Monday, December 18, 2006

What I'm going to do for Christmas

Christmas is when we celebrate Jesus Christ's birthday. We have Christmas holidays starting on December 23. We like Christmas holidays because we get presents and we get to go for special Mass, and we have a party. Some people. We get together, meet at church and have a nice fun thing.

Little before Christmas, we go for practise to learn Christmas carols. Then, we sing it little before Christmas, around our whole vaddo. A vaddo is part of our village. Uncle Nicholas taught us Christmas carols this year. We sing in English, and only one in Portuguese (Felis Novidade ... half is in English). Some which we sang are Jingle Bells, Silent Night, O Come All Ye Faithful, Joy To The World....

Silent Night, Holy Night
All is dark, all is right....

We collect some money, and we give it to the Church for Christmas.

For Christmas we make different kinds of sweets. Like doce, pinag, guava cheese, kal-kals, neuris. Doces is made out gram (chana). Pinag is made out of jaggery, and is brownish-black. Gauva cheese is made out of gauva. Kal-kals are made out of wheat and they are curly in shape. Neuris look like boats (in shape) and they are made out of coconut sometimes, or jaggery, or gram-flour.

And, dada, I wanted to write cashew barfi. People make it? Not so many....

Cashew-barfi is made out of cashew, and it has silver foil on it. You're meant to eat it....

I like gauva cheese and cashew barfi, because I love gauvas and cashew barfi, because it's very tasty.

My mother also likes gauva cheese, and cashew barfi. My father likes pinag and ... nothing else.

They celebrate lots of Christmas parties in Goa, and they play a lot of nice games.

So far I went for two parties, the Don Vaddo one, and the St Mary's one. In Don Vaddo, Santa Claus came on a bullock cart, and the other Santa Claus was behind the gate, in Parra. Actually I liked the Don Bosco's party very much, but I've not gone, because we didn't book it. They have lot of fun and games and I meet my friends and all there. Last year I had gone for the Don Bosco's one. But this time, we missed it, because we couldn't make it.

Friday, December 08, 2006

Suhail's grandfather and schooling


Suhail
Originally uploaded by fredericknoronha.
Suhail's grandfather was very sick, and died after some days. He was very active, and used to go for walks. They used to call him Xapai (grandfather, in Konkani).

Suhail's grandfather is his father's father.

Suhail was schooling in Lourdes Convent, in my class in the second standard. In the third standard, he left the school and was in home-schooling. Now he is a Porvorim school, that's what a boy called Selvyn from my class told me.

There are two of my friends who did home-schooling: Anant was doing and will continue home-schooling. Suhail has left, my friend told me. That friend is their neighbour.

Going to St Britto's


Severina Gardens, Duler
Originally uploaded by fredericknoronha.
When I went to the party in Britto's, I made some friends. I only know a few names. Erica and Priyanka. Only that. And Kristoff (my cousin).

The party was about a Britto's party. They had made a new book about Britto's. (A souvenir.)

And then, my brother was dancing with me. And then, one man was calling, making it like assembly. We had lot of fun. They called one man out, and they said, "Where's your hair?" And he was laughing, because he didn't have hair.

Then, they said to the Provincial, "Why are you wearing slippers?" He was laughing because he was the provincial, but they were making fun of him.

I forgot what happened (because it was many days ago), but I'll tell you what we had to eat. It was laid out on a long big table, a rectangular one. They had two kinds of salad, they had chicken cafreal, chicken gobi, pulao, some gravy, bean curry. They also had ice-cream. There was cake, but we didn't have, because we had ice-cream. There was bebique, but we didn't have because we only wanted ice-cream.

Dada met his friends, and Mama met Aunty Melanie. It was about the Britto's 2006 party, for the old boys, my Dada told me.

Thursday, November 30, 2006

Our favourite teacher

Our English teacher's name is Teacher Neeta. She is very sweet. We all like her very much. We love her. She gives us stickers, and she talks to us very sweetly. She's very helpful. She always gives us tests what we like, and she gives us nouns and fun-riddles sometimes. She also gives us nice stickers when we completely our work neatly and do our homework.

All the children like her. When she comes in the class, they all shout, "YAAAAAAAAAAAAY."

The children like when she gives us tests. Because she gives English tests, and they like to write English. You can write it neat and touch the line. Children like to touch the line.

If we don't complete our work, she doesn't send us out for recess.

There is a boy called Edward (Anthony's son). She is his aunty. I don't know (where she lives).

Thursday, November 23, 2006

My hobbies and movies

I like quizes and drawing. I like playing also. And I love movies. Some movies which I like the BEST: on Pogo, the Olsen Twins, on the Hallmark Channel I like Sabrina, on HBO I like to watch Shark Boy and Lover Girl. But I don't like the movie. I don't like them. But I want to know, because I've never seen it before and my friends are telling me about it.

I also like the Goblet of Fire. It's a very nice movie, and I've got it. I also showed it to my school. Those who want to borrow it, can ask me and put your name down in my blog. You got to give it back {in how many days dada? three, two?} You've got to give it back in two days.

My teacher Neeta also wants to borrow it. She's very sweet.

Monday, November 20, 2006

Sarfaraj goes for Taekwondo

There is a boy in our class, and his name is Sarfaraj. He's very smart in Taekwondo. He had joined after all the other children, after two boys called Vikram and Eric. Vikram and Eric had also done well, but he's on the black belt -- the last belt.

Only those who were on the 'black' belt would get a free ride to Bombay, for their training.

Sarfaraz was on the 'black' belt. So he got a free ride to go to Bombay. He went for some days, and afterwards he was absent. But Eric and Vikram were on the yellow and green belt. But they had to pay Rs 2000 to go. So, they didn't want to go.

Sarfaraz is very good at Taekwondo. He's quite smart. He has two best friends in class, and names are Alister and Vikram. His only best friend is Vikram. He likes all the other boys also, but he likes Vikram and Alister the most. I'll find out where he lives. His mother took a black cloth and put all shine on it, and she drew Donald Duck on it, with paint. Sarfaraz took it to school, and the teachers said, "So nice." Even the children liked it and were playing with it.

But he's also good at jokes. He makes very good jokes in class, and makes everybody laugh. Then they have one group of boys, and they all in one game. They run very roughly and fast.

I had joined Taekwondo, but I didn't like it, because I didn't like to do that. I like ballet because it's very gentle. And also I like quizzes, and I bought one quiz book for my class teacher. Other children like many things. I'll introduce you to one kid called Zenia. She likes drawing. She writes very neatly, and she's very good at drawing. She's also good at quiz, and she helps Teacher. And everybody likes here.

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Cycling in the Convent

Yesterday my friends came and we were cycling in the convent. My brother has one, and I have a bigger one. My brother and me also share a small Zoomie. The other one is a BSA.

I like cycles, because you use your energy and you become thin and slim. And you lose weight, those who have got too much weight.

I am thin, and I don't lose weight.

They were all fighting for the nice small one. Abigail (the bigger one) was fighting for the big bike. Heidi was fighting for the small and the big bike; she had asked for the Zoomie. Gabi was fighting was for the small bike what she was riding, and the bike Abi had, but she didn't like the Zoomie.

Abi wanted only the big bike and the smaller one, but not the Zoomie.

So there was some confusion. Gabe was saying, "Now I'm not going to help you'll." Then we cycled on them, I carried one, Gabe just walked, Abi and Heidi drove it and came home.

And I wanted the big cycle or the small one. But not the Zoomie. Because the Zoomie goes ... so this... and takes you high. When I grow big, I'm going to buy an automatic cycle. When you press the button, it starts and takes you in circles. And one with a machine built in. If you ask for water, snacks, food or a palace, it should give you everything!

Photos

On the Internet, some of the photos are Copyright. Some are Copyleft.

I like the Copyleft because everybody can copy and take them. Even I take them. The Copyright ones you have to pay so much money, just for one photo. So the Copyleft ones are better, and people should make them more of Copyleft.

I was writing a blog entry on the Olson twins, but all the good and nice photos are Copyright. When I grow big, I shall keep my photos and put them in Copyleft. Even I like to copy. Copyright, I don't like it -- because other people can't copy theirs. Now I want to go....

Thursday, November 02, 2006

Going to Candolim beach

These days we have been going to Candolim beach. Because we are in holidays, and we like to go to the beach. We go at around 9.30 and we come back home at 1.30 or 2 p.m.

We go with my friends. Their names are Saachi, Shimmi and Shimoron, and their little brother Junior, and their maid called Preeti. And their mother Grace too. And my mother, and me, and my little brother called Aren.

We swim, and we play with the sand. Sometimes we also make sand-men. We go swimming far, and they all cry for the life-jackets, and the round floats. Saachi and all like their round-floats, and they all fight for it, and my life jacket also.

