHO ARE WE?

In such a fast-paced, diverse world, it takes a real leap of the imagination to believe in “generation Europe”. Certainly we have all travelled through time - growing older as a generation. Some of us have travelled through space – coming from former colonies to add richness to the European identity. But have we also managed to travel through ideas - bridging perspectives to “unite in diversity”?
--------
This blog emerged as a work result of Summer Media School in Lisbon, 21 - 30 of September 2008. We participants would like to thank all organisers for their work and passion that led them to prepaire this extraordinary event.

Editors line:
- Tanyella Allison
- Pia Dohler
- Ilaria Lonigro
- Karolina Kamińska
- Eugen Soineanu
- Michel Brioni
- Filip Jurzyk

Don’t go to Chelas

You were in Chelas? My God, I have lived in Lisbon for eight years and I have never risked going there – says Melinda, a 23-year old student who moved to Portugal with her family from Cape Verde. Melinda isn’t the only one in the Portuguese capital that knows the bad reputation of this district. But why are people afraid of Chelas, which is situated almost in the heart of this modern European city? And do the lives of people in this district differ from what we have seen in other parts of Lisbon? Finally – do the youth of Chelas fit the general mould of “generation Europe”? There was only one way to answer these questions – go to Chelas.

First impression after leaving metro at Chelas station? Ordinary part of the city. Normal streets, standard Portuguese buildings, smiling people and the usual car congestion. So is there something to be afraid of? The easiest way to find out was to ask a police officer. – It is not safe down here, especially after 7 o’clock, so better not to search for troubles cause you can find them – Jorge Barbosa, an officer from police station situated not far from the metro entrance, warned. – And you can lose your camera easily, so better keep it hidden – he added. – Don’t go there! – shouted officer Barbosa as we headed south.

Another voice of warning in this seemingly friendly neighbourhood was that of our bus driver
when asked where Africans are living. – It is not a good place to hang around – he said while opening the door on next bus stop. – But if you really wanna go there…- he added indicating “interesting” direction. Then he disappeared with lots of noise and the smell of exhaust fumes, leaving us in the very heart of African part of this city. Buildings were a bit different. Grey, overwhelming, neglected. Inhabitants of this district walking through the streets and pavements gave the impression that they weren’t going anywhere in particular but just loitering to kill time. Even when we found those who spoke French or English, they were not interested in being interviewed. Eventually an old man speaking French was willing to talk. – I moved here with my family from Guinea twenty years ago – said Nelson, 64-year old man standing in front of local food shop. – I never think how our life here looks like. We simply live from day to another, trying to avoid problems and bring up our grandchildren as good people – he added calmly.

In this sleepy and almost dull neighborhood there was only one eye-catching building – the purple, yellow, pink, green and blue-colored walls were so shockingly different from the surroundings, that we were drawn to it, like a fly coming to a bulb in the night. A narrow corridor leading to the inside was inviting us to take a peek. The calm atmosphere of this district muffled our instinct of danger, so we left the street to see what was behind the wall. Without knowing that this corridor will lead us directly to a nightmare.

“At least we are safe”

There is no doubt we were strangers in this neighborhood - like tourists trying to spy upon this community, steal their intimate way of life. Looking to find out about the life of African immigrants who moved to country of their former colonizer in search for better conditions. Cape Verde, Guinea, Sao Tome, Zanzibar, Angola, Mozambique… Portugal made a lot of mistakes in the past, ravaging the resources of some African nations, and now has a moral debt to pay. Because they usually speak Portuguese and national immigration policy is friendly for them, lots of Africans move to Portugal wishing to find a better life.

After meeting few talkative Africans, we discovered that in general Portuguese society is friendly to them and doesn’t show any strong racist behaviour. – There is no racism here, especially amongst young children – says Mais, a 40-year old women carrying her small daughter Camille and sitting opposite to her old mother Adelaide. We found those three women sitting in a tiny kiosk where Madame Adelaide was selling vegetables and fruit on the street. 30-years ago this African family moved to Portugal from Cape Verde. Now they live on the edge of poverty, earning what little money they can from selling goods to other Chelas inhabitants. But they do not complain about their life here. – At least Camille can study in school with other children and we feel safe here – says Mais in French. In the nest of African anger

But the rainbow-like building wasn’t safe at all. As we passed through the corridor into a courtyard between pink and green walls, we felt we had entered a different dimension. Although the courtyard was empty it was oppressively stuffy, a muffled hip-hop beat from some open window piercing the silence. Click! We took one picture and chaos descended. Immediately, from different sides of the courtyard more than a dozen young black people appeared, hiding their faces in t-shirts, running towards us and yelling in Portuguese. This time we didn’t need a translation – we were in a serious trouble.

Knowing that if we ran away, it would be over, we faced the situation head-on. The group encircled us and started pushing, trying to take our cameras, screaming that we are undercover police. We saw wild anger in their bloodshot eyes and when they realised that we’re foreigners, some of them started yelling in English. Fighting to keep camera in our hands, we tried to persuade them that we were just lost in their neighborhood while visiting Chelas to see how people are living here. Finally, they were convinced, as they stood and watched as all the pictures were deleted from the memory card.

