#coming down the Sant' Anna side

[orontes]

[hofstraodyssey]

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After the flurry and frenzy of big cities Florence and Rome, our experience in peaceful Sorrento was that much more pleasant. Ever since I made a Pinterest account I have been in love with the Amalfi Coast, and fantasized about coming here even though I have never been to Europe until this trip, and now I’m finally here surrounded by friends that I love! From Rome we drove just a few hours along the Bay of Naples, passing Mount Vesuvius on the way, along a winding cliff side overlooking the Bay until we arrived at our “deluxe hostel” Ulisse which was much more like a hotel. We got there with a lot of daylight left and most of us decided to go adventuring, as usual. Just down the road we found a short hiking path where we climbed up moss covered steps to the top of a small waterfall with a beautiful view of the Bay and the colorful houses below. As we kept exploring we found an elevator down to a small beach where some fishermen were bringing in their catches and we sat on the rocks watching the sun set over Naples, across the Bay. The next day had just as stunning views when we went to class at Sant’ Anna Institute, some of us even being convinced to come back and get internships here in the summer. The view outside our large classroom windows had us a little distracted during our class period where we discussed some really deep and interesting readings and documentaries on human trafficking and ways of perceiving the world. The next day we took a ferry ride to the Island of Capri. Our Italian tour-guide took us to the grottos all around the island until we got dropped off at the main marina to spend a day seeing everything else that the Island had to offer. Some of us went hiking while others shopped around on the rather empty, off-season streets and got some good deals. We all got gelato at some point; you just can’t avoid the temptation. The sun was setting as we got back onto the boat to go back to Sorrento and we just stared in awe at how beautiful it was and reflected on how incredible it is to be where we are right now with so much of the trip already passed and still so much to go. Time has started to move slowly but we’re savoring every second that we get. Sorrento has been our longest stop so far – 4 nights – so we all took advantage of the free day we got on our last day here to rest, catch up on homework, and just relax. On our way to catch the ferry from Italy to Greece we stopped at the infamous Pompeii and were blown away at the ancient world it transported us to. Walking around in the ruins and reading about the citizen’s daily lives was surreal and almost felt like we were on a movie set. On to a new country now! See you soon, Greece.

[fanfiction-9ano]

Molly's Adventure

Molly's Adventure  

Some days after Old Major’s boring speech about his dream and that stupid revolution, he died. At the beginning, I didn't think this whole story would greatly affect my life, or even destroy my dreams of becoming famous. For three consecutives months I remained beautiful, and no one commented on Major’s speech, so I thought that it was just something momentary that had already passed. Sometime after, I heard once that the rebellion predicted by Old Major would take place, but no one knew when. I don't think so, in my opinion, it wouldn’t take place now a days, or even in this lifetime, and that's good because I can focus on what really matters, me.

I guess the other animals felt like they had the duty to prepper the rest of the animals to this revolution. The pigs had the work to teach the other animals about the revolution. Among the pigs there were two boars, I think their names were Napoleon and Snowball. Before all this mess, they were going to be sold, but now they won't. The one I liked the most was Snowball, mostly because he had a quicker speech, and because I think his name is funny. He and his friends decided that the teaching thing would now be called Animalism.

After some time, I discovered that the other animals were having several meetings during the week while Mr. Jones and I were sleeping. So, after I found out, I have made the decision to go to one of these meetings and discover what are they planning.

When I got to the meeting every other animal was there. Why wasn’t I invited to these boring party before? That’s the question that were in my head. But the other animals were asking questions like: "Why should we care what happens after we are dead?" or "If this Rebellion is to happen anyway, what difference does it make whether we work for it or not?", but the pigs were having some trouble to answer those questions, so I decided to ask a much easier and important question, that was: "Will there still be sugar after the Rebellion? ", but the answer that I got wasn’t the one I wanted. They were going to take everything from me?! They already took my dream of being Instagram famous, and now they want to take my sugar away and give me oats, that’s ridiculous! And only got worst! I won’t be able to wear my ribbons as well. I hate this revolution!

One day when I was talking to Moses, Mr. Jones's special crow, who worked as a spy and told stories in his spare time, claimed to know of the existence of a mysterious country called Sugarcandy Mountain, to which all animals go. When they die. He said it was somewhere in the sky, a short distance beyond the clouds. In Sugarcandy Mountain it was Sunday seven days a week, clover was in season all the year round, and lump sugar and linseed cake grew on the hedges.

The animals hated Moses because they thought he tells too much stories and doesn't work, but I like him, especially because he introduced me to my wonderful idols, someday I will be like them! They are part of a very famous TV show called My Little Pony. My favorites ones are Rarity, Applejack and Twilight but I think I like Rarity more because she looks kind of like me.

Now, unfortunately as it turned out, the Rebellion was achieving much earlier and more easily than anyone had expected. With Mr. Jones drowning his sorrows in strange alcohol drinks, the other animals had a lot of time to plan the revolution, and to get more motives to do it.

When June came the hay was almost ready for cutting. On Midsummer's Eve, Mr. Jones went into Willingdon and got so drunk at the Red Lion that he did not come back till around midday on Sunday. The other man had already done what he needed too, so they went out rabbiting, without bothering to feed us. When Mr. Jones got back, he immediately went to sleep, so that when evening came, we were still unfed. At last, when they could stand it no longer one of the cows broke in the door of the store−shed with her horn and all the animals began to help themselves, but as I thought I was more important I just got what I wanted and eft, which was a smart decision because  just then Mr. Jones woke up.

Suddenly, in the next moment he and his four men were in the store−shed with whips in their hands, lashing out in all directions. I don’t know what happened, but when I realized Mr. Jones and his crew found themselves being butted and kicked from all sides. The situation was going out of their control. Why this was happening to my farm?

After only a moment or two they gave up trying to defend themselves and took to their heels. A minute later all five of Mr. Jones friends were in full flight down the cart−track that led to the main road. And after that Mr. Jones was expelled from the Manor farm. I felt sad, and just wanted to know what was going to happen after that.

It took some time to all the animals to come down, they burned a lot of things and I couldn’t see all of it, but when that stupid Snowball threw on to the fire my beautiful ribbons and said: "Ribbons, should be considered as clothes, which are the mark of a human being. All animals should go naked."

That was it, so much ignorance is not possible! These were my ribbons, not theirs! What would Rarity think of me without my ribbons?

After, they completely shook me, I decided that they no longer deserved my presence, at least for a while.

When I decided that it was time to talk to them again, they were talking about some stupid Seven Commandments. These Seven Commandments would now be inscribed on the wall; they would form an unalterable law by which all the animals on Animal Farm must live for ever after. So it would be more terrible things,“rules”, for this farm, that now is called “Animal Farm”, they are literally trying to ruin my life. These seven new rules were:

1. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.

2. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.

3. No animal shall wear clothes.  

4. No animal shall sleep in a bed.

5. No animal shall drink alcohol.

6. No animal shall kill any other animal.

7. All animals are equal.

After a lot of thinking I realized that those stupid animals were ruining my dreams, all of them! So, I decided that I was going to leave Manor Farm, I mean Animal Farm. And that’s what I did. I said goodbye just for 3 animals Boxer, Clover and Benjamin, not because I was going to miss them, just because they were kind of my kind. And that was it, I was leaving to live.

Written by Manuela Sant' Anna and Rafaela Lopes

9B/9E