It takes ten minutes to reach Candolim beach. Aren cries and he swims. He doesn't swim in the water. Not very outside, but in the middle. In the shallow waters.

The chess champion from Goa


Ivana is a chess champion from Goa, and she had gone to Georgia and now she has back to Goa. She has won two gold medals and one brass medal. She is a girl, and she's seven years old. She is from Goa. And she's very good in chess. She is our smallest girl in India who won the chess championship.

It came in the newspapers about her. I saw Ivana in the newspapers. The pictures were she was playing with the chessboard, and with her were all her prizes. People told me that she is a good chess champion, and that she did very well and all. And that her name is Ivana, and that she is seven years old.

I want to be like her. And I got one friend; her name is Abigail. She also likes all these games. But she doesn't like chess so much. She likes carrom. And I like chess.

I've managed to teach my grandmother, and I taught my mother, and I taught my Bombay grandmother. And my father taught me. My mother also knows all the moves now, but only some she doesn't know. I tried to teach my grandfather, and I'll teach him slowly -- because he has work and all. I taught Abigail, and she learnt quite fast from me. Isabel is not very interested. I was trying to teach one girl in the Bookworm, but she had to go home. Of the Bookworm's chess-game, the knight was missing.

I have a good small chess-set -- it's not only a chess-set, it has all games in it. When you're going to a picnic, or travelling, you can carry and take it. There are many games like chess, Chinese chequers, three-in-a-row, snakes-and-ladders ... and there's one which I don't know.

They have magnets. The magnets help all the men not to fall down and to keep sticking on the board, when you're carrying it to a picnic.

I want a new chess set. The day before my birthday, my father took me for shopping, and we saw a new nice chess set. He was going to buy it, but I refused that time, but I wanted the quiz thing. He bought me that. Now I like the chess set. So I'm trying to save money.

Thursday, October 19, 2006

The new library called BookWorm

Suddenly, my father told me that there was a new library in Panjim. So I joined it, and I started coming to the library a few days before my birthday. It was a nice library, and all, but on the 16th of October, 2006, they opened a new library at Porvorim. There was one at Panjim also. 16th is also my birthday.

But all the old books were kept in the Panjim library, and the new books were brought to the Porvorim library. So I was... like sad ... because I liked it.

We do many activities, and there is a friend who comes to the library. (He comes to Saligao also.) His name is Anand. I met his mother on the 17th when I had gone to Porvorim. Anand lives in Porvorim, that's why he comes to that library.

I got a friend and her name is Sailee. I met her in Bookworm. I don't know where she lives, and now she's in the Panjim library. Also I got one other friend in the Panjim library. Once we had seen her before. My father knows her father, and her name is Maria.

The Miss' names are ... the teacher in the Porvorim library, we call her Ma'am. But her name is Elaine. The Panjim's one name is Sujata Noronha.

We learnt many things there. Like making our own fish acquarium in a small bottle. We also made coasters [dada, what are those things called, which you put water glasses on?] and we also did printing magic.

Aren, my brother, came on the 17th ... he's three years old. And he came to the library, and was playing. He brought one book... and didn't know how to read. He was just searching the pictures and playing with it.

The teenage twins (now 20)

This story is about the Olsen Twins. They are two girls, and I watched only one movie -- that is, when they go to London. They are some flim (sic) stars, and their names are Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. They are from America.

I came to know them because, when I watched the movie, I used to see two girls acting in the cartoon movie. I didn't really follow what it was. But the next day, they showed the teenage movie. Then I came to know.

I like them because they are very funny and they act well, and they keep thin and slim, that's why...

They are both 20 years old, because they are twins. Please see more about them [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olson_Twins]

A joke about Mary Kate: Mary Kate says that she has everything in the whole world, except friends. But I really don't know, how can she be saying that [LAUGHS]... because I'm her best friend.

Friday, October 06, 2006

The rows in school...

In our class, we have four rows. When Felician's mother comes (who has a quiz or reading) the rows are called A, B, C and D. Our row is the A row.

Now just because it's the exams, I'm put in the A row. First girls used to sit together and now we're put with the boys.

The girl sitting me was Anagha, and we were in the C row.

Now let me tell you about the C row. Mohammed and Selvin were put right at the back of the D row. The whole D row was getting points, but because of this Mohammed all their points were getting cut. He was making mustee [mischief] and coming out every time. Teacher asked him: Should I minus your marks?

He said "Yes teacher". The others said, "No teacher." But he said: "YES teacher!"

D row was trying to call me, and said they would send Sushmita to my row.

But I said I didn't want to come. Because they would still have a problem....

Mohammed is minusing the marks. And Shushmita doesn't know much.

In our row, there's a girl named Anishka. And she does well. She's quite good. So I stayed in C row, and the girls were very quiet. Teacher gives difficult questions, and sometimes I can answer one.

She asked one day, "Which is the biggest occean?"

I told Blossom not to raise her hand. She was going to say, "The Baga ocean".

All the children were saying, "This row will get wrong." They were all saying congratulations, and very happy because I was going to get it wrong. The boys row was against the girls row.

When I said the "Pacific Ocean", teacher put one mark on the board ... and they were all so sad.

Now I want my father or my mother to teacher me general knowledge questions. He started teaching me capitals. I know only one: Pakistan's capital ... what it starts with ... give me a little one more... Is-lam... Is-la-ma-bad.

Praying for Aren....

Our baby brother was going to be born (on August 10, 2003). Me and my grandmother (Nana) went to the Lourdes Convent chapel everyday, praying. My father, mother and grandfather were busy at home with work. And now, it's such a joke: they play with him. And me and my grandmother who prayed so much for him... don't even get the time to play with him, and he doesn't play with us. He beats me (sometimes). He's nice also sometimes ... and I love my little brother.

Aren in the boat


DSC01317.JPG
Originally uploaded by fredericknoronha.
In this picture, Aren (my brother) is in the boat. Aren likes boats very much. He likes things like vehicles and boats. He like motorboats, with motors.

One day we had a movie, which was a pirate movie. I forget it's name. We watched it in Bombay. I'll find out the name from my mother and tell you... no, I know the name. Grimson's Pirate. There was a big boat, and Aren was jumping and so happy just to see a boat.

One day he wants to see a real boat. He's not seen a real motor-boat. And he like boats. Once when we went to Campal, he sat in a peddaler boat. My mother peddalled and it was fun. But he wants a big ship to see.

This is Goa's beautiful river, Nerul. My mother lived in Nerul once. And my grand-mother also. We've got a river in front of our house. There are many trees in Nerul. We have a tamarind tree. We had a coconut tree, but they cut the coconut tree. And we have a jackfruit tree that gives BIG jackfruits. Finished...

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Riza and Gabby


DSC01275.JPG
Originally uploaded by fredericknoronha.
Gabby came to my house one Sunday, and we were playing. Now we are going out to a river. (My brother stood in the boat, and my father took a photo. I will post it next.)

Gabby is my second-best friend. Her sister Abigail is also my second-best friend. I got a best-friend in Bombay. I got many many best-friends in Bombay: Moretta, Trinetta, Ulrica and Vinona....

Aren posing in front of the Army tank

One day I had got hurt and I didn't want to go out. My father said we'll go somewhere nice. But I didn't listen at first. Afterwards, I went.

This is what we saw. We saw an Army tank. And it was very interesting. And my brother was so happy, and he wanted to see the photo.

My brother, in the photo, is wearing a Superman tee-shirt, and he wants to see the picture, but he can't go out because his photo also has to be clicked. I am wearing a red-and-white chequed pant, and a red-and-white tee-shirt also.

Aren is smiling because he's surprised that he has seen an Army tank.

Aren is my brother, and he likes mainly cars and vehicles, like a tempo, a bus, a scooter, a boat, a ship. But the best what he likes is a big boat. And when he sees a trailer-truck he's very happy. He also likes a fire engine, because he likes ladders. And he's learning to climb.

Friday, September 29, 2006

This is the girl who's blogging, and it's me


Riza, at 5
Originally uploaded by fredericknoronha.
In this photo, I'm five years old. And I was just sitting on the chair, and feeling funny because they were taking a photo.

When I was five years old, I'll tell you what kind of a cake I had for my birthday. Everybody knows what a mermaid is. But this was a nice mermaid, and her name was Ariel the Little Mermaid. It was a nice cake. And all the children were worrying me to eat Ariel.

Some boys wanted to eat Prince Eric, some wanted to eat the crab Sebastian, the girls wanted to eat Flounder (the fish). Ariel is the mermaid. Eric is a human prince, but Ariel is a Mer-Princess.

When I was five, I used to always like to go to Baga beach. But now I don't like to go there, because they don't have shells (on that beach). I like to go to beaches where there's water coming coming close, and where there's a small stream. With beautiful trees, with many rocks to sit on and restaurants.