- What the f… are you doing here? Get away now! – someone shouted. So we headed back to the street, still encircled by the group pushing us aggressively. But as we left the building, their curiosity gave us the initiative. Shaking their hands as with friends and introducing ourselves, we gained a bit of trust and started asking about their life, roots and problems. Showing respect to them, we somehow managed to start a discussion. The most talkative guy was Dave, a young Briton who came to visit his family living in Chelas. When most of his friends went back to the building, he explained why we were so lucky to get out from there without being harmed. – You made a picture of two guys making a deal with drugs, this is a site where they sell this stuff for whole district – he said.

Asked about the police station that was directly opposite the building, Dave answered: - And what then? You will never see a policeman here. They don’t come inside, they are too afraid of us.

During the riot, we saw a few young white Portuguese boys among the mainly black group. – So you don’t live separately here? – we asked. – No, man! We’re brothers and sisters, skin color doesn’t matter. They live on the same street, go to the same schools and deal with the same problems, so why should we hate each other? – Dave answered.
Micro-world

Just opposite the drug dealers nest, there was a school and kindergarten. All over the place, children were just having fun, talking, playing without any fear. They were very friendly and those who were older even wanted to speak. 14-year old Melissa, and Neuza and Ugu who were two years younger confirmed everything that Dave told us. For them, Chelas was their home, a safe district where they were growing up, playing and laughing. They didn’t care about the origins of their parents or skin color. – If you are from here, you don’t have to be afraid of anything – said Melissa. – Just you need to accept and respect others – she added.

And do you want to know, where all this happens? Shop, school, kinder garden, police station, dealers nest and vegetable kiosk were on both sides of… Avenida Joao Paulo II.

Text: Filip Jurzyk

Photo: An-Sofie Kesteleyn

Trapped in time: an immigrants odyssey

“Who wants to do an article on Africans in Portugal?” In a room full of European journalists a wave of hands go up. But why are we so interested in this topic - Is it just that we are looking for “colour” for our articles? Do we simply want to find some striking cultural differences to impress our readers? Or perhaps only a tag line for a spicy shocking lead? Yet the question of immigration is at the heart of what the European Youth Press stands for. Our aim is not only to create awareness of the work of the European Parliament, and issues that are topical in individual members states, but also to forge a European identity: What is a European? How can the European Union facilitate the integration of so many cultures?

Samm’s story is a case in point. He has lived in Portugal for 16 years, but now feels lost and helpless in the country he fled to in 1992 to escape the war in Liberia. He was lucky – eventually he was granted a visa that allowed him to get a job. He worked in construction as an unskilled labourer like many of his fellow Liberians – dangerous, poorly paid, irregular work – but still he felt like he had a chance. Yet in 2004 his employer cheated him out of his taxes, and when he went to renew his visa he was refused: “The last time I had legal papers was in 2005. I told the SEF [Portugese Ministry for Immigration] what had happened but they didn’t care about my problems. They made it harder for me. Here in Portugal they don’t have people who care.” Now Samm relies on his friends to help him out, “I won’t go and take money from the social service, I can’t do this, I have more dignity than that”.

The helplessness of Samm’s situation is painfully ironic: “Now I have to pay the taxes that I owe the state so I can have my visa re-instated” Samm explains, “but I don’t have the money because I am not working. And I can’t work until I have my visa - it is enough to make you go crazy”. According to Samm, the European Union is not doing enough in Portugal, although in other countries the situation is better – “the EU is doing a lot for immigrants in Holland and Spain” he remarks. Does he feel like a European? “I feel like I have a right to be here, after all these years. I just want a stable life. If I could do anything, I would work as an interior designer. I could have had a family by now but I can’t even support myself”. He strokes his hair where the strands of grey are beginning to show.

Across the city in a quiet residential neighbourhood, Nelson Chantre, a bright-eyed, well-dressed student, is taking part in the initiation of the new students at his university. His father came from Cape Verde when he was just 17, settled and married a Portugese lady, and Nelson was born in Portugal. “I feel an affiliation to Cape Verde but I am Portugese. People here are beginning to feel like Europeans too,” he tells me. To me, Nelson is the epitome of the “new generation” of Europeans that are a part of our collective identity. He is a second generation immigrant, but he is also a European, and like many of us, he looks beyond the borders of Portugal and sees a bright future for himself in Europe.

Samm’s story could have been different – he could also have a son Nelson’s age, who is looking to the future. Instead, he is trapped in time, unable to move forward with his life and achieve his potential. Yet Nelson is testament to the fact that integration is possible, and desirable. Our European identity can be greatly enriched by those who by accident of language, war or colonisation in their home country, come to Europe for a brighter future.

Text: Tanyella Allison

The “slave” who quoted Shakespeare

In Praça de Figueira people are walking fast. The lunch break has just finished and everybody must go back to their jobs. Everyone except for tourists, who are sitting in the cafés, a few birds pecking at crumbs, and some old men loitering in the park. We are here to speak to the immigrant community, to find out about the journey of those from African colonies, but the task is not so easy. We try approaching some people but most of them speak only Portuguese and are not so friendly with us - three white smiling students asking for an interview in English.

