ACT ONE (by Team Romania)
Once upon a time there were 26 letters who lived happy in a big city. It was a beautiful city with green trees, pink flowers and yellow butterflies. Everything was perfect except one thing. The letters can not go abroad to see new countries and new places. How us, the people like to go to German or Italy or Spain, they wanted to do the same thing, but K, the king and Q the queen did not let them because they were afraid to lose them.
"I am the king of Alphabetia and I am not gonna to let you go in other countries because I think you do not have what to do there" "I am the queen of Alphabetia and I think here, in our country, there are more things to see or do" " My wife is right. Here you can sing and listen to the alphabet song, you can look after children and you can grow up in peace and happiness" "You can also take care of our magnific country and make it more beautiful day after day" " We are very afraid that if you, our sweet letters, if you will see all the wonderfull things in other countries, you will fall in love and you will want to move there" " And you are going to let us alone and we do not want this to happend. We want to be a happy family here, because you, letters, you are our family." "This is our decision. You have to respect it" " There are guardians all over this country" " You can not leave." " It is better like this." "Believe us." " If you want to talk with us about this, you can come to the palace whenever you want." "We are waiting to you, sweeties"
ACT TWO (by Team Romania)
When the letters listen to all of this,they get mad and they wanted to talk to K and Q. "I am A and I am the big brother of all these letters."
"Hello A, come here to talk if you want" "Yes, come here. We think that is the reason why you came to the castel"
"Yes,so.. Me and my brothers and sisters, the rest of the letters, want to go out and see new thing." "We want to see new places and meet new people" " We do not want to live the same life over and over until we die"
When Q and K listen to this, they started to scream. "We are like our parents, letters. We are taking care of you and we are taking care of all this country. How can you say that you want to leave and move?" "You do not apreciate us? You do not like us? You do not see how much we are doing for you every day?"
"We know what are you doing and we all love you very much. We also know that you two are like our parents."
"And then what do you want?"
" We just want to go for a week in other coutry to see how are the things going there. And we will like you to come with us."
"I do not know..."
"We promise we will come back in one week here, because here is our life and here are you, our family"
After a few weeks, the letters with Q and K went to Germany for a week. They were very happy there and when they come back, the relationship between the king and the queen and the letters become stronger and they live happily ...
ACT THREE (by Team Germany)
Q and K were so happy about the good relationship with all the letters that they arranged monthly gatherings at the palace where everyone could speak freely.
Q and K started the third meeting like this, "We notice that our country has become a happier one. Everyone is smiling and seems to like life and work more." "My wife is right. We like Alphabetia better too. The travel was so good for us, maybe we should do something similar more often."
"Wow. Great! Thank you." "The trip to Germany helped us see things from a different perspective." "And meeting people in real life was so much better than just reading about a country." "We know we are letters and create what can be read, but from now on we can no longer be just black and white." "Yes, we will show up more colourful in texts as we know the ideas behind the words." "Germany was really good, but what about the other countries?"
"We have been thinking about that too. So my husband and I decided to remove guards and allow you to travel freely." "As long as you fulfill all your other duties, of course."
"What a fabulous idea!" "Of course, we will come back." "And we will surely not forget our tasks here." "Could we also go on a trip together again? Sharing the experience of travelling was such a great feeling!"
"I just love that idea. What about you, K?" "Sounds good to me. What about going to Italy next?"
ACT FOUR (by Team Italy)
And so K and Q and all the guards arrived to Italy. At the beginning they felt a bit overwhelmed, because everything seemed so chaotic and noisy and messy... people there seemed to shout all the time, but not out of anger or rage: they simply were so loud! Streets were narrow and crowded, everywhere kids were playing and riding their bikes and laughing out loud, women were shouting and men played cards lazily, sitting at the tables of cafés in the streets. "Where are we?" thought K. "People are so odd here" said Q, "And their language is so.... how can I say.... it's so sweet in a way and and musical... they seem to use only VOWELS here! Everything is so full of As, Es, and Os". "You are right Her Majesty", said the chief of the guards General A, "Here everything has got a new sense for me! In the end I understand what my duty shall be: I will have to take the guards where they are most needed. We have the power to change the sound of a language and we should help people to express their feelings better!!"
K and Q, general A and all the guards E,O,U,I felt now very happy and satisfied because they had understood the importance of bringing melody and music to the language. With this new awareness, they decided not to go back home, but to continue their journey. They decided to go to Poland.
ACT FIVE (by Team Poland)
It was till summer in Italy when the letters started their journey. They ended up in Polish autumn. Golden Polish Autumn to be precise, with many colourful leaves lying around.
The letters were strolling, slowly walking along beautiful streets and parks. Lots of leaves rustled under their feet.
„Beautiful” – B said.
What an amazing sound” – A added.
They all had a lot of fun when shuffling. The sound of rustling leaves was overwhelming.
Near a school the letters heard children singing out loud. It was a song about Europe. A joyful and moving one. About friendship, tolerance and peace. The letters stopped and listened enchanted. When the last tune disapeared, R whispered:
„Really amazing”
Suddenly S shouted:
„Letters, do you agree Polish language has something in common with rustling leaves? Almost the same sound and similar melody...