When I was five, I also had a friend, who was my best friend, and her name was Abigail. She's still my friend, and when I was five, she was six. Now, when she is eight, I am also eight. Because she's just a little older to me. She's going to be nine, and even I'm going to be nine. Now I am in the third standards, and so is she.

I like a teenager picture of me when I'm a little bit bigger. This picture looks so small, like a baby. And I had short hair. I like long hair also. I like pants or long skirts, but not short skirts. I like chanya-cholis or sarwal-khameez ....but not sarees.

My father is good

My father doesn't let me play on the computer often. My father takes me for outings. My father brings some things for me when he comes from work.

Now I'm going to give not a positive comment: my father is a journalist.

My father plays with me. All fathers do that... so it's not a positive one.

My father doesn't bring me Barbie dolls. My father takes me for movies also. My father takes me to nice restaurants also... but that's not a positive one, because all fathers do that. My father also doesn't let me eat too many sweets. My father also lets me watch TV on Sundays.

My father kisses me... no, no, no. When my father is going to any foreign countries, then I cry. But all the children do that. My father is the best man in the whole world... Finally, my father makes me do blogging. And he's a photo-collector. He got many photos.

EDITORIAL COMMENT: The above entry was written after Riza was told to avoid excessive praise ... being her dad's main fan ... as is typical with girls of her age. :-)

Thursday, September 28, 2006

Lourdes Convent is near my house...


Lourdes Convent
Originally uploaded by fredericknoronha.
Lourdes Convent is a very good school. I like it very much. It's my best school. They teach us many things: computers, craft, drawing, games and art-work ("wealth out of waste") and singing, and PT. Jokes, riddles, songs and general knowledge questions. We also have a playing time, where we play.

A special teacher comes for us and gives us all games.

I got some teachers who are very kind to me. The first standard teachers are Sister Angeline and Teacher Rosy. The second teachers are Teacher Savia and Teacher Sybil. And the third standards' are Teacher Bela and Teacher Judy, who are my teachers. Teacher Latika and Teacher Nita are from the fourth standard, but are also my teachers.

My school also has a lot of activities. We play and study. We have many games like x-and-zero, SOS and others. There's one girl who said, "Let's give x-and-zero a name." So I thought of a name, and called it Ox. So we all call that name Ox.

You just have to draw two lines, and one has to put... give me a board.... I want to draw on a paper book. Okay, this way. Then we put the points for the rows. A and B are the girls, and C and D are the boys. Whoever gets the most points win.

I would like my school to have swimming, if they could, and also to some puzzles and games, and chess also.

The high school's principal name is Sister Lily, and our principal's name is Sister Esmeralda. The nuns are very kind to us.

We also have a chapel down; the middle-floor is a chapel. We are allowed to go to the chapel. We have a really good time in our school. My father and my uncle were in this school, and they had many friends. It is a girls-and-boys school.

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Aren in Navtara


Aren Sept 2006
Originally uploaded by fredericknoronha.
When we went to the restaurant, some people came. Aren was making good jokes. Aren is my brother, and he is three years old. And he loves to play.

He was laughing and playing, and laughing simply at all. And he was saying 'hi' to the peoeple so many times. He was asking, "Can I have watermelon juice."

He ate a gulab jamun, and he said "Yukk". And the people next to us started laughing at him. He told the waiter, "Excuse me, can I have watermelon juice?" People started laughing at him.

In the restaurant, my father ate a thali (rice plate). My mother ate a masala dosa. I ate chole masala. My brother ate at little of the dosa. And he ate some rice and curry, and he drank some watermelon juice.

The hotel was pretty clean, there was very tasty food, and this time the food was become better. We had also gone to this restaurant the last time, when we went for the Superman movie.

We went to the shop selling sweets and cold-drink. We bought sweets like 'buddikabal' and 'pedas'. Buddikabal is means 'old man's hair' because it looks like that. It is sweet and white, and sometimes they put some almonds -- but not always. It tastes not very sweet, and a little bit sour. Children
like it because it's sweet and tasty. And there's a man in our school who sells 'buddikabaal' and he makes it very tasty.

Pedas are made out of milk, and it has some yellow food colour. And it's very tasty and sweet. It's round and circular, the size of a small marble. And it's good to eat; it makes you healthy.

Monday, September 25, 2006

The interesting animal zoo... at Byculla

One day, we went to Byculla Zoo. In the zoo, we saw one colourful bird, which looked like a cuckoo. We didn't know what it was. So, if anybody knows, please can you tell us? I also saw a lion and a lioness; but there was no tiger. I saw a sleeping bear also, and a rhinoceros. I saw some swans, and some pelicans. Not pelicans -- what are those who fish? -- cranes.

In the zoo, there were some nice statues. One was Queen Victoria, the other was King Edward. And I just forgot the others. I don't know why they kept the statues there. Ah, they kept Queen Victoria because it is called the Victoria Garden. And King Edwards.... there's no thing about him....

There was a board that I saw, where it was written the limits of Bombay. When we went inside, we saw a beautiful elephant. It was not a true one, but just made of stone.

Long long back ago, some people had made it, and it broke. These zoo people found it, and put the pieces back again, and they made it like new, and it looks so beautiful.

There was a rhino named Shiva. I'll tell you the story about him.

One day, there was a man, his wife and a child. They went to the zoo. The child kicked his slipper, and kept it on the cage. The father went to get the slipper. The rhino just bashed the fellow, and he died. That's why they now removed Shiva's horns. Finished.

Our Ganesh holiday in Bombay

In Bombay, I have a lot of friends. I went for my Grandmother's birthday to Bombay. It was on August 24, and reached Bombay on the 25th. We went by train.

We met some children on the train. The boy's name was Aditya. And the girl's name was Nandita.

Then, I saw many things. I saw trees, I saw fields, I saw tunnels and beautiful birds in the sky in the train.

When we reached Bombay, we had to go out to pickup my grandmother's two sisters, Maam and Aunta. We also found that we had some new neigbours. The big one's name was Ulrica and the small one's name was Vinona. I made friends with them.

I have some good friends called Moretta, Trinetta, Rashika. There are other children whose names are Kamakshi, Jonathan, Runali, Presley, Twaila and Lianne. I like Moretta and Trinetta, because when I was a baby, I used to go to their house to play, and they always looked after me. Even now. That's why I like them.

Saturday, August 19, 2006

Sailee... and the cockroach

We had a very funny thing happening in our class, about Sailee. A girl was s-c-r-e-a-m-i-n-g. "What happened?" we thought.

In our class, some days ago, Teacher Merlin (Kimberly's mother, a new teacher who takes up some subjects) came. Suddenly Sailee started screaming, "Mum-mmie, mum-mmie, mum-mmie."

Teacher Merlin said, "What happened?"

Sailee said, "Zollo ailoh." (A cockroach came on me.)

Aha, ha, ha, ha, ha!

The cockroach then went, and it crawled on a girl named Zinia. But Zinia just sat in her place and laughed. Blossom, Sailee's partner, started laughing at Sailee too.

We didn't know what was happening, that's why it was so funny.

When I came home I laughed and told my daddy, and, in the night, I told my mummy.

Ganpati festival is coming

I'll just give you some little news of Ganesh. Ganesh is a god in the Hindu religion, and many people like him. One day his mother Parvati was sitting. She wanted to have a bath, and didn't want anybody to come inside the house. She didn't trust anybody. So, she took all her dirt and made a little boy Ganesh. As Shiva, Ganesh's father returned, he said, "Let me go in." But Ganesh said, "No, my mother told me not to let anybody to come in."

Shiva got angry and cut Ganesh's head off. Parvati put a new elephant's head for Ganesh. That is how, he got the head of an elephant.

I like the Ganesh festival, because it's fun ... and we also get a holiday from school. Many people come to visit us, and we get to go out. We go to some friends house.

For Ganesh people make sweets like 'neuros', 'kalkals'. They put a Ganesh inside their house. They put fruits for him, to give him an offer. Apples, bananas, organges, whatever.

My principal said children will have to bring clay from home and make a Ganesh. They will have to make it in school, and paint it at home.

A veggies contest... (vegetables)

In my school, my principal said, "We are having a vegetable contest on Monday (August 21)." So we were happy. But many were not taking part. From our class only three are taking part: Diksha, Alister and Sarfraz.

In other schools they have it of cloth vegetables. In our school, it's a fresh vegetable competition.

You have to wear green clothes insides, and tie vegetables and make a dress, and put greenpeas for a ears, make a cabbage dress, or make a crown of ladyfingers. Or you could take a round pumpkin and make a hat.