John Baley Wiston is a healthy man. His hands are really strong, but his eyes are gentle and his voice is pure. He has a lot to say and finally he found someone interested in the hell he lives in. He’s 43, but he looks older. Life hasn’t been easy for him. He arrived in Portugal in 1993, on June 6th. He remembers very well the day he arrived from Liberia, an ex British colony with a name full of hope. I ask him why he didn´t move to England instead and he simply replies: “ I came here by coincidence, I had no choice. It was during the war in Liberia. The only way to make your life safe was jumping in any wagon, so I came here by boat. It took two weeks ”.

Even though he has been a legal resident since 1997, John doesn’t feel like he’s Portuguese: “ Emotions, background and mentality are different ”. He works in construction, as a labourer, like many male African immigrants in Lisbon – women work as cleaners. “ Many labourers die, but if you refuse to do something, they fire you. These are only temporary jobs and it happens that we don’t receive any money for the works we have done ”. Supervisors are called “ gargados ” and their strategy is trying to shy away from their responsibilities: “ They have no respect, they intimidate you and abuse you, telling you any type of things”, says John, “They make you feel like a slave ”.
Labour unions exist, but they can’t work if workers first don’t speak out. “ Africans from Portuguese colonies never speak out. They are scared, they’ve never been used to it. Africans from British colonies don’t behave like this. But if we are divided, as workers and as Africans, we will never change things ”. Sometimes the government organises security checks, but they’re insufficiant.

John lost all his family in Liberia, and hasn´t been able to go back and visit his homeland, nor can he afford to move forward with his life and start a new family. He is stuck in time, a prisoner of a dreadful situation. If he had the opportunity to study and learn something, if Portugal gave him this chance, things would be different. He would like to have his own business, he would find his own way, anything which could make him independent. Than he would send money to his country. “ I’m forced to do my job. There’s nothing I can do here. It’s not question of liking or not ”.

If he could say something to the European Union, he would say: “ There are so many Africans who could be engineers, lawyers, because they studied, but they don’t have the opportunity. If you don’t want all these immigrants to come here without any role, you have to start solving the problem from the roots. You don’t have to think about Africans here, but you have to help Africans in Africa. They need technologies, schools and hospitals. Without money they can’t do anything. My generation has problems, forth generation will have more and more problems. Poverty is not a natural thing, it’s a man made thing, caused by capitalism ”.

John is charismatic, full of information, and is always smiling, even though inside he is sad: “I feel like I am handicapped by this senseless world”. But he trusts in the next generation of Europeans - maybe the future will be better. For the moment, he has to face reality. “ The most important thing is to find a form of relief for yourself. I find it in faith and in music: ‘If music be the food of love, give me excess of it that suffice the appetite’ : it’s Shakespeare ”. I ask him to write the quote on my notebook, because I can’t remember it. His hand shivers, the letters are barely legible.

Text: Ilaria Lonigro

Photo: 1) Zaza, 2) An-Sofie Kesteleyn

European Youth and Prejudice – the elephant in the room

One thing we have learnt from the 2008 Summer Media School (SMS) in Lisbon? That there is still a lot to do to when it comes to uniting young European journalists behind a common vision of how the press can be a force for unity in Europe.

The point of this event in Lisbon was to bring together those interested in journalism from all across Europe to learn from each other in an atmosphere of mutual intercultural understanding. Yet this aim made one large assumption – that we have intercultural understanding in the first place. So far the program has been marred by a remarkable lack of racial and cultural sensitivity. The European Youth Press (EYP) now, more than ever, has its work cut out for it.

Five days into the SMS and we are finally talking to one another with honesty – cracks begin to show in the edifice that is “generation Europe”. So far SMS in Lisbon has been a whirr of media workshops, street interviews and brainstorming sessions. Getting to know all the participants, from 7 different European nations has been an incredible experience. Yet in the midst of all this excitement and chaos, we have forgotten to ask some important questions: What are we all doing here? What does the European Youth Press stand for? Why are we involved?

This is not a question that can be answered now. We must simply recognise the gulf between who we profess to be and who we really are as the new “generation Europe”. Once our prejudices are out in the open then we can discuss them. In some cases this may simply be a miscommunication – a product of the language barrier or differences in humour – yet it may also be evidence of much deeper differences. If we simply continue to believe that we have no prejudices then we will forever remain divided, as though by some invisible force – an elephant in the room that is not confronted.

The European Youth Press is a space where young journalists who believe in forging a more informed, tolerant and educated Europe through the press can come together to share experiences and ideas. In the mainstream media where some of us work we are under pressure to produce articles that will sell, with sensationalist headlines and with conclusions often based upon dubious evidence. But EYP is not about profit. It is about young people having a voice on important issues, not sometime in the distant future, but here and now in the present.

Text: Tanyella Allison

WHAT IS OUR CULTURE?

The vivid emotion of Fado, the delicate beauty of Portugese tiles, the excitement of initiation rituals. Now we move through European culture, exploring the streets of Lisbon and comparing our occasionally bizarre experiences!

video
- Praxis in Portugal : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvJfTM9CznI
- Portrait of a portugeese singer : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3mmqKcIA-8

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Praxes!