YEESS!!! You are right!
The letter I was standing, thinking a minute and said:
"Friends, have you noticed, there are Italian words in Polish language?”
„I am sure they are!” said T
?????
„You can eat pizza and drink cappuccino!”
„This is in every country, dear” - D said smiling.
„But Polish people also eat MAKARON (maccherone / pasta), KALAFIOR (cavalfiore / cauliflower), POMIDOR (pomodore / tomato), CUKINIA (zucchina / courgette) and POMARAŃCZA (arancia / orange), play the FORTEPIAN (pianoforte / piano), use PARASOL (umbrella) when it is raining, sit by FONTANNA (fountain) in a park, have KONTO (conto / account) in a BANK (banca), walk on MOLO (pier) at the seaside and many others.”
„Fantastico! Sorry: Fantastic!” - F said clapping hands.
„How about German words in Polish language? Have you heard any?” - G asked
„Not easy to find, I am afraid” - said E
„They sound similar and have the same meaning” – S explained
„Any example, friends?” – E asked
„I know” - O said: KINO (cinema). R added: RATUSZ (Rathaus / townhall). M found: MALOWAĆ (malen / paint).
„There are also HANDEL (trade), SZPITAL (Spital / hospital), PLAC (Platz / square)” - others added.
„Have you ever known about that kind of friendship between languages?” The letters were really intrigued.
„Did foreign words give Polish people some insight into another culture?” - C wondered.
„Did foreign words show them another way of life?” - L wanted to know.
And in general:
„Does the influence of languages change Europeans’ way of thinking?”
„How much does our language express our culture?”
Too many questions. Difficult to answer, the letters were not linguistic experts.
Suddenly P decided:
„Let’s go to Portugal. The country is far away from Poland. I would like to learn about their language heritage, too. How about you, dear friends?”
„YES, YOU ARE RIGHT!!! LET’S GO!”
And all letters went to the airport and took the plane to Portugal.
ACT SIX (by Team Portugal)
They landed in Portugal and when they left the plane, the Letters were astonished!!! ....
- Wow!!! So hot ... and what beautiful beaches!!!! ......
They had landed in the Algarve and were amazed by the landscapes and the weather and warmth with which they were received. The R begins to shout:
- See ... see how important I am .....RRRRRonaldo ... Ronaldo!!!
The letters jumped enthusiastically. The A ... AAAAAAA the U ... UUUUUU and the E ... ..EEEEEE!!!! He is really the best player in the world!!!
K offered Ronaldo some gifts from his country and Ronaldo volunteered to give some tips on Portugal:
- Here we also eats pizza and drinks cappuccino but drinks a wonderful Vinho do Porto (Port Wine), eats Bacalhau (cod), Leitão (suckling pig) and Sardinhas assadas (grilled sardines).
- Ahhh, in the countries that we have visited Vinho we say vin, Wein, vino, Wino, Bacalhau is said, merluzzo, dorsz, Leitão is said purcel, Ferkel, maialino, prosiaczek and Sardinhas, sardeluţă, sardine, sardynka- says the king.
- Ohhhhh, the Portuguese language is difficult but leaves us wanting to taste all that - Says S salivating...
- But some words are similar and the Italian language has words similar to the Portuguese language - Says Q!
- Languages really have everything to do with countries and their customs, but we have a word that has no translation in any other language.- Ronaldo said.
- Seriously? What word is that? - Asked K.
- Saudade! - exclaimed Ronaldo- This word has to do with our way of being. We are nostalgic and sometimes melancholic and this is well seen in our fado, word that is spelled the same way in many countries.
- F ... F ... F ... Fado? - Asked the F.
- AAAmália! Amalia! - Shouted the A.
- Right- Ronaldo said.- Amalia was a world-famous fado singer. Her fados are famous all over Europe and the world. And she sings:
“Numa casa portuguesa fica bem
Pão e vinho sobre a mesa
E se à porta humildemente bate alguém
Senta-se à mesa co'a gente
Fica bem esta franqueza, fica bem
Que o povo nunca desmente
A alegria da pobreza
Está nesta grande riqueza
De dar, e ficar contente
"In a Portuguese house it fits well
bread and wine on the table
And if at the door someone humbly beats
He sits at the table with us
This frankness looks well, looks well
That the people never deny
The joy of poverty
is in this great wealth
to give, and to be content “
The letters were so enthusiastic and curious that they decided to travel the country from south to north. They visited monuments, landscapes, tasted delicious food and always hummed:
- “It's a Portuguese house, for sure! It is, of course, a Portuguese house!"
When they got to Alphabetia, the letters were all sad....
- What's up?- Asked the king- you are usually so cheerful!
- Saudade…. They all responded in unison.
- I miss so many things that we have seen, so much that we have learned and is so important- said S.
- Right! - Cried the Queen - do you notice how many words you can form? And how many different languages these words can form?
- I had never realized that we were so important and necessary to communication between all, to express our culture and to make ourselves known- said P.
- In this world we are all different but you, letters, unite all people through words!!!! Exclaimed K the King of Alphabetia.
BE HAPPY!