I'm not taking part in it, because many children like to eat vegetables. We don't like to stick them on our body. Many mothers don't have the time to do it, and my mother also... and I don't like it.

My trip to Santanna


Santanna Tiswadi (Goa)
Originally uploaded by fredericknoronha.
On Sunday, when we were getting dressed to go out. We came out. As usual, I was standing out in the balcony. Suddenly, we saw a car. It stopped by our house. I was wondering who it was.

They all came out.

I ran in and said, "Daddy, Uncle Vijay is come."

Then Vijay said, "Where are you'll going?"

My father said, "We don't plan and we go."

We went for a long drive. Suddenly I said to my father, "Daddy, there look a palace." My father told me it was a church.

Then we went inside the church. A kind lady opened it for us and took us in. My father took many photos. Inside a small tunnel of the church, the ladies found their missing football. They let us then play with the missing football.

I like to visit churches. Specially very old churches, which are fun to visit. You can see old paintings and things. If you visit very young churches you cannot see the old things.

We played football and I scored so many goals on Vijay.

Aren is 3


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Originally uploaded by fredericknoronha.
My brother's name is Aren. He was three years old yesterday.

In the morning, I was very excited, because it was my brother's birthday, and I felt very happy that all the children are going to come to my house. Then I went to school, and then found out that it was a girl named Neha's birthday too. She gave us sweets and all.

When I came back home, I was happy and wished my brother happy birthday. He only looked at me, and said, "Welcome" by mistake. Afterwards, Granme and Joce sent him a gift, because they couldn't come from Bombay.

The gifts what they sent for him was one car, four story books, a short-pant. That's all.

At the party, we had called many friends. But we called one school friend of my brother's, whose name is Steve. Steve didn't come, so Aren was very sad. When we met to the supermarket, we met Steve's father, and he said that he forgot to send Steve. He forgot about the party.

The children we called were Arjan, Rohan, Abigail, Gabby, Heidi, Sachi, Shimmi, Shimron, Joshua, Keenan, Nora, Isabel and Lian (with her brother Keenan). There are two Keenans. Most of them were my friends. Because they were big children. We didn't call the small children because there were not many small children that we knew. Steve didn't come. But Arjan, Rohan and Keenan and baby Keenan and Nora were Aren's friends.

We had lot of fun at the party. There was a nice girl named Ruth, who lives close by our house. She came to help and decided the games. The party went quite well. When the party got over, I counted all the gifts, and I got not even one. Only Arjan, Rohan and my father had given me one. And it was not my birthday. When my birthday is gonna come, I'm going to have a big party with all my friends and Aren's friends too. We're going to have a great time.

Friday, August 11, 2006

My school concert

Tomorrow we have to sing a patriotic song, and the name of our song is Hum Sab Bharatiya Haim (We Are All Indians).

Standard I (Zuyo) is singing the song called Hum Honge Kamayab (We Shall Overcome). Standard IV will sing Vingad Ranga Cho (Of Different Colours).

Tomorrow our chief guest is coming. His name is Mr Orlando Lobo. He teaches in one school. Sister Esmeralda, our principal, said that Mr Orlando Lobo is coming to our school as the chief guest, so we have to sing nicely.

There was a very funny problem going on with our class. When we were singing in our class, our voices used to come out loud and the opposite two classes used to hear us. But when we went on the stage, our voices came soft. So teacher Bella said, we had to do something. Teacher told us that the children who were in front of the stage also had to sing.

Today was the day that we sang quite well. Teacher Nita said every year they have to give out a prize to the students who are the best.

There were two girls. One girl was Jefora, and the other's name was Cleta. They both won the prize. It will be given tomorrow. It was decided on yesterday.

Tomorrow, I am Sarojini Naidu. Sarojini Naidu was a lady who used to speak English and she was one of the leaders of India, who helped our country. She was a freedom fighter. And there's another girl in my class, whose name is Diksha, and she is acting like Jhansi Ki Rani. Jhansi Ki Rani was one of the freedom fighters also ... a queen.

There are two kinds of Jhansi Ki Ranis. One was when she was small, and when she was big. Our teacher said we cannot do Jhansi ki Rani when she was a small kid. Even for Sarojini Naidu, we had to dress up big people. Diksha wore a yellow sari and a little bun on her hair, and a little pink cloth hanging down. And I just have to wear a maroon sari and these purple chappals.

We have to dress up from home. My mother dresses me up, and she dresses it very well. It's not difficult to wear a sari. It's difficult for me, but not for my mother. Because I cannot put it on. It's difficult to put it on. A sari is a very long Indian dress, which you have to tie, and make pleats.

You have to walk with it very nicely. I have a children's sari. I don't know big it is, but I will find out from my mother and tell you.

Thursday, August 03, 2006

My book: faiThGirLz! <>

One lady, called Tami Brady, sent us -- sent my father -- some books. So my father looked at all of them, and there was an interesting one about blogging.

My father gave it to me, when I was doing my tuitions in the evening. I've not read it yet. But I'm going to read it when I'm eight years. I'm going to try to read it now. It's for (children aged) 8 to 12, but any other kids can make a blog. Why cannot they?

I am seven-and-a-half. On October 16, I'm going to be eight.

My mother bought me a book, about things to do at home, on your own or with your parents and somebody who can supervise you. I know to read that book.

I manage to read small stories. All that I know. But I'm trying to read like a Harry Potter book now. I'm going to start it. I'm starting from tomorrow. I'm starting from Saturday....

My loving mother


pdmriza.jpg
Originally uploaded by fredericknoronha.
My mother does so much for me. In the night she gives me dinner, she sends me out to play in the evening with my friends or she takes me for a nice outing. She gives me nice things to eat. She takes us for so many outings. She also takes us to Bombay.

My mother gets me ready to go to school. My mother takes me for parties. She brings me toys. And for my birthday, she also makes a cake with her own two hands.

She comes home from work and she gives us tea. She also helps me in my studies. My mother also plays with me and also takes my brother to school. What a loving mother I got. My mother and me are very best friends.

A visit to Colvale


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Originally uploaded by fredericknoronha.
My father told me that Colvale is the last village of Bardez before you reach Pernem. We went to a church in the village, which is near the riverside. We saw some crabs, and my brother was screaming because he was very happy, like a little imp.

Colvale is a nice riverside village, where you can play and all. We bought some nice 'chakli' from Colvale and we liked it very much.

We went to a quiet side and saw a boat. There was a long stick. It was a big one but didn't look hard at all. My brother was breaking some pieces of the stick and throwing it in the water. He was having such good fun at Colvale.

We left at 6.30 and reached at 7 o'clock sharp. Then we went to Florentine and got some chicken cafreal. My brother was very happy. But the chicken was very spicy.

Me and my mama ate the chicken, but it was too spicy for my brother. If any of you want to go to Colvale, you'll might a very good time there.

The beautiful fields in Goa


Fields in Goa
Originally uploaded by fredericknoronha.
We have many fields in Goa, in front of people's houses.

Fields are very important. Children go in the water, and some children play in the water. In the monsoon season, they also get baby fishes and snails. The children collect it. The children love the fields.

For big people it also has a use. The big people grow their paddy. And the big people also collect snails to eat. A field is very important.

In front of house, there is a field. The dogs run and play in it. I will name three dogs -- Pretinho, Blacky and Sultan. In the evening or afternoon, they run in the field and play. They must be running in the morning also, but I never see them because I'm at school.

That's why fields are so important. The ending of my story: the fields of Goa are so beautiful and you can get good value from them.Like good-value toys.

Sunday, July 16, 2006

At the concert...


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Originally uploaded by fredericknoronha.
This is a photo of my concert. We were acting about 'The Sleeping Beauty'. I'll tell you all my friends who were acting in it. The reader of the book was Eric (orange tee-shirt) who read the book. Alister (not in photo) was the king. Zinia (in purple dress, partly hidden) was the queen. Shivona (in green) was the princess. Royston (in red) was the soldier. Seejoy (with red bow-tie) was the prince.

Now, the ones left are only the fairies. I was a fairy with a green dress. You can see me behind the princess (second from right). Sarita is the fairy in the white dress (first from left). Velanie was also a fairy (second from left, front row). Alisha (at the very end, partly hidden) was also a fairy. Sandra (next to Zinia) was the witch.

It was very nice. It was the first time that we acted in an English play.

At a cycle ride... an accident

Last Friday, my father said, let's go for a cycle ride. So we went.

Suddenly, near Gladston's house, a little further, my leg went into the cycle wheel, and I started howling. Gabriella and Indra came running to help us. Uncle Eric was going with his wife and his little son Ashwin, and they told us to remove the shoe.

Gabriella and Indira quickly brought some ice for us. They brought it from somebody's house. Aren was crying also, because he saw me howling. My dada was helping me.