“It’s so big you can’t fit it in your mouth!! - It’s so small you can’t see it!!” – boys and girls with painted faces shout at each other across the street. The new students, or “caloiros”, are led by senior students in chants, some full of blatant sexual innuendo and crass competitiveness.

Nelson Chantre, a second year student at ESCS helps me to unravel this vibrant ritual, as the colourfully painted students dance and shout around us. The caloiros are separated into four teams and adorned with frivolous costumes – mafia, pirates, zombies or Mexicans – and spend a week battling it out in a celebration designed to welcome them to their new life as a university student.

For the senior students, who are also the organisers of the ceremony, the dress code is a much more serious matter. Whilst they fully participate in the celebrations they must also dress in a strict uniform – black trousers or skirt, a white shirt and specially tailored waistcoat and jacket. Most also wear the “capa”, a special cape which (occasionally lovingly decorated with badges) which they wear over their left shoulder. ‘Why the left shoulder?’ I hear you ask. “Because it is near my heart”, Nelson explains. For Nelson, this ceremony is not just about getting drunk and singing nursery rhymes – it is also a symbolic ceremony marking entry into a new system of rules, and a new way of life. “ The uniforms that we wear symbolise that we are all equal, but we must also teach the students to have respect for the rules, and respect for the school”.

The caleiros have a lot to learn, in this game of symbols and subtle signals. Scratching the surface, I discovered that if you are wearing your jacket, your “capa” must not be more than 10m from you. Also, one button undone on your waistcoat means you are single, two buttons undone and you are spoken for (certainly useful information).

Still, what is the point in all this ceremony? As the students begin dancing the ‘party train’ there is no doubt that they are having a good time and getting to know each other better (if perhaps a little too well), but why all the crazy costumes and shouting? “Integration” says Joana Goncalves, who is joined by her fellow Zombie and Pirate, “Without this ceremony we would feel like outsiders around each other” Francisco Inacio adds. Even Vanessa Duarte, a seemingly shy 18 year-old, admits, “the sexual songs make me feel normal with everyone – we are not embarrassed!”

The praxes ceremony certainly puts “Fresher’s Week” in the UK to shame – getting drunk and getting laid seem to be the two main purposes of our ‘ceremonies’. Yet in Portugal, the aim is rather to break down barriers between young people with diverse interests and backgrounds in a fun and sociable way. Whilst in Holland some universities have degrading ceremonies in order to initiate students into cliquey ‘fraternities’, in Portugal the point is to make everyone seem approachable. Comparing European culture is not a task I would like to assume, but whilst watching the colourful caloiros, I couldn’t help but feel like I had missed out on an important life milestone.

Text: Tanyella Allison

Breakdance to unite the nations

Pumping hip hop beats are filling a run-down gymnasium in the old centre of Lisbon. We can feel the heat and the smell of sweat in the air when we walk in.

A group of guys with muscular bodies are doing “headspins”, “turtles” and “windmills” across the floor – the acrobatic moves of the “Formula Armada” breakdance crew. There are 10 people in the group between the ages of 18 and 28 from all over the world: Angola, Brazil, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland, who all live in the close suburbs of Lisbon. They got to know each other through friends and breakdancing events, and now they train together two times a week in the old centre of Portugal’s capital.

One of the founders of the group is Wilson Magalhaes, a 21 year old Angolan, who started dancing at the age of 9, imitating his older brother Owaldo and his uncle who were also performing. “But my biggest idol is Michael Jackson” he comments. Together with his brother Owaldo he founded the group “Formula Armada” in 2004.
The main idea behind the group is to have a positive impact on young people and to find a way to cope with the struggles of life. “We are like a family”, says Wilson and stresses that, “everybody is an equal member”.

Maria, 27, is one of the two “B-Girls” of the crew. For seven months she has practiced with Formula Armada after she met the crew at a national Breakdance championship. She was adamant that she had no problem keeping up with the boys, even though breakdancing is a very athletic and powerful sport - she keeps the boys in line.

At the moment “Formula Armada” is developing a unique style and they are becoming more widely known, both in Lisbon and beyond. Since winning some national competitions and even appearing on national Portuguese television now they regularly get booked for events and shows. Wilson tells proudly that now they have started to earn some money with dancing and that they also obtained some sponsorship. Right now they are touring across Portugal with a Hip-Hop Formation named “Makongo”. To find out more, check www.myspace.com/formulaarmada

What is Breakdance?
Breakdance is a dance style which was originally performed in the streets and which is known as a part of the hip hop movement. It was first danced by African American and Puerto Rican youths in Manhattan and the South Bronx of New York City during the early 1970s. Normally it is danced to Pop, Funk and Hip Hop music.
It is said that Breakdance or B-Boying was an alternative for the youth apart from the violence of urban street gangs.The Breakdance culture is known to be free of any race, gender or age boundaries and today it is a worldwide practised and accepted dance style

----------------------

But breakdancers aren't the only ones, who represent street culture in Lisbon. Do you know anything about Capoeira?