The accident was caused because I put my leg in the wheel. Next time, I will not do that and learn to be much more careful. I was afraid of my leg and how I was going to act in the concert on the next day. But everything was fine, except that my leg is still wounded and a bit swollen. My parents put Betadine ointment for my swollen leg. I limp everytime when I like, like this. Tu-tuuk-tuk. Tu-tuuk-tuk. I think I'll have to go to the doctor tomorrow.

Banshi... not liked, but loved

My dog's name was Banshi. First she never used to like me and was a very hot-tempered dog. But slowly she got used to me and started liking me and my brother and all. But by the time she got used to us, she was bitten by two dogs in the fields and was chased back how. For a few days she lasted and then died. That's the end of my dog.

My dog was also very old. She was 15 or 14 years old. I felt very sad when she died, because she was my loving dog. I wanted to make a glass coffin and keep her lying in our house. But my grandfather buried her in the backyard, so I get scared to go there.

No I don't believe (in dog ghosts), but am a little bit scared in the night when I sleep near the bedroom window.

I remember when my uncle and aunty used to come, she used to like it when they used to bring chicken. She used to start wagging her tail, and make 'Uh, uh, uh, uh!' When my mother used to come down, and give her chicken in a plate, she used to be so happy.

She was a very hot-tempered dog and bit many children like Deepa, Simron, Aren and Karla. She never bit me, because she was loving to me. I troubled her but. Yes, she did growl. I didn't like her, but I loved her.

Monday, July 10, 2006

Superman... and me

Yesterday, on Sunday I went for SUPERMAN RETURNS. My friend Isabel and me had gone for the show. Superman's name was Clark, and there was one girl named Floris, no Luis (Lois Lane). Superman was born in a country called ... wait... just phone up Mama to ask her.

He was living in a country, it starts with "G", I don't know... (Krypton).

I saw one man. He simply put a wig to show that he was a nice man; but when we went out of the room, he threw out the wig on a small girl, and she screemed, 'Eh!'. That man went, and superman's father was dead. He went to that cave where Superman's father was in a white stone, and his father was talking to the white stone. His father saw the bad man, so Superman's real father opened that thing, and this Bad Man took out all the crystals. Superman's powers were crystals. But Superman still had little powers let. They were still very powerful powers. These were underground.

That man took those green jewels-like and he took them, and Superman didn't have any powers. Superman flew back. ALl his powers were gone. They destroyed Superman and kicked him. He had to be taken to the hospital. When Lois went to see him, they saw him lying there. Lois' son kissed superman, then they sat in the car and went home. When Lois' son was sleeping, Superman saw him. Then the son said bye. Lois saw superman, and they all went inside the house.

The film was quite enjoying and all....

In my next blog I'll tell you about my new tuition teacher. Her name is Ruth; she teaches well, and I like her very much. Now I'm going off, because i have to go upstairs and my new tuition teacher is coming to teach me. I also learn music, and that's the piano instrument.

Thursday, June 22, 2006

Goa's 11 talukas


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Originally uploaded by fredericknoronha.
Canacona is one of Goa's 11 talukas. It has a beach, and here's a beach of which I've put the photo. I couldn't put the pictures of the other talukas, because I didn't have all of them. This was the best one. My daddy had it in his photo collection. He took a photo of Canacona beach and he kept it in his computer.

Some of these photos are only mine -- the ones with me in -- but most of them are my Dada's.

Canacona is a very nice place, because the beaches are beutiful. Canacona has quite a lot of greenery, hills and grass.

I'll tell you a story about Canacona. One day, my mother and father decided to go for a sleep-over at the beach. My mama said it was not a very good idea, because my baby brother was in her stomach. But I cried to go, and we went. When we nearly reached the beach, we stopped our car. It was 7 o'clock and not very dark. But when we stopped our car, my mother asked my father, "Let's lock the car." So my mother asked my father for the keys to lock the car. He said, "I don't have them." By mistake the keys were locked in the car!

My mummy and daddy tried a lot. Some people came to help us. They took a wire and took out the window pane of the car, and took out the keys. Then we went and stayed with them. They had a restaurant place.

The next day it was morning. We saw the poor children playing with one bucket and a spade. All of them had to take turns. So we felt sorry for them. My father told me I could give them my beach set. At first I didn't agree. Afterwards, my father told me "Don't worry. You give it to them. I'll buy you a new beach set." So I listened and gave it.

Goa also has 10 other talukas. The names are Bardez, Pernem, Tiswadi, Sattari, Bicholim, Ponda, Kepem, Salcete, Sanguem and Bicholim.

I live in Bardez. There's a school very close to our house -- it's just one house and then the school -- so it's very easy to go. Bardez has a lots of fields. There are beaches in Bardez. The beach we go to most of the time is Calangute. Sometimes we go to Baga. Mapusa is in Bardez, I love to go Mapusa to do shopping.

My daddy takes me there to buy my school uniform material. Sometimes, if I want to buy rings and bracelets or my EVS pustaks [environmental studies book], I go to Mapusa. Sometimes I also go there to buy new school-shoes. Many people are there in Mapusa. The people in Mapusa have a lot of shops, so I like to go there. So I like to go there with my father and my mother. YES! And my little brother, Aren, cucuk-koo...

Goa's beautiful sceneries


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Originally uploaded by fredericknoronha.
Goa is a very beautiful place. I think it's so beautiful because in most of Goa, in front of people's houses there are fields and sceneries. In Bombay, when I see the people's houses, all buildings are blocking their way. They cannot even see a school or a field.

In Bombay, the beaches are very far. You cannot go and sit nicely and have a good time. It's very far from your home. There are not that many people. In Goa there are so many nice children on the beach that you can make friends with.

In Goa, I like the parks, the beaches and the swimming pools the best. If I had one wish, I wish that Goa would have snow. Because I love to take snowballs and throw on my friends. But I also like Goa how it is.

If I had a second wish, I would wish that there were more fields and more swimming pools. We have many beaches in Goa, but not many swimming pools. In Bombay, there are many swimming pools. But Goa's still better, because it's beautiful and clean.

Monday, June 19, 2006

My little kitten


Playful...
Originally uploaded by fredericknoronha.
I had four kittens, one was a mother. Two were girls, and one was a boy-kitten. We had too many kittens, and so we sold one.

My three cats were Tigger, Spotty and Whitey. In the picture is my cat, and her name is Spotty. She's a very playful kitten and I used to like her very much. If you want to play with your kittens nicely, you should have a nice, fat rope.

You should turn it in different directions and shake it. When they bite it in their mouth, means they want to play more. You should pet them also and feed them, and then they'll like you more.

If you trouble them and chase them, they won't like it. I know that because we used to chase Spotty's brother and trouble him, and he ran away and didn't like us. We used to be nice with Spotty, and she stayed with us for many years. But now, she ran away too. We hope we can find her again.

Cats are my favourite pets.

Voddekara, canoe song


Shy? Showy?
Originally uploaded by fredericknoronha.
This is a photo of me when, in the evening, I had gone to my school. I had taken part in a dance, and it was a very nice dance called 'Voddekara'. Sometimes my brother tries to dance it at home.

Should I sing the song for you? "Voddekara, voddekara..." No I don't know to sing it. I'm not going to do it, because I'm feeling shy.

Others who took part were Nishigandha, Theresa, Subhrata, Dipti ... among the boys were Eric, Mutthu, Aishwarya (a girl who took part as a boy), and others.

Teacher Savia and Teacher Sybil taught us the dance. They put a cassette-player on, and Teacher Savia was showing us the stops. We learnt it quite fast, in a few days, and the concert was after many days.

I like to dance, because that dance was fun and because the cassette player was playing quite nicely, and also the teachers were teaching us well. We felt we could do it well and all.

Thursday, May 18, 2006

Stamps can be beautiful

Today, one aunty sent me some stamps. Her name is Aunty Valerie. I liked them very much.

One stamp is from India. It is the Taj Mahal, Rs 15. There is another Indian stamp, which shows a dog picture. Rs 5. There's another stamp, it's from Kenya. It shows a picture of cashews hanging from the tree with a 50 cents (?) denomination. This stamp comes from the Australia. It shows a picture of a man bending down and he got rainbow colours. 50 cents. Memborune Commonwealth Games.

There are many other stamps. I'll just tell you'll. There are other stamps with pictures of flowers, of birds, of leaves, of stars, of butterflies, of plants, etc.

Stamp collecting is fun because you can collect old stamps, and you can call friends to your house and show them stamps. You can agree which they like. If you can also take each others'. That's why I like stamps. It's good fun to collect also. Sometimes people give me stamps. Like my grandfather. I give others also, sometimes without exchanging. With my grandfather, we exchange together most of the time. He got his stamps; I like his stamps.

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Keeping busy in summer

This holiday there were many summer camps. I went for two. One was in the church and one was in the club. I enjoyed the club one more.

We used to play games, and they used to teach us things. In the church, we learnt songs.

Abigail, Gabe and Heide and Sachi and my cousin Kaira, and Jo-Ancy (a girl who used to be in playschool with me when she was small) also came to the church camp.

Now we're doing the children who came for the club camp: Abigail, Gabe, Heidi, Sachi, Simi and Simron (the twins), Suhail and Tarika, George and Victi, Denise, Shawna, Annika and Conroy, Alister and Eric, Sparsh and Sunika, Joshua and Keenan and Nora, and other too came.

The best activity that I liked was when played games. My favourite game was Chocolate Tiger. Somebody stands in the front here, and looks in front. They close that person's eyes. Some children come in walking from the back. Whenever they come walking, the one with closed eyes says stop. If they shake or fall down they are out.

At the end of club camp we had a little play. I was in the play too, and I was acting like one of the grandchildren.

The story is like this: One day, the children's grandparents were travelling to see them. When they landed at the airport, the robbers came. They were startled. They said, "Please leave us alone. We are very old. You take this (our suitcase) and go." Grandparents arrive home. Grandchildren are very happy, and start shouting. Then, the grandparents tell them, "We have bad news for you. We were attacked on the airport. Fortunately nothing happened." Then, one grandchild said, "Granny, but you promised."

Thought the grandparents could not bring anything for their grandchildren, the grandchildren were happy with all they had done for them in the past. The moral of the story is that we should be grateful to everybody for what they have done for us.

In the church camp, there were many dances. They didn't have plays. I did a song. There were two songs, called 'Gonna Walk' and 'This Train'. I was in the first.

Gonna walk
This lonesone valley
Gonna walk
It by myself
Nobody can
walk it for me
Gonna walk
It by myself

This train is
bound for glory
Carries nothing
but the blessed and the holy

There were two dances too. The Portuguese dance and our dance. I was involved in the mando. They played the cassettee and we danced. Many children danced. There were too many girls and less boys, so they took some girls and made them boys. They made me and my friends Abby and Heidi a boy, but Gabe was a girl.

At the moment, there is a small camp for the big children that's going on in the sports hall of the Lourdes Convent. They talk about religious things and sing hymns and also have some entertainment in the evening. My brother saw them putting their noses in the bucket during one of their games. Some girls were laughing, he told me.

Sunday, May 14, 2006

Tell me the name of this mango, please


Mangoes are not my best fruit, but they are somewhat.... We get mangoes only in May. We also got a big mango tree at home. I like those mangoes very much; they're my best mangoes.

They are not Mankurad (malcurada) mangoes. I don't know what kind of mangoes they are; and even my parents don't. Can somebody please tell me? If I get the information I would be very happy. They are green coloured mangoes, and big, and sweet and juicy. They contain natural sugar. I like them very much.

When the mangoes are green, they're not raw but ripe.

My brother Aren, who will be three in August, doesn't like the green mangoes from our tree. He only likes Mankurad mangoes very much.

Friday, April 14, 2006

Funny and cute

My brother Aren's words are very funny and cute. When I give him something, he says, 'Tank You'. When somebody doesn't give him something he wants, he says, "Stupid donkey."

When my Dada brings his favourite food biryani, he calls it 'bil-yani' and jumps in the air. He sees the cartoon named Sabrina, where they say "Yes" (with their hands out), so he tries to say the same when he's happy.

He says for his bus, "Volvo bus". It's actually a simple bus. But he likes Volvo buses quite a lot.

When somebody calls him 'Babulo', he says, "Don't call me 'Babulo', call me A-R-E-N Aren." Whenever I go to play with my friends, and he doesn't come, he cries, "Riza, Riza, don't go, come play with me." First I used to not come, but now I play with him.

When he does something naughty, he puts his tongue out and does it. When he's told to kneel in the corner, he's very happy. He goes running and kneels down, but he holds onto the chair.

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Three sketches

[Below, the beautiful mushroom, the pink butterfly and the shade tree, from Riza's collection of sketches.] If you want to learn to draw properly, then first you copy from books.

Once you copy from books, you become better at it, and you can draw without looking.

If you want to make a good drawing, you've got to colour the page fully. But if it's not needed, don't colour it.

If you use felt pens, you can use them for the outline, which is good.



If you use them to colour the full page, then all the marks show behind, so you mustn't do that. My teacher told us not to use felt because all the back-page becomes all spoilt.

I'm still only learning to draw everyday.




When I'm colouring from my colouring book, I don't ask my Daddy for papers.

But whenever I'm doing drawing I ask my Daddy for two or three papers, and then I draw. He says, "Okay" and gives me, but first he says "you must write two blog enteries, then only I'll give you papers."

Mrs. Turtle

I like to draw. Drawing is lots of fun, because it's lot of fun to me. You can make cards for people birthday. My Mama also asks me to draw many drawings for her. I draw for my friends.

My favourite drawings are birds and sceneries. In school, they taught us to draw many things, but my favourite was a lotus. Rukshanda likes to draw, and Suhail too. Many other children, including Dipti, like to draw.

We use Faber Castel crayons to draw, and felt-pens for the outline. My best colour are Faber Castel, because they colour very darkly. Pencil colours, I don't like them so much because everytime the point breaks and I have to sharpen, sharpen, sharpen. Crayons colour very darkly and smoothly.

If you draw very often it's nice, because then you will know to draw well, and you can become an artist.


Mrs Turtle: I drew this at home, at around 2.30 (I don't know the date properly) during my holidays. I copied the drawing from the 'Magic Pot', a very good magazine where they tell you stories, and you got to colour, copy drawings, and colour one drawing and send it. When I was a small girl, they gave me a clay set. Earlier, they used to give Tom and Jerry puzzles. Afterwards I got a 'Magic Pot' bag.

Monday, April 10, 2006

My Konkani book

This is my first standard Konkani book. I like Konkani very much. I learn Konkani in the Devanagiri script. Devanagiri script is very easy. I'll read out the first lesson for you: "Pat Ek. Tan, tan. Tan, tan, tan. Gan, gan, gan. Chal, chal. Ta-na, tan. Gah-na, gan. Ch-le, chal. Te, ne, ge, le, cha".

I know some of you cannot understand Konkani very well, so I will transfer it in English for you: Part I. Ting, ting. Ting, ting, ting. Dong, dong, dong. Walk, walk. Tn, Gn, Cl. T, N, G, L, C."

Most of you'll have not understood much of this, so I'll translate again. This is a story of children going to school. The school-bell is ringing. All the children gather to go in their class. 'Tan' and 'gan' are the sounds of the bell. 'Chal' means walk (to school).

At the last line of each lesson are all the (new) alphabets that come up in the lesson.

At first, I was not good in Konkani. But I didn't want to give up. I tried, and now I got it. I know Konkani a little. I find it easy. But I like English better, because I talk English at home.

My favourite languages are English and Hindi. I talk Hindi in Bombay with my friends. In Bombay, the TV programmes only come in Hindi. Only some of the big people's channels come in English. So that's why I know a little of Hindi.

Tarzan, Alladin and Ariel the Little Mermaid (with Snow White, Aurora and Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves, and Jungle Book sometimes) all come in Hindi. Barbie speaks Hindi. All the channels have to talk in Hindi, because it's Bombay.

When I went to Bombay and watched TV the first time, they used to talk in English (on the TV). But afterwards they changed it to Hindi. When I saw it the next time, I was surprised to see them talking in Hindi, and so I started learning Hindi.

I was very surprised about how Barbie and Tarzan (and Rainbow Girl too) speak in Hindi. Because I feel it's quite funny to see foreigners talking Hindi!

I'm going to Bombay

I am going to Bombay. In Bombay, I'm going to meet my mother's mother (Granmee) and my mother's brother (Joce). I'm going to do so many nice things in Bombay in my holidays. Playing with all my friends. And playing with my Barbie dolls. I'll take my own Barbie doll from Goa. And all my other toys which are there.

Sometimes, we might go to the swimming pool. I love to swim. Now I'm still learning to swim, and I feel it's also lots of fun.

First, I go to visit friends and cousins who are in Bombay. I have one cousin (Brendan) and many friends. I have plenty other cousins, but they are not my small cousins.

Bombay is also called Mumbai. I call it Mumbai; my brother calls it Bombay. It is quite far; I don't know how far. Mostly, I travel on train to Bombay. I sleep in the train and feel very nice; there's no noise of anything. And I get up at six or seven in the morning. When I get up, I am close to Bombay city. We get out at Bombay.

In Bombay, I also play with Grandmee and Joce. I go to Bombay for holidays, and sometimes I take leave from school for special occasions -- like weddings or funerals.