Capoeira is a folk art that ritualizes movement from martial arts, games, and dance. It emerged in Brazil some time after the 16th century in the regions known as Bahia, Pernambuco, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, and São Paulo. It is said that Capoeira was first created and developed by slaves brought to Brazil from Angola, the Congo, the Gulf of Guinea and the Gold Coast, who used it as a way to practice their martial arts moves while making it appear to be a game or dance.

One of the most important “Capoeiristas” was “Mestre Bimba”. He was a master practitioner and founded the first Capoeira academy in Brazil in 1932. Mestre Bimba developed the Capoeira Regional style which was more effective. Besides the Capoeira Regional there is also practiced the Capoeira Angola today which are the two biggest and common styles of Capoeira.

Text: Manuel Rhode

Photo: 1) Yannick Brusselmans, 2) Eugene Soineanu

Postcards from Lisbon

Night time in Lisbon


Over 12 milion tourists have visited Portugal last year, according to the local media. Tourism is contributing with about 5% at Portugal’s gross domestic product. Lisbon is, after Barcelona, the European city attracting most tourists, with 7 milion tourists sleeping in the city’s hotels in 2006, according to DN online. The number of tourists grew by 11,8 % compared to the previous year.

Pink ice cream

Inside this river of green and gray, trees and buildings, tourists and businessmen, pink suddenly appears. Smiling to everybody passing by, Maria, a round faced chubby lady, sells her pink ice-cream for one, two or three euros, depending on the number of ice-cream bulbs. She does the same thing, every day, on the Liberdade Av., until 7 pm, hiding from the sun beneath a pink umbrella. The when she takes the metro home, across the city, somewhere near Pontinha. Her three children, aged 7 to 16 get dressed, eat and study of Maria’s pink ice-cream.

Poor “Alegria”

Here begins the middle-class life, protected from the tourists that invade the city, just like a swarm of clicking insects, taking photos one after another. Here, instead of photo-cameras, people walk with groceries bags in their hands, while backpacks are only worn by the little-ones returning back from school. Luis and his family are standing in front of their house, enjoying lunch, in the space left free by a car that parted from the sidewalk provisory parking lot. They’re having fish. “We stay like this when we are all at home. This is fish. It is good”, Luis says, while his wife laughs loudly of her husbands’ attempt in speaking a foreign language.
The “sight” of English seems to attract some other people and pairs of eyes to appear in the windows like some portrait exhibition framed by an unconventional artist.

Text: Adrian M. Popa

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Azulejos – the specific Portuguese Art

“Tiles! We work to preserve them!” (Carcavelos –Duarte e Rosa, Lda.)


Let’s talk about ceramics. This type of Portuguese art is called ‘Azulejos’, manafactured for about five centuries. It has a really strong history, makes a great present and also has a bright future. It signifies the soul of the Portugal, which is a colorful one.

Duarde Morgado, the manager of this shop, prefers the innovative paints, because he said he’s really good at it, and also his employees. He discovered his passion for this activity at about 16 years old, but he’s disappointed that his only son doesn’t share the same hobby, continuing this family business: he’s a modern student at architecture, leaving Portugal for studying in New York. Asked about his future plans, Duarte said that they want to research more about the tiles’ composition and also improving the polychromes and glazes, keeping up to date with the newest methods.

An important step in giving life to these tiles is the one when choosing the colors. There are two options: blue or multicolor. Blue, as Duarde’s wife, Rosa, said, represents the best the Portugal, expressing serenity, optimism and clarity. And the Portuguese people are characterized by this description also.

It’s good to know that more tiles doesn’t necessarily imply a higher price. In the price there are included a lot of factors, and tiles can be as expensive as 180 euros for only one tile. But one can also pay 20 euros for 30 tiles. So, the price is about factors: antiquity, method, material, size, and number.

Some models can be seen in the Palacio National de Sinatra in the center of Lisbon, in Palacio Marquies de Poma (where the paint was remade), in the Casino Lisboa Marcau, on a lot of streets, restaurants, different building, in the houses’ interior and of course, in a lot of specialized books.

The most popular and the most important paint made by Duarte e Rosa Morcado is called “The leaves and the grapes”, which actually represents the stamp of a grouse. It’s an abstract paint, but full of expressivity, showing the multiple personality of life. Excepting these tiles, they can also make different other things, like plates, decorations for locals, ashtrays and so many other forms. It’s a ceramic paradise out there and it’s a sin if you miss it, because Azulejo is one of the main industries in this dynamic city.


Name: Ceramica Artistica de CarcavelosAddressAvenida do Loureiro, 47 – b, 2775 – 599, CarcavelosContact21.456.32.67, www/azulejos@ceramica-carcavelos.pt The best painted ceramics would be in the Carcavelos, at about 12 kilometers from Lisbon. It’s called Duarte & Rosa Lda. and it’s the best one because it has an essential difference: there you can see the employees painting in front of you. They talk to you, explaining what they’re doing and what they want to do.


Text: Catalina Chersin
Photo: Yannick Brusselmans

If I make you cry I'm happy

Fado undoubtedly is Portugal’s most famous music. The mournful tunes and lyrics usually performed by one singer and one or more guitar players can be heard in the taverns of Lisbon’s working class city sectors every night. According to Portuguese Fado enthusiasts this music is probably the oldest Folk music in the world, however it is not music for old people only.