[I got a photo of Borivali from Flickr. My daddy he helped me to get the photo from Flickr. Copyleft. Copyleft means anybody in the world can copy that photo. Copyright means nobody can copy the photo, it's only yours. I think that Copyleft is better, because then you copy it and everybody gets to copy it. I feel happy when somebody else gets to copy mine. We're showing generosity and we are also showing that we're sharing. That's what I like. The photo is about all caves that are very old, two thousand years old!]

Thursday, April 06, 2006

Coco Rio


Coco Rio was my pet cock. He used to peck everybody. He used to peck my Mama, the maid, and everybody in the house. We were all fed-up of him, and so we sold him.

But after that, I felt sad. Because the garden became quiet, and there was nobody making a noise. He used to crow early in the morning and wake me up very early. But I used to go back to sleep, ah. Sometimes, when I was in a good mood, I used to get up.

One day he woke me up at 5 o'clock. The morning was all dark. So I came out and said, "Shoo, shoo". So he went away, and I went back to sleep in my bed.

I had many other hens, but we sold them all. What's the point of telling everybody?

Friday, March 17, 2006

All about animals

There are many nice animals. I feel that God has created so many animals. Animals that we keep in the home are cats, dogs, goats, cows, squirrels, fishes also, and turtles. Wild animals are those which are in the jungle. Like the lion, tiget, deer, antelopes, foxes, vizens.

In Konkani, the names of wild animals are shiv, wagh, haran, kolo, and those of tame animals are suno, mazor, bokddi and gai. I don't know what you call the others. That's why I didn't want to add.

I like kittens and puppies very much. You know why? Because they're so playful and so loving. Only when you irritate them, they scratch you or bite, otherwise they are very loving animals.

I'll tell you the story of my cat and me. The mother-cat's name is Spotty. She came to our house, walking. She came since her mistress died. I took a lot of biscuits and fed her with them; we gave her a nice bowl of milk to drink. She became friendly, and started coming day-by-day to our house. She started liking us very much.

One day, I went to my friend's house to stay for the night. I came back the next morning. My granpa told me, "Surprise." I came running and said, "What happened, Grandpa?" He said, "Your cat has littered kittens."

Three kittens were born. The biggest was Tigger. The middle one was Spotty. The last was Whitey.

My grandpa said that Whitey left the house. The mother also left the house, and so did Tigger. Now we have only one kitten left, and she's my orphan. I take very good care of her.

One day, I took her in the garden, and put her in my alms. She got angry; I was not leaving her, and she scratched me. I cried. Then my brother told me, "Don't worry, Riza. You'll be okay." Then, I was better, and I started to play again.

Dogs are also my favourite pets. Because dogs are very friendly, and they lick you and play with you. My dog's name is Banshi. She likes me very much. She also plays with me often.

When we were small, our pets were not used to us. I will tell you what happened with my brother and Banshi on another day....

Thursday, March 02, 2006

Some of my photographs...


When I was small I had very long hair. One day, we went to Calangute to take our photos to join Taekwondo. My nana combed my hair, and I had to stand on a stool because I was small. (See photo.)

When I was even smaller, when I was only two years old, my Mummy and Daddy wanted to take a photo of me. They took me to Mapusa. The photographer put me on a stool. He told me to smile. So I did this (made a funny face). I didn't know to smile...

My daddy takes a lot of photos of me, my friends, other children and other things. My Mummy takes photos when I am dressed up for a fancy dress, and on other occasions.

Daddy's photos are all black and in the computer. Mummy's photos are in the album, and in colour.

Chicken flu in our town

My daddy showed me the newspapers and told me that there is a chicken flu in town. When I was going past Royal Chicken at Calangute, I thought they wouldn't get any money (business) because people would not be coming there.

When I passed by, I saw a few foreigners sitting there, and ordering. They were eating. They like the food, and since they have come from foreign they don't know that there was a chicken flu.

At the Carnival


At the Carnival there were many floats. And in those floats there were many people, dressed up differently. I saw just plain girls. Then I saw cartoons from the TV. Then I saw lots more.

There was lots, lots, lots of nice music. But because my dada was taking some photos, I didn't see part of the Carnival. Then I went to Cafe Tato and ate a nice 'chole masala'; I like it because it's a very tasty snack. Isabel was there with Uncle Cajy and my daddy.

It was so much fun at the Carnival.

I also met my friend Isabel with her daddy, and Tarika and Sohail, and George and Victoria and Leticia. They were with George and Victoria's daddy.

The Carnival was from last Saturday till Tuesday. I went for for the Carnival parade near the Panjim Mandovi bridge. There were Carnivals in Panjim, in Mapusa, in Calangute and elsewhere.

On Wednesday morning, I put ash on my head. Because we have Ash Wednesday. Sister told us not to eat sweets, chewing-gum, or drink ice-candy and not to play if you want to do a sacrifice. I will do the sacrifice of not eating Chitos, Kurkure and junk-food.


Photo of my friend George, who is acting like a clown. Viva!

Thursday, February 23, 2006

Bob, Open The Bottle Tak-Tak


The other day, Bob came to my house. He is a big-man. My father told me that he is a big shot. He comes from Marblehead, and he gets snow in his house. He took my tuition book and drew a tortoise on it.

He talked about Pineapple Almeida, about Harry Potter's real name, and he told me a little story. The story was about a boy, who was asked by the police for his name. He said his name was 'Shaddup'. The policeman thought he was saying "Shut-Up" to him, and sent him to jail.

Bob is a very funny guy. My brother asked to open the Pepsi Cola bottle. Bob asked whether he could do it. He put his finger in his mouth and made a very funny [bottle-opening] sound.

My brother also said Bob is very funny. He called him Bob The Builder, because there is a cartoon with the song: "Bob the Builder, Bob the Builder. Can we fix it? Yes we can..." My brother often watches this cartoon, and when Bob came he thought he was Bob The Builder.

When he went back home, he wrote to my dad, saying: "I was delighted to meet Riza and Aren, especially the former, who is a charming kid with all her chatter. Tell her I've met Pineapple Almeida over here and he wants to say that 'Life is not a potato.' And he knows Harry Potter personally. Knew his mother, Jill Hill, way back when."
----------------
FOOTNOTE: Bob is Robert S Newman, anthropologist based in Marblehead, MA, who has been researching and authoring papers on Goa over the past two decades. -FN

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Accidents on the road

When I went to school on Monday, Suhail told me that my friends had met with an accident. I got a surprise. Two days earlier (on Saturday) when I was going to Panjim with my dad for an outing, I saw that there were a lot of people and police on the road Sangolda.

When we were going to Panjim, my mother told us: "Be careful, there are two or three accidents on the road." I also saw another accident at Porvorim. My Daddy told me that a Father from Arpora had died in the accident. Uncle Robert also fractured his hand and leg. My father showed me all the photos of the accidents in the newspapers.

My friend Abigail, Gabbie and Heidi's car got b-a-s-h-e-d, and the lights got jammed.

Accidents are not good. They're dangerous. Please drive safely, and not in a zoom-zoom way.

Something about Shabnam

Shabnam is my tution teacher. She teaches me all subjects. I like my tuition teacher, because she teaches me very nicely, and in the exams I pass well. She also takes Konkani, which is my weakest subject.

She is good to me, and also kind. She comes at 3 o'clock, and goes at 4 o'clock. She talks very nicely and sweetly. Her favourite clothes are a purple sherwani-kurta. She is 21 years old. She has one small brother, and a big brother. The small brother's name is Shadab, and he is in the sixth standard.

She always asks me which lesson I want to do first. I say Maths. Because Maths is lot of fun, and there are shapes in Maths, which you can learn about. There are also sums, which I like best. And tables too. I know my tables of nine (novacho paddo), and of five, four, three, two, one. Also ten, and eleven. I don't know the tables of six, seven and eight too well. Tables of 10 and 11 (from the big tables) and of zero and one (from the same tables) are the easiest.

Drawing I find very easy. But I find craft very difficult. Shabnam teaches me for my craft exam.

I know to read quite small books, and now I'm learning to read big and bigger books. I want to learn to read so that when I grow big I can read big Harry Potter books, and other books. I would also be able to read the newspapers, when there are accidents or something. I would also be able to learn goodnight stories to my brother. My tuition teacher and my mother are helping me to read. Shabname makes me read my school English grammer book, and my mother teaches me different big fat books.

My tuition teacher is very kind to me; I like my tuition teacher very much.

Monday, February 13, 2006

A wedding in Bombay

My mother's god-father Uncle Mario recently brought a photo of a wedding which I attended.

I went to Bombay on January 4, 2006. I couldn't wait for the wedding. as I was the flower-girl. Vanessa, my cousin, was getting married to Dexter. (He was not my uncle, but now he became so.)

Many of my cousins came to Bombay (Borivali) and they were staying in Lionel's house, which is just at the side of my grandmother's flat.

On the day of the wedding, I went at 1 o'clock to their house. We dressed up, and the photos were taken by 3 o'clock. The wedding was in the church, at the Mary Immaculate Church, which is close to our home.

My brother Aren came for the Mass.

Tammy and Danika were the other two flower-girls, and Halley and another big girl were the bride's maids. There were two best-men, and a page-boy. Danika was the smallest. She and the page-boy were walking arm-in-arm and everyone said, "So cute." Tammy and myself were behind them.

I have been flower-girl for three weddings so far. First for Dolly, my cousin. Then for Eula, my mother's friend. And Vanessa's. When I was a small girl (three years old) I didn't know how to be a flower-girl; but now I know.


In photo (from left) Aunty Charlotte, Gavin, Aren (reaching for my hair), mama, me, Uncle Dexter, Aunty Vanessa, Uncle Joe, Aunty Sylvie, and Ian (who is becoming a priest). This photo was taken by the photographers.

Picnics are lotsa fun

Last week we went for a picnic. We went to Bicholim and Mayem lake. We saw pottery there. And we went to see three factories.

Then, we got so tired. At least we reached the picnic spot. We settled down. And we ate out food and then started playing.

I was playing with Isabel. She didn't bring a bedsheet to sit on, so she collected all the towels on the ground and started sleeping. Zzzzzzzzz.... She took a handkerchief and covered face. She was just lying down.

We had so much fun. By playing and all.

Last, they took us to the park at Mayem Lake. Then, only those who had two rupees with them could buy ice-cream. I bought two; I gave Isabel one and I had one.

Teacher Sybil, Teacher Savia, Teacher Bella, Teacher Judy, Teacher Rosy, Teacher Maria, Sister Angeline and another teacher from the first standard also came. Our school Aunty, who keeps the place clean and tidy, was in the first standard bus.

Two buses went together. The first standard was together with the fourth standard. The second standard was with the third standard. I like picnics very much, and they're lots of fun to me.

Monday, February 06, 2006

Dr. Elephant

Have you ever seen an elephant that acts like a doctor? I saw one in the Empire Circus at Mapusa, yesterday.

At the circus, I also saw a horse on which a boy was standing, and taking out all his clothes -- he had many -- even while the horse was running. He finally had a shiny top and a shiny pant on.

I saw a donkey. It was running round and round on the circus grounds, and a man kept hitting him. I was feeling very sad.

There was one big man, and he was a 40-year-old man. But he was a dwarf. He had a whistle and he was blowing it. Someone else took his whistle and hid it in his pants. And whenever the man turned around, the shistle kept blowing. I found it very funny.

I laugh at dwarfs because they are very funny. I also feel sad for them; but they act nicely. It's so funny.

There were two grils, and they were moving with a stick. Like this. Parrots of many colours were on the stick. The girls kept going back with the parrots on the stick.

The elephants only played "doctor doctor". The Doctor Elephant was also dressed up like a doctor. He brought a ... what's it called... yes, a stethoscope, and he checked the other elephant. Then, he went back and brought a screw-driver. The Doctor Elephant took the screw-driver and poked the other elephant. It was like an injection! We clapped, and we were so happy.

My friends were with me at the circus. Their names were Joshua, Keenan, Nora, Abigail, Gabi, Heidi, Saachi, Rajat and two other boys. My brother came later, because he is small and because he cannot stay for a so long while, because he gets bored.

Now, I had enough of this. Don't write that....

Thursday, February 02, 2006

Sometimes good, sometimes bad...

My brother's name is Aren. He is two years old. Sometimes, he is good to me. Sometimes, he is bad to me. When he is good, he plays with me nicely. When he is bad, he beats me, and pulls my hair. He says, "Bad girl, Riza."

Before my brother was born, I used to go to the chapel and pray everyday, "Jesus, give me a little brother." One day, Jesus heard my prayers. I got a baby brother.

My father took my Mama to the hospital.

Then, in the evening, at about 5 o'clock, my Daddy phoned me up. I said, "Daddy, do I have a sister or a brother?" He said, "You have a little brother." When I heard that, I started jumping. I was happy.

Then, my Daddy came home. He told me, "Come on, let's go to the hospital." I saw my little brother. He was sleeping. He looked wonderful, I thought to myself. I said, "My baby brother!" He got up. He started crying. "Weehhhhhnnnnn". My Daddy carried him and said, "Don't cry little boy."

When he was just born, I asked him 'What's your name?' He blew a big bubble and said, "Ah-poo-poo-zuh!"

Grandmee was with us to help; she came down from Bombay. She came with us to the hospital. After the baby was born, my godfather and uncle (mother's brother) Joce also came down.

Before he was born, I didn't know what to call him. First I thought of calling him Bonny. Then, I thought of calling him Johnny. Then, my Mother said, "No." Everyone decided to call him Aren. My father pronounces the name as Ah-ren. My mother calls him Aron. My grandfather calls him Bootikens. My nana calls him Baba. Joce calls him "Rajaboy". Grandmee calls him "My Nunooboy". If anyone asks him his name, he says, "I'm not Baba. I'm A-R-E-N Aren."

Aren like chicken. He also likes juices; his favourite juice is guava juice. He drinks a lot of water. He likes to eat biscuits. His best junk food is Chitos, which are a kind of sometimes-spicy sometimes-sweet sometimes-plain cheesy stuff.

He is in Teacher Cherie's Play School, in Saligao. His best friend in the school is Alea.

When I get punished, he takes up for me.[He says in a stern voice, "Mama, don't shout at Riza...."] And when he is punished, I take up for him. But, we cannot stop fighting on our own.

I love my brother. He loves me too.

Photos (above) Aren a few months old and (below) at Calangute beach, September 2004.

Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Mixed feelings about Barbie

Some children like Barbie, and some children don't like Barbie.

First, I used to like Barbie. We had a team of Barbie. Now, we like another team called Wins Club. My friends often tell me, "You got to like only one team." But I like both. Barbie and Wins Club.

Some children also don't like Barbie, because they like many other things. My Daddy says Barbie spends all her time dressing up and combing her hair. My father also says Barbie is not interested in being smart.

I like the Barbie Princess, Dahlia, Barbie of Swan Lake, Barbie of Rapunzel, Barbie and the Pauper.

I have three dolls. One doll's name is Aurora. The other doll's name is Beauty, and the other one is Candy. One of the dolls, Uncle Kevin gave me in Bombay. The other was a birthday gift from my mother. And the third, somebody gave it to me.... My Daddy also gave me one, her name was Swan Lake.

Abigail is the one who has the most Barbies, but her little sister spoils them sometimes.

I mean I like Barbie. I have read three Barbie books -- The Dream Skipper, Star Baby Sitter Barbie I've read myself. I spelt them hard. I only could get the small words.

Barbie of Morocco is a very nice book. It is a story of Barbie going to Morocco. There, she stays in a palace and makes a friend, Fatima, the princess of Morocco. They also have a big party.

My brother likes Barbies. I thought the other boys don't like Barbies. But one boy, who came for the reading club, had a small Barbie sticker with him.

Photos, on top, Barbie. Above, Cindrella, Aurora and Snow White.

Sunday, January 29, 2006

Me and my friends

Photo below: Simron, me, Heidi


Now I would like to tell you the names of some of my friends.

My best friend's name is Abigail (and Isabel). Abigail is the leader of our team. The name of my team is the Winsclub Team. Blue, Stella, Techna, Glenda, Flora are the members of this team. (Abi, Gabi, Heidi, Isabel and me.)

My other friends are Gabi, Heidi, Lianne, and Sacchi. Sacchi has two twin sisters, named Simmi and Simron. They are cute. Whenever I come, they run and open the door.

My teacher's name is Teacher Sybil. She is good to me. She often takes us down for games. She also gives us drawing, which is my best subject.

My friend in my class is Suhail. Cheryl is also my friend. And Shivona.

In my reading class, I have many friends too. Harvey, Havana, Malaika, Abigail, Gabi, Heidi, Isabel, Nina, George and Victoria.

One day, I went to the beach. I was with my friend Isabel.

We were walking around on the beach. Suddenly, we saw a girl. I said to my friend Isabel, "Let's make friends with that girl." So she said, "Okay. Let's go."

I held her hand, and we said, "Hello. What is your name?"

She was eating something. She said "Life".

Then, she started playing with us. We asked her, "Where is your mother?" She said her mother is in England. She said, I have come with my friends.

Me and my friend took our buckets. We filled water, and we started playing. We were playing so much that we had such a good time at the beach... Okay, finished. I'm going....