In the beautiful little streets of the Alfama quarter of Lisbon signs with the promise “Fado tonight” written on them in big letters are placed in front of every tavern. A young Portuguese woman with long black hair and brown eyes talks to tourists who meander through Alfama. With her black t-shirt and her jeans, she does not look different from other modern young women in Europe. But when she closes her eyes and starts to sing, her music goes right into your heart and touches your soul and suddenly you understand that the lady standing right in front of you is really special. Raquel Tavares is one of the most popular young Fado singers in Portugal at the age of 23.

“I started to sing Fado when I was five years old”, the Fadista says. “I performed in the bars and I loved it.” Asked why she started to sing the Portuguese traditional music she answers “I just had to”, and explains: “ You cannot learn Fado, you have to have it in you ”. Raquel Tavares grew up in Alfama within half a kilometre’s distance from the “House of Fado”, a museum dedicated to the Portuguese music, so her career as a Fadista does not seem surprising but rather predestined. It was actually not her parents who brought her to Fado though. “My mother is a Fado singer as well, but she started later than I did. So she came to Fado through me, not the other way round”, the multi talented artist who won the Portuguese version of ´Dancing with the Stars´ says and laughs. Since the age of 18 Raquel has been a professional Fadista performing all over Europe and also in America. She is very proud of the characteristic music of Portugal. “It is our culture, our tradition. We have to show you what we have.”

Although Raquel is a member of a new generation of young Fado singers, she does not like the experimental Fado which is mixed with other music styles. “I do not believe in the new Fado”, she says firmly. Apparently that does not do any harm to her popularity among young people. According to her, the age spectrum of her fans is wide and there are young and old people who come to hear her sing. “We have very young songwriters and very young poets as well”, the Fadista stresses that not only singers or fans of Fado are members of a new generation.

She has been a professional Fado singer for quite some time now, but Raquel is still not really used to her fame. She finds it strange that people stop and look at her or ask her for autographs because in her opinion she is the same person that she has always been. “When I walk through Lisbon and people ask me if I am Raquel Tavares, I am always a bit embarrassed. If on the other hand my mother is with me she would always be very proud and say ‘yes she is’”, the singer laughs.

Asked about the secret of Fado the 23year old explains: “Fado is a way of being in life, but the most important thing is emotion. Many people do not understand one word of what I am singing about, but they feel my feelings.” Her songs thus mostly are about feelings, emotions and life and also about her hometown. “Lisbon is my inspiration”, the beautiful woman tells. As sharing your feelings with strangers sounds very intimate one might think it is hard to perform in front of a big crowd. Raquel though prefers a big audience to a little one: “I love to sing in front of many people. It is way harder for me to do it in front of a small group.” A success for the young lady is when she sees that she could really touch the hearts and souls of her listeners: “If I make you cry, I am happy”, the Fadista says.
-----------------------------------
The music one does not just play or sing, but feel

Antonio Cardoso has been selling Fado in his green truck in the Rua da Prata in Lisbon for 15 years. If you want to learn something about Fado, he’s the man.

Sabine Stang: What is the most important thing one has to know about Fado?
Antonio Cardoso: Fado is the traditional music from Lisbon. For us Portuguese, Fado is what Tango is for Argentinians or Flamenco for the Spanish.

Who are the most famous Fado singers?
Amália Rodrigues was the queen of Fado, she is the number one. From the young generation, Mariza is the most famous.

Who are your customers?
I sell especially to tourists, young and old people. The young customers like the new generation of young Fado singer a lot.

Are there conflicts between traditionalists and fans of the new Fado?
Some of the old people don’t like the new Fado. Mariza for example looks like a pop star, not a Fado singer. The costumes the young singers wear are made by designers. Some people say that is not traditional Fado.

What is the secret of Fado?
Fado is the kind of music that one doesn’t just play or just sing, but most important – feel.

Feel – what?
Love or things connected to it, for example, jealousy.

Text: Sabine Stang
Photos: 1) Damiano Razzoli, 2) Diletta Pignedoli

What do Europeans have in common?

Erasmus Students in Lisbon have one thing in common: difficulties to learn the language.

“Pardal pardo, porque palras – Grey sparrow, why do you chatter away?”, Vanise Amaral reads out and looks expectantly at the faces of her students. “Pardal pardo, porgue palras”, they dutifully repeat the tongue twister. Vanise Amaral’s students however are not kindergarten kids but grown up students who decided to spend one or two Erasmus semesters in Lisbon.

In room F1 of the “Universidade Lusíada de Lisbon” about ten pairs of eyes look more or less attentively at Portuguese teacher Vanise Amaral.
“Yesterday I tried to speak Portuguese with a taxi driver. He did not really understand me and I did not really understand him, but nevertheless it was nice”, Smaranda Alexandrescu who was born in Romania, grew up in Luxembourg and now studies in Brussels says and laughs. Since all the university lectures of the 23year old student who speaks Romanian, French, German, English and Luxembourgish fluently, are held in Portuguese she is very confident that it will improve soon: “I just have to get through it.” Riina Kaartamo from Finland also believes that she will make progress. “I live together with a Portuguese woman. Until now we actually talk in English, but we will start to speak in Portuguese soon”, the 27year old student of psychology says.

All students of Vanise Amaral’s class agree that Portuguese is not an easy language to learn, their problems however are different. “For me the ‘sh, sh, sh’ is the most difficult”, says Elena Bartolozzo from Italy as she grimaces and makes sibilant sounds. Her neighbour Ewa Pol from Poland disagrees: “That is easy for me because we have that in Polish as well. I think it’s hard that one word can have so many meanings.”

Vanise Amaral has been teaching Portuguese to Erasmus students for twelve years and she knows that it is not easy to learn the language and also that there are differences concerning the nationality of the students. “In the beginning some students are always about to give up, but when the course is finished, they are able to say at least the most basic things”, the likeable elder lady says.

Many seats are empty in classroom 1F this Friday morning and the experienced teacher knows the reason. “In the first week, everybody –about 40 people - comes here at eight o’clock. Then they find friends and start to arrive at nine or ten, being very tired”, the woman who was born in Porto says and smiles indulgently.

“Portuguese people like when people speak their language ” says the teacher. For student Ewa Pol, there was no question that she would take Portugese classes: “ I am staying here for one year and for me it would be a shame, if I didn’t speak a word of Portuguese after that ”, the 23year old student of architecture says. Luong Phuoc Hung from Italy adds that he wanted to enlarge his knowledge of language. Marialisa Fontanabona had more emotional reasons to learn Portuguese. “I love the language, but I don’t know the language yet”, she laughs.

In her twelve years of teaching students from different European countries, Vanise Amaral has noticed that there are differences between different countries. “People from the North are often shyer than people from the South, Italians for example are more open”, she says. After all, no matter where the students come from, to learn Portuguese they all have to work hard. Asked for the secret of how to learn the language as fast as possible, the experienced language teacher says: “The best way is to try to speak to Portuguese, to try to communicate with people and read the news. But of course you have to learn the grammar”, she says almost a bit apologetically.

Text: Sabine Stang
Photo: Filip Jurzyk

WHERE ARE WE GOING?

Let’s take a bus stop! No, let’s go by metro! However you choose to travel round our blog, we hope you will take time to rest at the bus stop, and ask, where is generation Europe going?

Generation hostel

How can we travel worldwide without a lot of money for hotels? The new generation has the answer for that. Hostels!

Cheap
Every day a new portal is created with special offers for hostel accommodation. Spending a night at a hostel can be as much as eight times cheaper than at hotel - the average price in Europe is around 15 euro per night. The biggest difference between hostels and hotels is that at a hostel you rent just a bed not a room, and there are often 4, 8 or 12 bunk beds in a room.

I’ve been for 2 years in the army and now I have to chill out so I’m travelling in Europe – says Chen Winter (21) from Israel who next week will start her job as a librarian. Right now she is in Scotland, where she is staying in her seventh hostel this week. I don’t have enough money for the Ritz but I want to travel so I have just one option: hostel - laughs she.

Hostels offer more integration programmes than hotels. The Budget Backpackers hostel in Edinburgh, where Chen has spent 2 days, organises a daily free tour of the city for his customers and integration evenings at a traditional Scottish pub in the city centre.

Strangers
The biggest problem with hostels is that it may happen that you have to share a room with strangers – says a student, Ilaria (21) from Toscana, who has stayed at hostels in Italy, Norway and Portugal. She had just one bad experience at a hostel when she visited Rome - That was really horrible. I was in a room with Mexican boys who didn’t take a shower and they had left their socks on the floor. Ilaria stays in hostels when she wants to save money - the quality changes from country to country and from hostel to hostel but in general I was really happy with hostels.

Be careful!!!
Of course, there are sometimes problems with security. The Phd student Damiano (27) from Bologna has been staying at hostels for 7 years. He has been in Great Britain, Belgium, Sweden, Italy, US and in Portugal where he was a victim of theft - Somebody has stolen my camera, digital recorder, glasses and shaver. When the police came I was told to go to the police station but they said that there was nothing they could do.

Life style
A hostel is not just accommodation, it’s a life style – says Ania (24), a student from Poland. She was in many hostels in Europe and met a lot of open, friendly and “crazy” people who don’t worry about the hostel’s condition, and she has many great hostel stories. Her favourite hostel is located in Riga in Latvia – I met there a guy who is responsible just for the atmosphere at hostel. He is talking with everybody and making an atmosphere like at home.

Good to know!

The most famous hostels’ portal:
http://www.hostelsworld.com/
http://www.hostelsbookers.com/
http://www.hostels.com/
http://www.hostelz.com/
If you choose a hostel take notice of:
- Location - Safety
- Value -Facilities
- Staff -Atmosphere

Text: Marcin Antosiewicz

Photo: Filip Jurzyk

Lisbon on wheels

This Latin capital is the soul of the transportation’s variety.

There you see a lot of booths, a lot of people, stairs, graffiti that just steals your eyes and four colored lines: green, red, yellow and blue.

A soft voice from the metro announce your station





For taxis, the metre normally starts at 2 euros and after that it is on the metre. If you’d like to rent your own car, you must be at least 21 years old, and have had a license for at least one year

The gas stations are opened from 7 am to 10 pm

The bus could be the best choice. It’s a sure way of transport and the ticket is only 1.4 euros

“28 tram”, is the special tram for the tourists. This tram should be on the “must do” list - it’s like stepping back in time to the Victorian era.

Text: Catalina Chersin
Photos: 1) Eugene Soineanu, 2) Tom , 3) Pia

African wishing to change the world

Nelson Santa Rosa is a 24-year old African student who moved to Lisbon from one of the smallest countries in the world – Sao Tome. While living in his own country, he was working in a telecom company for 50 euro per month. After finishing law studies, Nelson wishes to return to homeland. He wants to fight with corruption and help in development of African countries. Immigrants like Nelson are becoming a new category of European citizens. Should we be afraid of them or support their dreams?


Filip Jurzyk: Where is Sao Tome?
Nelson Santa Rosa: It is an island close to the West African coast, opposite to Nigeria and Gabon.

How big is your family?
I have three brothers and one half-sister – she has a different mother than me. You need to accept that Africa has a different culture. Men sometimes have children with two or three women and this is normal. One day a man is in his first woman’s house, the other day he can be with the second one. My mother died five years ago and my father lives in Gabon.

And why did you come to Portugal?
I came to study because we don’t have any university in Sao Tome. I couldn’t study in my country. Everything started when I came here with a short-term visa just to participate in a HIV conference that was held last month. They invited me here because I was working for a magazine in Sao Tome. We write about this disease, inform and give pieces of advice. People have the opportunity to ask about HIV, publish their opinions. And after I arrived, I decided that I would stay here. I asked for a student visa and I got it. Now I live with my family in an apartment. I don’t have time for working because I study hard. So my family has to pay for me.

Do you see any racism here in Lisbon?
Nothing, man! In my opinion it is not racism when I sit in the bus and some white people don’t wanna seat opposite to me. But I think they are just afraid. I have to admit that some black people coming from Africa are dangerous. But they don’t have to be afraid of us. People from Sao Tome are welcome in Portugal, because we are one of the most peaceful nations in the world.

After finishing education, will you look for your place in Sao Tome? Or you want to stay here in Lisbon?
No way, man! My country deserves me and I want to develop it. I will go back to Sao Tome although I know that I could find a job in Portugal as well. There is a lack of well-educated people in my country. So after finishing law studies, you can work for the government, international institutions, oil companies or simply open a private office. I believe that if you are good, you can find job easily. But first I need to be the best student.

What kind of problems does your country needs to deal with? Are there some ethnic clashes in Sao Tome? Civil war?
In some countries it happens. But we are different, because it’s a small country. There are no separate ethnic groups. We are close to the European culture. The problem is, that we are not only one of the smallest but also one of the poorest countries in the world. And politicians are corrupted.

And you believe that you will manage to change your country?
My challenge is to change this kind of view, to change people. I will be back, I love my country and I want it to develop. I feel responsible for what’s going on there. And it’s possible to change people. When the country is so small, it is easy to send the message. The first step is to invest in education. In my country everyone can go to school easily but conditions are poor – we don’t have enough books, buildings and teachers. We need to build more schools. Do you believe that we have only one high school for 150 000 citizens of Sao Tome? I have finished this school and that’s why I could come to Lisbon.

Can students receive any help from Sao Tome or other countries?
Yes, theoretically. Western countries give scholarships to our students but the government takes everything for their own family members. My uncle is a foreign minister in Sao Tome but he doesn’t care about others, just his own interest. I don’t trust him because he’s in the government.

What do you mean by saying that politicians get scholarships for themselves?
I know students from Sao Tome in Portugal that have scholarship but don’t receive the money. France, USA, Germany, Netherlands... They give scholarships for students from Sao Tome. But instead of giving it directly to students, they send the money to government who should pass it over to students. But on the way, money disappears. My friends studying in Portugal were writing letters to Sao Tome government that they are hungry, cannot buy books and neither pay fees. But the money didn’t come. No one wants to help them.

But Europe is sending lots of money to Africa.
Europe is trying to help Africa, send money, but nothing changes. They should oblige African governments to work on problems instead of sending money. Don’t give us money but help to build our development. Teach our people how to build universities. Because if you give money, they’ll disappear in politicians hands and our life won’t change. Most African countries say, “ We are poor because of Europe”. I don’t agree, man! This is our own fault. We need to make this the first step. When we do it, Europe can help in making the second one.

What is your biggest dream?
My dream is to become a politician. I won’t be corrupted, because I am from the next generation. We come with fresh minds and ideas to change our country, to change Africa.

Interview and photo by Filip Jurzyk

Press

Coming soon...

Photo

Coming soon...

Video

In this page are listed the videos created by the students of the Summer Media School, held in Lisbon during september 2008 and organized by European Youth Press Portugal

These short documentaries and reportage refers to the european generation taking an in-depth view of how youth is a main part of it and possibly its future.

Inside SMS

http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=XCd6J12pUhw

Ana Free

http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=-3mmqKcIA-8

Praxe

http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=lvJfTM9CznI

EU Views

http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei98oQQSJcA

Radio

Coming soon...